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winterclimb
Oct 6, 2010, 7:21 AM
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So I'm thinking of going to Potrero this winter, but I'm having hesitations and thinking of going somewhere else because of the nasty crime situation around Monterrey. Does anyone have any idea what it is like around there now? Driving from the states looks sketch, but what about flying to Monterrey and taking a taxi? How about the area around Potrero itself? Thanks for the info!
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hanginhank
Oct 7, 2010, 12:35 AM
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Also curious about the current state of things. Any thoughts are appreciated
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K-Tanz
Oct 7, 2010, 2:03 AM
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I can't provide you with any personal experience as of late, but there is this
http://www.travel.state.gov/...a_tw/tw/tw_4755.html
"Based upon a security review in Monterrey following the shooting on August 20, 2010, in front of the American Foundation School in Monterrey and the high incidence of kidnappings in the Monterrey area, U.S. government personnel from the Consulate General have been advised that the immediate, practical and reliable way to reduce the security risks for all children is to remove them from Monterrey."
Not terribly encouraging....
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gblauer
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Oct 7, 2010, 2:10 AM
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Reach out to potreroed
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giggly
Oct 7, 2010, 3:59 AM
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Dude your probbely going to fucking die.
RUN your way through Monterrey. It really won't be worth the trip if you only plan on going for a short while.
If you go. Do not go outside in the city at night!
Do not talk to anyone on your way from the air port to the taxi. If some one says they like you and think that you could be friends and they want to know about climbing. DUCK and RUN! Don't bring any wepons youl be dead in less than 5min.
don't bring anything that resimbles a badge If you have a police ID Get rid of it asap.
Seriously don't go by your self.
Your plan is to get from point A to point B.
No time for sight seeing what so ever.
Personly I would suggest going some other place.
You don't want to go climbing in mexico.
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potreroed
Oct 7, 2010, 4:37 AM
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I've been in Wisconsin all summer but have been in touch with folks in Hidalgo on a regular basis and everything at EPC is cool and safe. If you fly you should have no problems (I'm raising $ for our bolting fund by operating an airport shuttle so I can pick you up myself).
If you drive it's important to travel in daylight hours and stay on the toll roads. I'm driving myself this year, leaving Wisconsin tomorrrow, and will probably be crossing the border on Monday or Tuesday. I'll report back after arriving.
Don't be deterred by the sissies out there. The State Dept. tends to err on the safe side so they're telling everyone that going to Mexico right now is like going to Lebanon or Kosovo!!! I think once you're in Hidalgo you'll feel safer than you do back home.
It's going to be an awesome season--don't miss out!!
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giggly
Oct 7, 2010, 5:47 AM
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Are you calling me a sissy?
Is this a set up?
This is exactly what I was talking about.
This potreroed guy is looking to sell your ass!
Don't trust him.
He says hes from wisconsin.
I got family in texas they won't even travel south of houston.
They are kinda of sissyish.
I got gas money.
You probly wont even pick me up.
This post of yours is probly bullshit.
You probly arn't even going to potrero.
Your probly the guy who stole my shit while I was in cali.
climber from wisconsin/gear missing the next day.
climber from wisconsin/going to mexico
what a coincidence.
the guys from "devils lake"
get it die kill satan evil devil.
Don't listen to his bull shit
Dude someone gets killed there every fucking day
did I say someone-lots of people get killed every day its worse than lebanon somila rawando
yer gunna die!
only reason this guy from satans watering hole can make it is because he been there for 12 years.
(This post was edited by giggly on Oct 7, 2010, 5:58 AM)
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onbird
Oct 7, 2010, 5:55 AM
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I'm living in Monterrey and at the Posada el Potrero Chico at the moment. Even though Monterrey might not be the most secure city in the world I haven't met any violence in the two weeks I've been living here.
And Potrero Chico and Hidalgo are great places. La Posada is well run and clean, because it's low season right now there aren't that many people here, but in the end of october they will start to come, the restaurant here will open and the routes will be crowded.
The people in Hidalgo are really friendly and are very used to tourist coming here.
As far as driving is concerned there is an american living here right now that drove here from Alabama without encountering any problems.
Come here - great peolpe, great climbing!
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giggly
Oct 7, 2010, 6:04 AM
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You almost got me there.
Only problem is I got to take a bus.
