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Pappy Jon
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Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
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Baja Adventure: Part Three, Mission Santa Maria
Baja Adventure: March 2007
Part Three, Mission Santa Maria
From Los Corrales I head north to Bahia de Los Angeles (BOLA). This was a relaxed day as I didn't have far to go. On the way up I check out Bahia las
Animas. It was nice and I later found out I didn't drive up the road far enough to some good camping past the fish camp. I arrive at BOLA around 3:00
PST and bought sodas and tortillas. The Pemex was closed and I hoped they were not out of fuel. This was a concern as I was going to need gas to make
the drive to Mission Santa Maria then to Gonzaga Bay, my next chance for gas. I camp next to Red Mountain just outside of town and have the spot to
myself. Happy birthday Bushrat! I kick back with a cerveza and enjoy the sunset. I plug in the headset to my phone and play Brooks & Dunn.
Oh when love dies
You can't bury those memories
Oh when love dies
It disappears but it never leaves
When love dies it don't rest in peace
Ya, what he said.
The next morning I'm up and head into town for fuel, then the drive to Mission Santa Maria. One the way I pass a nice FZJ80 Land Cruiser and we get to
talking. I find out it's Chris, aka CPG at IH8MUD.com. He heard the Pemex was out of fuel, or out of electricity to pump, and there was a guy that
will be selling fuel from drums at 7am. We head that way and sure enough, he is pumping from the back of his truck. I dump the 20L I have on the rear
bumper into the truck and get the can refilled, $160MXN. In theory this should be enough. I part, with Chris and his friend going south, and me going
north.
I get to Santa Ynez (Santa Ines in the Baja Almanac) and decide to check if there is gas in Catavina. As hoped there is a women there siphoning gas
from 5 gallon cans. Again I dump the gas from the bumper into the truck and have her fill up my NATO can, $155MXN. I now have enough fuel to hit San
Felipe if I have to. Life is good. I go back to Santa Ynez and stop at the restaurant. There are three Canadians there enjoying a cerveza who HIKED to
the mission and proudly show off their blisters. I get directions to the road and talk with Ralph about the road. Ralph lives in the canyon, and is a
Toyota guy too with a Gen3 mini-truck, modified for Baja. He is concerned about me going in solo. It's only 14 miles, well within my comfort zone so
I'm not concerned. Regardless, I tell him if he doesn't hear from me by noon Tuesday to come looking. I plan to come out on Monday so Tuesday gave me
a day grace.
I start down the road which is slow, but nothing exciting. After maybe 10 miles the road starts to descend into a valley and gets rough. Going down
was not a problem, though I do hit a few rocks. The road into the Mission is somewhat infamous. Some folks consider the road to Mission Santa Maria to
be the worst road in Baja. Personally, I didn't find it at all difficult coming in. It was slow driving, but more annoying than difficult. I would
learn later that coming out was going to be a challenge.
I get to the Mission about 2:00PST, it's 99*F and 7% humid. I guzzle H2O, set up shade, and park my hide in the chair. It's too hot to explore around
so I wait until it cools off. My Engel fridge is working over time to stay at 39*F. The Mission is set in a palm oasis with Mexican blue palms and
Mexican fan palms, though the Mexican fan palms look half way between Mex fan palm and California fan palm. The trunks do flare at the bottom, and
they appear, for the most part, to be self-shedding, but the trunks are thicker than expected. There is a stream that runs along side the Mission and
a large group of palms just down stream. Ralph said there are pools below the Mission. I will explore them in the morning.
Mision Santa Maria de los Angeles was founded in 1767 by the Jesuits. It was abandoned in 1818. There is a picture taken in 1905 that shows the end
walls still standing along with one side wall, and a second building standing with all four walls. Now about the only thing left are the eroded end
walls, a pile of mud from the side walls, and really nothing left of the second building. It won't be long before nothing is left of this historic
mission. There are some rock corral walls near by.
The wind picked up in the afternoon and my sunshade was having a time staying up. I hoped it would die down after sunset, but this would not be the
case. Finally after sunset I collapse the sunshade and climb into the tent, only to have the wind pick up and start dumping sand on top of me. I take
the tent down, empty out the truck and climb in. Finally, the wind does die down.
I get up at first light and the wind is very calm, though it didn't stay that way. The sun shines here late because of the mountains to the east and
sets early because of mountain to the west. I decide to hike down to the oasis below the Mission and look for the pools for future reference. I find
several worth dipping in and decide to come back after it warms up. At 10am PST it's 94*F and 9% humid and I decide it's time. I load up lunch, agua,
camera, GPS, and a towel and hike to the big pool for a [skinny]dip. This pool was deep, bottomless, big, cool, clear but slightly green from the
algae, and smells slightly of soda. It's feels good. I soak for awhile then crawl out onto one of the flat rocks on the edge to air dry and
contemplate how, at this moment, at least right now, life is good. Yep.
