El Portrero Chico

cabouldering Jan 25, 2003, 5:12 AM Post #1 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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I am planning a February 2003 roadtrip to El Portrero Chico. Any beta or advice from those that have gone before me? Thanks. CABouldering

jds100 Jan 25, 2003, 8:06 AM Post #2 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Aug 4, 2001Posts: 993
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[small]This topic was moved to the Regional Discussions forum by jds100[/small]

tav8816 Jan 25, 2003, 10:21 AM Post #3 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Oct 28, 2002Posts: 19
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Yes, you will have a great time. I do not know how much you know so please ignore any redundant info. I would recommend a 70 meter rope but most say a 60 is fine. Bring a lot of draws to link pitches. Be sure to do a long route like Black Cat Bone, or Estralita (sp?). You might start at the Jungle wall and and do a short multipitch to get used to the rock and all that. I would suggest staying at La Posada. They have a great set-up and the kitchen has to be the nicest down there. The owners are super cool just like most of the camp ground owners down there. Many people stay at Homero's too. Be sure to stop by there (Homero's) at least to buy a guide from Tammy. Besides climbing do not miss market day (twice a week) and Luis' Tacos on Saturday night. Also after Luis' Tacos be sure to find the live wrestling, a highlight of the trip. Lastly be sure to buy a hamburgesa especial (sp?) at the Resaurant Express on the right as entering town. Double meat, double cheese, slice of ham, avocado, refried beans, and all the usual fixings. The fries are the worst you will ever have in you life but the burger is worth it. Find out all the rules about border crossing or they WILL send you back. If you have questions about this please post back. Now that I have told you everything you probably already know, enjoy it, I am envious.

arsenalcrater Jan 25, 2003, 11:20 AM Post #4 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: May 28, 2002Posts: 144
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Yes, good luck and have a great time!!! Just please take care. Remember Jose' Pereyra!!!

cabouldering Jan 27, 2003, 4:34 AM Post #5 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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Thanks. I have the border crossing beta. I was interested in local information once you are there. CABouldering

cabouldering Feb 4, 2003, 6:56 AM Post #6 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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Headed North before going South. Climbed three days at the Red River Gorge with friends. Sunday was as good as a winter climbing day can get at Military and Left Flank. Went to the Motherload for the first time on this trip. Wow!!! CABouldering

cabouldering Feb 13, 2003, 10:58 AM Post #7 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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Hi, I am having a wonderful time in Mexico. I am starting my second week at Homero´s Campground near the mouth of El Portrero Chico in Hildago, Nuevo Leon. Tuesday and Friday are market days. The town square and street there is filled with temporary vendors of all types. I purchased more fruits, vegetables, at the market. I also purchased some cervezas. I onsighted all of the 7 pitches of a long sport route called The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre yesterday. I climbed it with a really nice German fellow named Hagen. I lead the 5.10c and 5.10d pitches. Great route, spectacular views. I am planning on staying until the end of February. Hope all is well with all of you in the states. Best Regards, CABouldering [ This Message was edited by: cabouldering on 2003-02-13 11:00 ]

veilneb Feb 13, 2003, 11:25 AM Post #8 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 11, 2001Posts: 173
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Helmet Helmet Helmet! That's probably the best advice I can give. Also, make sure you pay attention when belaying (even tie a knot at the end of the rope). Saw a guy crater from about 15 feet up onto his back cause the belayer ran out of rope and it sliped through the device. Got a nasty cut on the forearm and bruised his coccyx. This happened on one of the climbs on Mota Wall.

cabouldering Feb 14, 2003, 4:02 PM Post #9 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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Thanks. Good advice about the helmet. Falling rock is an issue, especially on the Mota Wall, with multi-pitch routes overhead. A 60 meter rope is necessary here, but purchasing a 70 meter rope before coming would be worthwhile and save mini-raps on pithes that are over 100 feet where extra anchors were placed for the 60 meter ropes. This is the only place I know where you can buy a liter bottle of beer while hiking back to your campground after a hard day of climbing!!! CABouldering

cabouldering Feb 21, 2003, 2:07 PM Post #10 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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The water in El Portrero Chico is feed by aquafirs from the mountains and the water is fresh and clean. No one has ever gotten sick from drinking it at the climbing campgrounds that I know of. CABouldering :D

roughster Feb 24, 2003, 10:51 AM Post #11 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Apr 3, 2002Posts: 3854
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Dan its awesome your having a great time down there. I just saw on Rec.climbing your news points, mind posting them here? Also, you are making me very jealous so knock it off :) Fortunately, I am in the process of developing some multi pitch limestone route in NoCal so I can get my fix that way, though I know they won't compare to the El Portreo :lol: Anyways, keep the updates coming!

