El Potrero Chico Safety Info and Incident Report

Hello All. 

I am writing this to provide more information about Hidalgo and EPC to those thinking about traveling down to EPC (and everyone who is already there). My intent is not to fear monger. I think having more information to make decisions is better, especially when it comes to personal safety and how to best operate when in a foreign country or unfamiliar area.

Some of you may have heard rumors of a cartel shooting in Hidalgo a couple weeks ago (just before New Years), but it does not sound like there has been an official statement from anyone on what actually happened. Myself and 4 friend were caught up in the incident, so that is why I’ve decided to write a clear account of what happened. 

I am going to keep our identities anonymous for safety reasons, but we are all Americans. I will refer to those in the story as Myself, Climber 2, Climber 3, Climber 4, Driver, and Driver’s Cousin. I will also be referring to street names in bold based on what Google Maps has listed for the area. 

The day the incident occurred was December 29th. Myself and Climbers 2, 3, and 4 were all staying at Rancho El Sendero with another friend of ours. Climber 2 had come down with flu-related symptoms, so after a morning of easy cragging, Myself and Climbers 2, 3, and 4 decided to walk down into town to find some medication. 

After grabbing medication and snagging a few groceries at one of the markets, we looked around for a taxi, but were unable to find one and decided to start walking back up the hill out of town. (For context, we were walking South West on Carr. A Potrero Chico). We threw a thumb out on the off chance that someone would let us hitch a ride up to Rancho, and a black Ram 1500 with Texas plates pulled over. Climber 2 chatted with the Driver and learned that they were on their way up to the canyon to do some sight seeing and had offered to drop us at Rancho El Sendero on the way. 

At this stage we were on the outskirts of Hidalgo, still about 1 mile to 3/4 of a mile away from Rancho. All 4 of us hopped in the truck bed and the driver continued SW on Carr. A Potrero Chico towards the hostel. 

As we approached the intersection of Carr. A Potrero Chico and Vicente Fox, our truck came to a stop as a black SUV pulled out from Vicente Fox and blocked the road. Someone in the black SUV pointed an AR out the window and the Driver of our truck peeled out and drove up onto the sidewalk around the SUV as the gunman in the black SUV began shooting into our truck. 

As the 4 of us in the truck bed heard gunshots, we dropped to the bed of the truck until we felt the truck stop moving and heard the gunshots stop. We peeked over the truck bed to see the black SUV driving away, so we hopped out of the truck and heard the Driver kick open his door and begin yelling. The Driver had been shot through the left ankle, but the rest of us, including the Driver’s wife, were not physically harmed. 

Climber 2 ran over to the driver and began elevating their leg to help reduce the bleeding. I stayed with Climber 2 to help the Driver while Climbers 3 and 4 returned to Rancho El Sendero by foot to inform our other friends of what had happened. 

The Driver and his wife contacted his cousin in town, and Climber 2 and I were able to triage the ankle wound enough with a T-shirt bandage and belt tourniquet around the thigh, and carried the Driver into his Cousin’s truck. His Cousin drove the Driver into town where he was loaded into an ambulance, still conscious as far as we were told. 

Of the 15 rounds that were fired from the black SUV, the truck that we were riding in was hit 9-10 times: 2-3 through the windshield, 2 through the radiator, 4 through the driver-side door panel, and once through the driver’s side of the truck bed. At closest, the shooter was probably firing at the truck from about 3-5 feet away.

Again, I share this story to provide clarity. From the research we had done and friends we had talked to, EPC and Hidalgo seem to be a relatively safe area for climbers. 

That being said, we learned that the 2 high ranking Hidalgo security officials have recently been assassinated in Hidalgo. There's a link to an article about those incidents here. 

None of us were walking around alone at night or seeking out trouble when this occurred. This happened on one of the main roads up towards the canyon, with reasonable daylight (around 5:00 pm). If you decide to hitchhike around Hidalgo and EPC, maybe try avoiding nicer vehicles (the black SUV that shot at us was also fairly new and clean looking). The reality of the situation is that we could very well have witnessed this shooting from the side of the road a few blocks away. We had walked on Vicente Fox on our way back to Rancho a few times before, so there’s no telling what could have happened. 

