Go back to El Potrero Chico Again.
Excalibur.
This time we only had four days – one day too few as it turned out. We climbed a handful of classic Potrero beauties (as well as a new line) but failed on our Time Wave Zero goal as drizzle greeted us on the morning of our final (d-) day. The two highlights were Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (7P, 10c) and Black Cat Bone (9P, 10d). The new Excalibur route (6P, 10c) on the front side was alright as was the uneven Super Nova – 8 pitches long and with the grade setting first pitch (5.11a) but essentially 5.6 above with singular moves of 5.9. Nicely framed views from that one however and as a bonus we realized that we no longer have interest in doing Weiss Cracks next door – overgrown and not too aesthetic looking.
Photos
Shirley’s solution to dealing with the red eye fatigue in Atlanta (Feb. 2013).
Nuevo Leon as we approach Monterrey (Feb. 2013).
Shirley making sure she understood Ed’s intricate beta for a pitch she wants to lead (Feb. 2013).
Picking up a few essentials at the MiniSuper in Hidalgo (Feb. 2013).
Our cozy casita…20+ avocados in 4 days…pretty avocadoed out for a while (Feb. 2013).
Views from the casita (Feb. 2013).
Good morning again Potrero (chilly Potrero on the first morning anyway; Feb. 2013).
Starting up Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Shirley on pitch 1 (Feb. 2013).
Shirley leading pitch 2 of Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Views into the Potrero from low on Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Shirley higher on pitch 2 (Feb. 2013).
Following pitch 2 of Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Shirley on the very fun (including crack climbing no less) pitch 3 of Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
View towards the Spires (Feb. 2013).
Topping out on pitch 3 (Feb. 2013).
Shirley starting up pitch 4 of Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 20130.
Views from high on Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Topping out on pitch 4 (Feb. 2013).
Leading the 5th pitch of the Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Shirley following pitch 5 (Feb. 2013).
Almost at the 5th belay (Feb. 2013).
Shirley leading pitch 6 of Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Shirley on pitch 6 (Feb. 2013).
On pitch 6 (Feb. 2013).
Views of Hidalgo from atop Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Shirley topping out on Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Feb. 2013).
Shirley atop the Treasure Of The Sierra Madre route with the Timewave Zero formation in the background (Feb. 2013).
Jungle Wall from the top of the Treasure Of The Sierra Madre route. Can you name the cleaned streaks? El Bobo (squat) spire is on the right (Feb. 2013).
An unknown party on the Space Boyz route – this is the crux pitch 6 I think. Taken from the top of the Treasure Of The Sierra Madre route (Feb. 2013).
Shirley near the base of TWZ admiring the formations. From Las Estrellas (far left) to Sense Of Religion on the right (with its series of mid-sized classics incl. Snot Girlz, Pancho Villa Rides Again, and Treasure Of The Sierra Madre; Feb. 2013).
Jungle Wall with parties on Space Boyz (left) and the crux pitch of Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
Unknown party on the crux 6th pitch of Black Cat Bone on the Jungle Wall. In fact the leader is at THE crux of the route – a series of thin face moves leading the roof (Feb. 2013).
Heading back to the casita (Feb. 2013).
At the casita (Feb. 2013).
Heading back for more (Feb. 2013).
Getting ready for Black Cat Bone at the base of Jungle Wall (a great route!).
Shirley leading pitch 1 of Black Cat Bone on the Jungle Wall (Feb. 2013).
Starting up pitch 2 of Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
Shirley topping out on pitch 3 of Black Cat Bone which I think we combined with pitch 2 (Feb. 2013).
Shirley taking us up onto the Garden Of Bleedin (Feb. 2013).
Dope Ninja ridge (Feb. 2013).
Shirley starting the lead of pitch 5 (Feb. 2013).
Shirley leading the 5th pitch of Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
More of Shirley on pitch 5 (Feb. 2013).
Leading the crux pitch (#6) of Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
Shirley starting up the crux pitch 6 of Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
Pitch 6 (Feb. 2013).
More of Shirley on pitch 6 (Feb. 2013).
Pitch 6 with the Garden Of Bleedin below (Feb. 2013).
Pitch 6 (Feb. 2013).
Shirley topping out on pitch 6 (Feb. 2013).
Las Estrellas formation (right with palm tree on top) and the town of Hidalgo beyond as seen from high on Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
Shirley on pitch 7 (Feb. 2013).
Views from high up on Black Cat Bone with some native vegetation in the foreground (thank Ed for the clean up job on the routes!!).
More pitch 7 (Feb. 2013).
Shirley topping out on pitch 7 (Feb. 2013).
Shirley at the 7th belay on Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
Shirley topping out on pitch 8 (Feb. 2013).
Shirley leading the 9th and final pitch of Black Cat Bone and rocking her Mazama shirt (circa 2004??).
Pitch 9 (Feb. 2013).
And pitch 9 (Feb. 2013).
Hidalgo from the top of Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
Shirley at the 9th and final belay of Black Cat Bone (Feb. 2013).
The odd collection of stuff found inside the summit register can atop the Black Cat Bone route (Feb. 2013).
Unknown party (well sort of…one of the guys is a PDX expat apparently) on Space Boyz. Photo taken from Black Cat Bone next door (Feb. 2013).
Admiring the front side of the El Potrero Chico formations – the name of the massif is El Torro. Shirley is pointing out the Excalibur route on the foreground ridge (Feb. 2013).
A typical day at EPC would start at the crags and finish off on the doorsteps of our casita eating home-made guac with tortillas, drinking Cartas and watching the street…pretty white trash style but shitloads of fun (Feb. 2013).
Go to EPC 2.2.
Go back to El Potrero Chico Again.