EPC Finale

Header Photo

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.