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Climbing Information Introduction
Climbers have travel and accommodations in La Habana and Viñales totally wired. Cuba has excellent year-round weather, and a population with a long history of friendship with Americans. Rest days include isolated beaches and cock-fights. Add an exciting, sensuous nightlife, and the gregarious, vivacious Cuban people. Cuba is arguably the best outdoor adventure experience anywhere. The lightning fast development of climbing in Cuba is the product of a core of American first-ascentionists and developing Cuban climbers equipped by donations from US climbing companies. Strong contingents of Cuban climbers now exist in Havana and Viñales, and they now lead in the exploration of Cuba¹s climbing potential. Cuba could become one of the finest outdoor adventure destinations. Fishing, down-right cheap diving and snorkeling, and extensive caving have been discovered and are drawing world travelers. The word is out. Cuba has been featured in articles from Rock and Ice and Outside in the U.S. to Climber in the U.K. Perhaps nothing has signaled that climbing has arrived in Cuba, and in big way, than a poster promoting Hollywood, a cigarette brand, that appeared all over the island of Cuban Aníbal Fernández climbing the wildly overhanging Mucho Pumpito. Flashy, beefcake, hedonist, the poster is not the socialist exhortation for productivity and sacrifice that is the norm. Vice seems to be new economic exception, but then, in Cuba all business, including the tobacco business, is a government operation. Perhaps, more important, the Cuban government has acknowledged the development of climbing in Cuba in the international edition of the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba, Granma. These and other current publications can be seen at Article About Cuba page.
"The Revolution was the work of climbers and cavers." If the first foreigners had known that bit of history, they might not have presumed that climbing in Cuba would begin with their visit. Because of Cuba's isolation as a Soviet satellite, climbing had occurred only in spurts, whenever foreigners dropped in with some ropes and gear. The first climbing in Cuba is murky and was discovered long after the fact. In 1999, when Craig Luebben, Cameron Cross, and Armando Menocal reached the top of the first pitch on the first ascent of the cathedral chamber of La Costanera, they were surprised to discover three rusty pitons, a loop of tied perlon, and a carabineer: an obvious rappel. The pitch ascends a tree root for 50-feet, traverses dirty rock, then exits a cave to a short 5.8 face to a ledge with the pitons; the Americans protected the exit and face with Big Bros, and later placed two bolts. Eventually a nearby campesino told them this story: about 15 to 20 years ago two Spanish women spent two days reaching that point on the wall. He said they went no farther, although Luebben thought he saw pin scars on the next pitch. It is certainly plausible in climbing terms. It does mean, however, that these climbers came to Cuba equipped with pitons and hammers, and started out by tackling one of the longest, most intimidating, and elegant lines. The next developments are better known. Slowly a small group of Cubans in Havana taught themselves to climb, using their caving skills, meager climbing and caving gear, and an occasional climbing magazine. It started when a Puerto Rican gave some climbing gear to Aníbal Fernández, who was only 11 at the time, but already caving and active in outdoor exploration with others in the Speleological Society of Cuba. In 1996, a Spaniard named Miguel Rubio, or as he was known, Tito, brought equipment and introduced the Cubans to technical climbing. The next year, Alberto Morales, a sports official from Colombia, who was also a climber, attended a conference in Cuba. He brought a rack of stoppers and hexes. The Cubans took Morales to the heartland of Cuba's limestone cliffs, the Viñales Valley. Morales and two of the Cubans put up the first route there, a trad one (120M), called Colombia y El Caiman del Caribe. (Colombia and the Crocodile of the Caribbean) A climbing competition, on toprope, was also staged. Morales left the Cubans his rack. The Cubans initial approach fit the equipment and caving experience: drop in from above, drill an anchor, and then toprope the route; the hangers were removed for reuse. However, their training ground was singular and today is the spectacular start to any Cuba climbing tour: the incut limestone walls of the Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, a fortress that has guarded the entrance to Havana harbor for four centuries. The next foreign catalyst was the initial visit in November, 1998, of Armando Menocal, a long time climbing activist and Exum Mountain Guide from Teton Range, Wyoming, USA. Menocal picks up the story of initial developments:
