El Potrero Chico, Mexico - Rock Climbing
El Potrero Chico, Mexico - Rock Climbing
El Potrero.. There's a chance that my recent trip to El Potrero has ruined single pitch climbing for me. I usually take a couple of road trips to The Red River Gorge in Kentucky every year. I may consider extending that 900km road trip to 3000km..
The prospect of only climbing a mere 100' and then being lowered to the ground just doesn't excite me!! Goddamn... Not after tasting the 1000' walls of Potrero.
Watch the video, see the pics, read the words.
Where we stayed:
La Pagoda
This was recommended by a friend. Jen and I were literally the only people there for our entire trip. This is nice for quiet and having everything to ourselves, BUT it's nice to get Beta and meet new people. I'd stay at La Posada next time.
Guide Book(s):
The Whole Enchilada - Somewhat necessary, but outdated.
http://potrerochico.org/listing/the-whole-enchilada
Climb El Potrero Chico - Printed guide they make every year.
You can buy this at La Posada (Main camp ground w/climb shop)
Both guides are essentially necessary. Ordering the Whole Enchilada first is a good idea, because it has a lot of information about the area, resources, layout etc.
Days Off:
El Buho Coffee Shop (Settlers of Catan!)
Market on Tuesday & Friday
Visit Monterrey with Milton.
Go see Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling)
Bull Fighting
San Joaquin hot springs
...eat food and watch Netflix (Mexico netflix rules)
How to get there:
From the Monterrey airport..
Cab: $50 (it's an hour drive)
We know a guy.. His name is Milton and he will meet you at your gate and take you to your campsite and wherever else you'd like to go on the way. You can message me for Milton's contact info.
(He'll also take you to the drs office and hospital if you get bit by a stray dog)
Bus: You can take a bus for bout $5
http://potrerochico.org/arriving/by-bus
Currency, $ & Budget:
Pesos, not American.
There are ATM's in town - Hidalgo
My budget (Actuals):
Flight $650
Pagoda: $12/Night (10 nights) Private Room, we didn't camp.
Food / Beers / Coffee: $175
Taxis: $65
$1010
Routes We Climbed:
Here is a list of some of the routes we did. I'm missing a few here, but in 9 days we were able to climb pretty close to 100 pitches.
Jen and I are usually tackling climbing grades that are a little more difficult than this, but we both had had quite a bit of time off climbing and hadn't done multi pitch for about a year, so we decided to do more moderate climbs and see how things went.
Estrallas Canyon
Route name: Super Nova
Grade: 5.11a
8 Pitches
This route is super fun. It's pretty much in the shade at all times as it's a nook. Downside is that it gets a lot of cloud and precipitation cause the sun can't blast it away. We climbed this one early am in the clouds and we got rained out on pitch 5. It's a little runout to be climbing in rain.
The Mota Wall
Route Name: Cactus Pile
Grade: 5.10
3 Pitches
This was the first route we did in Potrero. A nice start to get used to the climbing here. Cracks, Slab, Roof, Clean. Plus it's pretty easy.
The Mota Wall
Route Name: I Believe I can fly
Grade: 5.8
1 Pitch
End of day warm down
The Mota Wall
Route Name: This dogs life
Grade: 5.8
1 Pitch
End of day warm down
The Mota Wall
Route Name: Snot Girlz
Grade: 5.10d
7 Pitches
Super fun 3 star route. Awesome travers on pitch 5 - "Oh boy" in the video.
The Mota Wall
Route Name: Dope Ninja
Grade: 5.10b
6 Pitches
Cool / Dirty traverse. Great starter multi pitch ..unless you're a snob and want really clean climbing. Rap down Snot Girlz, but the below station is around the arret (don't fuck it up like me and have to do bad things).
The Spires
Route Name: Crack Test Dummies
Grade: 5.8
3 Pitches (2..but we made it 3 to get to the top)
You have to climb the spires.. This is a super easy route, but very sketchy and run out. Get yer balls out for this one. Don't be afraid to climb them 80's pitons.
Jungle Wall
Route Name: Las Chimeulas
Grade: 5.9
3 Pitches
Pretty great route. Tough for a 5.9..what the...
The West Side
Route Name: Space Boyz
Grade: 5.10d
11 Pitches
3 Stars of awesome. Pitch 6 was my favourite in the park.
Virgin Canyon
Route Name(s):
A Gringo Ate my Baby
DNA-DRD
Nasty Screwdriver
Cat Daddy
The Cat's Meow
Skairdy Cat
Penitente
Catwalk
Spin Doctor
31 Foot Smurf
Graded from 5.8 - 10b
All single pitch
This wall would have been nice to discover on day 1 and 2 to get warmed up. All the routes are great and gives a nice variety of what you'll run into on the multi pitches.
Zapatista Wall
Route name: Satori
Grade: 5.10c
7 Pitches
The hike to this is a MASSIVE bitch. The climb is worth the MASSIVE bitch of a hike though. This is a 3 star classic. The 5.10C pitch is super fun if you climb the face and avoid rounding the corner.
