This expedition brought nine members of the Imperial College Mountaineering Club to El Potrero Chico, Nuevo León, Mexico, with two objectives: to climb established routes in the region and to explore potential new traditional climbing lines. The team began their journey in Mexico City, spending several days visiting cultural landmarks before travelling north to Monterrey and onward to their base at Rancho Cerro Gordo. Initial impressions highlighted intense heat, towering 1,000m limestone walls, and challenging climbing conditions, particularly the need to ration water in temperatures exceeding 35°C.
During the first week, the group focused on single‑ and multi‑pitch bolted sport routes, gradually progressing to classic “monster routes” as cooler weather arrived. Members tackled a wide variety of climbs—including slabs, overhangs, corners and aretes—with notable achievements on long routes such as Space Boys and the 15‑pitch Yankee Clipper. The striking limestone spires also provided enjoyable objectives for climbers of all levels.
The expedition’s exploratory phase proved far more difficult. Hoping to establish new traditional routes without bolting, the group ventured deep into the Potrero’s backcountry. Despite hiring a 4x4, guide and water barrels, they were hindered by steep terrain, dense and often impassable cactus‑filled vegetation, and rock that was frequently loose, unreliable or discontinuous. Even after multiple attempts and splitting into smaller scouting teams, the climbers found no suitable lines. A second exploratory trip produced similar results, with small crags either too short, too remote, or too unstable to justify development. Heavy rains, flooding at the ranch, and hazardous rock ultimately forced them to abandon the new‑route objective.
The report concludes that while Potrero Chico offers world‑class bolted sport climbing—with high‑quality limestone and routes from 5.10c to 5.12d—it is generally unsuitable for traditional climbing or route exploration due to loose rock and impenetrable terrain. Nonetheless, the expedition provided valuable experience, excellent climbing, and strong team development.