North America  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Lat, Long:  49.838, -105.1172 Map Page Views:  2,595,758. Good page?    Administrator:  Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Monomaniac on Jan 28, 2010 Make this area a Favorite What's New Guidebooks (13)  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

North America

Description 

This page is home to all of the North American, Central American, & Carribean Island countries excluding the United States. For information on the US, please refer to the area page for the pertinent State.

North America is a vast continent that stretches from near the Equator to beyond the Arctic Circle. The climate & landscape is extremely varied, from baking deserts, to tropical rainforests, to ice-covered alpine mountains. The climbing is just as varied, offering every imaginable type of climbing, from bouldering to big wall climbing; deep water soloing to high altitude mountaineering.

Destinations for Alpinists include the Canadian Rockies of Alberta & British Columbia, or the towering volcanos of Mexico. Trad climbers will enjoy the legendary sweeping granite of Squamish, or the remote towers of the forbidding Cirque of the Unclimbables. Sport climbers might enjoy a warm winter vacation to the towering limestone walls of El Potrero Chico or the odd basalt of Panama, or cool summer destinations like Skaha.

Getting There 

Destinations to the Great White North are often best accessed by automobile. Driving over the border is safe & easy, but be sure you have your documents in order (see below). For most destinations to the South, air travel is the most convenient approach. Some destinations in northern Mexico (such as El Potrero Chico are often approached via car.

Travel Information 

Federal laws require a valid US passport for return travel to the US. While you may be able to exit the country, you can't get back in. Details on how to obtain a passport can be found here. There are a few complicated exceptions to this rule if returning from Canada or Mexico via automobile (or foot/bicycle). Details can be found here for Canada and here for Mexico. Note that the "exceptions" are probably are not really any simpler than just getting a passport.

Visa requirements vary from country to country. No visa is required for Canada for stays up to 180 days. Mexico requires a "Tourist Card" which is readily available at border crossing, or often included in the price of airfare. To ensure your trip goes smoothly, visit the US State Department's Country Specific Page at the early planning stage, for precise info regarding visas, vaccinations, or any other requirements.

Refer to each countries page for details on the local currency. Current exchange rates can be found here.

The Classics

Featured Route For North America

Camay 5.6  International : Canada : ... : Mont Pinacle

The route starts at the 2nd belay of Classique (5.4). A 45 minute walk will bring you to the bottom of the Directissime area (see the "Guide d'escalade en Estrie" guidebook).The route follows the obvious crack and corner. Exit the roof by the right.2 60m rappels to the bottom. If you leave nothing at the base of the climb, a walkoff from the top might be a better option....[more]   Browse More Classics in International