CMRCA run’s daily trips to Crazy Horse using local red trucks and local drivers. It’s a fun way to travel and it supports the local economy.
Why does CMRCA use these open-air pickup trucks instead of those fancy A/C mini-busses that other tour operators use? Our answer is simple: community.
Like everything else we do, we believe that sharing revenue by hiring local drivers (rather than owning vans) is a more responsible and sustainable way for CMRCA to operate in Chiang Mai, develop a strong community, and support the local economy.
CMRCA Red Truck to Crazy Horse Service
The red trucks leave the CMRCA shop in the morning at 8:30, and leave the crag at 16:30, so you can get in a full day of cranking.
Come visit our shop (by 7:30 pm the night before) to sign up and choose your lunch. Then just show up in the morning ready to roll (with your reusable water bottle)!
As part of your trip we’ll also provide drinking water at the crag and can also provide a freshly cooked local lunch (optional).
Same-day return trips cost 395 Baht/person (discounts available for C³ Climbing Club members).
Click Here to Book Your TicketTHE RED TRUCK
The red truck (rote daeng or songthaew in Thai) is the most important means of shared transportation in and around Chiang Mai. Over 3,000 red trucks cruise the city’s streets every day. Some trucks operate as shared taxis, others as private tour guides, and others still as public buses that run fixed routes. Red trucks provide affordable transportation to many students, teachers, professionals, vendors, and butchers, and are the iconic beginning and end to a weekday in Chiang Mai.
But in addition to being a cultural experience, red trucks provide a social atmosphere not present in those A/C minivans. Passengers in a songthaew sit in two rows, facing each other, which promotes lively conversation and allows for the facilitation of group activities during the ride.
THE DRIVERS
Among the most important and unsung members of the CMRCA family is the small group of red truck drivers that work hard to take our students and climbers to Crazy Horse every day. The loungs (or “uncles”), as we call them, are full-time red truck drivers that CMRCA hires when we need to take people to Crazy Horse. Since the loungs own their own trucks, they can operate as taxis around Chiang Mai when not needed by CMRCA, and their combined work provides them with a good living wage.
We hold our loungs and their vehicles to high standards to ensure a safe and pleasurable ride for our clients, and in return we compensate them well and welcome them into the CMRCA family. Some of the loungs spend nearly every day at the crag with us, and when we all sit down to lunch together, we couldn’t imagine having anyone else drive us to Crazy Horse.
One loung in particular, Loung Nan, is perhaps the most valuable and irreplaceable member of the CMRCA staff. With several hours every day between roundtrip drives, Loung Nan volunteers his time to build huts, cut trails, maintain bathrooms, gather trash, and do all of the things that set Crazy Horse apart as the best-developed crag in the area. Read more about Loung Nan on his staff page.
Driving to Crazy Horse
Feeling Independent? Want to spend a couple of nights close to the crag in cozy Mae On? Consider renting a car/motorbike.
There are a number of car rental places along the eastern side of the moat on Chaiyapoom Road.
The most economical and entertaining way to get to Crazy Horse on your own is to rent a small motorbike. These are quite easy to drive, even if you have never done so before. Options include fully-automatic and semi-automatic (there is no clutch so shifting doesn’t require a lot of coordination. Prices range from 100-250 Baht per day and can be found all over town. Stop by our shop if you need assistance.
Please be aware that the police are quite enthusiastic in issuing fines of up to 1000 Baht to tourists driving motorbikes without the appropriate motorbike licence.
Directions to Crazy Horse from CMRCA:
View Directions to Crazy Horse from CMRCA in a larger map
