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SD.Surfer
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Posts: 2
Registered: 10-8-2021
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San Diego to Scorpion Bay
Hey Everyone,
I’m going to be making my first trip down to scorpion bay at the end of this month and just had a few questions:
Has anyone recently traveled to there? How was the road, military checkpoints, overall trip?
Is taking the 5 still the safest option? Heard about the surfers that had their trucks stolen so I’m wondering if there is still activity going on
in that area.
Thank you so much!
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9320
Registered: 10-3-2003
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What are you driving and which route into SB do you plan to take?
I'm driving down to BCS in a couple weeks and will take the 5 for sure.
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SD.Surfer
Newbie
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Quote: Originally posted by JZ  | What are you driving and which route into SB do you plan to take?
I'm driving down to BCS in a couple weeks and will take the 5 for sure.
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I have a Tundra with 4x4, plan on taking the north road in
[Edited on 10-8-2021 by SD.Surfer]
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
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| Quote: Originally posted by SD.Surfer | | Quote: Originally posted by JZ | What are you driving and which route into SB do you plan to take?
I'm driving down to BCS in a couple weeks and will take the 5 for sure.
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I have a Tundra with 4x4, plan on taking the north road in
[Edited on 10-8-2021 by SD.Surfer] |
end of july their beaches were CLOSED. check for updates before you go
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64532
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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As long as Covid is running wild, some public areas are off limits. Consider Bahía Asunción, but check with Nomad 'Shari' who runs the Inn there,
and many tourist related activities too, and whale watching tours, in season.
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8807
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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you havent been here for awhile...
covid is not running wild...
everywhere is open...
boats take tourists out everyday....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64532
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Bob, it was a follow-up on Willardguy's reply. Blanca also reports on many of the locals getting Covid, in La Bocana.
Speak out if you live in Baja Sur!
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SFandH
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Registered: 8-5-2011
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According to the BCS state gov website, the number of COVID-19 active cases in BCS is one-tenth of what it was toward the end of June. Numbers have
decreased every week since then.
Has the north road into Scorpian Bay had any rainfall lately? Might make things a bit mucked-up.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13166
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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There are cases of Covid but the general rule is that you do not go out at all if you have it.
Nothing is closed here - all is open from hotels to supermarkets to the beaches.
This is for La Bocana, I have no idea about S Bay.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17390
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by SD.Surfer | | Quote: Originally posted by JZ | What are you driving and which route into SB do you plan to take?
I'm driving down to BCS in a couple weeks and will take the 5 for sure.
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I have a Tundra with 4x4, plan on taking the north road in
[Edited on 10-8-2021 by SD.Surfer] |
You don’t need 4wd. Any suv or truck is capable.
Tak high (east) road. A bit more washboard, but avoids mudflats that get muddy after high tides or rain storms.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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Trunkrack
Junior Nomad
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Registered: 10-3-2021
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Hi SD.Surfer, a friend of mine came through Scorpion Bay on his way home from mainland mex (via ferry) in August, camping and beaches were open even
back then. High road is trouble free because you don't have to worry about tides/mud, but if you prepare right and create some basic gps tracks to
follow, the low route is much better. On the low route you get more smooth lakebeds so you can either drive a bit faster, or at least not rattle
along. I've driven the low route a handful of times, and conditions were different each time in that we had to detour a little due to high water, but
was easy to navigate on the fly with roads that skirt the wetland areas. No 4wd needed, just aired down for the sandy sections.
I guess it's fair to point out that the high road is a bit more scenic with the buttes and more vegetation, so there's that. The first time we went
to Scorpion Bay we took the high road in, and the low road back, and since then have taken only the low road. Maybe try both on your trip and see
what you like best.
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surfhat
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Posts: 497
Registered: 6-4-2012
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I first went to Scorpion Bay in the mid 70's and watched perfect 1' to 2' waves roll in the first time.
It would serve you well to know the degree angle of the predicted swell before heading out there if surf is the main intent. It is a narrow window
that can make it in there.
I always carried a short wave radio so i could track hurricanes and have an idea of where the best and largest waves could be found in BCS.
