Visions of Mexico (2005)

To many people, Mexico brings to mind visions of barren deserts, shifty-eyed banditos, and unchecked poverty. These impressions keep this otherwise beautiful country largely unknown and unexplored. Visions of Mexico documents an international cast of travelers who have abandoned their preconceived notions of Mexico for the chance to experience first hand the beauty of Mexicos rock climbing and culture. The film opens in the mountains of northern Mexico outside the city of Monterrey. Here, places like El Potrero Chico, La Huasteca, and El Salto see the much traffic from rock climbers, like Canadian athlete Steve Townsend, who come from all over the world to test their courage and strength. From there we travel down south to Mexico City, the largest city in the world, where we meet local strong woman, Chere Silva climbing the cave at Actopan. In addition to World Class rock climbing, Mexico City is a great departure point to explore the history and culture of Mexico. You can visit the Aztec pyramids at Teotihuacan, the volcano Popocatepetl, or Orizaba; the tallest mountain in Mexico. Our travels conclude with an adventure in the valleys of Guadalajara two hours east from the well traveled beaches of Puerto Vallarta. Ricardo Ramos, one of Mexicos strongest climbers, shows us the most difficult sport climb at his local crag, El Cuajo. Narrator, Jeff Jackson, highlights the history and culture of the areas traveled from his years of experience as a climber and traveler in Mexico.