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North America
International
Description
This page is home to all of the North American, Central American, & Carribean Island countries excluding the United States. For information on the US, please refer to the area page for the pertinent State.
North America is a vast continent that stretches from near the Equator to beyond the Arctic Circle. The climate & landscape is extremely varied, from baking deserts, to tropical rainforests, to ice-covered alpine mountains. The climbing is just as varied, offering every imaginable type of climbing, from bouldering to big wall climbing; deep water soloing to high altitude mountaineering.
Destinations for Alpinists include the Canadian Rockies of Alberta & British Columbia, or the towering volcanos of Mexico. Trad climbers will enjoy the legendary sweeping granite of Squamish, or the remote towers of the forbidding Cirque of the Unclimbables. Sport climbers might enjoy a warm winter vacation to the towering limestone walls of El Potrero Chico or the odd basalt of Panama, or cool summer destinations like Skaha.
Getting There
Destinations to the Great White North are often best accessed by automobile. Driving over the border is safe & easy, but be sure you have your documents in order (see below). For most destinations to the South, air travel is the most convenient approach. Some destinations in northern Mexico (such as El Potrero Chico are often approached via car.
Travel Information
Federal laws require a valid US passport for return travel to the US. While you may be able to exit the country, you can't get back in. Details on how to obtain a passport can be found here. There are a few complicated exceptions to this rule if returning from Canada or Mexico via automobile (or foot/bicycle). Details can be found here for Canada and here for Mexico. Note that the "exceptions" are probably are not really any simpler than just getting a passport.
Visa requirements vary from country to country. No visa is required for Canada for stays up to 180 days. Mexico requires a "Tourist Card" which is readily available at border crossing, or often included in the price of airfare. To ensure your trip goes smoothly, visit the US State Department's Country Specific Page at the early planning stage, for precise info regarding visas, vaccinations, or any other requirements.
Refer to each countries page for details on the local currency. Current exchange rates can be found here.
[Hide Comment] I recently climbed in Aculco with Simeon of SouthernXposure. This area is called the Indian Creek of MX. I thought about it and agree. Not because Aculco has splitter cracks on smooth sandstone, but because Indian Creek is a very beautiful place, and so is this canyon. While we climbed the photogenic rhyolite cliff a stream created white noise, in the background. There was a clear blue sky overhead and we were shaded by the sun. Even the temperature and humidity were ideal. The moderate routes we climbed were stellar, four star rated, each and every one. What keeps you on the rock is body tension, sharp thin edges, dimples, ledges, where you can shake it out to get a hands free rest and the ever present crack, which takes excellent gear. We climbed the 8's, 9's & some 10's on the Del 11 and El Nopal walls. My day out with SouthernXposure was well planned and paced. I felt safe, secure and just as importantly challenged. Simeon's knowledge of the crag and the Aculco area helped make my 2 days there memorable.
Jan 24, 2020
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The moderate routes we climbed were stellar, four star rated, each and every one. What keeps you on the rock is body tension, sharp thin edges, dimples, ledges, where you can shake it out to get a hands free rest and the ever present crack, which takes excellent gear. We climbed the 8's, 9's & some 10's on the Del 11 and El Nopal walls.
My day out with SouthernXposure was well planned and paced. I felt safe, secure and just as importantly challenged. Simeon's knowledge of the crag and the Aculco area helped make my 2 days there memorable. Jan 24, 2020
Bay Area