BajaNomad

Pack in pack out La Grulla valle San Pedro de martir

LukeJobbins - 3-26-2018 at 09:58 PM

Saturday Sofia and I guided two scientists to La Grulla valle. I had never been but Sofia has been dozens of times over the years and she promised me boulders to explore for future climbing, but I had to help her do some trash cleanup. I’m always game for that and am a firm believer in pack in pack out. Leave the place better than you find it is what I was always taught. Well I didn’t have time to look at the boulders because we spent hours picking up trash all over. The valle is now clean and we hope it will stay clean. I just wanted to throw out a reminder to pack out your trash and spread the word to all the tourists down there to not trash someone else’s country. I estimate we hauled out over 200 pounds of trash. We filled our backpacks and then took 3 more full bags out. So five bags total. I will blame most the ranchers but there was a bit of trash that I am positive came from Americans over the years. If you see a pile of trash don’t take it as an opportunity to ditch your trash, see it as an opportunity to take that trash to the proper place and leave the place cleaner than you found it.


Sofia’s bags I estimated around 100 lbs.




This was the trash bin, now clean.







Maderita - 3-26-2018 at 11:02 PM

Good on you and Sofia! That is a lot of trash. Humping loads is great training for the hike out of Canyon Diablo! ja ja
Did you also visit La Encantada meadow?

Guessing from the number of bottles and cans that horse/mule packers are responsible for most or all of it. In my opinion (apparently not one shared by packers) is that they are responsible for their clients. It seems that there is one primary ranch that caters to clients riding into La Grulla & La Encantada. The ranch/commercial business should have the responsibility of packing the trash out, whether it is generated by them or not, and to keep the area pristine.

Perhaps showing these fotos to park officials and suggesting that they engage in discussions with the ranch(es) in question will get results and environmental protection for the future.

If discussions fail, there is the threat of pubic exposure. I did that over trash left by a commercial guide service, apparently successfully, in the Sierra de Juarez last year.

John Harper - 3-27-2018 at 05:46 AM

Awesome job, Luke and Sofia!!!! I'm bringing some trash bags out to Mike's in a couple weeks and clean the creekbed as well. Looks like an incredible trip and can't wait to book Sofia for next April!

Looks like the SPM got more rain than snow with those recent storms.

John

mtgoat666 - 3-27-2018 at 06:05 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Maderita  
Good on you and Sofia! That is a lot of trash. Humping loads is great training for the hike out of Canyon Diablo! ja ja
Did you also visit La Encantada meadow?

Guessing from the number of bottles and cans that horse/mule packers are responsible for most or all of it. In my opinion (apparently not one shared by packers) is that they are responsible for their clients. It seems that there is one primary ranch that caters to clients riding into La Grulla & La Encantada. The ranch/commercial business should have the responsibility of packing the trash out, whether it is generated by them or not, and to keep the area pristine.

Perhaps showing these fotos to park officials and suggesting that they engage in discussions with the ranch(es) in question will get results and environmental protection for the future.

If discussions fail, there is the threat of pubic exposure. I did that over trash left by a commercial guide service, apparently successfully, in the Sierra de Juarez last year.


Glad to see some trash pick-up!

I think meling ranch quit offering pack trips several years ago, I inquired a couple years back and was told they don’t offer that anymore.

I have noted that the meadows are popular hiking destinations for Mexican hikers, backpack trips, etc. yes, some of them carry in canned food. But most of the heavy trash probably comes from ranchers.

David K - 3-27-2018 at 08:05 AM

Good Job Luke!!!:bounce:

Did you visit the first mission site in La Grulla? There, only the many square stones that the log cabins which was what the mission would have been made from remain from April 27, 1794, to August of 1794. It was so cold, even for summer, crops froze and the mission was moved nearly 2,000 feet lower (and 7 miles south).

More on the first San Pedro Mártir mission site, Casilepe (La Grulla): http://www.pcas.org/Vol33n3/333fostr.pdf

LukeJobbins - 3-27-2018 at 08:47 AM

No all we did was hike in to the camp, eat lunch and started collecting trash. It was 2.5 hours hiking in and that was slow, then 6 hours getting out. I had plans of rock climbing but it never happened because we were too busy. So next trip I’ll do some more exploring and hopefully some climbing.

mtgoat666 - 3-27-2018 at 09:06 AM

Quote: Originally posted by LukeJobbins  
No all we did was hike in to the camp, eat lunch and started collecting trash. It was 2.5 hours hiking in and that was slow, then 6 hours getting out. I had plans of rock climbing but it never happened because we were too busy. So next trip I’ll do some more exploring and hopefully some climbing.


