Anyone climb in Cuba?

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enjoimx

Trad climber
Yosemite
Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 20, 2016 - 02:04pm PT
Anyone climb in Cuba recently or ever?

Thinking about traveling there very soon. Is late November/ Early December a good time for climbing?

How about finding partners in Vinales?

Airfare is very cheap right now.

Any beta would be very appreciated!
sween345

climber
back east
Nov 20, 2016 - 03:06pm PT
enjoimx,

This might help

[Click to View YouTube Video]

Watch till the end, dude gives some web sites to use.

Jim
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Nov 20, 2016 - 03:25pm PT
I climbed in Vinales over Xmass/New Years in 2001. Temperatures were fine. Loved it...great climbing, friendly people, super good live music....do not miss the floor show at the bar in the cave! Sure to be a lot of new climbs, there were plenty even then.
Don't know about finding partners....usually not an issue with sport climbing.
H

Mountain climber
there and back again
Dec 2, 2016 - 11:27pm PT
enjoimx, I am thinking of going in February. Always wanted to check it out when it was forbidden. Which was the allure. But now the prices are so good I am going.

Anyone else going around February? It would be great climb together. Vinales Valley sounds fantastic. I want to get there while it is still has its charm.

Check it out:
http://www.cubaclimbing.com
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Dec 3, 2016 - 10:14am PT
The climbing is really good.
The climate perfect if you climb in the shade.
The natives are friendly.
The food is unpretentious and healthy.
The rum is both inexpensive and good.
The music is extraordinary.
What's not to like?

I remember meeting an attractive young lady at one of the live music places in Vinales. Her dancing was both good and very sensuous. She said to me...."The Father (their name for Fidel) can legislate against many things but he can't (nor does he care to) legislate against sex."
H

Mountain climber
there and back again
Dec 5, 2016 - 08:11am PT
Jim that is classic.

Flights on Frontier are as low as $260 round trip from Vegas!!!!!! Looking to get Armondos guide book.

It would be fun to get a group of folks to climb with down there. But I imagine its easy enough to find folks to tie in with down there.

That website cubaclimbing.com is great resource.
Mr_T

Trad climber
Northern California
Dec 5, 2016 - 10:30am PT
Climbed there in 2001 - had a great time. It was late fall - nice temps. Fun single pitch limestone.

There's some weird stuff going on with access now.

Quite a bit safer than Potrero (mild petty theft vs. gun/narco violence).
Rockin' Gal

Trad climber
Boulder
Dec 5, 2016 - 11:19am PT
Climbed there Christmas-New Years 2014. Was too warm most days. Stayed at Oscar's in Vinales, though there are plenty of accommodations. Didn't meet any Americans at that time but Canadian, Spanish and German climbers were well represented. Also met some locals who climbed with us.
Yes, take bolts, they appreciate them.
If I go again, I will investigate the whole tour aspect as I don't want to be on one. If you sign on to one of the tours, you may find your stay planned out. I don't know what's going on now. We were total tourists, climbed six days, went to the beach three days, Havana for a couple. The beaches are pristine, great snorkeling and swimming. Spend at least a day or two there.
yosguns

climber
Dec 5, 2016 - 02:23pm PT
We are going the second week in March. Report back!
Ben909

Trad climber
toronto
Dec 5, 2016 - 03:24pm PT
I'm lucky enough to have worked alongside Anibal, the guidebook author and onetime protagonist of Cuban climbing, for many years. I made two monthlong trips with him, in 2007 and 2011, and am hoping to get back this winter.

Anytime from now until March should be good, but as Jim says, you'll want to chase the shade. The access issues of years past were directed more at Cubans, and should no longer be cause for concern.

It has been suggested that Cuba will have the same SCC problems as elsewhere. There were bolts that failed at Costa Nera a few years ago and there is strong reason to believe that they were not stainless as they were part of the very first phase of development in the 90s. They have been replaced with stainless glueins. I am not aware of any stainless expansion or glue in failures, but I wouldn't be surprised if the goal becomes to re-equip everything with titanium.

You shouldn't have problems finding partners, there are always motivated (and strong!) cubans, and a rotating cast of tourists. There's hundreds of single pitch routes and plenty of multipitch adventures to keep you busy. Make sure you do some of the big routes. They are rad.

Check out the beach, cayo Jutilla, and some caves Palmarito, Santo Thomas, or Salon Gigantes if you can spare some time.