Menocal was back a few months later, in February, 1999, with a team of climbers from Colorado: writer-photographer Craig Luebben, George Bracksieck, the founder of Rock and Ice, and Skip Harper, Caribbean climbing pioneer, who had also spied the Viñales Valley on a previous exploration. Gobbling up the best climbs was not the only objective of that first team of Americans. "I wanted not just to climb in Cuba, but to climb with Cubans," Menocal says. To connect with actual or potential climbers, the four Americans contacted the Sociedad Espeleológica de Cuba (the Speleological Society of Cuba). Although the Sociedad's paramount interest was caving, it had a long history of exploring all of Cuba's natural environment, from caves to mountains and rivers. For example it organized the first exploration and descents of Cuba's rivers (e.g., Toa) and first ascent of its mountains (Pico Turquino, Cuba's highest) The Sociedad proposed that the Americans put on a slide show, and see who showed up. Luebben agreed to show slides about climbing around the world. Only half a dozen Cubans showed up. At that moment, it did not seem an auspicious start. The show was a day later than advertized. The tropical sun light could not be blocked from the room in the La Habana's sprawling Sport City campus, and the images were very hard to see. But then, since Luebben's show was in support of his just published book on ice climbing, half the show was ice climbing, being shown in a country that has never recorded a sub-freezing temperature! However, even if ice climbing was wholly foreign, Luebben's passion was infectious. That afternoon the Cubans took the Americans to climb at El Morro, and the next day on a rural bus to their toprope area outside of Havana. The first bolted lead route in Cuba was put up at Jaruco on February 12, 1999 Luebben and Menocal brought shoes, harnesses, and ropes for the Cubans. This practice has continued, and now a dozen American companies support the Cuban climbers. Climbing magazine commented on this unique turn around of traditional corporate sponsorships, and quoted Menocal: "By providing the Cubans necessary gear, the opportunity to get to the crags in a country where transportation is a major hurdle, and mainly the vision of what they can do, we've made it possible for them to be our partners in developing the Cuban climbing scene." Two of the Cubans at that first unpropitious slide show, Vitalio (Vity) Echazábal and Carlos Pinelo, joined the Americans in a month-long joint exploration of Cuba's climbing potential. By the end of our trip, Vity was leading new 5.11 / 6c routes in Viñales. On the Americans last day in Viñales, they were joined by another young Cuban with short cropped blond hair. They did not know it at the time, but Aníbal Fernández had gone AWOL from the army and hitchhiked to Viñales to climb with the visiting Americans. After they dropped Aníbal in Havana, he went straight to the brig for two weeks. By 2003, Aníbal Fernández has by far the most first ascents. Just hitting his stride at only 23 years of age, Aníbal appears likely to put up an phenomenal climbing record.
The first year of route exploration, 1999, has remained the touchstone. In his first visits, Craig Luebben demonstrated an eye and ardor for the biggest walls of Viñales. On his initial expedition, he did the dramatic classic Cuba Libre (5.12a / 7a+) that was to be the quintessential Cuban route: cranking jugs and pockets in chiseled karst limestone on improbable lines winding through stunning overhangs of stalactites and tufa columns. Then, teaming with Cameron Cross, also of Colorado, Luebben, did the longest climbs in Cuba, the five pitch routes of Mr. Mogote (5.12a / 7a+) and Flyin' Hyena (5.12b / 7b). Luebben and Cross finished off that season with a tour de force: an enchainment of the three longest routes in a day. The next year, 2000, Luebben and Cross returned to add three more long, hard routes at La Costanera Wall, including the ultra-dubious Have a Cigar (5.12c-d / 7c), a you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it climb. David Ryan, another Exum Guide from Jackson, Wyoming, did several potential five-star routes. Colmillo Blanco (5.10b / 6a), done with Luebben, circles up a free standing tufa column. Filo de Cuchilla (5.10b / 6a) is a the knife edge on some of Cuba's sharpest rock. And best of all, the link-up route now known as Mucho Pumpito may be the most overhanging 5.10 anywhere, and the "must-do" climb for every visiting climber. 2001 saw the Cubans taking the lead with Vity Echazábal and Aníbal Fernández putting up several long, difficult routes: Milenio, three pitches, and Huevos Verde con Jamon, two pitches, both 5.11c. In all, Echazábal and Fernández each added five routes, and Echazábal opened the Ancón Wall, with Alimentando Mosquitos (5.11+). Ancón may yield many classic tufa-stalactite link-up routes.
