El Rito, anyone?

Any one heading to El Rito in the coming weekends?

I would like to head down with a couple other folks from Denver, but the area seemed so remote the last time/first time I was there, I would feel safer knowing there would be more climbers around. It's been a long time since I was last there, and I found a dead deer in the crag, which has had me bit concerned as well as concerns about the safety of my vehicle and wondering how friendly the locals are / are not.

Oh, and where is a safe place to camp or stay the night?

Thanks-
Jennifer

Camping near the crag is very good and a short walk from the approach. It's just East(?) of the parking and you follow a two-track dirt road back into kind of an open pasture -- you'll see fire rings. No need to drive an hour to Taos or SF dropping big dough on lodging. It's doubtful that you will be alone at El Rito this time of year so you can get camp beta from other climbers.

Hi Jennifer,

I was just there on Sunday and there were a lot of climbers present. I think some people were camping also. I think it is a good time of year to go especially on the weekends if you want other climbers there. Even on Fridays usually another group is at El Rito. I go with some of my girlfriends and feel safe. I live in Los Alamos and go frequently and have not had any trouble yet.
I know there was a dead elk up there last year and it stunk. I am not sure about the deer but I think the local hunters probably would have taken it, if it was theirs.

Hope you have a good time.

Allison

Thanks everyone for the replies. Hope to go down Memorial weekend. Bet there will definitely be some climbers around then :)

One thing that I would recommend would be to drive a little further away from the main road. When you get there you will see a main parking area near the road. Turn left there, and drive back a little ways and there is much camping.

The reason I suggest this is because a group of us were there last year (we have been many times, and this has only occurred once, though it was enough) and had the bejesus scared out of us by one of the locals. We were camped at the area nearest the main road by the trails.

Some wacked out guy (drunk? Drugs? All the above) parked his car right across from us at ?j@#$-o-clock in the morning, shined his headlights on our camp and tents, cranked his music, and started sluring/singing "I--Hate--Muther--Fuckin'--White--People". After about five minutes (at least it seemed) of that he drove away!

We just cowered in our tents until he left. Who knows what he was on or what kind of weapons, etc he could have had. Fortunately he just left though.

Quite a New Mexico experience, ever since then we have located our camp a little further up the road.

Great climbing there though! Enjoy! Hope I didn't put a damper on it all. You should be fine!

Tony

Always go camping with something from Smith&Wesson(or bring Bob D'Antonio). Either one works. The innocent climbers camping and then some aggro zonked-out locals roar up scenario is actually more common than you think. Pack some heat(or Bob D') and camp where you like, the cower in the tent and pray the crazy people go away thing just doesn't work for me.

P.S.-I'm not advocating running out of the tent and start blowing folks away. It's a just in case thing.

Ah, a just in case thing.... hmmm, I will have to remember that. Everyone "packin' heat" and threatening to kill eachother will certainly work better than me sitting in my tent and them driving away.

Went to the NM crag meeting this evening. I don't think that it is officially closed but some were suggested a voluntary closure of at least part of the area... One guy was there about two weeks ago and about got nocked off a route by one of the nesting falcons.

Anthony, I was born and raised in Texas and then spent a couple years in the 82nd Airborne, so the everyone pack some heat thing might need to be taken with a brick of salt. I'm in Boulder now and am getting better I think, wierder but better........maybe just some mace, or a stun gun.

You guys crack me up. Its good to see that some people still have a sense of humor.

I sleep with a #5 camalot--just in case.

George Perkins wrote:Dare I ask... what is the status of the El Rito Trad cliffs? Are there raptors there now? And, is it "closed"??

Two weekends ago the raptors were there and being aggressive toward each other. They provided an exciting air show.

I like "Brick of salt", not even a grain! Hard to argue with someone who was raised in Texas and in the 82nd. I was in a medical unit in the reserves some years ago. Certainly a different mission there.

Comments make me feel like I need to meet Bob D'Antonio though; even if only to check out this Utopian Vistas place.

Glad that boulder is treating you well. Certainly more climbing there than in Texas, though Hueco I hear is quite nice.

Tony