After the success of the first trip and no doubt talking up what the Mexico climbing scene had to offer, a return trip was in the books. This one would be a little different from the first as I just accepted a new job and would be in the frigid January weather of Minneapolis, and from there flying down to Monterrey. The original crew included Tim, Esteban, and myself, but we would be joined this year by Sara, Olivia, Kelly, and JB (the latter driving down from Columbus).
To introduce the group we started in Los Lobos canyon on a few 2-3 pitch routes next to each other (also providing ample opportunity for photos). Sara, Jon, and myself topped out the Blacksmith whilst everyone else gained familiarity with the rock, the movement, and the systems. Still waiting for JB to arrive we returned to the palace for a feast.
The next morning we were expecting JB to arrive, and our dreams came true! He met us at the wall, again in Los Lobos. He and I topped out the 4 pitches of Will the Wolf Survive. Naturally we howled from the top in celebration, and enjoyed the celebratory rap back to the ground. The rest of the gang continued wrecking all of the routes in Los Lobos, like Zombie Wolf, Controlled Machete, and Palm Snake. When JB and I got down we heckled, took photos, then ended our day on Palm Sex, Lies, and Lots of Tape, a refreshing 5.7 (much better than the cub).
Our next day would be less than breezy, long story short Kelly happened to drive over a concrete block whilst turning left onto the free road, and that block had a metal rod sticking out of it that just so happened to be at oil pan level for the poor fiat. We towed the fiat, got a rental car, and were back on our way to climb. A little delay in our morning and early afternoon wasn’t going to put a damper on the day. There was climbing to be had! Sara and I climbed the 3 pitches of Las Chimuelas, and next to us Kelly and Tim hopped on what they thought was Jungle Boy. Jungle Boy is a two pitch 5.8, 5.6 with a tiny roof at the end of the first pitch, but it happens to share a start with Warfikis 5.11c. In my haste to let them know where to start, I skimmed over the section in the guidebook and may or may not have given them information to hop on the 11c. They both got thru the route, and Tim leading the first pitch thru the “no hold limestone roof”.
After rapping down and meeting at the base of the canyon, we started throwing the gear into the new rental and JB’s car and got everything packed up. The rental engine fired up as we prepared to leave, but when JB went to start his car…. nothing. The key wouldn’t turn… the steering wheel was locked and would not cooperate. After attempting a push start and everyone taking turns attempting trying to start er up, we decided to take a break. She was giving us nothing. We went into La Posada for a quick bite and margaritas, but before too long JB and Esteban went to give it another shot.
Our anticipation started to build as time passed, but we heard one car pull into La Posada… potentially a good sign. A few moments later we heard the dull, but growing roar of a certain unmistakable civic from Ohio. Our smiles grew as the rumble grew louder, knowing JB’s car was running again! Victory.
The plan for Super Nova was for Tim and I start the route, and when we begin the second pitch for Olivia and Kelly to start the first pitch. This way, when we got to the end of the route we’d have two ropes without having to haul one, then we’d be able to do a double rope rap and cut our number of rappels in half (ideally decreasing our time on the wall). We got to Potrero early and Tim and I were on the wall by 0800 hours. The first pitch went smoother than the day before, but still not perfect. As Tim was setting up the anchor on top of the second pitch, Olivia and Kelly had begun up the route. Super Nova was underway.
The third and fourth pitches were welcoming 5.6′s, that gave us an opportunity to continue making progress, but feel like we were resting on the way. These had some slightly wandering bolts, but very blocky with super enjoyable movement splitting up some of the more difficult pitches on this route. After the “break”, there was a 5.9 with a one move wonder. It had two small crimps out left, with your only decent feet high and right. The move consisted of getting your feet high, trusting they would stick if you apply enough pressure, then contort and twist up and right to hit a solid hold. From there, the remainder of that route and the next were non-eventful. But the following 5.9 mixed up the slab precedent and began to feel a little like red river. Good holds were abundant, albeit a little further apart, but this made for fun climbing up to a hanging belay. From here I put Tim on belay, he followed up, and the lead the final pitch to the “summit” of the route. I joined Tim, and here we waited for Olivia and Kelly enjoying a pair of celebratory beers.
After we hyped up Super Nova, Esteban and Sara planned to top of their climbing portion of the trip with that route. I was burned out from climbing these past however many days it was in a row, but Kelly and Olivia were still feeling ambitious. They planned to get on Estrallita, and Tim, Jon, JB, and I were good with showing up later, seeing how everyone was doing, and enjoying a beer or two along the way. Maybe we’d get on a spire, but it would be dependent on how we were feeling. The one thing that we dealt with last year that hadn’t impacted our trip this year, was the rain. Esteban and Sara had gotten up the first and hardest pitch of Super Nova, but there was water running down the rock; preventing them from being able to continue on. Kelly and Olivia made it up three pitches of Estrallita before making the decision to rap back down. The weather just wasn’t putting up suitable conditions for our last day.
All in all, it was another fantastic climbing trip with a great group of people. The hospitality we received from Sal and Sam was beyond phenomenal, and the locals of Hidalgo have made us feel welcome over the past two years. El Potrero Chico will continue to remain a world class climbing location that we won’t be able to get enough of.