Also, in 2001, teams of Cubans and Americans returned to La Costanera Wall, which has yielded the by far the most long routes in Cuba. The previous Costanera routes that reached the top rim had been to the East or left of Flying Hyena. Fernández and Ryan climbed the inside corner on the right side of the Costanera cathedral (Chicken Run, 5.12a / 7a+, 4 pitches). Echazábal added Viernes 13 (5.11d / 7a, 4 pitches), on the outside corner. Another joint team of Pinelo, Ryan, and Cuban-American Fernando Paulette, suffered through bat-scat, poison oak, and thorns on Mileno Wall on the 3-pitch Guao, Guano, y Espina (5.10b) which should become one of the most popular climbs at its grade. Several groups of visiting climbers of note have also raised the standards of difficulty. Spaniard David Brasco put up an amazing 18 routes in May, 2001, developing the entire Guajiro Ecológico Wall, and the route that has become the test piece for the neophyte Cubans, Malanga Hasta La Muerte (5.12d-13a / 7c-c+). Spring 2002 saw the arrival of a team of six talented Brits who travel the world in search of perfect new routes. They contributed perspective and Cuba's hardest routes to date. After their first day on the crags, Sheffield gritmaster Seb Grieve could not be restrained. With a cigar clamped in his teeth, he pounded the table with his glass of aged, caramel-colored rum, and proclaimed with the certitude that only an Englishman can, "that climb we did today was world class. If it was at any of the top climbing areas of the world, it would be among the absolute best, without a doubt." Neil Gresham invented a free start to Luebben-Cross's implausibly acrobatic Have a Cigar (5.13b / 8a). Tim Emmett climbed Cuba's hardest route, The One Inch Punch (5.14a / 8b+). The British team also added many hard and popular routes to walls that had seen only one or two routes. To Cuba Libre Wall, they added seven hard routes, including The Rum Diaries (5.12c / 7b+) by Charlie Woodburn, which gives Cuba Libre a direct start to its classic finishing pitch. As the Brit Mickey Robertson put it, "what it might have been looking for -- sustained moves for the grade, long and wicked!" And as important, this team developed the huge left cavern of Cueva de Cabeza la Vaca, appropriately naming it Wasp Factory, putting up five routes, including the route, for which the wall is named, and which over time has become the other test piece for the new crop of Cuban climbers, Neil Gresham's and Mikey Robertson's Wasp Factory (5.12b / 7b).
The growth of a Viñales home-grown climbing community has changed the pattern of the early years, when route exploration would occur in periodic spurts whenever American or other visiting climbers would come to Cuba, get together with the Cubans in Havana and go to Viñales. There they set up a "camp" of a dozen or more climbers for weeks at a time. Along with Aníbal Fernández, that initial core of the Havana climbers were Vity Echazábal, Carlos Pinelo, Jorge Mederos, and Ananay Jiménez. Of that first generation of committed climbers, only Aníbal remains in Cuba today. Climbing has been the vehicle for the others to escape. Vity Echazábal, the most talented natural climber, was also the gear wonk, making nuts, hooks, and packs. His only equipment was a foot peddle sewing machine. At times, two of them would have to stand with all their weight on the peddle to pierce heavy material. Mederos had just obtained his degree as an entomologist, and wanted to study insect ecology in Cuba's jungle canopies. He would have to do it without access to libraries or research available on the web; even after Americans got him a computer, he was not permitted access to the web. Mederos was also the non-stop jester. A very short man, he looked even more farcical next to his taller and much bigger mulata wife. Soviet socialists countries developed the Culture of the Joke. Most Cubans willing to comment on the regime or especially Fidel, do so in jokes and jests. When the electricity would go off, a very common occurrence, Mederos would go out on his balcony and sing the Cuban national anthem. A neighbor would then step outside, and yell, "Viva Fidel." Carlos Pinelo and Aníbal came to the U.S. for a rock guide course created for them by Exum Mountain Guides. Carlos dropped out of the guide course and defected. Aníbal took full advantage, climbing from the Rockies to desert rock to Yosemite, including big wall ascents of El Cap and Half Dome. Then, he returned to Cuba: "After two months, I missed Cuba so much. There are so many routes to put up." But says Aníbal, "My climbing partners, Vity and Mederos, are not there anymore." Vity had once been caught trying to escape Cuba by sea. Now in Spain, Vity is waiting to learn if he will be granted residency and can remain. "I miss Cuba