BajaNomad

Off the beaten path in Baja backcountry

mtgoat666 - 4-11-2018 at 05:16 PM

Be careful when wandering in the boonies!

http://zetatijuana.com/2018/04/la-travesia-de-la-droga-por-b...

Maderita - 4-11-2018 at 08:16 PM

Thanks mtgoat,
I posted it to the Picacho del Diablo Facebook page to be careful in the eastside canyon approach.
I'm always on the alert in the Sierra de Juarez during grow season. If I see newer black plastic tubing, I change plans and find another place to hike/climb.

tbnoble - 4-12-2018 at 07:22 AM

So the same as hiking in western Oregon and northern California!

PaulW - 4-12-2018 at 07:47 AM

Regarding the canyons here in Baja.
Black plastic at the entrance to the east side canyons are not a sign of illegal activity. The local ranchers occasionally get government grants (like this year) to replace the obsolete or to create new water collection systems. No illegal growing near canyon entrances. It all done in the high valleys away from prying eyes.

On New Year's Eve for 2001, Agua Caliente Canyon

David K - 4-12-2018 at 08:20 AM

Lorenzo de Baja and I walked upon a "cilantro" growing project. It was well-hidden by the tree canopies...




Many bags of fertilizer were stacked, all brought in by burro as this was nearly a mile beyond where you could drive. My first thought was uh, oh. I simply asked the people (2) working there where the hot springs were and left quickly. The hot spring was just beyond.

On our return hike, the two hombres confronted us, so we thought this was it! They asked if they could hitch a ride with us to San Felipe so they could enjoy the New Year's fiesta! [We weren't going directly to San Felipe that day]

On my next visit, in 2004, all that drip irrigation tubing was hacked-up by machete. We were informed by the resident at Rancho Matomí that the same kind of project was done in Parral Canyon, until the miltary arrives.

motoged - 4-12-2018 at 08:38 AM

Yep....it's a growing industry.

bajaric - 4-12-2018 at 10:56 AM

I was recently warned to not explore around some areas in the eastern Sierra Juarez by a local rancher. it kind of takes the fun out of exploring certain remote areas if one is afraid of stumbling across the wrong place at the wrong time and finding out otherwise.

[Edited on 4-12-2018 by bajaric]

BajaBlanca - 4-12-2018 at 11:09 AM

scary stuff. terrible to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

StuckSucks - 4-12-2018 at 11:23 AM

We were talking to a fire lookout ranger in the Sequoia National Forest last fall -- he said mota was a huge (illegal) business in the National Forest and that they regularly bump into crops of the stuff all the time.

Of course conventional wisdom says if you accidentally stumble upon one of these farms, immediately reverse rudder.

Marijuana Confiscated On Sequoia National Forest

Be prepared when visiting our National Forests — what to do if you encounter a marijuana cultivation site

blackwolfmt - 4-12-2018 at 12:24 PM

Boy Stuck where did you dig up this ancient story:lol: prices have plummeted compared to 2013 Now days that many plants would be only 1or 2 mill out east even , Really sks they trash the places out:(



Office of Communication, U.S. Forest ServiceSeptember 27, 2013 at 5:00pm

The site, located near Redstone, Colo., contained 3,375 marijuana plants with an estimated value of $8.4 million.

mtgoat666 - 4-12-2018 at 08:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by blackwolfmt  
Boy Stuck where did you dig up this ancient story:lol: prices have plummeted compared to 2013 Now days that many plants would be only 1or 2 mill out east even , Really sks they trash the places out:(



Office of Communication, U.S. Forest ServiceSeptember 27, 2013 at 5:00pm

The site, located near Redstone, Colo., contained 3,375 marijuana plants with an estimated value of $8.4 million.


Now that it is legal in California to grow 6 plants for personal use, why would a Californian be buying weed? 6 plants, full grown, high concentration, big buds,... hard to smoke that much in a year.

Is it legal to grow your own in Colorado?

[Edited on 4-13-2018 by mtgoat666]

Ken Cooke - 4-27-2018 at 09:20 PM

I've seen it all from Baja to Sinaloa. Shady stuff that doesn't add up is typically..shady stuff.