2011 Clean Up and Hidalgo Kids Climbing Day

We had another great clean up of the El Potrero, and kids climbing day this year. The Climbing School and others showed up to help clean and take the local Hidalgo school kids climbing. They were all incredibly excited, and natural climbers. This event really helps instill a sense of place with the kids and helps them appreciate the beautiful canyon in their backyard. Not only that but we filled the back of that flatbed truck with a lot of garbage that used to be scattered around the canyon

I am looking forward to next years clean up and kids climbing day. I need to thank Alicia Punete for organizing the event every year. She had a great raffle at the end of the day for the kids and belayers.

La Posada and EPICS's Holiday gift to El Potrero Chico and the People that Play There

This project was inspired by a young man named Matty Zane. When he contacted La Posada to inquire about a work for trade agreement Luis Lozano (owner) jumped at the opportunity to help El Potrero Chico. Matty will be staying with us at La Posada in exchange for his expert labor as a trail builder. Matty has been building trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, over very rugged terrain, for years.

Last year there was some big rock fall from the top of the mountain. This was caused by excessive rain fall, not climbers. The rocks cascaded over the top of the severely over hung Outrage wall and destroyed the trails. We tried our best to put them in working order last year but more is needed. We are taking this opportunity to remove the "convenience trails" though the middle of the talus field which cause erosion and are the most susceptible to being struck by rock fall. The new trail will go to the top of the Spires then over to the Outrage wall. This will eliminate 90% of the erosion and put the trail, and there for the people walking on it, out of harms way.

Matty and his crew will also be repairing the trail to the Spires and potentially the trail up Los Lobos canyon. We have to see how far our community action budget goes this year. If you would like to donate money or time to this cause please contact Beckett Honicker at EPICSguides@gmail.com

Owner and head guide go big in Yosemite

El Potrero Chico has ben referred to as the Yosemite of Mexico. If you consider Yosemite a mecca and an icon for rock climbing in the USA then, yes; El Potrero Chico is the Yosemite of Mexico.

Here Mark and I are climbing a newer route, maybe the second or third ascent, in the Gun Sight on Middle Cathedral Rock across from iconic El Capitan. The route is about 1000' 300ish meters with the hardest pitch at 5.12 (7c).

The days started late because thats just how days start sometimes. We arrived at the base at 11:30am, hardly and alpine start. The first five pitches yield fun run out crack and face climbing for 50 meters at a time. They deliver us into a U-shaped bowl where after 75 more meters we arrive at our sandwich ledge. This is where the real fun begins.

After a tuna and cheese sandwich, some water and some laughs I set into the first of the four hard pitches. Its a 5.12a (7a) that has some wild moves including a classic yosemite sideways dyno. After Mark arrives at the belay and rests his feet he strikes into the crux pitch. It was quite anti-climatic because one of the three hard boulder problems on this route was right off the belay. After a few failed attempts, remember its getting late on us, I saddled up for the challenge.

I tried a mantle on to a pad sized crimp. That worked but led nowhere; fall. Next I grabbed a sloping crimp, put my foot on a good hold that was even with my nose and cranked through. This pitched sported a couple more moves that were just as hard.

The next note worthy event was the large pizza sized flake that Mark pulled off the next 5.11d (6c) pitch while clipping and already run out. He took the longest ride of his life, falling from the forth bolt 20' (3.5M) past his belayer. I, the belayer, managed to kung fu kick the flake and pin it against the wall. This stopped it from hitting my dangling partner. Mark got right back up there and sent the pitch. He only pulled off one more flake.

All and all this route deserves more traffic. It was a great fun time and in my opinion worth the two years of effort it took to put it up. Thanks to Mike Shaffer, Dana Drumond, and Jeremy Collins for putting those hours into Border Country.

Safe Trips and Great Deals

Everybody is looking for the best deal these days. You hear that all the time, but when have you not. Mexico has always been on the tip of everyone's tongue when this expression comes up regarding winter vacations. Recently I have not heard Mexico mentioned as much. Is this because the vacation options have become more expensive?

The negative publicity that Mexico has received in regard to violence related to drug and people trafficking is warranted in some areas of the country. Taking safety precautions is something us climber know all about. We also know that letting fear rule us is a sure fire path to regret.

At EPICS and La Posada El Potrero Chico we have set up a system that will maximize you vacation time and dollars. We have had clients come from New York City to climb for the weekend. All you need is a little money, a plane ticket to Monterrey (MTY) and a passport. We take care of the transportation to and from the airport, your accommodations, your food (if you prefer),water, and your climbing partner/certified guide. What else could one need?