very much and the wonderful times climbing there, and I know that it may be a long time before we can share them again." Cuba is like a heart torn in two. People leave their homes and go into exile, but their dwellings stay behind to be inhabited by another generation, many of whom also leave in second and third generations of defections. Most new route exploration since 2003 has been done by Aníbal Fernández or Josué Millo. Under their leadership, contingents of new climbers have developed in Havana and Viñales. In Havana, Aníbal Fernández, although only in his early 20s, has become the worldly veteran of Cuban climber, since he is the only one to have climbed outside of Cuba. Aníbal is even one of the few celebrities in Cuba, recognized outside of Havana or Viñales, because of the Hollywood cigarettes poster plastered all over the island in 2002 and 2003. In Viñales, a new group of men and women are climbing almost daily under the guidance of Josué Millo, by far the valley's strongest and most committed climber. Some of them are young, fit farmers, testing themselves on the valley's harder climbs when not working in the fields. Most days one can find some of them training on Malanga Hasta La Muerte, the radical, but accessible, 5.12d-13a / 7c-c+ test of skill and strength. Once they have the acrobatic skills and brawn for Malanga Hasta La Muerte, they may prove their stamina on Wasp Factory These new climbers in Havana and Viñales are the next generation. For now, the future looks promising, but Cubans know that they must live in the present. They have little control of the future. The last gathering in April, 2001, of the first generation of Cuban climbers. L-R, front: Aníbal Fernández (holding drill), Ernesto Guerra, Vitalio Echazábal, Isaias Diaz. Back: Laura Rodriguez, Ananay Jiménez, Carlos Pinelo, Kirenia Garcia.
Environment, Ethics, and Minimum-Impact Climbing Almost all the Cubans were naturalists and cavers before they were climbers. Cavers are well know for its stringent conservation stands. The first foreign climbers included the Founder The Access Fund, a US organization dedicated to environmental protection of climbing areas. Another was the former publisher of a US climbing magazine that preached minimum impact climbing. Thus, not surprisingly, climbing in Cuba is based on minimizing the impacts to natural resources. Since the introduction of climbing, Viñales has been named a national park, and it is one of Cuba's protected natural areas. Climbing is now part of the eco-tourism evolution that is a major activity of the valley. The approaches to most routes are through the tobacco and malanga farms of local campesinos. Also since coffee trees are often planted in the shade of the overhanging walls of mogotes, many routes start among groves of coffee trees. Thus, because of its history and progenitors and its protected area status, as well as from respect for the trees and plants of forebearing farmers, climbers must take extra-ordinary care of their practices and restrict location of routes in Viñales Valley.Please respect these practices:
Ground-up routes is a necessity, rather than a local ethic. The architecture of the mogotes dictates a ground-up style. Most routes have been done ground-up--many on sketchy hooks and gear placements. Some rap-bolting has been done, where it can be. And to the extent that some routes have been squeezed and bolts added to existing routes, these were rap-bolted. Approvals, Permits, and Closed Areas Since climbing is a recent development, Cuba does not have any explicit rules on climbing. No approval is necessary; there is no one to "approve" climbing or grant permission for routes. The climbing areas in Viñales are not in closed areas. This, however, is never certain or fixed in Cuba. Because the government controls every aspect of life, many assume that official permission to climb is necessary. (They probably assume that official permission has been granted.) The history is that, in 1999, when Luebben, Menocal, Echazábal, and Pinelo came to climb in Viñales, they came with a lawyer from the ministry responsible for environmental protection and Cuba's protected areas, national parks, reserves, and refuges; specifically, he was the lawyer/"asesor legal" from the "Centro Nacional de Areas Protegidas, Ministerio de Ciencia Tecnologia y Medio Ambiente". He confirmed that further permission was not necessary. (His hand-drawn map of the "open areas" has been retained.) Since then, climbers have met with the superintendent of the new national park for Viñales, and again confirmed that the climbing areas are open, and the further permission is not necessary. At the beginning of 2003, government officials again claimed that climbing required a permit from an office called "Centro de Inspección y Control