Anything you can bring to support the climbing community will be appreciated. Chalk moreso than chalkbags fyi. Dunno if anyone has introduced longlining yet.

Have fun!
H

Mountain climber
there and back again
Dec 5, 2016 - 03:49pm PT
Allyson, anyway you and Ted can change the dates? Would love to be down there with you guys. I'll be buying my tickets in a couple of days.

Ben thanks for the insight. I plan on leaving my stuff when I leave there. Thanks for the suggestions hard to find much info on routes. Will have to wait until I get a guide.

Rockin' Gal I figure I'll just wing it. no tour for me. I am planing on doing some caving and snorkeling too. Hoping to run into folks and locals to send me in the right direction. I don't think it will still be too hot in February.

Mr T I thought about Portero but Cuba sounded way better. Seem like things have changed a lot since 2001
yosguns

climber
Dec 5, 2016 - 03:59pm PT
Harrison--would love to, but it's a combined trip with my family and we are scheduling the dates around my brother's girlfriend's spring break (second week of March). Might already be late for climbing; whatever we can get in will be a bonus with it being a family trip!

We are also planning to bring whatever we can leave (though not sure Ted knows this yet...!).

Allyson
Rudbud

Gym climber
Grover Beach, CA
Dec 5, 2016 - 06:14pm PT
Has anyone flown out of Florida? Or plaining on flying out of Florida?
I read that this month there going to start 6 flights a day out of Fort Lauderdale?
Didn't research it myself or make any calls but looking to head there soon. Would be into meeting up with some folks. Living in the Keys now and want to start climbing in Cuba when possible and possibly sail over at some point.

Darwin

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Dec 5, 2016 - 08:09pm PT

WRT Donini's a handful or so of posts above: of course we most all completely admire Jim, but that was just plain brilliant. I guess being a bicycle commuter in Seattle in mid-December i.e. 34F and raining, any mention of a tropical climbing venue whith good people, rock, weather ... . Thanks for the picture in my mind.
Rudbud

Gym climber
Grover Beach, CA
Dec 24, 2016 - 03:15pm PT
I will be heading to Vinales Cuba on Jan 12th to the 15th.
I'm flying out of Fort Lauderdale and will be going on a general license for humanitarian reasons to donate climbing gear and other goods. If anyone would like to donate climbing gear or happen to be in Vinales to climb at this time please contact me.
Thanks
Tom
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
Dec 24, 2016 - 03:26pm PT
No but I have enjoyed some good music, cigars, and rum in Cuba.
One friend claimed that Mucho Pumpito was one of the best climbs he had ever done.
donini

Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
Dec 24, 2016 - 03:58pm PT
Here is the story of "Mucho Pumpito." It was toward the end of our trip and out of the blue John Middendorf shows up with a lady friend. Some young Cubans had recently put up a sweet new, overhanging line with huge holds and tufas. John readily accepts my offer to climb it with him.
John belays me up and when I get to the top I see it's too long to lower off and so I set up a belay to bring John up. By now we have a gallery of young Cuban climbers watching. The climb isn't especially hard (5.10+) but it IS overhanging. John has been studying architecture at Harvard and isn't in his usual climbing shape.
John starts out well but the overhanging nature of the climb soon begins to take it's toll. I look down and see John about 30 ft. below trying to hang on with fading arm strength. He suddenly lets go, swings out into space and, much to the delight of the gallery below, sings out in his best "spanglish"...."pumpito, mucho pumpito!"
The climb instantly acquired that name and I am told that "mucho pumpito" has become part of the climbing lexicon in Cuba.
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
Dec 24, 2016 - 05:07pm PT
Good story Jim.
7SacredPools

Trad climber
Ontario, Canada
Dec 24, 2016 - 10:23pm PT
When I climbed "Mucho Pumpito" in 2010 I was told by Anibal Fernandez that it was put up by Craig Luebben...
At any rate, a fine climb.
Reedly

Social climber
The High Desert, CA
Dec 25, 2016 - 02:05am PT
I made a short visit to Cuba a number of years back. We made it to Vinales to check out the cigar factories, but not the climbing. But I'd talked to Craig Luebben previously and knew there was climbing in the area. I was jonesing as I was checking out all the cliffs, but that was as close as I came to the climbing. Have fun and enjoy the climbs and the people.
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