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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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Los Corrales
Has anyone been out to Los Corrales lately or is it possible by truck?
Is it easier to get to from the El Arco road?
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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Greetiings, >>>> Been there. Done that. Just "DO IT" Its a very interesting ride. La Sirena (ab) mine is well worth the effort just So.
of El Barril. When you get to Los Corrales keep going So. and you'll cross the N./So. line into Baja Sur. Fantastic white sand beach camping with
excellent shore fishing. Be prepared to be by yourself in this area. Its a long walk out with the nearest humans found at the Santa Barbara Rancho
site a self- contained remote working rancho. This is a must see area. Visit the rancho on your return back toward El Barril. Local info can be
gleaned at San Francisquito of the Ensenada Blanca location. I look foward to a return trip to this astonishing local. >>>>Best Regards,
>>>> sq.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Los Corrales
We made this trip in April of 2000. Took a very good graded road SW out of El Barril to the vacinity of where it leaves Las Cuevitas Wash, where it
turns into an "old-style" baja desert track all the way up over Cuesta don Reyes and down to Rancho San Miguel. Rancho San Miguel was a very nice,
active, prosperous-appearing Rancho then, with very friendly folks living there. At the Rancho you drive right thru the Rancho grounds in a NE
direction to a very rocky beach at Estero La Palmita, passing an incredible abandoned Ejido along the way. Take time to walk around the Ejido grounds
and see all the complicated irrigation systems, dams, and the wonderful old main bldg. that is still standing. The rocky beach was not that
impressive, but interesting., at Estero La Palmita. We camped there, behind a huge cobblestone berm, in an abandoned fish camp.
We then drove back to Rancho San Miguel and tried to drive our F-250 4x4 with big, wide tires to Los Corrales. We soon encountered VERY DEEP sand in
the wash about 1 mile SE of San Miguel. We struggled with the deep sand for about .7 of a mile further SE but it was so bad that we became alarmed and
decided to turn around and go back to San Miguel. The road was almost non-existant between San Miguel and Los Corrales, at least the one that we
discovered. If there is a better road we never found it. Very disappointing.
As squarecircle said, this is fantastic country, with palo blanco trees all around, and lush vegetation in the washes. The drive down La Fortuna
canyon to San Miguel is classic, and worth the whole drive down from the states, IMHO. Lots of interesting things to see along the way. We did not go
into Rancho Santa Barbara---we will do that another time. The road to Rancho San Miguel was passable by any high-clearance 2-wheel drive vehicle with
wide tires, at that time, but any big storm could have changed all that. I would love to try to get to Los Corrales in a lighter vehicle some time. I
am sure it is doable. Our vehicle had a 1000 lb CALLEN camper on the back and was just too heavy for the deep sand, SE of Rancho San Miguel.
We did not visit the mine at La Sirena, but wish we had. Also, we returned to El Barril on our way out, and did not try the cut-off road shown in the
"Baja Atlas" that cuts over to the El Arco road, by-passing El Barril. The road out to El Arco from El Barril was in excellent shape in 2000, recently
graded.
We spent a total of 3 full days south of El Barril, on this trip.
If you make this trip, please post when you get back and tell us how it went. I do hope you are able to get to Los Corrales, and the "white sand
beach" that Squarecircle talks about, south of Los Corrales. I have a feeling that he was on a motorcycle, tho I do not know that for sure. Maybe he
will see this, and tell us. I hope you have the time to spend there, as I believe that you could spend a week south of El Barril and not cover it
adaquately. Buena Suerte.
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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Greetings, >>>> Negative on the motorcycle. I was in a cage. i.e. 1991 Toyota 4-runner (230,000 + miles young). >>>>>
Happy trails,>>>>sq.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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El Barril
| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
We made this trip in April of 2000. Took a very good graded road SW out of El Barril to the vacinity of where it leaves Las Cuevitas Wash, where it
turns into an "old-style" baja desert track all the way up over Cuesta don Reyes and down to Rancho San Miguel. Rancho San Miguel was a very nice,
active, prosperous-appearing Rancho then, with very friendly folks living there. At the Rancho you drive right thru the Rancho grounds in a NE
direction to a very rocky beach at Estero La Palmita, passing an incredible abandoned Ejido along the way. Take time to walk around the Ejido grounds
and see all the complicated irrigation systems, dams, and the wonderful old main bldg. that is still standing. The rocky beach was not that
impressive, but interesting., at Estero La Palmita. We camped there, behind a huge cobblestone berm, in an abandoned fish camp.