Ambiental" (CICA) in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (Ministerio de Ciencia, Technologia, y Medio Ambiente, Agencia de Medio Ambiente). In response Cuban climbers in the Sociedad Espeleológica de Cuba (the Speleological Society of Cuba) wrote a petition for permission to climb and attempted unsuccessfully over a period of many months to present it to CICA. It seems to be a catch 22: you must obtain a permit to climb, but one is not available or possible. Local park and police officials are aware of this situation as well the fact that Cubans and foreigners are climbing daily. The relations are excellent between local officials and local climbers, who are the youth of the Valley -- and thus, as in most communities, not always the favorites of authority. By putting out the word that an unattainable permit is required, the officials have created the situation where they can come down on anyone they want, whenever they want. If that happens, and no one who knows Cuba will say that it can't, sanctions will almost certainly fall only on Cubans, not foreigners. Meanwhile with its other hand, the Cuban government is actively soliciting the business of foreigner climbers. In 2002 and 2003, the Cuban government publicized the development of climbing in Cuba in the international edition of the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba, Granma. The state-owned Cubana Airlines ran a similar article. And another of the state's enterprises, one that markets cigarettes, has placed posters all over Cuba of Aníbal Fernández climbing Mucho Pumpito. Would the Cuban government, which knows that permission to climb does not exists, be publicizing an illegal activity? Cuba started with Yosemite Decimal System. However, in view of the preponderance of European climbers, and because the Cubans use the French ratings, routes are now reported in both YDS and French grades. Conversion tables, such as the one available at rockfax.com are available. When reporting new routes, please submit both French and YDS grades.Ratings should reflect the consensus grades of climbers. Many of the routes is Cuba have had few ascents, perhaps only one. This may explain the preponderance of routes with the same rating: 5.11a. Consensus takes time. Route name are in the language given by the first ascentionist, either Spanish or English, and even one in Italian. Please stick with them. Occasionally, the guide provides translations. These are not done to assign the translated name, but to explain its history or reveal a feature. "Filo de Cuchilla" is the razors edge because it ascends an arete or edge and may be the sharpest rock anywhere. "Alimentando Mosquitos" on Galera Wall means, "feeding mosquitos," a warning of what you do on this sunny, south facing wall.
Most routes can be done with only quickdraws. As the first routes were being done, there was concern that the Cuban climbers would not have the gear needed to safely repeat the climbs. So, some climbs with short sections protected with gear on the first ascent were subsequently bolted. That is no longer being done, and occasionally gear is necessary to link bolt-protected sections. 60-Meter ropes are recommended: 30M routes are common and some rappels require two 60M ropes to get off. 18-20 quickdraws is sufficient. There are very few continuous cracks. "Clasica" and "Jardinero" are typical all-gear routes that are not crack climbs. "Milenio's" (5.11c) two pitches of crack climbing is an outstanding exception. Tri-cams, hexes, and cams work best in pockets and short stretches of crack. One of the major hassles for climbers visiting Cuba, particularly for those attempting to bring gear to do new routes, is The Weight- Limit Problem. Flights to Cuba limit checked bags to 20 kilos, or 44 lbs. Excess weight is very expensive: generally $2 or $3 per pound. (For this reason, there are many titanium hangers on routes in Cuba.) Charter flights from the US weigh everything, including carry-on, cameras, purses, even hip pack with passports. Climbers travelling to Cuba, should:
Bringing climbing gear into Cuba has not been a problem. Customs has had not problem distinguishing a Bosch from an Uzi. Also, if exploring new terrain, bring:
Mosquitos are a major inconvenience. And as mentioned before, Cuba's version of poison oak/ivy, called "guao" is common in Viñales. There is also said to be an anti-venom plant called "contra-guao," but it has not been identified, nor bottled. A major natural hazard is wasps. As mentioned above, at least three areas are called the "Wall of Wasps". Some walls have hundreds of hanging nests. Climbers have been hit by swarms of wasps when an active nests was accidently brushed. Allergic visitors must come completely prepared with Epi pen (or two) and benadryl always available.
