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Potrero Chico news...

nick manning · · superior,az · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 0
pat vernon wrote:Murder rates: 4.8/100,000 people in the US and 22.7/100,000 people in Mexico in 2010. unodc.org/documents/data-an… Pretty sure automobile deaths are higher as well. There is a war of sorts going on in Mexico, even if you haven't seen it on your one trip to Potrero. No use in denying it exists. Edit to add: Nice stat Curtis, but like most stats it probably doesn't say much. There are quite a few American Mexicans who live in wealthier communities in Mexico City, and Americans living in gated retirement communities in Guadalajara. I think it is undeniable there is more overall violence in the north of Mexico right now than in the US. How that translates to travelers is pure speculation. The context of when and where it occurs is different in both countries. It would be wise to watch out while down there. Gringos are not somehow immune to it, and there are a lot of Mexicans who are not very happy with the US. Is it safe to travel to Potrero? Maybe, but it is wise to have your wits about you. I would say the vast majority of people I met in Potrero had no experience traveling in Mexico outside of Potrero or with the sorts of situations that could get them into trouble in Mexico.
i'll take my chances in the U.S were we have a functioning police force.
nick manning · · superior,az · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 0
pat vernon wrote:Fair enough Curtis, stats are always interesting. Potrero is interesting, I can't think of another town or city in northern Mexico where well to do gringos flock to. It's an anomaly. I don't think this happening made the area any more or less dangerous, it is just kind of a wake-up call, norther Mexico is often compared to a war zone and not everyone likes us there. It is wise to watch out. You don't need stats to back that up JeremyB. I think it interesting to read the one comment under the video posted above, its a common sentiment: Ahora mientras los Gringos sigan necesitando la droga para mantener su sociedad corrupta y degenerada, jamás habrá Paz en nuestros paises puesto que siempre habrá alguien dispuesto a matar para mantener el Vicio de los Malditos Gringos. While the Gringos continue needing their drugs to keep their corrupt degenerate society running, there will never be peace in our countries as long as there is always someone ready to kill in order to supply the vices of the damn gringos.
does europe count as the damn gringos? cuz they are sending ton quantities of cocaine there. Africa too
Patrick Vernon · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 965

I'm not agreeing with the comment, just pointing out the animosity that exists.

Ben Brotelho · · Albany, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 520

Pretty unrelated, but I read in Harpers magazine that the drug cartel stands to lose 1,400,000,000 from the legalization of marijuana in colorado and washington. Yes, 1 Billion 400 mill. Crazy!

matt davies · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2007 · Points: 25
Ben Brotelho wrote:. Yes, 1 Billion 400 mill. Crazy!
Too big to fail.
Chris Small · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 143

Unfortunately, when bullets start to fly tents tend to make for poor armor.

alpinglow · · city, state · Joined Mar 2001 · Points: 25

Imagine being tied in the chair, waiting for you Dad to answer the phone and pony up the 50k because they kidnapped you.

Imagine watching all the amigos enter and exit the room next to yours were your wife is, your daughter, or your pretty DeltaDeltaDelta girlfriend who likes to boulder.

Now imagine yourself on the glacier in the Bugaboos.

Which sounds better for a climbing trip?

Ben Brotelho · · Albany, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 520
alpinglow wrote:Imagine being tied in the chair, waiting for you Dad to answer the phone and pony up the 50k because they kidnapped you. Imagine watching all the amigos enter and exit the room next to yours were your wife is, your daughter, or your pretty DeltaDeltaDelta girlfriend who likes to boulder. Now imagine yourself on the glacier in the Bugaboos. Which sounds better for a climbing trip?
You convinced me
mtn smith · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 0

Was in squamish for a month, someone stole my bike post and seat. Its crazy up there

david goldstein · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 2,541
matt davies wrote: Too big to fail.
Touche.
Kevin Mckenzie · · Washington, ME · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 21

Hey. I wanted to stay out of it but since this thread has run to three pages debating whether this happened near El Potrero Chico I would like to clarify: I have been living here since November and was in town the day they the band was reported missing. It is, in fact, a five minute walk from Potrero. I hope that clarifies the issue.

As far as the climbers down here: This is a known cartel bar and, most of the time, climbers don't go there and are probably not welcome there. There is still a larger police presence here (some compared to none) but that should wear out before the end of the week. None of the climbers here have expressed anything that sounds like they feel unsafe nor has any locals said anything out of the ordinary.

Jason Maurer · · Colorado · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 790
alpinglow wrote:Imagine being tied in the chair, waiting for you Dad to answer the phone and pony up the 50k because they kidnapped you. Imagine watching all the amigos enter and exit the room next to yours were your wife is, your daughter, or your pretty DeltaDeltaDelta girlfriend who likes to boulder. Now imagine yourself on the glacier in the Bugaboos. Which sounds better for a climbing trip?
Best thread post yet!
Jack Sparrow · · denver, co · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 1,560

Hey Kevin how many climbers are in the potrero now? Im planning a solo trip soon and am worried about finding partners.

Kevin Mckenzie · · Washington, ME · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 21

I don't have a good fix on the numbers but it's very easy to find partners right now. Hope that helps.

Jack Sparrow · · denver, co · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 1,560

Hey Patrick unfortunatly my trip is planned for the end of feb to end of march. Thanks for checking. If your bussing it i would recommend taking a bus that stays on the toll roads. It will be much safer than the free roads. Thanks Kevin i appreciate it.

Step hen · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 90
Curtis Tripp wrote: lonelyplanet.com/blog/2012/…
I'm not sure I buy Lonely Planet's analysis, Curtis. Read comments by ifeelfine and davanderman and then the author's response. Then tell me whether you still stand by the author's stats.
Step hen · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 90

Enjoy your trip, Sparrow. Let's go climbing sometime, it's been too long.

Andrew Gram · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 3,725

Don't even think about planning a climbing trip to the USA. People walk into schools and gun down loads of little kids there. You can't even go to a movie theater in the USA without the risk being gunned down by a madman. That country is barbaric. You would be much safer going cragging in Japan or Sweden.

The statistics of Americans vs Mexicans being caught up in violence is very relevant. While sensational and awful, the cartel violence is generally localized to people interacting with the cartel. If you are scared, stay home, but the hysterical alarmism coming from a bunch of rock climbers - who should be exactly the sort people that can approach risk rationally as something that can be managed - is just bizarre.

We deal with rarely occurring nightmare scenarios all the time - death due to rope cutting on a fixed draw, death due to avalanche, death due to a rope cutting over an edge while jumaring, death due to rockfall, etc. Traveling in another country with problems is little different.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Andrew Gram wrote:but the hysterical alarmism coming from a bunch of rock climbers...
Hum.. considering 20 people were kidnapped and dismembered from what is apparently across the street from the climbers place I don't think it's really alarmist behavior... If that shit happened at my regular bar and the folks weren't caught you can be damn sure I wouldn't be ANYWHERE near that bar, no matter what national statistics you can come up or rationalize.
Hank Caylor · · Livin' in the Junk! · Joined Dec 2003 · Points: 643
Ben Brotelho wrote:Pretty unrelated, but I read in Harpers magazine that the drug cartel stands to lose 1,400,000,000 from the legalization of marijuana in colorado and washington. Yes, 1 Billion 400 mill. Crazy!
For fucks sake, Coloradans don't smoke Mexican shit!!! I've been here for 23 years, locals have always grown freakblends that almost nobody on the planet can touch. Harpers Mag. makes no sense to me with that statement..
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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