We then drove back to Rancho San Miguel and tried to drive our F-250 4x4 with big, wide tires to Los Corrales. We soon encountered VERY DEEP sand in
the wash about 1 mile SE of San Miguel. We struggled with the deep sand for about .7 of a mile further SE but it was so bad that we became alarmed and
decided to turn around and go back to San Miguel. The road was almost non-existant between San Miguel and Los Corrales, at least the one that we
discovered. If there is a better road we never found it. Very disappointing.
As squarecircle said, this is fantastic country, with palo blanco trees all around, and lush vegetation in the washes. The drive down La Fortuna
canyon to San Miguel is classic, and worth the whole drive down from the states, IMHO. Lots of interesting things to see along the way. We did not go
into Rancho Santa Barbara---we will do that another time. The road to Rancho San Miguel was passable by any high-clearance 2-wheel drive vehicle with
wide tires, at that time, but any big storm could have changed all that. I would love to try to get to Los Corrales in a lighter vehicle some time. I
am sure it is doable. Our vehicle had a 1000 lb CALLEN camper on the back and was just too heavy for the deep sand, SE of Rancho San Miguel.
We did not visit the mine at La Sirena, but wish we had. Also, we returned to El Barril on our way out, and did not try the cut-off road shown in the
"Baja Atlas" that cuts over to the El Arco road, by-passing El Barril. The road out to El Arco from El Barril was in excellent shape in 2000, recently
graded.
We spent a total of 3 full days south of El Barril, on this trip.
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Is this El Barril??
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.323033,-112.874093&spn...
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Sharks, --------Negative, does not look like the El Barril below Ensenada Blanca and San Francisquito. I do not know where that is. El Barril is a
large Ranching complex just up an arroyo from the Sea of Cortez, and consisting of many buildings, and some new ones that belong to ex-pats, I
believe. I understand that there is a huge house up the coast a ways that belongs to some very wealthy Mexican. Maybe that is the place in the aerial
photo. I only saw it from along ways away----we could not figure out how to get over to it without going thru locked gates.
Squarecircle-------Did you just plow though (float over?) the deep sand SE of San Miguel, or did you find another road that was in good shape? Barry
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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Greetings,>>>> There are perhaps two paths of accessibility to Los Corrales and beyond (south). One is close to the shore and is in deep
and loose sand requiring severely atmospherically challenged tyres and heavy throttle application. The other path is slightly inland using the estero
avoiding water and mud traps. I've used both paths. Both can overwhelm
a 2 or 3 wheel drive vehicle. Might be best to have a real 4 wheel drive cage here. Do not worry, it gets worse as you approach the 28 th. Parallel,
if you are persistant you can go a long way and find that white sand beach which is probably the end of the line on 4 rollers. Lots of neet stuff
North of San Miguel Rancho like north of Cabo San Miguel (Punta Jerga) i.e. Los Puertecitos, A very cosy camping cove from which one can see the
floodlights of that wealthy Mexicano HI- dollar pad that looks like a hospital complex. Owner does't show up very often and has several Mexican
families there year-round just for maintainence. Large air strip allows owner to fly some pretty heavy birds in and out. I found the locals not to
friendly in El Barril with all the locked gates and fencing. Sorry----MY tongue is running away again! >>>>Best Regards, >>>>
sq.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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Squarecircle------
Sorry to keep pounding on you for info, but----are you saying that you were able to drive north of Rancho San Miguel all the way to Los
Puertecitos?????Wow---we were afraid to cross the Estero la Palmita slews as they were very muddy when we were there, and we never dreamed that the
road continued north. We could not find a way around the slews, but maybe we did not look hard enough. That is very exciting!!!
And, you were able to drive south beyond the 28th parallel??-----that is truly fantastic----that is further north, and further south, of Rancho San
Miguel, than I have ever heard of anybody driving.
Is it possible, like say on a motorcycle, to drive all the way south along the shoreline to Ensenada la Trinidad? If so, then I know that there is a
road from Ensenada la Trinidad that goes inland there, and then south to Mex 1, hitting Mex 1 between Santa Rosalia and San Ignacio. If this could be
done, then that opens up all kinds of possibilities, none of which I have ever heard of before.