cabouldering Feb 26, 2003, 9:07 AM Post #12 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
Leo Houlding In Portrero Chico [In reply to]
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Leo Houlding and Tim O´Neil are in El Portrero Chico filming with the BBC. The film is about the recovery of Leo from the climbing accident that he had last year in Patagonia. The stated climbing goal is an ascent of El Sendero Luminoso 5.12+, 15 pitches. Those boys party hard and climb hard. CABouldering :D

cabouldering Feb 26, 2003, 9:21 AM Post #13 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
T/R Routes Done In The Portrero [In reply to]
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I have really had a great time climbing here. Here are a few of the routes that I have done to date. Celestrial Omnibus 5.12a, 2 pitches, 5.11b, 5.12a, done two times Mexico In Flames 5.12a El Grifo 5.11a onsight Quick-Draw McGraw 5.11a onsight Treasure of Sierra Madre, 7 pitches, 5.10d, onsighted all Snott Girlz, 7 pitches 5.10d, onsighted all Cloud 9, 3 pitches, (new route 3rd ascent) 5.10b, 5.11a, 5.10d Fierce Invalids, 3 pitches, FA, 5.10b, 5.11b, 5.12a I have onsighted every 5.10 pitch I have done here to date! Spectacular Climbing! CABouldering :D :D

krillen Moderator Feb 26, 2003, 9:23 AM Post #14 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Jul 19, 2001Posts: 2868
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This has been covered MANY MANY MANY times, try searching past topics, in the Regional Discussions, Mexico Routes, and other related Forums.

cabouldering Feb 26, 2003, 9:38 AM Post #15 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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> Got a first ascent with two other guys on a new 3 > pitch route on the Mota Wall. It is called "Fierce > Invalids" and goes 5.10a/b, 5.11b/c, 5.12a. Jim > Taylor from West Virginia bolted the line. He and I > did Celestrial Omnibus, so he invited me to do the > FA. > > Saturday night is Luchia Libre in Hildago. It is > "pro wrestling" and costs about $2.00 USD. It is > hilarious and very entertaining. > > The exchange rate is 10.8 pesos to the U.S. dollar > currently. > > A Carta Blanca beer is 7 pesos or about .70 USD. > You can get a liter bottle called a Caguama for about > $1.60 > > Best Regards, > CABouldering :D

wes_allen Feb 26, 2003, 9:43 AM Post #16 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Mar 29, 2002Posts: 230
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Hildago style wwf rules!! Nothing like being drunk and unable to speak Spainish trying to understand all the people cursing and yelling at everyone. Very much a required rest day activity. Wes

texasclimber Feb 26, 2003, 10:53 AM Post #17 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Jun 19, 2002Posts: 598
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Man I'm jelous! I went to the Potrero last December and did Yankee Clipper. It was incredible. If you feel like an all day climb with 5.8 to easy 5.10s, do this climb! The view at the top is worth it in itself. You will love it there. We stayed at the Posada and had a great experience. We got there at 3 in the morning and didn't pay till 2 days later, that is how relaxed it is down there. The kitchen kicked ass and they had all sorts of games to play for the night. But watch out...that connect four can be damn adicting (we played till 2 in the morning)!

elvislegs Feb 26, 2003, 11:45 AM Post #18 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: May 24, 2002Posts: 3010
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Krillen wrote:
In reply to:
This has been covered MANY MANY MANY times, try searching past topics, in the Regional Discussions, Mexico Routes, and other related Forums.
Excuse me Krillen but I think you're a little late coming in with your profound, search function, lesson. Most of the posts in the whole thread are a trip report from the original poster. Nice job dork! P.S. CAbouldering, sounds like you are having the trip of a life-time. Good on ya dude. Nice work on the FA too. Make sure to take lots of pictures. Later. -Sean

cabouldering Mar 1, 2003, 1:49 PM Post #19 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
Leo and Tim [In reply to]
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Leo Houlding and Tim O´Neil completed El Sendero Luminoso (the shining path) yesterday. 2 days for the ascent. The documentary on Leo´s recovery will air on BBC1 for 8 million people. CABouldering

cabouldering Mar 1, 2003, 1:53 PM Post #20 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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I will leave for the states sometime this next week. I will have spent almost a month here. This has been the greatest climbing vacation ever. Did Black Cat Bone 5.10d, 9 pitches, Jungle Boy 5.9, 2 pitches and Gettin´Wood 5.10d, 2 pitches to the top of the tall spire in the last two days. CABouldering :D :D

cabouldering Mar 4, 2003, 10:59 AM Post #21 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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Hi, I had a stellar climbing day 1 day ago. I onsighted all climbs I got on. See below (Note the breakthrough 5.12 send). It´s A Dogs Life 5.10a Spies Lies and Naked Thighs 5.12a Red Helmet 5.11c El Dorado Chewy 5.11c Fat Boy Slim 5.11b Yesterday I onsighted a couple of 10´s on the Mini-Super Wall and then onsighted a three pitch climb, Agua De Cocas, 5.10d, 5.10b, 5.10a. Today is market day. I am taking a rest day. Best Regards From Mexico, CABouldering :D :D :D

roughster Mar 4, 2003, 12:45 PM Post #22 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Apr 3, 2002Posts: 3854
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Grats on the .12 send Dan!

