La Bufa

La Bufa dominates the southeast corner of Guanajuato. Several large slabs jut out of the hillsides, and pine trees, cactus, and shrubs skirt the stone flanks in dark green. This afternoon we ran up La Bufa, scrambling the final stretch over a moonscape that reminded us of the contoured rock of southern Utah.

A good trail climbs the mountain because it is also a pilgrimage route. Midway, tucked into a wide grotto, stands a statue and shrine to San Ignacio de Loyola, one of the patron saints of Guanajuato. Each year at the end of July, La Bufa is lit with floodlights, and people walk to the shrine, have picnics, and honor San Ignacio de Loyola.

I like the idea of a saint tucked into the mountains, watching over the town below.