I gather my stuff and decide to explore further. I want to see where the water is coming from. The spring. I thought this was a small side canyon, but
this was a major addition. This canyon runs to the north and opens up from the junction at the pools. Palms, both blue and Mex fan, continue up the
canyon, though are widely spaced. The water flowed all the way up. I hike up a mile from the pools and decide to turn around. This canyon will have to
wait for another day as it's longer than I thought.
I stop again at the bottomless pool for a cool-down dip before hiking back to the Mission. Back at camp it's 102*F and 93% dry. As I'm writing I
notice small blisters on my thighs. I seem to remember climbing up through a spurge (Euphorbia tomentulosa) on the way out, but didn't think it caused
reactions. Guess it does. The blisters were thin, and weren't spreading or recurring after they broke. File this knowledge away.
Silence is broken by the noise of engines. Sounded like motorcycles, but turn out to be four couples on side-by-side 4x4 ATV's. Looked like a nice way
to explore. They stop and chat, and some wander down to the pools for a dip. They are at the Mission maybe an hour, then decide they need to get out
before sunset.
That night the wind howled again and I retreat to the truck for a second time. This time, it doesn't calm down and blows all night. I was hoping to
run down to the pools in the morning with the camera and take some nice pics, but that didn't happen. The wind was too strong for a tripoded camera.
Guess I'll need to come back.
That next morning I get up to tackle the road out. As expected it was a challenge. There were maybe three or four steep rocky climbs. The 4Runner is
built for this stuff, but it was still not easy. Between the super low gears and the rear differential locker I was able to get out without too much
effort. There was one climb where I didn't think the locker was needed and didn't turn on the compressor. WRONG. I start up the climb, get almost to
the top, and the tires break loose and I start to bounce sideways. The truck stalls and I sit there awhile just to think. I turn on the compressor and
the locker, left foot on the brake, right foot on the gas, and turn the key to let the starter crawl me forward and fire the engine. For the next
climbs I had the compressor running just in case.
Mission Santa Maria to Santa Ynez:
Moving time = 2:23 hours; moving average = 6.0 mph; odo = 14.2 miles.
Pics at: http://ratstew.home.comcast.net/santamaria.pdf (5.1mb)
Google Earth track: http://ratstew.home.comcast.net/bajamarch07.kml
[Edited on 3-25-2007 by Pappy Jon]
"The association of flowers and warm-blooded love is more than a romantic convention; it is based upon one of the great advances in the evolution
of life." Ed Abbey
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
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Thanks for the report.
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cpg
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Location: Livermore, Ca.
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Excellent report!! Thank you for sharing. How can I open your track to los coralles? I wanted to compare. Here is a picture of the tractor is it the
same one you saw ?
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Pappy Jon
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Yep, that's the same one.
You need Google Earth to view the KML. It's a free download, but does take awhile to load. It also requires broadband.
Just right click on the file name and save it. Then open from your computer. You can click off the other tracks to view just Los Corrales. I have the
Los Corrales track named by itself.
Here is a jpg from Google Earth of the Los Corrales route.
[Edited on 3-25-2007 by Pappy Jon]
"The association of flowers and warm-blooded love is more than a romantic convention; it is based upon one of the great advances in the evolution
of life." Ed Abbey
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John M
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Location: California High Desert
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nicely done
Well-written report - you have a easy to read style. Good photos.
Thanks, John M
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DianaT
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Registered: 12-17-2004
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Don't know which one of your reports to which we should respond and they are all quite wonderful, as are the attached slideshows.
Thank you so much for sharing a great trip. We see some places to which we must travel. 
Well done!
Diane
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cpg
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pappy Jon
Yep, that's the same one.
You need Google Earth to view the KML. It's a free download, but does take awhile to load. It also requires broadband.
Just right click on the file name and save it. Then open from your computer. You can click off the other tracks to view just Los Corrales. I have the
Los Corrales track named by itself.
Here is a jpg from Google Earth of the Los Corrales route.
[Edited on 3-25-2007 by Pappy Jon] |
The more direct looking wash used to be the route. That is the same way
my wife and I went in last year. Dis you see some sort of meat hanger on your right on the way in? We sucked a lot of gas n the deep sand washes. I
hase my track saved just cant remember how to get it in google earth.
[Edited on 3-25-2007 by cpg]
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Pappy Jon
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Pic looks familiar
I didn't see a way down that wash, but then I was following the route most traveled. I would like to go back, but not unless somebody else is along. I
looked at Google Earth at the road that goes south from the fork at the beach. It goes a long, long way. You can see some rather large correls on the
aerial images.
You need Google Earth plus to upload GPS tracks. It costs something like $20.
[Edited on 3-25-2007 by Pappy Jon]
"The association of flowers and warm-blooded love is more than a romantic convention; it is based upon one of the great advances in the evolution
of life." Ed Abbey
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
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thanks for all your reports they are great Pappy John, you did put alot of miles,thats the only way to see all the things Baja has to offer.I got only
on question,was somebody with you.
