The Dusty Desert Dream

I had the unexpected chance to climb Hueco Tanks over spring break this past week. I dropped everything, packed up, and set out to find myself in the desert mountains of El Paso. I left the jobs, the gyms, the schools, families, cars, beaches, concerts, traffic, internet, cell phones, and everything in between for a pile of choss and the chance to temporarily live the luscious "dirt-bag" lifestyle. Living in the city is not enough. I had to take from the barren land of west Texas to fulfill my void. My comfortable bed and close local gyms were not enough for me. There had to be more to life.

Dr. Chris, Big Sam, and Keller "the strong one" were my allies on the hunt for more. Twelve hours later we had arrived fully prepared for our stay at the five star hotel "Impala by the Gate". If ever there was a masochistic initiation requirement to touch the sacred native volcanic formations of Hueco, sleeping at the gate in freezing temps was our baptism. Three hours later we awoke fresh and ready with twinkles in our eyes as we sat shivering cold watching the east spur as the sun devoured the horizon. As the rangers allowing access to the park like bouncers at a club approached our car the hope in our hearts immediately sank as we were snaked at the gate by some curly haired old guy who had just pulled up. As he opened his car door and set foot on the soil our hearts arose as we realized who snaked us, the one and only unpretentious Fred Nicole. We would occasionally see Fred throughout the week. Starstruck, giddy and frozen, we watched as our uncanny idol swept by like a mythical bird in the dusty wind.

Sleeping at the gate, parties at the ranch, climbing ultra classic problems and spending a day with friends and pro climber Jason Kehl (who was looking unequivocally similar to a certain dub step DJ  whose name rhymes with skillets)could only be topped off with an aggressive consumption of cervezas and El Pasitos' burritos. That was our agenda for the insufficient five day stay in Hueco.

The unexpected presence of Fred Nicole gave us the focus to forget our egos and climb with self. We threw our hands in the air in praise of those topping out and laid our selves on the line to catch one another. We found the addiction to climbing on another level. If gym life is caffeine then Hueco is Crack.We found our potential and lost limits. We came Loaded with Power, found our Blood Line and barely got out of there alive. Putting the experience down in a readable blog is as tedious as trying to completely climb the copious amounts of problems in Hueco.

As far as grading a place like Hueco Tanks there are many factors to take into consideration.

Pros

• Ranch hands, Park rangers, and locals are friendly and welcoming.
• Local eateries(El Pasitos) are epic.
• High concentration of classic problems and new problems being put up.
• Potential of seeing pro climbers and legends.
• The Hueco climbing community is gravitating.
• The "V" rating system was started here, gauge yourself!

Cons

• Advanced Reservations is recommended as Access to North can be difficult.
• Tours, camping, and day passes combined can be pricey.
• Desert weather is unpredictable
• Can get crowded fast
• Closes at 6 p.m.
• Requires vigorous hiking, squeezing and scrambling to a access climbing areas

So here is the end of a first impression on Hueco Tanks. The only way to leave is to know you will return next season, stronger,fitter, and more prepared to send harder and to temporarily live the dusty desert dream.