In February 2023, Jacob Cook and Drew Marshall opened another route on the east face of La Popa. El Visitante (7 pitches, 5.13c) is now the hardest route on the wall. The duo dedicated six weeks to exploring the remote desert and establishing the fully bolted route, which climbs an overhanging corner system to the right of El Gavilán and Los Naguales, the latter of which Cook and Marshall established in 2022 (see AAJ 2023).

Cook faced setbacks due to injuries and was unable to send the crux sixth pitch, but Marshall climbed it free. The extremely overhanging crux demands pure resistance, navigating crimps and pockets. Neither climber achieved a continuous ascent (opting to redpoint each pitch individually), but they reported being delighted to open the line. It is possible to rappel the route with a single 70m rope, using directionals on the overhangs.

—Whitney Clark, AAJ, with online information from the climbers