Another hazard deserves special respect. The longer routes almost always require technical descents, trail ropes anchored to the wall, and particular attention to lengths of rappels. There is the real possibility of being stranded in space if you blow it. Finally, in Viñales be careful of locals offering to “guide” you, either as climbing guides or as persons who are knowledgeable of climbing routes and locations. An indigenous climbing community is developing and the most active of among them are listed below under Contacts for the Cuban Climbers. However, other locals may see you as a good target to attach themselves to for tips, meals, gear, commissions by directing you to a casa, and get almost anything of value. Be assured that if you ask locals for a guide, many will volunteer.This is the third version to this warning that has been written here. Apparently many folks don't get it. They show up at Oscar's house after days in Viñales, having been taken somewhere to meet climbers. Others are misled and told that Oscar is full, out of business, perhaps dead. This rues is so extensive that Hurón Azul, a popular paladar in Havana, has added this to its business card: "LIE! We never close, its just that we don't pay commissions" If you want to meet other climbers or get other climbing information, Oscar is the sure, safe bet. Otherwise, you are on your own.
Weather: Optimum Climbing Times Cuba's geography means that no where on the island is far from the moderating, gentle tradewinds. Also, Cuba does not have pronounced seasonal variation in temperature. However, summer (May to October) is a rainy season. October and November (still the tail end of the hurricane season) and April have proved pleasant for climbing. December through March are ideal. January and February nights can be cool; sweaters and expedition weight fleece are advised. A freezing temperature has never been recorded on the island. With overhanging routes, and north facing walls, climbing is probably available all year.
There are several additional locations of route information. A topo book is kept at the home of Oscar Jaime in Viñales. Another set is maintained by the La Habana climbers at the house of Aníbal Fernández. If you do new routes, please contact us and leave information about it at Oscar's and with Aníbal. Contact information is below.
For most of visitors, one of the pleasures of climbing at Viñales is that climbing is not all that you can do. Of course the principal additional activity is visiting with and getting to know the Cuban people in town.
The best beach is at Cayo Jutía. It is an undeveloped,
clean beach, with an easy-to-swim-to-reef. Motorcycles and scooters
are available at three places in town, Cubanacan, Havanauto, and
Transauto. Prices are reasonable, from $18/day. The road to the
beach at Cayo Jutía is not straight-forward. Now, it is
signed all the way to the beach. However, the signs are there
only to get you to Cayo Jutía. There are none on the way
back. So, pay attention to those turns so you can find your home
to Viñales. Cayo Jutía is linked to the mainland by a newly built causeway. Enjoy it while you can. Building a causeway usually is a precursors to closure, excluding Cubans, and restricting the beach to foreigners, another Cayo Coco or Cayo Santa Maria. There is a convenient Rumbos cafe-restaurant. Beach chairs, umbrellas, snorkeling gear can be rented. Lately a pair of jet skis were on the beach. If those stay, all recommendations are withdrawn. One of the taxis in Viñales will take you there and wait all day for about $35-40. The best deal right now is the Havanauto mini-bus, which will take up to 20 people for $64. Organize a group the night before at the local clubs. Cockfighting is illegal. (LP is wrong on this, although it is easy to see how one could get the impression that it is legal.) It is an exhilarating experience--not watching chickens fight, but the over-the-top emotions and exuberance of the people. Cockfighting is tolerated on and off by local officials. Viñales is one place where most Sundays you can locate a cockfight. Ask around to find out where the "pelea" is. Locals are accustomed to foreigners in attendance, and rarely even object to photography. However, be prepared to run if there is a raid. The caving opportunities are extensive. Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás, one of the largest, with over 40 km of caves, is only 15 km from Viñales at Moncada. La Sociedad Espeleológica de Cuba has just opened a "school" at Moncada. It has tours led by excellent guides. A good days's outing, on taxi or rented motorcycle or auto, is to explore the caves at Santo Tomás and then continue to Cayo Jutía. Eco-tourism is getting started. The National Park has guided
hikes. Contact them at La Ermita. Guided hikes are also available
from Patrimonio de la Humanidad. Its offices are in Pinar del
Rio (Marti No. 58, e/Recreo y Colón, Pinar del Rio, 53
082 4300 patpr@pinarte.cult.cu) but the guides are in Viñales,
Francisco (Manolo) Dovales and Ismael Gutiérrez Ravelo,
Calle Orlando Nodarse No. 2 G Viñales. Both set of guides
are excellent to learn more about flora and fauna, although the
Park and Patrimonio each only go to their own designated trails.
