Climbing Crag “Bayamón I”:

Allright, here is my long overdue review of one of Puerto Rico’s older climbing crags, Bayamón I. Word to the wise though, this place is as old school as it gets and the routes are starting to reflect the wear and tear.

Consisting of about 34 routes this area is located in the town of Bayamón behind the Plaza del Sol Shopping Mall (on the cliff behind a theme park known as “Parque de las Ciencias”, ask around and you’ll find it). The crags approach can be a little tricky but local climbers have taken it upon themselves to build ladders and sling ropes to aid in some of the rougher areas. Regardless this area may not be the best option for the younger set.

The routes themselves are all bolted and well protected varying in difficulty from 5.7 to 5.12d. This crag has some truly classic lines floating around, unfortunately they receives considerably less traffic then most climbing areas and the underbrush may be overtaking some of the routes.

Safety wise you might want to be particular about which routes you choose to climb, both the anchors (consisting of fixed chains) and the bolts on a couple of the routes are sketchy at best. The local climbing association has tried on various occasions to fix up some of the worst routes but have received a lot of resistance from the crags FA (the individual who originally bolted the routes), in this case Rosanno Boscarino, who claims that the repair was done both incorrectly and without his consent. Whatever the case may be, make sure to proceed with caution.

Now my intention with this post is not to discourage any climbers new to the area from exploring this crag. Far from it in fact, some of the best routes on the island can be found here, just remain careful and observant; there isn’t much room for error. Keep in mind that safety is the key when practicing this sport, the use of a helmet is NOT optional and always be sure to remember your basics (solid leader and solid belayers a must.)

Topo of Bayamón I:
Puerto Rican Climbing Guides

Photos by Diana Soto de Jesus 

~ by Alberto Ramos Cordero on February 1, 2008.