Check out your options: www.elpotrerochico.com.mx

Land of the Free

Land of the Free, IV 5.11d (R) is a hard, sustained, long and runout line which requires full commitment and absolute confidence. El Potrero International Climbing School was able to provide a guide, Mark Grundon, with the necessary experience and knowledge to complete this conquest. Despite the dangerous nature of this line,El Potrero International Climbing School's guide was able to minimize the risk to an appropriate level. I recommend El Potrero International Climbing School whether you are looking to learn how to lead climb or whether you are looking to take on a multi-day big wall 5.13.

-Sayer

El Salto

There you are, in an office or your living room. Its cold outside and all you are thinking about is tying in. In you mind you feel your hand wrapping around a big tufa and your feet cut. You straddle a stalactite and reach for the anchors.

Now, how do you get there? You climb 5.11 or 5.12 in the gym or outside. You don't need a rope gun. However you don't have time on your vacation to deal with finding a car, finding the climbing area deep in the hills of Mexico, and learning to drive alongside crazy Mexican drivers and police. You don't have time for any annoyances to stand in between you and the rock. Maybe you don't want to hassle with packing all the things you will need to be comfortable camping for a week. Don't worry, thats were we come in.

• Our service will get you from the airport to a USA style grocery store, and from the there to the little town deep in the hills surrounding Monterrey. You will never have to fumble with a Spanish phase book. "cascada cola or culo de cabello"
• We will bring all the good amenities for car camping.
• We will take you to the best campsite, the best crags, and put you on the best routes. You will never have to try and decipher the cryptic guide book.
• If you decide that you want to stay in a cabin in town we will negotiate the best price and drive you to the crag every morning.
• In the event that you get hurt we will professionally extricate you from danger. There will be a a wilderness first responder with you at all times who knows how to get to the best hospital and has a reliable car . There are no ambulances where we are going.

Where to fly into: Monterrey, Nuevo Leon Mexico (airport code MTY)

Rate car and guide (gas included): $250usd per group (up to 3 people)

Rate for camping supplies*: $40 usd per day

* (tents, pads, two burner stove, chairs, water containment and solar showers)

2010 El Potrero Chico Clean Up

Imagine please a world where all consumables were packaged with bio degradable wrapping: corn husks, banana leaves, etc. In this world all the glass, plastic and aluminum were so valuable that they were scavenged through till nothing was left. This was Mexico as of fifty years ago. That all changed very quickly.

Now people still have the "use it and throw it on the ground" mentality that came from eating everything from corn husks. The adults have it, the teachers have it, the police have it, the kids have it; everyone. This is not deep rural Mexico we are talking about either. People in our big town and neighboring large city throw their plastic, glass, aluminum, and paper on the ground along with their: sinks, tires, mattresses, and corn cobs.

When I first came here to Hidalgo and El Potrero Chico in 2005 I was appalled, as I think most gringos are, when they see something so far outside their paradigm. For me, seeing a child throw a bag on the ground in front of their mother and a police officer, who should be stopping this child, is just as shocking as seeing someone prepare dog meat for stir fry. Latin America is truly different from the United States in this way; the littering I mean. So I set to work to clean up El Potrero Chico.

I organized the first EPC trash clean up in 2005. We have a El Potrero Clean up every year. They have been picking up momentum over the past three years. This year we, El Potrero Chico International School and La Posada, had the support of a fresh municipal administration. The town of Hidalgo provided trash bags, a truck, workers, flyers, and most of all; moral support. There were twenty kids from secondary school participating. In exchange for their help EPICS set up top ropes to give them a taste of why all of us crazy mountain climbing gringos flock to their town. The idea is to show the youth that recreation and a clean environment go hand and hand. The mayor came as well as the director of culture and participated whole heartedly. Many climbers joined in and really gave back to the place they love.

El Potrero Chico will be trashed next year when I return. It's OK. I will have another trash clean up. My hope, and the reason for all of this, is that in fifteen years when these kids are adults we will not need a clean up every year. Maybe then we can start talking with them about simple little things like recycling***. For now I'll be happy if everyone can embrace putting their trash in one place; the land fill not El Potrero Chico.

*** If anyone wants to come and set up a recycling program the infrastructure is not far away in Monterrey. They just need a collection center, transportation, and local support/education. I just don't have the time or energy to do everything. I would love and embrace this action and would lend to it as much energy and local knowledge as I could.