Don Jorge
Senior Nomad
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Canon Santa Maria
I've been tripping, literally, through this area a few times now and I find it quite fascinating. A few photos from my last trip. It was blowing
about 40 miles an hour for two days and my gps pooped out so the trip was modified but I still had a great time. Adios!
http://www.southcoastfarms.com/newpage12.htm
�And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry
years. It was always that way.�― John Steinbeck
"All models are wrong, but some are useful." George E.P. Box
"Nature bats last." Doug "Hayduke" Peac-ck
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David K
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FANTASTIC!!!!
I will look in detail later, as I a heading out.
Thank you Don Jorge!
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Mike Humfreville
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That was great. I wandered around the desert that leads to your canyon recently, just to feel the isolation of the ancients, but had less energy than
you and never attempted the canyon itself. I look forward to reading about your upcoming trip with the grad students. It will be interesting to hear
of the differences between the two adventures: the first being solo and reflective and the second being...well, I guess we'll just have to wait and
see. Write on!
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David K
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Just returned from the booksigning in La Mesa, and looked at the photos more closely. I love the way you can see El Camino Real in three of them... as
it heads towards Santa Maria from the Gonzaga Desert.
I look forward to more, as I see you labled this 'Part 1'!
Thanks so much!
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jide
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Thanks Don Jorge!
...your pictures got me tranported for a while, I wished I had more time to explore when I was there last month....
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jide
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D.J., did you find anything interesting on the south mesa?
you said " I have a gut feeling there is something to see on the south side mesa above Santa Maria Canyon"
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Cameron
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Registered: 10-12-2004
Location: Todos Santos / Seattle WA
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Mood: Thirsty!
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Canon Santa Maria
Thanks for the beautiful pictures and trip report. What a spectacular place! I really appreciate the time you put into laying out the report/photos,
and the addition of the geological info as well. Nice job!
I'll be in the area just after Thanksgiving, and now I find myself trying to justify squeezing an extra week or so in the canyon into my plans for
December! 
I'll try to plan my time there so I don't show up while you and your group are there. I'm not trying to be antisocial, it just seems like I appreciate
places like that more with a smaller group, and I know you're going to be on a "working" trip as well, and don't want to get in the way...
If you're going to be there again on a solo trip, (or further south) post a message or PM/U2U and if I can meet you, I'd love to learn more about the
geologic and anthropological history of Baja.
If you're on a solo trip in BCS, you can feel free to let me know your estimated arrival/departure dates, and I'll come looking for you if you don't
come back on time. A broken GPS on your trip sucks. A broken leg could really put a damper on your fun if you're all alone... I don't want to step on
any toes here, (Lo siento, JR/BSAR!) but if I was stuck or injured somewhere, I wouldn't care who it was who showed up, just as long as they got there
fast.
Please show us more when you've got the time. Thanks again!.. Cameron
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Hey Cameron, in case you haven't seen Don Jorge's previous web page about hiking up the Camino Real to Mision Santa Maria then back down, in the
canyon... in one day... it is at: http://southcoastfarms.com/gonzaga_to_mission_santa_maria.ht...
This is also linked in my site...
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Don Jorge
Senior Nomad
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DK, It is an addicting place. I am also hoping to do several more trips there next year before the summer season. I plan a few more from the east
side and then hope to put some dots together from the west side.
Mike, Thanks, the next trip will be very interesting. These "kids" are very good folks full of energy and lusting for knowledge. Plus it will be a
blast to have backup and be able to step out of the box a bit.
Jide, From your posts I can tell you are a fellow canyoneer and love the rocks and water. Yes there is great stuff on the south side mesas!
Cameron, It is a spectacular place! Don't worry about our schedule, we are going up and out of the canyon after humping water for the first day. I
doubt if we will run into each other.
Thanks for the offer about BCS. When the nest is empty!
As regards safety, I carry lots of water, sat phone, laminated phone # list, gps, topo, altimeter, compasses, survival gear and know how to use all of
it. My family and friends lecture me hard about the risk in my trips, both in the US and in Mexico. I try to mitigate that risk using the ultimate
survival tool, the brain. Careful! It is very hard to find companions to hike with whom have compatable schedules, experience, goals and the physical
tools to accomplish those goals. Ni modo.
To all: Thanks for the feedback!
�And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry
years. It was always that way.�― John Steinbeck
"All models are wrong, but some are useful." George E.P. Box
"Nature bats last." Doug "Hayduke" Peac-ck
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cristobal
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Registered: 12-16-2003
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Nice pics JORGE .....
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Taken by BajaMur during our flyover recon above the canyon about midway between the mission valley and the canyon's mouth facing Punta Final, Gonzaga
Bay. May, 1999 and look at the amount of water in this desert canyon! More of Mur's aerial photos at: http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Cove/6849/santamaria1.ht...
[Edited on 11-17-2004 by David K]
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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D'Rat, if I recall that attempt correctly... you guys didn't know which way led up to the pools and palms... Here is a doctored photo (was posted in
another thread as well)... This is facing east near the mouth of the canyon. I added a note showing where you can park a 4WD next to the white sand
arroyo (2WD park up on the mesa above the big ravine where it says in the photo 'Our Launch Site'.
The Camino Real heads up, out of the valley across the arroyo from the 4WD parking spot.
The palms and pools are up the main canyon, west from the parking spot.
The Las Palmitas oasis is a mile and a half south in a side canyon, take main traveled road branching south after reaching bottom of big grade... from
'Launch Site'. 4WD parking is at a big boulder, 0.8 mi. east of Las Palmitas jcn. on faint road.
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