Cerro de la Silla

Cerro de la Silla

Cerro de la Silla in 2004
Highest point
Elevation 1,820 m (5,970 ft)
Coordinates 25°37′23″N 100°14′34″W / 25.62306°N 100.24278°W / 25.62306; -100.24278Coordinates: 25°37′23″N 100°14′34″W / 25.62306°N 100.24278°W / 25.62306; -100.24278
Naming
Translation Saddle Hill (Spanish)
Pronunciation Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsero ˌðelaˈsiʝa]
Geography
Location Guadalupe and Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Climbing
Easiest route Hike

The Cerro de la Silla is a mountain and natural monument located within the metropolitan area of the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León, in northeastern Mexico. Named for its distinctive saddle-shaped profile when viewed from the west, it is a well-known symbol of the city of Monterrey, despite being located in the adjacent municipality of Guadalupe.

It covers an area of 60.5 square kilometres (23 mi²). The mountain has four peaks: Pico Antena, Pico Norte, Pico Sur and Pico la Virgen; Pico Norte (North Peak) is the highest at 1820 m (5970 ft) while Pico la Virgen (Virgin's Peak) is the lowest at 1750 m (5740 ft).

Set aside as a natural monument by the Mexican government in 1991, the mountain, or hill, as mountains are often referred to in Mexico, is a popular recreational area and is often climbed by hikers who take a 5.3 km (3.3 mi) trail to reach the top. The ascent is considered to be fairly difficult, taking approximately 3 hours to complete. A panoramic view of the city of Monterrey can be seen from the top.

In the second half of the 20th century, an aerial tramway was built to give a fastest access to the iconic mountain for the population. The day of its inauguration was also the day of its closure, as a tragic accident took the lives of five people, including the engineer Jesús Fernández, its designer. Several plans have been announced to rebuild another tramway with no results.

Some other known mountains or elevations of the zone are: Cerro de las Mitras, the Sierra Madre Oriental with the Cerro de Chipinque —the M-shaped figure visible from various parts of the city—, the Cerro del Topo Chico, Cerro del Obispado, Cerro de la Loma Larga and La Huasteca.

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