Actually, I have never spoken to anyone that drove north from Mex 1 to Ensenada la Trinidad, but I have heard that yachties have reported seeing
camp-rigs on the beach at La Trinidad, so there must be a road somewhere.
This is all neat stuff!!! Barry
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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After scanning the area between the coast and Hwy 1 I see many(at least 5)dirt tracks heading off in a easterly direction from the G. Negro area. It
seems like most connect inland but then split off in several locations all heading east towards the Sea.
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.031359,-114.009161&spn...
If you zoom in on Hwy 1 at the G. Negro Airport you will see a road directly across leading east . As you can see the roads criss-cross, but their
are a few that all seem to lead over to the coast. To bad the resolution is bad in that area. Or maybe you could find and point out El Barril on the
map.Thanks.
Maybe you can identify this place. http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=28.307819,-112.875252&spn...
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Sharks----that is El Barril !!!
I do not believe that any of those many roads stretching east from the G. Negro area penetrate the huge mountain range between the Vizcaino desert and
the gulf, with the exception of the El Arco/San Francisquito/El Barril road on the north, and, of course Mex. 1 on the south. If any of the others do,
that would be incredible, and totally unknown to me. About the closest to a connection is the Santa Gertrudis Mission road in from the west, and the
Rancho Santa Barbara Rancho road in from El Barril on the east. Unfortunately, a huge bunch of mountains lies in between them. I have been to Santa
Gertrudis Mission (a remarkable place) and have seen the huge mountains to the east. Unfortunately the resolution is not the best in the SAT shots in
this area, and I cannot really see what I want to see with any clarity. Even El Barril is pretty fuzzy, but that is for sure what you are looking at.
Barry
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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Greetings again, >>>> El Barril topos approx. W 112 deg. 52.5 min. X N 28 deg. 17.5 min. or about 8 mi. so. of San Francisquito as the
birdie flies!! >>>> I am thinking you should wheel more forceably in the general direction you desire to go. There are some situations
that require you to make a pass thru on your own best choices regardless of the minor fact that passage thru may appear to be difficult or near
impossible. I've wheeled into areas that I have been told "NO WAY". But is not a challenge a summons to insert your intensions? >>>> It
is true, two very dertermined individuals on trials bikes made it thru towards Ensenada la Trinidad out of a whole HERD that tried, but they had air
support (eggbeater) for gas, water and food drops along with air-borne scouting. >>>> I did roll into Ensenada la Trinidad last July and
it was not easy. Don't think you will see any camp-rigs there as the trail has not been used in a very looooong time and is very difficult to
traverse. Wasted six tyres in and out on two very determined vehicles with two loose nuts behind the wheel. >>>>Happy trails
>>>> sq.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by The squarecircle
Greetings again, >>>> El Barril topos approx. W 112 deg. 52.5 min. X N 28 deg. 17.5 min. or about 8 mi. so. of San Francisquito as the
birdie flies!! >>>> I am thinking you should wheel more forceably in the general direction you desire to go. There are some situations
that require you to make a pass thru on your own best choices regardless of the minor fact that passage thru may appear to be difficult or near
impossible. I've wheeled into areas that I have been told "NO WAY". But is not a challenge a summons to insert your intensions? >>>> It
is true, two very dertermined individuals on trials bikes made it thru towards Ensenada la Trinidad out of a whole HERD that tried, but they had air
support (eggbeater) for gas, water and food drops along with air-borne scouting. >>>> I did roll into Ensenada la Trinidad last July and
it was not easy. Don't think you will see any camp-rigs there as the trail has not been used in a very looooong time and is very difficult to
traverse. Wasted six tyres in and out on two very determined vehicles with two loose nuts behind the wheel. >>>>Happy trails
>>>> sq. |
I understand competely, thanks a million. 6 Tyres? And who said one was all ya need?? By the way. How many do
you carry?
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
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Mood: optimistic
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SquareCircle and Sharks--------
Great information------thank you very much.
