El Potrero Chico

January 21-27, 2025

Program Overview:

Our 7-Day Introduction to Multipitch in El Potrero Chico combines world-class rock climbing with the opportunity to learn fundamental multi-pitch skills to safely and successfully climb multi-pitch terrain. The course is designed for beginner multi-pitch climbers, or for those seeking to refresh their climbing skills. El Potrero is a mecca for long multi-pitch sport climbing and is a great introduction to multi-pitch rock climbing. It is a great location for your first climbing vacation.

To maximize your chances of success, Access the Alpine will select from the many classic routes from the area and tailor the trip around your goals. From the three-pitch route "Las Chimuelas", to the 13-pitch route "Yankee Clipper", there are routes for everyone. Our professional guides will teach you the needed skills for a safe and successful climbing experience.

Itinerary:

Day 0:

Zoom chat which will address any needed equipment, necessary training, and any other topics of interest before going into the course.

Day 1:

Day 1 is our arrival day. Everyone will fly in and our guides will meet you for team introductions, orientation, and gear check. We will talk about the area, options for recreating outside of our course, and plan for the week.

Day 2:

We will then walk to the crag where we will do ground school and single-pitch climbing. In ground school we will discuss basic knots, belaying, leading, cleaning anchors, and other single-pitch topics.

Day 3:

Throughout the program guides will host discussions on numerous topics. Instruction includes anchor building, belaying from the top, rappelling efficiently, and multipitch logistics.

After multipitch training, we will eat a quick lunch at the crag and get on a 2-4 pitch route to practice what we've learned. We return to camp and eat dinner at La Posada.

Day 4:

Today we head to some mock anchors on the ground and focus on different ways to retreat from a climb. We also learn skills needed to self rescue. Instruction today can include improvised rappel anchors, carabiner block, Munter Mule Overhand, deactivating a belay device in guide mode, load transfers, hauling systems, lowering an injured climber, and rappelling with an injured climber.

These skills are a very important piece of multipitch climbing that will help prevent the need for a rescue, in the event something were to happen. Our trained guides will discuss a variety of topics on the ground, giving ample opportunities for questions in a safe learning environment.

We will finish up, return to La Posada, and prepare our packs and brief for our big day tomorrow.

Day 5:

Day five is our big day so we will start early. The goal is usually to get on a route anywhere from 6-15 pitches in length. We have many options for long routes and the specifics will be determined by your guide based on your goals and abilities demonstrated on the previous days. Some common day five objectives are "Estrellita", "Yankee Clipper", or "Space Boys".

On our way back to camp we have the option to grab some local Mexican food before getting back to La Posada.

Day 6:

Day six is our rest day. This is also a day built in to accommodate the possibility of poor weather on a previous day.

Head to the local town of Hidalgo and grab some local food or let us organize a shuttle for you to head to the nearby hot springs for a nice relaxing day. (Day six may be switched around based on weather). If interested, day six can also be another independent or guided day of climbing.

Day 7:

Departure Day. Depending on when your flight is there could be one last morning climbing session before heading out.