Basaseachic National Park, Chihuahua, Mexico

Basaseachic National Park is located in the state of Chihuahua, the most northern and largest state of Mexico, in a region called the Barrancas del Cobre. The Barrancas is a 30,000-square-kilometer wilderness containing steep mountains and rugged canyons. Although there are bigwalls in the region, the area which includes Copper Canyon is best known for its high waterfalls, some of which are among the tallest on the planet. Being almost the size and depth of Yosemite this immense and expansive area hosts almost no routes. El Gigante, the major wall of the area, is up to 850 meters and has seen five routes. The climbing potential in the park has been known for some time but few climbers have visited the area. In the 1990s, Cecilia Buil and Carlos Garcia established the first route on El Gigante. They returned several years later and climbed another route on its massive northwest face. Both required significant effort to get equipment to the bottom of the wall. Mexican porters were employed for four days (two to get in and two to get out) to carry in loads. Apart from these expeditions in the Candamenia Canyon there are only a few other routes.

In November 2000, Gareth Llewellin (Australia), Brent Edelen (USA), and Jakub Gajda (Czech) climbed a route on the righthand side of Gigante's northwest face “Blades, Scars and Stars” (VI 5.10, A3+/A4) over an 11-day period (with three days of fixing), which is reportedly 772 meters (2,575 feet) long. The route has been likened to El Cap's Zodiac. Finally, in 2001, the Germans Kurt Albert, Stefan Glowacz, Holger Heuber, Mariusz Hoffmann, Gunda Frühwald, and Klaus Fengler climbed a new 22-pitch route “The Conspiracy of the Fools” and at the same time made the first free ascent of the wall (VI, 5.13, 22 pitches).

In the Spring of 2002 our team of Peter Baumeister (Germany), Bert VanLint (Belgium) and Lucas Laeser (Colorado), established the world’s largest sport route on El Gigante naming it “Logical Progression” (VI 5.12d 28 fully-bolted pitches). Our anti-ethical /traditional style of rap bolting the wall (not really new to the climbing world) took almost two months of work but produced what we think is a truly one of a kind experience. Cecelia Buil and Carlos Garcia immediately said what we have created is wrong. Cecelia and Carlos, although they have bolted and climbed many sport routes, threatened to remove the bolts on the route because “sport climbers do not belong on big walls”. If the route survives the threats of the area’s original locals, we believe it is destined to become a new school classic.

While we established our new route on the wall we witnessed the first Base Jump of El Gigante by two Colorado climbers/jumpers Damian Doucette and Jay Epstein. A new “football field” sized landing spot was created at the bottom of the wall by Mexicans while we finished our route in the Spring of 2002. Future jumpers can now make a safe jump and landing without the fear of getting scraped up in the narrow, far from flat, floor of Candamenia Canyon. Fernando is also having a super-trail constructed from his ranch to the bottom of El Gigante so that future climbers can have equipment carried to the bottom of the wall by mules. This should greatly facilitate the progress of establishing new routes and make the possibility of doing a one day ascent of the massive wall.

The Cascade Wall with Cascada de Basaseachic has four routes now. In the 90's Carlos Garcia climbed a large corner system that is about 350 meters. Also in the late 90’s Cecelia Buil soloed an A4 blank looking wall in between the corner and the “Subiendo” arete that has bolts linking some thin seams. In winter 2001 we established a 300 meter 10 pitch 5.13 sport route ,“Subiendo el Arcoiris” on a prominent steep buttress with black water streaks on the right side of the sharp arete. This is now the most popular and repeated route in the park. Stefan Glowacz , Kurt Albert and Holger Hueber have called it “a superb five star classic“. To the right of the waterfall, three Canadians established a 5.11+ A3 route in the spring of 2001 over a two week period.

A sport crag exists just outside the park at Rancho San Lorenzo that has about 50 routes. The climbing at the sport crags can be likened to the Enchanted Tower of New Mexico, although there is a lot more to climb and still tons more great looking stuff to develop. Austin climber, Alex Catlin, established seven sport routes on a stunning free standing pilar called “the fist” visible from the Casacada parking lot. Also visible from the parking lot on the wall to the east on a formation called Cerra de la Campana Pete, Bert and I established “Contessa Inessa” a fun two pitch sport route up the center of the wall.

The elevation at the park entrance is about 2000 meters and the canyon drops quickly down to 1500 meters below the waterfall. The summer can be very hot and rainy but climbing should be possible on many shady and steep walls. Fall is the best season with comfortable daytime and nighttime temperatures but occasional thundershowers are possible. Winter, with its short days, can have perfect conditions but also rain and snow. Spring is the windiest and driest time of the year and can have dependable temperatures as well.

The Basaseachic area consists of thick sequences of andesite and rhyolite, which is in between basalt and tuff. It offers climbing from smooth slabs to steep pocket pulling in every wishable size between bouldering and big walls. In addition to the Cerro El Gigante, the canyon system provides more untouched medium size big walls up to 500 or more meters tall. In the surrounding ranges you can find enough sport crags to bolt for the rest of your life, not counting all of the bouldering spots.

Chihuahua Cuidad is the closest airport with international connections. Here you can get most services but no climbing shop. Busses run regularly from Chihuahua to the village of Basaseachic. It is also possible to take a train to Creel in the Copper Canyon area south of Basaseachic and hitchhike to the village.

The main road south of the village leads to the main trail head and park entrance. The gift shops at the parking lot can also offer cheap rooms to rent with showers and firewood. Camping here is plentiful and free. The alternate entrance to the park on the east side is through Rancho San Lorenzo owned by Fernando Dominguez Arvizo. Email Fernando for more info: lobo_waterfallsadventure@yahoo.com.mx Here Fernando has more luxurious cabins for about $80-100 US . Camping costs $10 US a car (no matter how many people) including showers and firewood. Located here are multiple sport crags with about 50 routes from 5.8 to 5.13+. These crags are not in the park so you have to pay Fernando Dominguez. A misleading photo appeared in Rock & Ice Magazine of Carlos Garcia doing a sport route with the waterfall in the background. The waterfall is not visible from the sport crag. Access to the crags is included in the overnight fees, or 25 pesos a day. It is important that you bring all the money from either Chihuahua or any other bigger city since no ATM exists around Basaseachic. Most local markets have all basic foods but expect higher prices then in Chihuahua Ciudad.

Thanks

Lucas Laeser, Dierk Sittner, Pete Baumiester, Bert VanLint and Cameron Burns