I have attached an image of the aftermath of the truck we were riding in with all identifying information scratched out. There is some blood on the ground next to the truck, so if you are squeamish to that sort of thing, be warned. 

Be safe and Enjoy EPC! :)

PICTURES OF TRUCK BELOW. BLOOD PICTURED, BE FOREWARNED

Glad you made it out with a rad story. Any suspicions the pickup may have been involved some way or another?

Scott's Tots wrote:

Glad you made it out with a rad story. Any suspicions the pickup may have been involved some way or another?

Hard to tell, the whole situation is odd. 

not rad

No need for me to ever go to Mexico.

Thanks, Andrew.

Wow that’s an absolutely wild story and must have been terrifying, glad you all made it out ok.

Also, if your intent is to remain anonymous, your username may not be doing you any favors. I doubt the cartels are scouring the mountain project forums to find the tourists who got away, but still wanted to give you a heads-up.

Collin H wrote:

Wow that’s an absolutely wild story and must have been terrifying, glad you all made it out ok.

Also, if your intent is to remain anonymous, your username may not be doing you any favors. I doubt the cartels are scouring the mountain project forums to find the tourists who got away, but still wanted to give you a heads-up.

I would have to guess that the "cartels" had little interest in the tourists.  If they did, the tourists would probably be dead.  Sounds like a beef between the truck they were in and the cartels, or the gunmen confusing the truck with someone else they were interested in.

Russ Walling wrote:

….or the gunmen confusing the truck with someone else they were interested in.

This seems quite likely…

Collin H wrote:

Wow that’s an absolutely wild story and must have been terrifying, glad you all made it out ok.

Also, if your intent is to remain anonymous, your username may not be doing you any favors. I doubt the cartels are scouring the mountain project forums to find the tourists who got away, but still wanted to give you a heads-up.

Thanks Collin! Yeah I thought about that too, so my username isn't my real name... not sure how much the shooters really care but just being careful!

EPC and Hidalgo areas are still safer than going to school in the US. 

This book is missing pages… The night before the ppl from this truck were very drunk and causing problems in one of the business right out of the canyon. Not saying I know the story behind what happened and that the incident that happened was acceptable, but this incident for sure had nothing do with the climbers that got a ride. - Potrero chico is a very safe place for tourists. Like anywhere else in the world, shootings can happen, but not even close to the numbers in the US. 

Jose Vaccarello wrote:

… Like anywhere else in the world, shootings can happen, but not even close to the numbers in the US. 

LOLOLOLOL. Firearm homicide rate in MX is about 5x the homicide rate in the US. Try again.

(”but, but, I said *shootings*, not homicides!” Well, you’re not going to get accurate numbers on that, not in MX, so this is the best metric of comparison)

Everyone can do their own risk assessments WRT to EPC, but the murder rate in Mexico is 26.1/100,000 vs. 6.4 in the United States (2022).

These stats are rad.

Source

Marc801 C wrote:

Stupid post. Justify or STFU.

So are you justifying getting shot as rad, or just another stupid post? 

PWZ wrote:

So are you justifying getting shot as rad, or just another stupid post? 

I agreed with the not rad comment too. Being in a shot up truck and seeing some guy’s ankle shattered by a bullet sounds like the definition of not rad to me. Kinda weird that’s the stance that needs justification.

Lesson: don't get in big black shiny tinted-window new truck in Mexico with strangers. 

Colonel Mustard wrote:

I agreed with the not rad comment too. Being in a shot up truck and seeing some guy’s ankle shattered by a bullet sounds like the definition of not rad to me. Kinda weird that’s the stance that needs justification.

Wha your definition of “rad”?

That’s my point. To just say “not rad” without explanation is pointless and dumb. 

Crazy... Do you think that the shooter saw that there were gringos in the car?

Marc801 C wrote:

Wha your definition of “rad”?

That’s my point. To just say “not rad” without explanation is pointless and dumb. 

Okey dokey.

Rad: short for radical. The story is pretty far from normal, thus "rad."

 Reservoir Dogs, The Godfather: rad stories, not happy stories. Pulling gear, decking, walking away: rad story. Hitchhiking in a foreign country, getting sprayed at by an AK? Rad as fuck. Good? No. Rad? Sure