La Mota Grande

Overview

This is a peculiar mountain that rises from the desert valley of Rinconada and is the meeting place for many mountaineering groups every February around San Valentine`s day. It is also called the "express mountain" since it can be climbed fast due to very good traction and the fact that the total elevation gain is only about 950 meters, that`s why it sees quite a bit of traffic when the weather is not too hot; it`s slopes are arid and covered with cacti and other thorny plants, but the reason why it is called La Mota (spanish, for "speck") is the tiny pine and oak forest that stands on the very top of the mountain wich looks like a green speck when viewed from a distance. The views from the summit on a clear day are very nice, including the Sierra del Fraile to the north and east, cerro Las Mitras to the east, and the towering La Calle and the sierra San José de los Nuncios to the south and west.

Getting There

From the city of Monterrey take highway 40 west towards the city of Saltillo and drive 38 kilometers to the village of Casablanca, take the road to the right leading to the village of Rinconada just 1 kilometer ahead and passing the railroad tracks, drive across the village and leave the car there, the trail starts about another half km after the last house and across the dry river bed on the right hand side and it is fairly wide at this point, it gets narrower as it climbs higher but easy to follow since there are no trees to obstruct the view, it winds up to the "puerto pepe" saddle marked by a small cross and from wich the summit comes to view for the remainder of the way, the trail splits in two near the summit, one goes to the right and around the east side ending on the northern face until the summit, the shorter one goes left reaching the upper part of the false summit and then up another short stretch to the summit marked by a 10 ft. cross.

Red Tape

No permits are required to climb this mountain even though it is part of the Cumbres de Monterrey National Park, but please don`t sart any campfires, let`s protect the tiny forest.

When To Climb

Due to the arid conditions and the lack of shelter, it`s better to climb it during the cooler months from October to April.

Camping

Camping is allowed, many people camp on the summit, where the best and only places are .

Mountain Conditions

Be prepared for much cooler weather on the summit due to the aridity specially during the night. It`s advisable to inquire locally during the winter months.