And get a visitor visa and probely spend the night in neuvo leon.
And hows the weather?
And hows the climbing in the summer?
Is there a swimming hole?
NONONOthats right Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo
yer gunna Die!
(This post was edited by giggly on Oct 7, 2010, 7:02 AM)
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justroberto
Oct 7, 2010, 2:52 PM
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giggly wrote: Are you calling me a sissy? Is this a set up? This is exactly what I was talking about. This potreroed guy is looking to sell your ass! Don't trust him. He says hes from wisconsin. I got family in texas they won't even travel south of houston. They are kinda of sissyish. I got gas money. You probly wont even pick me up. This post of yours is probly bullshit. You probly arn't even going to potrero. Your probly the guy who stole my shit while I was in cali. climber from wisconsin/gear missing the next day. climber from wisconsin/going to mexico what a coincidence. the guys from "devils lake" get it die kill satan evil devil. Don't listen to his bull shit Dude someone gets killed there every fucking day did I say someone-lots of people get killed every day its worse than lebanon somila rawando yer gunna die! only reason this guy from satans watering hole can make it is because he been there for 12 years.
The human mind is a mysterious thing.
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dynosore
Oct 7, 2010, 3:22 PM
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giggly wrote: You almost got me there. Only problem is I got to take a bus. And get a visitor visa and probely spend the night in neuvo leon. And hows the weather? And hows the climbing in the summer? Is there a swimming hole? NONONOthats right Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo yer gunna Die!
Nuevo Leon is super safe I hear hahahaha! What a shame. I first went to Monterrey and Saltillo in 99 (not climbing related but I have friends there) and it was perfectly safe as long as you had a lick of common
sense. In 03 when I went back it had gotten a little worse. Now they advise me not to come. Things sure have changed.
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potreroed
Oct 8, 2010, 1:49 AM
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giggly wrote: Are you calling me a sissy? Is this a set up? This is exactly what I was talking about. This potreroed guy is looking to sell your ass! Don't trust him. He says hes from wisconsin. I got family in texas they won't even travel south of houston. They are kinda of sissyish. I got gas money. You probly wont even pick me up. This post of yours is probly bullshit. You probly arn't even going to potrero. Your probly the guy who stole my shit while I was in cali. climber from wisconsin/gear missing the next day. climber from wisconsin/going to mexico what a coincidence. the guys from "devils lake" get it die kill satan evil devil. Don't listen to his bull shit Dude someone gets killed there every fucking day did I say someone-lots of people get killed every day its worse than lebanon somila rawando yer gunna die! only reason this guy from satans watering hole can make it is because he been there for 12 years.
Dude, you are one strange bird. Just for your info I was born and raised in Mexico City (si, soy chilango) and have traveled to every corner of the country. I've carried backpacks full of weed over the Arizona border and done time in the Acapulco jail. My family moved to Mexico in 1900 and stayed through the revolution, a real bloodbath that left over 1 million dead. The current situation is chicken feed compared to those days. So yes, I'm calling you a sissy--you'd better stay away from Mexico, but don't try to discourage others from living the adventure.
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potreroed
Oct 8, 2010, 1:56 AM
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onbird wrote: I'm living in Monterrey and at the Posada el Potrero Chico at the moment. Even though Monterrey might not be the most secure city in the world I haven't met any violence in the two weeks I've been living here. And Potrero Chico and Hidalgo are great places. La Posada is well run and clean, because it's low season right now there aren't that many people here, but in the end of october they will start to come, the restaurant here will open and the routes will be crowded. The people in Hidalgo are really friendly and are very used to tourist coming here. As far as driving is concerned there is an american living here right now that drove here from Alabama without encountering any problems. Come here - great peolpe, great climbing!
Thanks for posting this. People need to see that it's not as desperate as the media is making things out to be.
The only correction I'd make to your post is that the only time the routes get crowded is around New Years when there's likely to be 4 or 5 hundred climbers here.
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onbird
Oct 8, 2010, 4:11 AM
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I read a lot about MTY before I came here and was a bit afraid. But since I came here I haven't felt treathened one time and hopefully it'll stay that way.
What I wrote about the crowded walls was something people here have told me, you seem to know this place better so I'll take your correction =)
I'm going to be here on and off until the middle of December. When you get here, look me up if you want a climbing partner. I'm the swedish guy in the small, blue tent - Björn.
