Trip Date: January 15, 2024
2024 MEXICO ADVENTURE VACATION
Nido de Aguiluchos Day Hike & Scramble
The Harriers’ Nest aka The Eagles’ Nest
Trip Report Summary
Region: Mexico
Sub-Region: Sierra Madre Oriental (“Eastern Mother Range”)
Area: Cumbres de Monterrey National Park
Starting & Ending Point: La Latteral pullout adjacent to Saltillo–Monterrey Tollway 40D underpass (Elev. 2650 feet / 810 meters)
Way Points: Graffiti Crag & East Ridge Notch & East Ridge rappel station & The Eagles’ Nest (trail hike & trail scramble & via ferrata climb & rappel)
High Point: First rappel station (Elev. 4200 feet / 1280 meters)
Approximate Stats: 1.5 miles / 2.4 kilometers traveled; 1600 feet / 500 meters gained & lost; 5.3 hours elapsed.
Guiding Service & Guides: Gaia Xtreme / David & Omar & Arturo
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Full Trip Report
On our last full day in Monterrey together, Eileen, Brooke, and I did a guided excursion to Nido de los Aguiluchos. In English, this name translates to “Nest of the Harriers” as a reference to North American harrier hawks, but it is more commonly known as “The Eagles’ Nest.“ Whatever you prefer to call it, this famous mountain destination overlooking the city is guaranteed to serve up a totally unique mountain adventure.
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Our guiding service was Gaia Xtreme, a local firm that specializes in canyoneering trips. During the cold months of winter, however, they spend more time in the high country around Monterrey. Although any competent climbing party could complete this trek without a guide, we greatly appreciated their efficient handling of transportation, route navigation, and technical logistics—all at a reasonable price.
After a 7:00am pickup from our hotel, we were driven to La Huasteca, where we met our three guides—David, Omar, and Arturo—along with three other clients. Arturo and Brooke served as translators for Eileen and me; everyone else in our group of nine was a Spanish-only speaker. Helmets, harnesses, rappel devices, tethers, and gloves were handed out to anyone not already equipped.
Our trek started at a nondescript pullout adjacent to Saltillo–Monterrey Tollway 40D, directly beneath a rugged limestone ridge on the northern fringe of Cumbres de Monterrey National Park. We walked through an underpass and began hiking up the bushy hillslope on a well-travelled and nicely graded trail. It was comfortably cool on this overcast Monday morning.
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After gaining approximately 550 feet / 170 meters, we passed a graffiti-covered limestone crag and quickly came to the end of the graded trail. From here, we had to grovel up a steep rockslide swath composed of loose, fist-size stones. This was by far the worst part of our ascent.
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Upon coming to a large boulder near the top of the rockslide, we angled leftward and scrambled up a narrow strip of water-scoured bedrock. This Class 2-3 scramble ended at a small notch in the ridge crest closely east of the Eagles’ Nest (1.2 hours + 1300 feet / 400 meters from starting point).
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Our group took a long break at the East Ridge Notch while David, our lead guide, went ahead to set up the first rappel. During this time, we could look across the steep limestone face and see a gaping cave. Was that the Eagles’ Nest, I wondered, and if so, how on earth would we get there?
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When it was time to get moving again, we began scrambling up the narrow crest on broken limestone. The scrambling difficulty never really exceeded Class 3, but the highly polished rock and considerable exposure made parts of it feel like Class 4. Thankfully, there was always a chain to grab or a cable to clip at these locations, in the style of a via ferrata climb.
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After working up the crest for about 300 feet / 90 meters, we encountered David at our first rappel station. He had anchored a rope that dangled over the southern side of the ridge, and once we had all arrived, he rappelled down the face. Omar then sent the rest of us down one by one, each using a figure-8 descender on a single strand of rope. The rappel started with a near-vertical face but finished with a spicy overhang that provided some good photo-ops.
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I was amazed to discover that our rappel had delivered us to the mouth of a short, cylindrical tunnel. We were now in the Eagles’ Nest! This remarkable natural opening extends completely through the narrow ridge and serves as a window onto the city below. It also serves as a wind tunnel, which instantly sent us rummaging in our rucksacks for warm clothing.
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To continue our descent, we walked through the tunnel and made a long rappel down the northern side of the ridge. David again tied off his rope to an established anchor and sent us down on a single strand. For efficiency here, our group alternated between the two strands, which allowed one person to begin rappelling before the previous person had finished.
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When everyone finished rappelling down the vertical face, we scrambled down a gully for a short distance and then performed one final rappel. This last rappel took us farther down the same gully and through a vertical chimney. Some minor rockfall here made us glad to be wearing helmets! I was also intrigued by the dozen or so iron ring bolts visible in the rock, reportedly installed by first-ascent climbers circa 1950.
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Completing our final rappel meant that we were done with the technical aspects of our trek but not with the difficulties. Next, we needed to scramble down a slot gully on polished bedrock. Then, upon intersecting our up-route and closing our small loop, we found ourselves staring down the horrible rockslide. Uhggg! The ensuing 500 feet / 150 meters of our descent involved numerous slips and falls (none serious) as we skidded down the ball-bearing slope.
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It was a great relief to finally reach the graffiti crag and upper end of the graded trail. Spirits rose as we quickened our pace down the trail without further mishap. We ended our fine adventure at the tollway underpass in early afternoon (5.3 hours + 1600 feet / 500 meters for total trek). Many thanks to the Gaia Xtreme trio for giving us such a memorable day in Monterrey!
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Route Map & Profile
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Photo Gallery
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