I'm going down to hike the meadows in May, but haven't settled on route yet. Did you go to La Grula via La Tasajera meadow? How far could you drive off main road towards La Grulla?

Last trip to SPM we mtn biked many of the old roads, great way to cover some miles and see a lot of the area...

David K - 3-27-2018 at 10:50 AM

Good, then the trash was not near the mission site (Casilepé) where archeologist had worked. On Google Earth, you can see only a small square outline with an opening on one side next to the waypoint provided by Froylan Tiscareño in his book (page 362)... a reading from the GPS of Bill Evarts made on May 22, 2002: N 30° 53.758', W 115° 28.144'. Google Earth gives the elevation as 6,783'.

HeyMulegeScott - 3-27-2018 at 11:17 AM

Americans leaving trash? Naw, I blame the Canadians;) Good on you guys for picking it.

LukeJobbins - 3-27-2018 at 11:35 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by LukeJobbins  
No all we did was hike in to the camp, eat lunch and started collecting trash. It was 2.5 hours hiking in and that was slow, then 6 hours getting out. I had plans of rock climbing but it never happened because we were too busy. So next trip I’ll do some more exploring and hopefully some climbing.


I'm going down to hike the meadows in May, but haven't settled on route yet. Did you go to La Grula via La Tasajera meadow? How far could you drive off main road towards La Grulla?

Last trip to SPM we mtn biked many of the old roads, great way to cover some miles and see a lot of the area...


Sofia was able to get us the key for the gate to tasajero so we drove to the cliffs at the end of the good road past the gate. I used to be able to drive to the end of the road but currently my axles are different gear ratios so I’m stuck in 2wd right now. Not sure of the mileage from where we parked but like I said, it was just about 2.5 hours going fairly slow. The scientists were leaving solo so we stopped a lot to mark waypoints and set up more ducks for them. The Jeep trail is trashed right now so I’m not sure a mountain bike would even be worth it. Probably be nice to bike to the cliffs if you can’t drive past the gate then walk from the cliffs.

mtgoat666 - 3-27-2018 at 11:59 AM

Quote: Originally posted by LukeJobbins  
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Quote: Originally posted by LukeJobbins  
No all we did was hike in to the camp, eat lunch and started collecting trash. It was 2.5 hours hiking in and that was slow, then 6 hours getting out. I had plans of rock climbing but it never happened because we were too busy. So next trip I’ll do some more exploring and hopefully some climbing.


I'm going down to hike the meadows in May, but haven't settled on route yet. Did you go to La Grula via La Tasajera meadow? How far could you drive off main road towards La Grulla?

Last trip to SPM we mtn biked many of the old roads, great way to cover some miles and see a lot of the area...


Sofia was able to get us the key for the gate to tasajero so we drove to the cliffs at the end of the good road past the gate. I used to be able to drive to the end of the road but currently my axles are different gear ratios so I’m stuck in 2wd right now. Not sure of the mileage from where we parked but like I said, it was just about 2.5 hours going fairly slow. The scientists were leaving solo so we stopped a lot to mark waypoints and set up more ducks for them. The Jeep trail is trashed right now so I’m not sure a mountain bike would even be worth it. Probably be nice to bike to the cliffs if you can’t drive past the gate then walk from the cliffs.


are you referring to the gate that is a mile or 2 south of the main paved road? That's the only gate I remember...

LukeJobbins - 3-27-2018 at 12:26 PM

Yeah that’s the only one there.

David K - 3-27-2018 at 12:48 PM

Quote: Originally posted by LukeJobbins  
Yeah that’s the only one there.


The gate is 1.9 miles from the observatory highway:



[Edited on 2-16-2022 by David K]

mtgoat666 - 3-27-2018 at 01:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by LukeJobbins  
Yeah that’s the only one there.


thanks for the info :bounce:

woody with a view - 3-27-2018 at 04:28 PM

Nice work Luke!

John Harper - 3-27-2018 at 06:30 PM

Quote: Originally posted by LukeJobbins  




Is that a Go Lite pack? I have the 50L Jam2. I love it. So nice for ultralight backpacking, as I'm in the old fart class now. With my pack, bag, pad, and tent I'm at 6 pounds.

John



[Edited on 3-28-2018 by John Harper]