One of my must do’s when I’m in this gorgeous city is hiking to the cross in PV. While this hike doesn’t necessarily take that long, it is a thigh burner for sure.
Where to start
I like to start at ground zero, which for me is sea level, on the Malecon. Locate the night club, Mandala, on Calle Abosolo, look towards the mountains and in the far distance, right at the top you will see the observation tower. The cross is located at the same place.
Head up Abosolo, using the sidewalks where possible. Once you get to the area where the sidewalk ends, take the set of stairs directly in front of you.
At the top of these stairs you will turn left, walk about 20 paces and turn right. The incline will start to get very steep here. You can take the steps on the right if you wish or walk up the middle of the street. There is rarely traffic up this far. Walking to this point from the Malecon will have taken maybe 15 minutes depending on how quick your pace is.
On this stretch you will likely meet some friendly neighbourhood critters. There are two playful puppies right now, a brown and black one that are sooooo sweet. There is also a small hillside farm on the left. It does not look like a farm that a westerner will recognize. There are two resident donkeys, some chickens and a few roosters. There were also some ducks at one point however I haven’t seen them this trip.
Towards the top of this street, you will see a staircase on either side. Feel free to take these steps if its easier than the road. Generally people are walking up the right hand side and descending on the left.
Almost there!
Once at the top of this set of stairs, take a breather if need be. For the next and final stretch of stairs is a doozy and is where your thighs may cry. 🙂
Looking upwards, you will notice a set of metal tracks in between the two staircases. At certain times of the day, a funicular runs up and down. The cost is $35 pesos and will be a welcome ride for those who may have had enough stair walking or are out of breath.
If you have some stamina left, don’t worry, you are almost there! Start your upward accent on the staircase to the right of the funicular. There are 205 stairs that zigzag back and forth about every 15 steps.
Made it To the Top?
Wahoo! You did it!! Way to go! I generally pace around a bit on this platform to catch my breath. Once I don’t look like I’m about to keel over, I ascend the last little staircase and there before you is the huge cross. Head over to the back and look down into the valley, it is gorgeous. If you happen to be up here at sunrise, wow, it’s so lovely to be looking at the morning sun kissing the Sierra Madre mountain range.
If you turn and look towards the water here, you will see the observation tower. It consists of three stories and has the most magnificent views of the Bay of Bandaras. You can actually see the entire crescent shape of the bay.
Should you be so inclined, you can walk down another staircase at the back of the observation tower that is three levels. This space is often used for people who have brought exercise equipment up with them, to do a workout. I have seen groups here doing yoga, cross fit or simple body weight exercises using the benches and railings.
Finding yourself parched? A snack bar is open up here now! When I first started hiking the cross, this space was vacant, but now there is a fully stocked refreshment bar.
No matter how many times I climb the cross, I am always blown away by the breathtaking views. The air is clear and clean. And it feels like such an accomplishment to make it to the top of a mountain.
The best time of day for me is early morning. The air is the coolest it will be all day, the crowds are non existent, and the prospect of seeing the sun rising is amazing. I hope you enjoy this adventure as much as I do.
Happy hiking amigos!
