This year I went to El Potrero Chico, limestone bolted climbs. Had heard a lot about this place and had wanted to go but always had a reason or excuse not to actually do the needful. I was extended an offer last year, I hemmed and hawed with various reasons and excuses why it would be good for me to stay home. Patients on the other end I guess paid off and toward the end of last year I agreed to go.
Getting there was easy, the hostel fairly nice, the rock a fairly friendly limestone. Once nice aspect of El Potrero Chico is the proximity of tacos and cheap beer so there is really no need for a car. When it came to climbing Catherine to the lead on the first day. I had been caught up with work and family obligations and had only managed to get out to the climbing gym once a week for top rope sessions. The next day we swapped leads, we did the usual warm up of 5.10's. Then Catherine quickly jumped on a hard 11 and I got completely shutdown. She did quite well. The second day was the same. It just seemed to work out for us that we could start in one spot on a wall and work our way either right or left and end up with a full day of climbing. So the third day comes and it is a nice wall, almost vertical, edges, pockets, side pulls everything is there just a bit thin. We start on some 5.10s and quickly move into 11's. Catherine got a real nice 11 that went up through a small cave. She sent it with ease. Then came my turn, a fairly long 11b that finished up a steeper section. I lead out just taking my time. Everything was there just had to move around a bit and stay calm and breath. About 10 to 15 meters from the chains I was still on the wall and it was getting steeper. I managed to stay with it and 10 feet from the chains it blanked out just a bit and I was not sure which way to go. But, I just kept bouldering it out and managed to work through and got my first 11b on sight of the year.
The next day I came real close to almost getting an 11c on sight but missed one hold. A quick hang and lower and I sent. Catherine sent with ease and when we moved on to a very difficult overhanging 11d she just missed the on sight and I was not able to get to the chains even after much cursing and hanging. I learned on this trip something I kind of knew, I am not real good at steep overhanging routes but seem to do well on slightly overhanging to almost vertical thin face routes.
If you get a chance to go to El Potrero Chico I recommend. The people are very friendly, the food is good and the beer is cheep.