There is much hiking to be done on your own. The mogotes and sierras
around Viñales have many valley, caves, and 'hoyos' to
explore. A horse to ride is easily arranged. Bikes are rented
in town (expensive, perhaps $5/hr), but bikes may be available
from the owners of casa particulares. There are few single-track
trails to ride, but many dirt roads.A mountain bike map will soon
be available on this site at another page.
Viñales has other tourists attractions: Cueva del Indio, Mural de la Prehistoria, Los Aquáticos. Check the guidebooks. One site not on the tour-bus circuit is the Viñales Botanical Garden. It is the personal work of two elderly widows, and includes extensive varieties of trees, fruits, flowers, and medicinal herbs. This might be the place to find "contra guao." One of widows will personally give you a tour, although they do not speak English. It is at the north edge of town, across from the Cupet station. Also, visitors have bought paintings of the valley as mementos of climbing in Viñales. Small ones are on sale at tourist stops around the valley, and better ones in a gallery on the plaza. However, these can also be purchases directly from some of the artists. A very good one, Elio Ramos, has even painted climbing scenes. His house is just off Ceferino Fernández and Rafael Trejos, a block south of the main plaza. Rafael Trejos # 54.
The ASTRO bus is $8 to Viñales, and tries to leave by 9:20am; the deluxe Víazul bus is $12 and leaves punctually at 9am from the ASTRO station. Bags stored on the bus are usually safe; the buses are direct, and only make one stop at Pinar del Rio. Víazul takes bikes. There are always taxi drivers at the bus terminal looking to take tourists, calling out either their destinations, "Varadero," "Trinidad". They hover around the terminal entrances and outside the office that sells tickets for dollars. Taxi drivers will start out by saying that they will take you for the price of the bus. Not quite true: it just the "hook". A taxi to Viñales sometimes can be found for $25-35. $50-60 is more common. The official "metered" cabs in Viñales charge more than $60 for the same run. There are now other taxis in Viñales, who try to put together shared rides for trips back to La Habana or even farther destinations, such as Trinidad. Try Bernando Oliva in Pinar del Rio, 4681. Another taxi that you can arrange in advance by calling is the reliable, reasonably priced couple of Fidel Ramos and Maria del Carmen (Havana 8 60 91 38. Pinar del Rio, 08 2 77 15 45). Within the town of Viñales everything can be reached on foot. All the climbing areas are within walking distance or a short cab ride. A rental car for a week is $350-$420; if two persons are splitting it, $175 $210, plus gas. RT bus ($24), daily taxis rides, assuming you climb at the farthest crag, would be about $60; a taxi to the beach at Cayo Jutía ($40); a few evenings at El Palenque or Los Jasmines ($20); and the total for just one is: $144; split 2-ways it is $72. In fact, no one has spent anywhere near that on taxis. However, if you do rent a car, Viñales may be one of the few places in Cuba, where the car is safe parked on the street without paying for a guard.
The choices for accommodations in and around Viñales are:
After reading this, many climbers still ask, “where can we camp”? The answer is, almost anyplace you want, provided that you get permission, and don't mind guarding your gear or spending climbing time scrounging food. If politely asked, almost any local farmer will let you set up a tent. It is probably best for you not to offer money, since it would be illegal for farmer to “rent” to a foreigner. The resulting fine would be ruinous for the farmer, and there is a good chance that the farmer is going to be asked about the foreigner at his house. The local immigration and police will almost certainly assume that any foreigner camping or staying at a Cubans' place is paying. So, the Cuban will have to defend himself--in a system that requires proof that he had not or was going to accept money. An almost impossible situation. Owners of casas particulares in Viñales, the town with probably the toughest enforcement of the laws against under-the-table renting, are savvy enough to know the risks involved. However, a local farmer may not. If you choose to ask to camp on a Cuban's property, you may be exposing the Cuban at a genuine, tangible risk. Nothing will happen to you, but the Cuban may be fined the equivalent of several years earnings. The consequences are your responsibility If our biases are not clear yet: hotels and camping isolate the traveler from the opportunity to experience and learn about the best part of Cuba: the Cuban people. In Viñales, the superior accommodations and food are with Cuban families in casa particulares.
