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I went a few years during christmas break (right after christmas and a few days after new years) and it was fine. The crowds are nothing like the red on a long weekend. we drove from KY and it took us 21 hours including stops and border crossing. the border in laredo was fine and the people working were very nice. I didnt have my title or registration and they still let me in... you have to get mexican car insurence ($125 US at the time) and pay for a pass ($30 US ??). It was no problem. we stayed at the pasada and it was very nice. it was $5 US a night for camping. you had showers and you could use there hot plates to cook on and use there cooking stuff in the group kitchen. It also had refrigerators which was a big plus! You can walk everywhere once you are there. ten minutes to the climbing and 30 min. to the town. It was a great time! we did it with 4 of us in a car and the trip cost each of us including everything (gas, camping, food, beer,crossing fees and whatnot) $250 for 2 weeks. food is very cheap and the beer is cheaper. I would do the trip in again and would do it in a 10 day trip including two days of travel (if i was tight on time) and around 5-7 days of climbing is a good amount of time to get to see the area and climb ALOT.

HAVE FUN

Hi There Im actually from Monterrey living here in Lex since 5 years ago, so I know Potrero very well. I go to Monterrey every year and climb in Potrero and Huasteca other huge climbing area more close to Mty local climbers only but good technical crimpy vertical stuff no overhanging. I dont your level of climbing but Estrellita 12 pitches awesome climb 11a or space boys 10d both excellent classics. When are planning going? Just be sure that you start very early and take enough water gets veryyyyyyyyy hot, rattle snakes are known even in the highest pitches so watch it and of course basic mountaineering skills needed, also watch for loose rock a lot of that, look for Edgardo Baca hes very well known he can give you updated beta and rappelling variations and precautions a lot of routes have little surprises here and here. All the info here above pretty good if you need more detail stuff or anything else let me know! Happy Climbing

what about a guidebook for the area?

I believe you can print routes from the web, howevere once you are in PCH ask for the guide I think is 200 pesos less than 20 Dlls is the one that I have.

good beta all. thanks.

One other thing...relations between the U.S. and Mexico haven't been that good as in Mexico isn't the safest place for tourists to travel (at least along the border). I haven't been following the news to much, so I was wondering what the current status was and if it is safe to travel there.
I assume that it is safe in Monterrey and I will most likely be flying. But how safe is it there?
Muchas gracias!

FujManiac wrote:One other thing...relations between the U.S. and Mexico haven't been that good as in Mexico isn't the safest place for tourists to travel (at least along the border). I haven't been following the news to much, so I was wondering what the current status was and if it is safe to travel there.
I assume that it is safe in Monterrey and I will most likely be flying. But how safe is it there?
Muchas gracias!

I never had any trouble in the half dozen or so times that I crossed the border en route to Potrero, but the border itself can be sketchy. The first time I crossed, there were random guys pointing at garages and yelling "vehicle permit, get your vehicle permit here!" Add this to the fact that it is a bit tough to navigate into the customs office in Laredo, and there is a bit of potential for a clusterfuck.

Try not to spend too much time in Laredo, and you'll be fine. If you are not going through at night, cross at the Columbia crossing upstream, which is a more rural, less stressful area. Once you are on the tollway, the drive down is super chill.

Ditto what camhead said.
All those randoms pointing and yelling makes for an interesting entrance, takes your attention off the 17 year old cammo wearing machine gun toting soldiers. When crossing at Laredo the immigration office can be tricky to get to if you are in the wrong lane as you cross the bridge.

Monterrey is a BIG city with all the big city problems you can dream up so just play it smart (duh?!). The there bus station seemed safe enough. Hidalgo is really chill.

I climbed there last winter... THE WHOLE ENCHILADA is the guide book that I used, and I saw the other guide books, and I preferred this one to the others. Have a blast, this place is pretty sweet. You should take time to go up to the Surf Bowl and do some single pitch tufa climbing... SOOOO FUN!