Puerta del Diablo Rock Climbing

This is by far the most developed climbing area in the country, as well as the most extensive in all of Central America, with around seventy routes and potential for more first ascents (particularly for those who can climb hard!). The difficulty of the routes oscillates between 5.5 to 5.13b, but the majority are harder than 5.10. There are also a handful of projects in progress that no one – visitor nor local – has been able to complete (not that there has been a long line).
This site is located in the municipality of Panchimalco (but not in the town itself), 30 minutes south of the capital city. Due to its easy accessibility, the area is often quite crowded on the weekends when many people come to eat, hike on the trails, and enjoy the cooler weather as well as the views of the city, the ocean, lakes, and volcanoes. However, don’t think that means there will be long lines at the cliff; climbing hasn’t really taken off yet in San Salvador, so you’ll be lucky if you see more than one other group climbing.
Historically, this place has been alluded to in many legends and mythical stories. Among them is the name, Devil’s Door, which comes from the curious formation of the two large rocks separated by an abyss, which cuts the mountain in what appears to be a giant door that opens to the beautiful countryside below. Among villagers in the area, there has long been a belief that those who try to do construction in this zone find that strange things happen at the work site, leading to an affirmation that there is an impenetrable force that blocks the human hand from altering the area. This same devil has been blamed for other such extraordinary events, depending on who you talk to.
The popular Puerta del Diablo is a symbolic tourist site, still considered to be more or less within the realm of the capital. Its primary characteristic is a relatively fresh climate that prevails as one ascends to the three boulders that comprise the site. Its original name is Naked Peak because many years ago it was only one rock, one summit. According to local accounts, after a storm in 1762, much of the soil was taken away and the land remained permanently changed due to these natural forces. Today, the resulting three main boulders are now locally called the Naked, the Little Naked, and the Big Naked (the translations are a bit rough as English doesn’t have diminutive forms).
From those three main features visitors are afforded an impressive 360-degree view: the capital of San Salvador, Lake Ilopango, Turkey Hill of Cojutepeque, the imposing volcano San Vicente – better known as Chinchontepec. You can also see the picturesque village of Panchimalco and the skyline to the south where the Pacific coastline runs as far as the eye can see – all from an altitude of 3,700 feet.