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larryC
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Rancho San Gregorio to El Aguaje 2011
I've always wanted to visit El Aguaje. It is in the San Borja area, and was a source of water for the San Juan mine when it was operational over 100
years ago. To get there requires a guide from the new rancho at San Gregorio. Rafael is the current jefe at the ranch, and he agreed to guide us out
to Aguaje. He also told us that there is now a family living there doing some farming. The hike is all on pretty flat ground and the trail is well
marked. It took us 2 hours at what I would call a pretty good clip. Rafael said he usually makes the walk in an hour or so.
The new ranch at San Gregorio is quite a nice place,
and the ranch style kitchen is impressive. Rafael can serve meals and put you up for the night in private rooms. They have internet out there.
And what appears to be a swimming pool, but is actually their pila.
Time to start our hike, like I said, its about a 2 hour trek, mostly flat but a lot of rocks to step over.
El Aguaje isn't much but the people are very freindly and trying to eke out a living in a very harsh enviornment. At least there is water there, not
much but enough to irrigate some crops.
Senora in her cocina.
[Edited on 3-21-2012 by larryC]
[Edited on 3-21-2012 by larryC]
[Edited on 3-21-2012 by larryC]
[Edited on 3-21-2012 by larryC]
[Edited on 3-21-2012 by larryC]
[Edited on 3-21-2012 by larryC]
[Edited on 3-21-2012 by larryC]
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Oggie
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Nice report Larry, I would like to take that trip next time I am there.
A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.
Knights of Pythagoras
Funny how falling feels like flying
for a little while - Bad Blake
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willardguy
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Is the farm at el aguaje the site of the abandoned rancho that david had the before and after photos of ?
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David K
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The 'new' Rancho San Gregorio in the photos above is what Neal Johns calls Rancho Nuevo (I believe)... It was the site of some line shacks back in
2001, and we camped there. Old San Gregorio is on the Golfo Camino Real and you cannot drive to it, but walk about 1/4 to 1/2 mile from the end of the
road... which was a right fork before the line shacks (Rancho Nuevo).
Larry, from the 'new' San Gregorio... you did walk past the old one (of my photos) to continue on to El Aguaje, correct?
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larryC
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Larry, from the 'new' San Gregorio... you did walk past the old one (of my photos) to continue on to El Aguaje, correct?
David
No, actually as you face the new ranch the old ranch is to the right about .5 mile. To go to El Aguaje you go to the left from the new ranch, up an
arroyo for 2 hours.
I'm sure you you have met Patricio in Bahia, he used to run the gas station in Bahia for the Diaz family. He was born and raised at the old rancho San
Gregorio. He is a wealth of info for that area. Rafael tells me there are some pretty nice cave paintings up above the old ranch about a 3 hour hike.
Someday I would like to see those.
Larry
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willardguy
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so that could be patricio or his family in davids photo from the early 50's?
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larryC
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David
All those edits are me trying to rotate those 2 photos that are sideways. So much for having mastered the photo upload.
Larry
willard
Might be Patricio, and it might not.
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David K
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Larry, you can edit out the edit tags at the bottom of the photo posts (so that only one remains when you do that edit).
I wonder if your El Aguaje is the same as the one that is on the Golfo Camino Real east from the old San Gregorio?
Look at Neal Johns' photos of that one from 10 years ago and see if you can tell by the terrrain if it is: http://vivabaja.com/neal
I will try and do a flyover on Google Earth... Last I checked it was in a area not yet with high enough resolution to see the old ranch.
Here's a couple from Neal Johns at El Aguaje:
[Edited on 3-21-2012 by David K]
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David K
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Yah, I guess old San Gregorio is on box canyon and the route to El Aguaje is how you found it (to the left of Nuevo Gregorio)... Google still isn't in
high resolution in that area, but I can make out the places we are talking about.
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David K
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OK... From high to low over San Gregorio, then close up at El Aguaje... On the highest image you can see San Borja and the San Juan Mine.
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TMW
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This is good stuff. Thanks
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Cypress
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
This is good stuff. Thanks |
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larryC
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David
Definitely the same Aguaje as in Neal Johns fotos. Not much there then, and not much more now.
The biggest deal for me was the improvments at the new ranch. Rafael is very helpful, speaks really good english, and can arrange trips into the local
hills. I am going to ask him about a San Juan mine trip and how much it would cost per person for a 3 or 4 day trip. If there is any interest here
I'll publish the prices.
Larry
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by larryC
David
Definitely the same Aguaje as in Neal Johns fotos. Not much there then, and not much more now.
The biggest deal for me was the improvments at the new ranch. Rafael is very helpful, speaks really good english, and can arrange trips into the local
hills. I am going to ask him about a San Juan mine trip and how much it would cost per person for a 3 or 4 day trip. If there is any interest here
I'll publish the prices.
Larry |
Great...
and just FYI... this piece of mine machinery was brought by truck to Jose's house at San Borja from the San Juan Mine, for Jose's growing museum...
and that was when I asked Jose if a truck could still drive up there (2009)... I can't picture a mule bringing something that weighs a ton or more, so
I believed Jose... So I wonder about the road condition, naturally??
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Santiago
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| Quote: | Originally posted by larryC
David
Definitely the same Aguaje as in Neal Johns fotos. Not much there then, and not much more now.
The biggest deal for me was the improvments at the new ranch. Rafael is very helpful, speaks really good english, and can arrange trips into the local
hills. I am going to ask him about a San Juan mine trip and how much it would cost per person for a 3 or 4 day trip. If there is any interest here
I'll publish the prices.
Larry |
I'm in for two.
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Neal Johns
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larryC,
Great to see news of the area. While my current wife Marian and I rode mules from
the New San Gregorio (I was told it was called Rancho Nuevo) to Santa Aguaje, I was so sore from the ride I would suggest anyone just hike it. If you
use Google Earth, you really do not need a guide, but they sure need the small amount of money charged and if you speak a little Spanish, you can
learn a lot about the area.
Neal
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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Mexitron
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| Quote: | Originally posted by TW
This is good stuff. Thanks |
Awesome.
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dtbushpilot
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Santiago
| Quote: | Originally posted by larryC
David
Definitely the same Aguaje as in Neal Johns fotos. Not much there then, and not much more now.
The biggest deal for me was the improvments at the new ranch. Rafael is very helpful, speaks really good english, and can arrange trips into the local
hills. I am going to ask him about a San Juan mine trip and how much it would cost per person for a 3 or 4 day trip. If there is any interest here
I'll publish the prices.
Larry |
I'm in for two. |
Me too.....dt
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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larryC
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I'll send Rafael an e-mail and ask what he might be able to put together and how many people he can handle.
Larry
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Oggie
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| Quote: | Originally posted by larryC
I'll send Rafael an e-mail and ask what he might be able to put together and how many people he can handle.
Larry |
I would be in for one.
A man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child.
Knights of Pythagoras
Funny how falling feels like flying
for a little while - Bad Blake
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