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David K
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BAJA PREZ DAY WEEKEND 2007 (Part 2, La Turquesa Grade)
Continued from Part 1 at http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=22804
To the La Turquesa Canyon viewpoint and steep grade down.
This trail has been reported as ultra tough for motorcycles and the route is one of Kacey Smith’s Baja GPS Guidebook chapters called the ‘XR Ride’.
What I found was an old mine (?) road, perhaps from the pre pavement days. It seemed that it could easily be passable with a little rock moving, at
least halfway down the grade. If I were with another vehicle, I would have attempted the drive down… As it was, I walked just over a mile from the top
and seemed to be at least halfway to the bottom. Baja Angel thought this unmapped road was really cool and said she would have no problem driving her
CJ-5 Jeep on it.
From the point I quit hiking down, the road curved out of view, so it couldn’t be determined if it was passable to me without a companion vehicle for
any problems. However, it would make an excellent quest for Ken Cooke and his Rubicon Jeep Club and the Squarecircle’s new Land Rover who will always
jump at the chance to tackle a new off road adventure!
To find the La Turquesa Grade:
On Highway One going south, a short distance south of the boulder pile known as El Pedregoso, just past Km. 213, about 97 ½ miles from El Rosario
Pemex, a track heads east in a rock filled arroyo. GPS (NAD27 Mexico) is 29 degrees 31.143’, 114 degrees 29.986’ (elev. 2,482’). Coming north on Hwy.
1, you will go about 12 ½ miles from Laguna Chapala and turn east just past the Km. 214 marker.
A tree is near the place you leave the highway and road construction tank is just north of the arroyo road… drive east in the rock filled arroyo
eventually leaving the arroyo for a smoother ride. The drive to the peninsular divide/ top of the grade is 4.6 miles and took us 27 minutes (moving
time). At the top of the grade a concrete claim monument is there: 29 degrees 32.531’, 114 degrees 26.023’ (elev. 2,816’). Get out and have a look
down! Baja Angel and I hiked a ways down together and I continued to a point over a mile from the top at 29 degrees 32.704’, 114 degrees 25.722’
(elev. 2,379’).
After returning to my truck, Baja Angel and I pulled out our camp chairs and enjoyed beer with cheese and crackers… then it was off to Gonzaga Bay.
Too bad we weren’t sure about the shortcut down La Turquesa Canyon, as it would have cut off over 30 miles!
Photo of rocky road in arroyo 0.4 mile from Highway 1:
[Edited on 2-22-2007 by David K]
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David K
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Better road, photo taken 3.0 miles from Highway 1:
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David K
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The top of the grade on the peninsular divide, 4.6 miles from Highway 1:
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David K
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La Turquesa Canyon named for the turquoise mine... see http://vivabaja.com/wayno/page2.html
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David K
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Zoom in on where I think the turquoise mine is located:
[Edited on 2-21-2007 by David K]
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David K
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My truck at the top of the grade... note concrete monument of some mine claim, I imagine...
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David K
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The old road leading down into the canyon:
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David K
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Noticed many m/c tracks on it (DEVEAU's maybe?)...
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David K
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Really a nice view... In the area of granite boulders beyond the canyon is Highway 5 between Gonzaga Bay and Coco's Corner:
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David K
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I zoom in on Baja Angel from where I hiked down to (she hiked a good 3/4 mile with me, then I went a bit over a quarter mile more, hoping to see the
bottom half of the road):
[Edited on 2-22-2007 by David K]
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David K
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It really doesn't look that tough for a four wheeler... However, the bottom half is the unknown!
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David K
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Zoom in on the wash at the bottom of the grade... I could see m/c tracks in it:
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David K
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I begin the hike back up...
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David K
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I really like the old roads in Baja... I wonder if it was turquoise that paid for the construction here?
[Edited on 2-21-2007 by David K]
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David K
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I sure want to go back and try it out... Who wants to as well?
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David K
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One last look at the view!
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David K
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Map of the area
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Von
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Thats really cool David.
Thanks for all the info, maybe someday we can make all the way through?
Let me know I have a 2004 4x4 F150 thats just waiting for a challege.......
READY SET.....................
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David K
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I just went back to the satellite image and could see exactly where Baja Angel and I hiked to... and it was at least halfway down... I hope this shows
up well:
Map of La Turquesa Grade...
Okay, looks great, all the photos of the grade (above) were taken between 'Top' and 'End of Hike, 1.1 mile from top'...
[Edited on 2-21-2007 by David K]
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Neal Johns
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Thanks, DK. You get the Good Dog award!
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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