When you catch the Bay going off, it is a blast. I have been privileged to be there when it was overhead and larger. Enjoy the rock dance. haha
I recall camping on the bluff, that is all there was at the time, and watching 1' to 2' perfection roll in and knew it was time to head south to the
East Cape. A day later, I was surfing double and triple overhead waves on the same swell.
Even without surf, it is a great destination to hang. I once caught a nice size flounder from my board that barely fit in the fry pan. Hard to beat
that.
I have not been back for years, make that decades. To think there are now bathrooms and showers available is a definite plus. The new houses, not so
much. Glad I knew it when.
I would never consider the north route in without 4wd. Having sand tracks, with or without a 4wd is my sop.
You go ahead and go 2wd goat.
Somebody will come along eventually and help you out. When was the last time you drove that north road with a 2wd? Ever?
If there is one thing I have learned since my first Baja trip almost fifty years ago, it is to be cautious of where and when I go where whatever my
vehicles capability can get me out of.
Peace. love, and fish[flounder] tacos.
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surfhat
Nomad
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Thanks Trunkrack. I stand corrected. Happy trails to all.
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Trunkrack
Junior Nomad
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Surfhat, you bring up a good point, although I've never used 4wd on either route, it's been pointed out many times here that conditions change from
year to year, so you never know what you're going to find. My wife and I learned this the hard way a few years back when a route in 7 sisters we'd
driven with ease became almost completely unpassable (even with 4wd) after heavy rains. I was stupid and wanted to press on, and we barely made it
through. Looking back, it was a stupid call, but made for a good story I guess. Always good to get some intel here, or even stopping in San Ignacio
on your way down to ask any locals that may have driven through lately for latest road conditions.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64532
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Did the low (Salina) road in August 2017, as noted above, there is a choice to keep along the edge of the salt flats vs. short-cutting straight across
them. The risk of mud traps on the short cuts is high, so keep to the edge, if you use the Salina (El Dátil) route.
The high road that year was not advised as it was damaged from an earlier storm plus the sever washboard.
The following year, we learned that the high road was re-made, and fast! The now preferred route... well in 2018, anyway!
Both routes are almost exactly the same distance, only a couple miles different.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5833
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The first time I headed south on the "low road", I was following Score race course markers. At one point, some of the pre-runners took a wrong turn
across an arroyo and suddenly the most traveled road was the wrong one!
I made it through the water crossing in 4wd ok, but had a few close encounters with silt trying to find my way back to the real main road.
When I gave up and backtracked to the marginal crossing I just drove through, there was a local produce truck that got stuck doing the same thing!
I spent the next hour helping them dig, and pull with my little truck until they got back to the main road. There had been a fairly stiff onshore
wind that had drifted sand across the course, so it was hard to see.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
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Location: Kamloops, BC
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The high road has some wicked silt beds around Cuarenta.... especially just south of the ranchero that sometimes requests financial assistance....
have seen locals stuck there .... and I broke a leg in the silt when on 690 moto.... (pics available on request  )
Don't believe everything you think....
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Skipjack Joe
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The low road is paved from San Ignacio to about the "D" in Road on DK's map.
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9320
Registered: 10-3-2003
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| Quote: Originally posted by Trunkrack | Hi SD.Surfer, a friend of mine came through Scorpion Bay on his way home from mainland mex (via ferry) in August, camping and beaches were open even
back then. High road is trouble free because you don't have to worry about tides/mud, but if you prepare right and create some basic gps tracks to
follow, the low route is much better. On the low route you get more smooth lakebeds so you can either drive a bit faster, or at least not rattle
along. I've driven the low route a handful of times, and conditions were different each time in that we had to detour a little due to high water, but
was easy to navigate on the fly with roads that skirt the wetland areas. No 4wd needed, just aired down for the sandy sections.
I guess it's fair to point out that the high road is a bit more scenic with the buttes and more vegetation, so there's that. The first time we went
to Scorpion Bay we took the high road in, and the low road back, and since then have taken only the low road. Maybe try both on your trip and see
what you like best. |
Great post. Good advice.
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JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9320
Registered: 10-3-2003
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You are gonna get someone stranded with your bad advice on here.
I see very little evidence you actually travel to Baja, or at least have in the last 10-15 years.
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