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giggly
Oct 8, 2010, 5:15 AM
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Is there good bouldering near epc?
What about water?
And food?
Do you think I could move to mexico permenitally.
I have been considering this move for many years now.
I went to Juarez before. Late at night I did not have a problem, but I am from new orleans it was the same as burbon street.
How far is elsalto?
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justroberto
Oct 8, 2010, 2:11 PM
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potreroed wrote: The only correction I'd make to your post is that the only time the routes get crowded is around New Years when there's likely to be 4 or 5 hundred climbers here.
"Shit, dude, it's gonna be packed there!" was his respnse.
We saw maybe 6 other people all day there. That's my kind "crowded."
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PirateDave
Oct 8, 2010, 4:09 PM
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Indeed, I'm the guy who drove from Alabama four weeks ago and am living here. No trouble at the border of Nuevo Loredo - the Aduana was really empty when I was getting my vehicle permit as outlined by the Posada's website. I stuck to the toll roads the whole way here.
Still, getting to Hidalgo is somewhat dangerous whether you fly or drive. I feel safe though living in Hidalgo. I drive and walk around town all the time, as well as climb in the canyon. I haven't heard of any recent incidents in the area immediately around Potrero.
However, I have seen on several occasions large green trucks full of soldiers driving up and down the canyon road. It's subsided now, though, because the bridge in the canyon was washed out by the recent rains. Sometimes they wave back :-)
As for the US consulate guys, I know them because they visit Posada and sometimes climb at Potrero. The reason for that report is that the International School in Monterrey is conveniently located in a really dangerous part of town - not entirely reflective of all of Mexico.
So do your research of recent Mexican news and scare yourself with the US Consulate's reports, only drive during the day, and maybe have a phone that works for emergencies. That said, get over here and enjoy some awesome climbing!
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giggly
Oct 8, 2010, 10:20 PM
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does every one leave during the summer? Am I going to get stuck there by myself starving to death?
I just want to know if there is a swimming hole?
its not that diffucult to answer!
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alpinismo_flujo
Oct 9, 2010, 12:00 AM
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If there is, you'll probably drown...
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potreroed
Oct 9, 2010, 3:06 AM
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giggly wrote: Is there good bouldering near epc? What about water? And food? Do you think I could move to mexico permenitally. I have been considering this move for many years now. I went to Juarez before. Late at night I did not have a problem, but I am from new orleans it was the same as burbon street. How far is elsalto?
There's some good bouldering in the Plutonia cave--if you climb V6 and up. We have also found another pretty good area but it's about an hour drive and an hour hike into it.
The water at EPC comes from a spring and is safe to drink. During the summer there is a swimming resort right in the canyon. We were getting a nice summer scene going but it died completely after 9/11 and has never recovered. There are enough locals climbing now that you could have partners year-round.
Food in Hidalgo is plentiful and cheap and land and housing are cheap. There's not much for sale right near the canyon but two miles away, where I live, you can buy a house for under 10 grand.
El Salto is about a 2 hour drive from EPC up a serious mountain road.
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climbingaggie03
Oct 9, 2010, 3:17 AM
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I'll throw this out there, I might get flamed, but I'd say you're more likely to get hit by a falling rock, or hurt from a run out than be a victim of crime while you're at EPC.
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giggly
Oct 9, 2010, 4:44 AM
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Thanks for the answers.
Now if I can ask a few more question.
What exactly do I need to do from larado to epc.
I have a mororcycle.
Should I leave it here and bus in, or take the motor cycle with me? I have been getting conflicting info about passport this and that and visitor visa.
I am just searching for the simplest and most inexpensive way.
I don't have a stupid credit card!
(This post was edited by giggly on Oct 9, 2010, 8:12 AM)
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giggly
Oct 9, 2010, 9:01 AM
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ok motorcycle is out. mabye I'm just to fucking stupid.
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olderic
Oct 9, 2010, 2:17 PM
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giggly wrote: ok motorcycle is out. mabye I'm just to fucking stupid.
Maybe? Or mabye as you say.
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potreroed
Oct 12, 2010, 11:41 AM
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Crossed the border around noon on Sunday and was home safe and sound by 4 pm. No signs of any touble anywhere along the way. Todo tranquilo.
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