WeKeepComingBack
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The 'Ice House' road, going East from San Juanico
We just got back from Baja on the 18th. It was wonderful down there. We spent a few days with friends in Mulege then traveled south to Insurgentes
then north to San Juanico. We decided to return home after a week in San Juanico via the 'Ice House' road to Mulege. What an adventure. We only had
to dig out once.
May the dust of Baja keep calling you back.
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woody with a view
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welcome-
love that road. you get a little of everything, desert, mountains,beautiful country, that is.
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aquaholic
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...we took that road from Mulege to San Juanico over 20 years ago...it doesn't look any different...I have some great memories from that trip from
meeting the folks at the little ranchos up in the mountains. Mine was the first diesel pickup most had ever seen, and they couldn't believe we had
come from Mulege...the cold Pacificos on ice helped them to believe...why is it, again, that we keep coming back to Baja..???
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DianaT
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We took that road in 2003 and would like to do it again. I have heard, however, that it is not maintained any more? In 2003, we used 4WD a couple of
times, but probably could have made it without.
Overall, how was the road?
Diane
2003 trip --- just great vistas--- loved that road
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Cypress
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Gonna put that adventure on my list of things to do.
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woody with a view
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diane-
was this the view from the middle of your foto?
LOVE IT!
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Mexitron
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Beautiful country out there...we went in August years ago-- there's nothing like the site of coming into the valley and then seeing the icehouse in
the 110 degree heat.
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody in ob
diane-
was this the view from the middle of your foto?
LOVE IT! |
Took me a while---I'm a little slow, and you BAD. 
Diane
Are they grading that road ever?
[Edited on 5-22-2007 by jdtrotter]
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skibum
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Wonderful photos. How did it take you given the conditions now?
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oladulce
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Icehouse??
Oh, now I get it. You guys are talking about 2 different roads.
I believe that Aquaholic is talking about the "short-cut" that's usually called the "Ballena" or "Guadalupe" road. For this trail you go north out of
San Juanico about 19 miles then turn east at Rancho La Ballena. You'll travel across the peninsula thru steep canyons and drive on even steeper hill
sides, pass near the ruins of Mission Guadalupe, and come out right in the Valle of Mulege. It really is the shortest route they say, that is if you
make it.
At first I thought everybody was talking about this road because you pass by the Mulege Icehouse, and was very surprised because
this can be very narrow and hairy in places and is usually only traveled by rancheros and locals, and even locals will often trade their truck for
their caballo.
I haven't heard of anybody whose gone that way since Hurricane John last year ?
Maybe Tomas Tierra has been this way and has a story?
Someday we'll have a smaller truck or other vehicle just for excursions and this is one of the first roads I want to take, but we've been advised
that our F350 and camper would be pushing the limits in weight and width in some spots.
Sounds like everybody else is talking about the East Road or the La Purisima road, and the "Icehouse" must be the one in La Purisima- ah ha! This
road goes East from La Purisima and comes out on Hwy #1 in Rosarito, South of Concepción and Mulege. I took the photo that Woody posted on this road
in Sept '94.
| Quote: | Originally posted by jdtrotter
Are they grading that road ever?
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Looking back on our pictures, I'd say they stopped doing regular maintainence on The East Road around '98 or '99 because my photos of it stop around
that time.
The road used to get scraped and graded and worked by hand crews regularly, but no más, and it eventually got so slow and rocky we cracked a truck
frame, then the camper frame with all the rocking. When we got a new rig we sadly abandonded the East Road to extend the vehicle's life. Occasionally
you'll hear that the East road is do-able (but then, it's always "do-able" in someone's opinion!) but don't know recent details.
We can only hope that if we continue to pay our property taxes promptly every year, maybe they will start grading the East Road again someday.  I love that trip, plus it it saves a whole lot of drive-time not having to go all the
way around thru Insurgentes.
WeKeepComingBack- which route are your photos from ?
[Edited on 5-26-2007 by oladulce]
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aquaholic
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Oladulce is absolutely right...we never saw El Pylon until we traveled south from San Juanico and turned east to head back to Highway 1. The road was
almost non-existent in places, and I'm sure that after Juan, it's a tough drive if it's passable at all. At one place, we were faced with steep canyon
walls going straight up from both sides of the riverbed/road. I got out to look at the formidable rock "falls" in the riverbed thinking I was toast
and would have to turn around and go back. Upon inspection, I found that some bessed soul had hauled cement up there and had formed concrete "ramps"
up the rock falls. He must have driven a Ford, since they were perfect for my truck. It was a true adventure requiring an overnight stay. It also
destroyed my camper shell, breaking the front panel and rear liftgate completely off due to major flexing. We stopped at each rancho and left tennis
balls, etc. for the kids, and supplied all ranch hands with cold Pacificos. Thankfully, I always try to overplan for my needs, and we had enough beer
for the trip... I'll always remember jouncing along somewhere out in the middle of nowhere, and passing a gentleman standing by the side of the "road"
dressed in dress shirt, tie, and suit. I slowed to see if he needed help, but he just waved. I never have figured that out.
The road to Guadalupe splits off near the top of the divide, as I remember, and heads off to a dead end quite a ways down the road...you can guess how
I know that. Somewhere down that road we found a hand dug well with gas pump. Looking down the deep shaft, we admired the guts of whoever dug it and
lined with rock all the way to the bottom...
It was a rough trip, with low range necessary much of the time to move at the slowest possible speed...4WD is an absolute must, along with all
necessary extrication and road building equipment...I'd also like to hear if anyone has made the trip, especially after Juan...
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Gadget
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My son Ryan and I were down in Mulege the week after Juan helping with cleanup and working with the Bomberos to distribute needed supplies to the
local Colonias. We had another storm bearing down on the tip that looked like it could do the same thing Juan did so reliefe efforts got stopped for
a day or so while folks just sat and waited to see what was up. There was a D9 dozer that had taken off 10 days prior to our arrival to try and cut
the road out to the Sierras and the ranchos that had been completely cut off by the storm and flood. We took off one morning in my Prerunner Bronco
to see how far the dozer was and what condition the track was in for non 4x4 reliefe vehicles. We traveled 15 miles out the valley following the "new
road". It was very rough even in my very serious rig and we stopped and headed back for town never having caught the dozer. There were some places
where he had easily worked for a day to repair 100 yards of trail that was gone 20 feet deep. To see the vast and wide spread amount of water that
had come down the valley and how much earth had been moved around out there in just the short distance we went was unbelievable. I would very much
like to do that route from coast to coast some time. I have some friends that did it 3 years ago and said it was a hoot.
"Mankind will not be judged by their faults, but by the direction of their lives." Leo Giovinetti
See you in Baja
http://www.LocosMocos.com
Gadget |
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Cypress
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Sounds like the storm pretty much destroyed the road. Any updated information on
the roads present condition?
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KurtG
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Cypress
Sounds like the storm pretty much destroyed the road. Any updated information on
the roads present condition? |
The Mulege/La Ballena road is in quite good shape. I motorcycled it in Jan. and again in late March. The La Purisima to Hwy 1 road remains in bad
shape. Not repaired after Hurricane John and the Baja 1000 unless very recently. It was very slow going and a lot of rock hopping with the bike.
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Cypress
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KurtG, Thanks for the information.
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CaboRon
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Great trip report.... would love to see more pics ~!!! CAboRon
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