If you stay in a casa in Havana, or befriend Cubans, they
will try to get you to a casa in Viñales. Also,
once in Viñales, you will be recruited to casas
by folks seeking commissions. You may be told that Oscar is full,
out of business, perhaps dead. All but the last has been as a
rues to get visitors to another casa.. Whether you go along
is up to you. You will probably find a nice house at the going
rate. Very few people ever have a bad experience at a casa.
However, once you are at another casa, don't try to switch.
Oscar probably will not take you. It isn't done. If you want to
meet other climbers or get other climbing information and have
a guaranteed excellent, safe place at a reasonable price, Oscar
is the sure, safe bet. Even if he is full, he will take care of
you. Otherwise, you are on your own. Oscar's next door neighbor, León León, also rents: Adela Azcuy No. 35.
The "tourist" category below means staying at hotels and eating
in restaurants. Budget refers to casa particulars-paladares
style of independent travel. Dirt bag means bivying at the Casa
Gringo and trying to fix your own food.
Travelling and Climbing With Cubans When you are with Cubans and chose to eat, drink, travel via taxi, or dollar buses, you must be prepared to pick up the tab. If not, do not invite them. Cubans earn $10 to $20/month. Even doctors, professors, and lawyers can't afford to pay one/half a month's salary for a meal. In Viñales, if you go out with the Cuban climbers for a beer or take a taxi to the crags, they can not afford to pay the dollar prices. The formula is simple: if something is in dollars, you should pay; if the Cubans can pay in pesos, they will pay their own way. For example, the Cubans can get to Viñales for peso fares on ASTRO. If one of the Cubans declines an invitation for the evening out, a meal or beer, it is probably because they are uncomfortable not being able to pay their own way. There are others who are hustlers and will attach themselves to you for meals, etc.; and they have no problems accepting your generosity. The Cuban climbers are proud. They do not want or like charity.
The Cuban climbing community has undergone a succession, almost a complete changing of the guard. Of the original activists, only Aníbal Fernández remains in Cuba. He is now the leader of Lapiaz, a club of climbers and adventurers. Lapiaz is part of the Sociedad Espeleológica de Cuba (the Speleological Society of Cuba). With the help of equipment donated by foreign climbers and U.S. climbing companies and training and climbing in the U.S., a new, enthusiastic generation of Cuban climbers has developed. In general, the climbers are grouped in Havana and Viñales, although there was a small group of climbers in Camagüey. The most active climbers are listed below. In Havana: Aníbal Ernesto Fernández Cardoso Danny Abel Pérez Rodríquez (“Abel”) José Luis Gómez (“Chino”) Jorge Suarez Gutierrez (“Ruso”) Kirenia Garcia Oscar Machado Quintela Alexei Suárez Rivero In Viñales: Josué Millo Gomez Other local climbers are: Alberto Javiel Leivas Menendez, Dopico Norte, Segio #7, Viñales
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The
Viñales Valley in Cuba has that combination of high quality
rock, accessibility, and ambience that could someday make it one
of the world's popular climbing venues. Overhanging, pocketed
limestone faces on 1,000 foot freestanding crags called "mogotes"
rise above traditional thatch roofed Cuban houses and red-soiled
tobacco farms. Climbs ascend through overhangs of stalactites
and tufa columns overlooking a valley touted by guidebooks as
"a miniature Yosemite, with the most spectacular scenery in all
Cuba." 
-Tough pants, long sleeved shirts, and gloves for protection against
thorns when trashing through jungle--and from Cuba's version of
poison oak/ivy, called "guao".
Getting
to Viñales is about the easiest transport in Cuba. There
are two bus lines, each with one bus a day, seats on demand (for
dollars), and lots of taxis. Renting a car is not necessary.
The ASTRO bus terminal is conveniently located in La Habana, and
the Víazul bus can be caught there as well. For those staying,
as many climbers do, at the casa particular of Ana María
Fariñas in La Habana, the ASTRO terminal is a short
walk or ride. (Salvador Allende (Carlos Tercero) No. 1005,
e/Requena y Almendares, Plaza, tel. 8-78-29-46; or 