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Pappy Jon
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Posts: 494
Registered: 8-27-2003
Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
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No, I was solo.
"The association of flowers and warm-blooded love is more than a romantic convention; it is based upon one of the great advances in the evolution
of life." Ed Abbey
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Barry A.
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Pappy Jon------It looks to me that where you camped (south of El Barril) about what the Baja Atlas calls "El Arenal" just north of "Estero La
Palmita". We camped about 2 miles south of there on the beach at an old abandoned Fish Camp just south of the mini-point that shows up on your aerial
photo, (but does not show up on the Atlas map), and that was in April of 1999. At that time the Rancho San Miguel was a well maintained thriving
enterprise, cattle being their mainstay. We thought that the "old Church" that you photographed was part of a very extensive Ejido operation that
failed. It was totally abandoned when we were there in '99. There were extensive cement irrigation ditches, some of which show up in your photos.
Our access to Rancho San Miguel was down the almost straight drainage that shows up in your aerial photo, and at that time it was a pretty good road.
It apparently washed out completely subsequently. And now they have bull dozed a new road in avoiding that drainage, which is the way you got in.
That is a shame, as the drainage was beautiful, full of Palo Blanco trees, old well-made stone corrals, and other old but substantial improvements.
As stated, we attempted to get to "Los Corrales" on that trip but got into very soft, deep sand about 2 or 3 miles SE of Rancho San Miguel. I was in
an F-250 4x4 with a cabover Callen Camper. My buddy vehicle was an Isuzu Trooper, and there is no way he could have pulled me out if I got stuck, so
we gave up, returned to Rancho San Miguel, and from there went NE to the beach past the "old Church". We could not get across Estero La Palmita as it
was a muddy bog at the time. We could not find a way around the bog. Obviously you did, and were able to get up to "El Arenal". The vaqueros at
Rancho San Miguel did not think that we could get to "Los Corrales", so that was pretty discouraging. With a lighter vehicle I am betting that we
could, tho.
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cpg
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Location: Livermore, Ca.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pappy Jon
Pic looks familiar
I didn't see a way down that wash, but then I was following the route most traveled. I would like to go back, but not unless somebody else is along. I
looked at Google Earth at the road that goes south from the fork at the beach. It goes a long, long way. You can see some rather large correls on the
aerial images.
[Edited on 3-25-2007 by Pappy Jon] |
Hey Pappy,
Next time you head down maybe we can plan to go together and do some exploring. I was down that road last April with my wife and nobody else we had a
blast. Just have to be very careful when you are a solo truck out that far from Cruiser Dan!
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David K
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Jon, so there was no repairs to the eroded doorway at the mission per INAH's report?
Glad you had such a great Baja adventure... Mision Santa Maria is some of the best of Baja!
Thanks so much!!!
[Edited on 3-26-2007 by David K]
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OMAR.V
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Registered: 11-4-2005
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Pappy Jon
It's been a while since I've entered the forums and let me tell you, this report has made me enter every day of this week just to read it again.
Your pictures are the best I've seen from Mission Santa Maria. Your reports are great.
This is my favorite place in Baja and I've been there 3 times. BUT, have never seen the pool in this first post, in which direction you walk if
you start at the mission? Is that near the swamp that you have to drive through?
I've been at a very large pool called "La poza de la escuadra" but you need a rope to climb back if you jump in.
Thanks for your report
[Edited on 4-14-2007 by OMAR.V]
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Skipjack Joe
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Wonderful slide show pappy!
I encourage others to click on the ratstew hyperlink and see.
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BajaSedoso
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Hello Pappy Jon,
what a great trip report and a wonderful slide show. I have been to Catavina many times and Santa Maria is one of the places I would really like to
go. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
You mentioned that you talked to Ralph. I was wondering how he and Patti were doing? I saw them last in spring of 2006 and it seemed that Patti had
some health issues that forced them to go back to the states a couple of times for medical care. I hope they had a better season this year.
Sedoso
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cpg
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Hi Pappy,
If you are around can you re post your track to Los Corrales.
Thank you
CPG
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Pappy Jon
Nomad
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Location: Wrong side of the Continental divide.
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| Quote: | Originally posted by cpg
Hi Pappy,
If you are around can you re post your track to Los Corrales.
Thank you
CPG |
Chris,
Hope these work. Cumcast has been temperamental lately. For the KML you will want to right click and save it. Hopefully it opens ok in GE.
Map JPG
Google Earth KML
"The association of flowers and warm-blooded love is more than a romantic convention; it is based upon one of the great advances in the evolution
of life." Ed Abbey
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cpg
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Location: Livermore, Ca.
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Thank you Pappy.
Do you also have a .gpx file?
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David K
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Two months after Pappy Jon's trip, we went in: http://community-2.webtv.net/vivabaja/msm also here on Nomad'd Baja Trip Reports forum
It is a great place... and the big horn sheep were a great added thrill!
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