EPC Finale

Go back to Mexico.

Summary

El Potrero Chico

Hiking in.

Never say never I suppose but I do think it will be a while till we’re tempted to go back to the beautiful El Potrero Chico. After this last quick trip, we feel fairly confident that we’ve climbed all that interested us and that was within our ability. We sampled a couple new areas this time around including a hike up to Tarahumara Pass to climb the pretty decent 5 am Breakfast route (6P, 10b) and visited the sporto heaven of Virgin Canyon for the first time. We also climbed one of Ed’s more recent (?) routes called Access Denied (4P, 10c) and a fun shorty called Cactus Pile (3P, 10b). So until a couple new and long 10/11- routes go up or we magically gain the ability to do 12+ crimping, so long Potrero!

Video

5 AM Breakfast

Click photo for a quick “panorama video.”

Photos

El Potrero Chico

Another trip to EPC, another supply stop at the MiniSuper (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

El Potrero Chico (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

View of the front side (El Torro) from the room of our casita (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Noon thirty in Mexico – things could go in either direction…

El Potrero Chico

Hiking in on our day one – Thanksgiving actually (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Breakfast Club Peak (our objective) is on the left and Buzz Rock is on the right. Tarahumara Pass separates the two (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

El Sendero Luminoso “pillar” – the route follows the nice and smooth looking face just right of the orange colored bowl (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Shirley on approach to the Breakfast Club Peak (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

The final 4th class section on approach to the base of 5 AM Breakfast route (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Shirley topping out on pitch 1 of 5 AM Breakfast (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Shirley starting the lead of pitch 2 of 5 AM Breakfast (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Higher on pitch 2 (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Shirley on pitch 3 (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Shirley starting up pitch 4. The best pitch of the route follows the dihedral above (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

More pitch 4 action (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Starting up the 5th and best pitch of 5 AM Breakfast (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Higher on the very nice pitch (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Shirley starting up the aesthetic crux pitch of 5 AM Breakfast (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Fun fun climbing!

5 AM Breakfast

Click photo for a quick “panorama video.”

5 AM Breakfast

Panoramic view from 5 AM Breakfast route (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Topping out (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Shirley starting up the 6th and final pitch. It’s a short one…could’ve combined with the previous but would’ve missed some photo ops.

El Potrero Chico

So many new small operations have popped up all over the place that you’re never further away than 10 minutes from beer and margaritas (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

“For a lot of food!!”

El Potrero Chico

Another view from the rooftop of the casita (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Hiking in on day 2 (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

The front side and El Sendero Luminoso pillar on a damp second day (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

View down from high up in Virgin Canyon. The ridge at the center of photo is home to Estrellita route (Nov. 2016).

Punto De Inspiracion

Shirley starting up pitch 1 of Punto De Inspiracion (Nov. 2016).

Punto De Inspiracion

Midway up pitch 2 I ran into this guy…after a brief but vigorous discussion, Shirley was not too thrilled at having to gingerly climb past him and we bailed (Nov. 2016).

Punto De Inspiracion

Down we go…

El Potrero Chico

Unknown climbers high on Estrellita route (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

Shirley leading pitch 1 of Cactus Pile (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

Following pitch 1.

Cactus Pile

View of the Spires from Cactus Pile (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

Shirley following pitch 2 of Cactus Pile – quite nice!

Cactus Pile

Topping out on the pitch (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

View back towards Hidalgo from Cactus Pile (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

Shirley starting up pitch 3 of Cactus Pile (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

Higher on the same fun pitch (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

The interior of the Potrero (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

Varied, fun climbing (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

Topping out on the route (Nov. 2016).

Cactus Pile

Time for a margarita (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

The highways of the Jungle Wall (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Some curious geology in El Potrero Chico (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Scoping out future routes with a margarita (thanks Edgardo) in hand (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Another friendly pup of El Potrero Chico (Nov 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Our casita came with a helicopter landing pad (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Starting up the 4-pitch line called Access Denied (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

More of the same pitch (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Spitting rain and rainbows on Access Denied (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Shirley on pitch 1 (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Starting up pitch 2 (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Access Denied is on a ridge directly behind the pool complex (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Shirley higher on the easy pitch 2 (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Crux 3rd pitch of Access Denied – quite easy for 5.10 (a crack).

Access Denied

Shirley past the slight bulge on pitch 3 of Access Denied (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Panoramic view from Access Denied (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Shirley starting up the 4th and final pitch…actually you should step out right vs. following the bolts straight up (perhaps we should read the topo before climbing the route). But the position on the prow of the arete here was pretty cool (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

A touch of oxidation at a belay anchor (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Shirley nearing the top of the last pitch (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Topping out on Access Denied with the overlook in the background (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Edgardo’s trailer is visible on the right…pizzas and margaritas await (Nov. 2016).

Access Denied

Some wildlife on the descent into Virgin Canyon (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

The very nice Pitch Black route (the black streak just right of center) as seen from Virgin Canyon (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Unknown climbers on Pitch Black (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Some more cragging (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Hiking out and ready for a break from El Potrero Chico…for a while anyway (Nov. 2016).

5 AM Breakfast

Unknown climber(s) on Buzz Rock (Nov. 2016).

El Potrero Chico

Vaqueros of El Potrero Chico (Nov. 2016).

Go back to Mexico.