Mexico | chossclimbers.com

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Pitch Black.

Beautiful Bernal.

A small sampling of what Mexico has to offer from a few quick trips to date. After our 2013 road trip, we’re itching to explore more of this beautiful country. So far, obviously Potrero is the favorite (highest density of multi-pitch climbs) but Pena de Bernal is not far behind (fewer routes but the place is indeed “magico”). Still fascinated by climbing around Mineral del Chico but climbing beta is hard to come by.

By Trip

Lovely Loreto.

Beautiful Mexico.

“No Climbing In Cabo” (January 2024)

“Queretaro Finale” (February 2023)

“Baja California Sur” (November 2020)

“Central Mexico Quickie” (December 2018)

“EPC Finale” (November 2016)

“Three Day EPC Quickie” (November 2015)

“EPC Quickie” (November 2014)

“Mexico Road Trip” (December 2013)

“El Potrero Chico Again” (February 2013)

“El Potrero Chico” (November 2011)

By Area

El Potrero Chico (Nuevo Leon)

Black Cat Bone.

Timewave Zero summit.

Estrellita (12P, 5.10b)

Dope Ninja (6P, 5.10b)

Space Boyz (11P, 5.10d)

Yankee Clipper (11P, 5.10b)

Pancho Villa Rides Again (5P, 5.10c)

Satori (6P, 5.10c)

Jungle Mountaineering (4P, 5.9)

Las Chimuelas (3P, 5.8)

Jungle Fever (2P, 5.10a)

Off The Couch (7P, 5.10d)

Will The Wolf Survive (4P, 5.10a)

.

Agua De Coco.

Good morning again Potrero.

Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (7P, 5.10c)

Black Cat Bone (9P, 5.10d)

Excalibur (6P, 5.10c)

Super Nova (8P, 5.11a)

Snott Girlz (7P, 5.10d)

Pepe Y Lupe (3P, 5.10c)

Agua De Coco (4P, 5.10d)

Pitch Black (6P, 5.10d)

Timewave Zero (23P, 5.11- A0)

5 AM Breakfast (6P, 5.10b)

Access Denied (4P, 5.10c)

Cactus Pile (3P, 5.10b)

NOT El Potrero Chico (Nuevo Leon)

Crescent Moon Buttress.

Crescent Moon Buttress (8P, 5.10a)

Pena de Bernal (Queretaro)

King Kong.

Bernal.

Horizonte De Estrellas to Bernalina (6P, 5.10b)

Via Del Padre to Bernalina (6P, 5.10b)

Filo Noroccidental (7P, 5.10a)

King Kong (8P, 5.10c)

Alas Del Viento (13P, 5.10b)

Espolon Central (7P, 5.9)

Parque Nacional El Chico (Hidalgo)

Mas Alla De La Estrellas.

Parque Nacional El Chico.

Transversal (4P, 5.9)

Mas Alla De La Estrellas (4P, 5.10b)

Aculco (Mexico)

Psicosis.

Aculco.

Punos del 11 (1P, 5.7)

Psicosis (1P, 5.10a)

El Libra de la Solemnidad (1P, 5.9)

Cascarita de Limon (1P, 5.10a)

Loreto (Baja California Sur)

Lolita.

Loreto.

Lolita (6P, 5.8+)

Resources

Enjoying some pizza and margaritas from Edgardo’s trailer.

~~Ed’s page~~ ~~for all things El Potrero. From climbing beta (Ed’s guidebooks are the most complete guides to EPC) to casita rentals and airport shuttling.~~ Very sadly, Ed passed away in 2015. The area has lost its principal caretaker and many climbers – including us – have lost a good friend.

Comprehensive guidebooks for everything else. Love flipping through the pages & daydreaming about future adventures!

There are other resources online…but you can figure those out for yourself.

El Potrero Favorites

Off The Couch. Drew Smith photo.

Over the course of our five visits to El Potrero Chico, we have climbed the majority of the routes that were within our ability and of interest to us (don’t care about single pitch stuff). Sure, there are always loose ends to tie up and in a pinch I’m sure we’d find a handful that would justify another easy climbing holiday in the sunny Nuevo Leon. And of course there’s always the possibility of new development. However, reflecting back on all the fun times, we think that these are our favorites to date:

Short

Agua De Coco.

Agua De Coco – fun pocket-y climbing with nice views of the Jungle Wall across the canyon. There’s even a palm tree belay station (don’t worry – it’s all bolted of course). A good way to burn a half day.

Medium Short

Snott Girlz (P5).

Snott Girlz – very good climbing including some crack sections up high. A route that tops out on the ridge gendarme and offers enticing views of Time Wave Zero Buttress. Pitch 5 opener is quite photogenic – make sure the belayer is the one with the camera.
Off The Couch – move per move, the front side seems to have the sort of face climbing we enjoy the most – not overly steep but quite crimpy (ala Smith). While all three routes that we’ve done there top out on the same scenic ridge (Scariest Ride In The Park traverse), this was our favorite. Man I wish we were good enough for the real gem of the front side.

Medium Long

Space Boyz.

Space Boyz – is the original classic line of EPC (a modern North American favorite) and without a doubt it is a great line! A nice mouthful of a day even if the rock is getting polished in places.
Black Cat Bone – good variety: from crimpy faces to a roof pull to a (pretty challenging) chimney up high. Don’t let the grassy break in the lower third deter you. The position is quite nice and it does not get the crowds like its next door neighbor (SB).

Long

Timewave Zero.

Timewave Zero – the moderate classic of the area (well, if you aid the 5.12 pitch like we did). Despite the complaints you read online (monotonous, not sustained etc), we found the climbing to be very good and the position – high above the interior of the Potrero – to be spectacular. One of the modern classics of North America.