It appears that interest in Mexican climbing is growing. In Desert Sage #157, Bill Hauser suggests that the highest peak in the state of Sonora be added to the list. On page one, Editor Barbara after discussing Cerro Pinacate [Stingbug Hill] asks, "What and where is the high point of Sonora?"
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to find it on any map. Both the AAA and Mexico's Mapa Turista are completely inadequate.
Obviously Pinacate (3957') is not the high point. It will lie along the great Sierra Madre Occidental, which forms the border between Sonora and Chihuahua. Easily available maps show nothing in the line of mountains, and the above maps only show sketchy routes into the eastern Sonora. The best maps are two Aero Charts, ONC H-22 (1/1,000,000), dated 1969 and the more detailed TPC H-22B (1/500,000), rev. 1975.
The latter shows contours at a
500 ft. interval , but gives a name to but a single peak Mexico is now slowly
producing a new series of topog sheets at 1/50,000, but they are only available
in Mexico City. A hopelesly useless series at 1/500,000 was published for this
area in 1958, but shows no contours, but does list many sub-ranges.Unfortunately, none of the chauvinist US Aero Charts show state lines in Mexico - hence it is necessary to meld these two charts to locate a state line. However, the line more or less follows the ridge.
Checking out the well-marked peaks, we do find 16 peaks in the 8000 ft. group and but a single 9000-footer, which does take the prize as Numero Uno. These peaks are shown with an accuracy of 100±. feet.
Now, how in the hell do we get there? None of these maps are any good as roads, villages etc. goes. Guidebooks are limited to one, Sonora Road Log [Wheelock, La Siesta Press, 1974] It is just what the title calls it, a series of road logs with very brief descriptive material but then it is the only one in English. A Spanish-language volume, a school text, entitled' Geografis del Estado do Sonora, does contain a good chapter on roads as of 1971, but it is now out of print.