cabouldering Mar 10, 2003, 5:56 PM Post #23 of 23 (1538 views) Shortcut Registered: Dec 5, 2002Posts: 76
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I returned to the states on Friday. I finished my climbing Thursday by doing El Sendero Diablo (The Devil´s Path) 5.9, 5.11c, 5.11b, 5.10+, 5.11a I lead the 5.9 and 5.11b pitches. Spectacular climb and pumpy! Drove all night on Friday to Hueco Tanks. Got in at 3:00 am. By 8:00 am I was signed up in the 10th annual Rock Rodeo bouldering contest. Had a great day of bouldering, and then in the evening had a climber's party at Rob's campground with pizza, beer, and a large bon-fire. CABouldering :D

Bouldering

Bouldering is a great adventure. I was sportclimbing 5.10 and did not have the power to send 5.11 crux moves. Realizing that I needed more power, I spent one winter in 1998, bouldering at Rainbow Rocks in SOCAL with a crew of highly motivated climbers. This experience of climbing without ropes gave me more confidence and incresed my climbing power. That next year, I began to send 5.11 sportroutes in such places as Frustration Creek, Mt. Williamson, and New Jack City. In early 2000 I moved to the Southeast U.S. and began bouldering in such places as Horse Pens, AL and Rock Town, GA. The sandstone bouldering in the Southeast is awesome.

Climbing tip: You can trade power for endurance, but you cannot trade endurance for power

Skydiving

I skydived for 10 years making over 450 sport parachute jumps between 1975 and 1982. Being in the military allowed me to jump out of helicopters such as the CH-53, CH-46, CH-47, and UH-1. I was on the Quantico Parachute Team in Quantico, VA, the Commodores Parachute Team in Pensacola, FL and the Interservice Parachute team at El Toro, CA.

In December of 1979 as a member of the Commodores Parachute Team, we invited the Navy Leap Frogs West, East, and Quantico Parachute Teams to participate in a record military freefall at the Blue Angles Airshow in Pensacola, FL. We used the Blue Angels C-130 "Fat Albert" as a jump aircraft and made all record attempts from 15,000 feet. The team successfully put together a 28 Man freefall formation during the Sunday Blue Angels Airshow in front of 60,000+ people in attendance. This was a military world record at the time. I hold a USPA D-7315 expert parachute license.

First Ascents

New Jack City is a Southern California sport climbing Mecca in the fall, winter and spring.

I have spent many a winter weekend in the late 1990's camping, climbing and putting up sport routes in this location located between Barstow and Lucerne Valley, CA.

Some of the routes I bolted and did first ascents on are:

Beyond the Crucified 5.9, Halle Bopp Tango 5.9 located uphill from Crucified Wall

Dead Man Walking 5.10a, and Step Right Up 5.8, at Ravens Roost

A 5.7 and Roadside Warrior 5.9 on the backside of the Roadside Rock

and the Sunshine routes, 5.10c, 5.8, 5.7 on the Sunshine Face

Big Walls

This is the 2nd Pitch of Zodiac on Yosemite's El Capitan. From the belay you lead out under a large roof and then move upward about 20 feet to a sloped ledge that is 4th class. The transition from aid to free climbing was tricky for me here, and I popped a hook and took a 30 foot whipper! It was a clean fall, but by the time it was over, I was below my belayer. Quite a surprise for both of us. I jummared back up the rope and finished the A2 pitch.

Mountaineering

I have done some "peak bagging". A spring ascent of the East Butress route, 8 pitches 5.8, on Mt. Whitney provided some alpine trad adventure. A blizzard blowing from the West was the cause for an evening spent in the rockhouse, out of the wind, but on the summit in -5 degrees F. I know for that evening, my climbing partner Matt and I were the highest persons in the continental U.S. A space blanket stowed in your helmet liner can be a life saver! Crampons and ice axe are extra gear and weight to be carried, but are certainly necessary on alpine ascents during the spring and winter in the Sierras. In cold weather, and with no stove, your body heat is all that you have to melt snow for drinking water. After a shivering cold evening, the next day dawned bright and clear. A spectacular hike and descent included a long glisade which brought us back to our base camp at Iceberg Lake.

Climbing

Climbing of all types is a great adventure. I started out climbing trad at Joshua Tree and Tahquitz/Suicide Rock in SOCAL, did BigWalls such as SpaceShot in Zion; learned to ice climb, bouldered and sport climbed. The adjacent image is a sport route, Delusions 5.11d at Frustration Creek in Forest Falls, CA. I lived and climbed in the Southeast for a couple of years in 2000 and 2001. The sandstone in the Southern Appalachian Mountains is amazing. I spent one month in El Portrero Chico, Nuevo Leon Mexico in February 2003. I stayed at Homero's campground and found all, including the locals, to be friendly. The limestone sportroutes are spectacular in the portrero. I have done some bouldering and sport climbing in Bishop, CA. Great camping and climbing!