El Potrero, we will be back! So much unfinished business to tend to.
-Matt
The prospect of only climbing a mere 100' and then being lowered to the ground just doesn't excite me!! Goddamn... Not after tasting the 1000' walls of Potrero.
Watch the video, see the pics, read the words.
Where we stayed:
La Pagoda
This was recommended by a friend. Jen and I were literally the only people there for our entire trip. This is nice for quiet and having everything to ourselves, BUT it's nice to get Beta and meet new people. I'd stay at La Posada next time.
Guide Book(s):
The Whole Enchilada - Somewhat necessary, but outdated.
http://potrerochico.org/listing/the-whole-enchilada
Climb El Potrero Chico - Printed guide they make every year.
You can buy this at La Posada (Main camp ground w/climb shop)
Both guides are essentially necessary. Ordering the Whole Enchilada first is a good idea, because it has a lot of information about the area, resources, layout etc.
Days Off:
El Buho Coffee Shop (Settlers of Catan!)
Market on Tuesday & Friday
Visit Monterrey with Milton.
Go see Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling)
Bull Fighting
San Joaquin hot springs
...eat food and watch Netflix (Mexico netflix rules)
How to get there:
From the Monterrey airport..
Cab: $50 (it's an hour drive)
We know a guy.. His name is Milton and he will meet you at your gate and take you to your campsite and wherever else you'd like to go on the way. You can message me for Milton's contact info.
(He'll also take you to the drs office and hospital if you get bit by a stray dog)
Bus: You can take a bus for bout $5
http://potrerochico.org/arriving/by-bus
Currency, $ & Budget:
Pesos, not American.
There are ATM's in town - Hidalgo
My budget (Actuals):
Flight $650
Pagoda: $12/Night (10 nights) Private Room, we didn't camp.
Food / Beers / Coffee: $175
Taxis: $65
$1010
Routes We Climbed:
Here is a list of some of the routes we did. I'm missing a few here, but in 9 days we were able to climb pretty close to 100 pitches.
Jen and I are usually tackling climbing grades that are a little more difficult than this, but we both had had quite a bit of time off climbing and hadn't done multi pitch for about a year, so we decided to do more moderate climbs and see how things went.
Estrallas Canyon
Route name: Super Nova
Grade: 5.11a
8 Pitches
This route is super fun. It's pretty much in the shade at all times as it's a nook. Downside is that it gets a lot of cloud and precipitation cause the sun can't blast it away. We climbed this one early am in the clouds and we got rained out on pitch 5. It's a little runout to be climbing in rain.
The Mota Wall
Route Name: Cactus Pile
Grade: 5.10
3 Pitches
This was the first route we did in Potrero. A nice start to get used to the climbing here. Cracks, Slab, Roof, Clean. Plus it's pretty easy.
The Mota Wall
Route Name: I Believe I can fly
Grade: 5.8
1 Pitch
End of day warm down
The Mota Wall
Route Name: This dogs life
Grade: 5.8
1 Pitch
End of day warm down
The Mota Wall
Route Name: Snot Girlz
Grade: 5.10d
7 Pitches
Super fun 3 star route. Awesome travers on pitch 5 - "Oh boy" in the video.
The Mota Wall
Route Name: Dope Ninja
Grade: 5.10b
6 Pitches
Cool / Dirty traverse. Great starter multi pitch ..unless you're a snob and want really clean climbing. Rap down Snot Girlz, but the below station is around the arret (don't fuck it up like me and have to do bad things).
The Spires
Route Name: Crack Test Dummies
Grade: 5.8
3 Pitches (2..but we made it 3 to get to the top)
You have to climb the spires.. This is a super easy route, but very sketchy and run out. Get yer balls out for this one. Don't be afraid to climb them 80's pitons.
Jungle Wall
Route Name: Las Chimeulas
Grade: 5.9
3 Pitches
Pretty great route. Tough for a 5.9..what the...
The West Side
Route Name: Space Boyz
Grade: 5.10d
11 Pitches
3 Stars of awesome. Pitch 6 was my favourite in the park.
Virgin Canyon
Route Name(s):
A Gringo Ate my Baby
DNA-DRD
Nasty Screwdriver
Cat Daddy
The Cat's Meow
Skairdy Cat
Penitente
Catwalk
Spin Doctor
31 Foot Smurf
Graded from 5.8 - 10b
All single pitch
This wall would have been nice to discover on day 1 and 2 to get warmed up. All the routes are great and gives a nice variety of what you'll run into on the multi pitches.
Zapatista Wall
Route name: Satori
Grade: 5.10c
7 Pitches
The hike to this is a MASSIVE bitch. The climb is worth the MASSIVE bitch of a hike though. This is a 3 star classic. The 5.10C pitch is super fun if you climb the face and avoid rounding the corner.
El Potrero, we will be back! So much unfinished business to tend to.
-Matt