I personally enjoy Baja much more when I stay within my comfort zone, and my comfort zone does not include getting my vehicle stuck, or broken down,
with little hope of recovery, especially at age 67. No problem getting stuck when help is within reach, but this is wild country, as you know, and no
place to be messing around with fate, IMHO. Still, I understand that you are going to get to places long before I do, and that is ok. I am not
looking for that type of thrill-----I just love to see new places that few others have seen-----and I like to savor these places, and go slowly. I do
admire your style----it is just not my style. I get there eventually, with help from folks like you.
Thanks again for your very helpful information.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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In that thread about "the list" they forgot to throw in "common sense and education"
Sounds to me you have both.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Barry A.
Great information------thank you very much.
I personally enjoy Baja much more when I stay within my comfort zone, and my comfort zone does not include getting my vehicle stuck, or broken down,
with little hope of recovery, especially at age 67. No problem getting stuck when help is within reach, but this is wild country, as you know, and no
place to be messing around with fate, IMHO. Still, I understand that you are going to get to places long before I do, and that is ok. I am not
looking for that type of thrill-----I just love to see new places that few others have seen-----and I like to savor these places, and go slowly. I do
admire your style----it is just not my style. I get there eventually, with help from folks like you.
Thanks again for your very helpful information. |
Well, thanks for the perspective. If you think I want myself, the truck and all within stuck in some godforsaken' place "NO WAY". Problem is....
Murphys law: "if you can get stuck, you will get stuck" sooner or later that is. As you read about Neal Johns ordeal you find it doesn't take a long
dirt track to be out in the boonies. Common sense and a well stocked vehicle can make you or break you in the back-country. Knowledge of basic
aoutmotive and electrical are a must and anyone without these should either bring someone that does or learn it yourself. Foolish off-road travelers
that cannot cover the ups and downs out there has no right to compromise others in the process. Of course, shi_ happens anyway, and nobody can perform
miracles. You won't find ice climbers without cramp-ons and rope and the skills to climb a ice wall so why would people take a vehicle into a remote
area without the ability to change a tire or even know when to air-down etc. Hey, don't get me wrong...... if an adventurer wants to take extreme
chances and gamble, so be it, just don't snivel about it later.
Gotta go...
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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Greetings, >>>> For the longer and more difficult trips I take two spare tyres and am somewhat self-sustaining and for good reason for I
also have wandered the wilds of Baja solo. Not the smartest thing to do but doable when nobody else shares my same adventure interests and drive. I
really love seeing all that Baja has to offer and am also fond of most driving adversities. Have not had to walk out yet but if I do, you will not
hear me snivel and what did you say your phone number is just incase? >>>> Enjoy The Ride >>>> sq.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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"ditto" thanks Square. Next time"they" won't go witcha, maybe I can/will give me a shout. I've a hankerin' to chase down them backroads and tracks ALL
THE TIME, but, alas, still workin'. I can break away by myself sometimes but I preferably take the more aggresive trips when it's a tad cooler.
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honda tom
Nomad
Posts: 493
Registered: 8-28-2003
Location: middle calif
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I rode from san fran through los corrales, south on the beach to trinadad.... then inland to santa marta and down to hwy 1. friends of mine refer to
it as the Malcolm Smith trail. I dont know who showed Malcolm... but thats what i call it. The beach south of los corrales is beautiful, it is the
most "alone" i have ever felt in baja. 4 of us did it on bikes with oversized tanks and about 1/2 a gallon of gas in plastic jugs. I think the total
mileage to san ignacio was about 150.
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
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All the way?
| Quote: | Originally posted by honda tom
I rode from san fran through los corrales, south on the beach to trinadad.... then inland to santa marta and down to hwy 1. friends of mine refer to
it as the Malcolm Smith trail. I dont know who showed Malcolm... but thats what i call it. The beach south of los corrales is beautiful, it is the
most "alone" i have ever felt in baja. 4 of us did it on bikes with oversized tanks and about 1/2 a gallon of gas in plastic jugs. I think the total
mileage to san ignacio was about 150. |
Wow, that is cool. That is whta many of us would like to see. A totally unspoiled place where you can feel in control. But, is it doable in a good
4X4?
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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If Squarecircle and Sharksbaja and anyone else want to try it I'm in too. Looks like a great adventure in a 4x4.
[Edited on 5-22-2005 by TW]
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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As Gov. Arnold would say >> "LETS DO IT" >> sq.
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