BajaNomad

A warning about the road south of El Cuarenta

AKgringo - 1-4-2025 at 04:44 PM

I turned off highway 1 at San Ignacio and headed south toward San Juanico. I took the road through El Patrocino to El Cuarenta, which put me on what I believe is "the high road".

I will comment more about that part of the drive later, but the road trap that I was not expecting was on the stretch south of E.C. at about K 54 -56.

I had not seen another vehicle all day, and thought one was ahead of me raising a dust cloud. It wasn't a vehicle, but wind driven dust that hid a huge silt bed that I did not see until too late.

The graded dirt was very good up until that point. so I was driving at about 35 mph. I hit that hole at about half that speed, and the silt completely covered my windshield! Clearance is a problem with my Honda Element, so I was high centering while steering right and left trying to get on some high ground and maintain momentum.

All that driving blind with a car filling with dust was the worst road hazard I have encountered on this trip! There were several others in that same stretch that I stopped and scouted before either crowding the side, or leaving the road completely to get around them.

The rest of the drive to San Juanico was normal. I think I will check out the road through La Purisima and San Isidro to MX 1 tomorrow, starting with the dirt road jus south of S>J (approx km 17)

I don't know when I will have WIFI again, and My ATT pre-paid service does not work where it used to in many places!

David K - 1-4-2025 at 06:17 PM

Thank you very much for the report!!! Sorry you high centered the Honda. I look forward to your next report. So, there are kilometer markers on the high road now? Rancho Cuarenta is a short distance off the main road, is it not? That was a checkpoint in the early 1000 races ('67-72).

mtgoat666 - 1-5-2025 at 10:35 AM

Akgringo,
There is hidden spanish treasure at mesa el cuarenta… you should return and look for it

BooJumMan - 1-5-2025 at 11:26 AM

I think I know the silt beds you're talking about. They do come out of nowhere. They were there 2 years ago last time I took the high road. Otherwise a pretty nice road, very scenic. Saw only 1 other vehicle going down and back.

This past year I took the low road on the salt flats. Dry as a bone FYI. No summer or winter rain down there and generally a smoother drive. The route I took did go through a lot of soft sand but, not bad.

surfhat - 1-5-2025 at 01:40 PM

The moon dust silt beds north of San Juanico in my old 4wd Ford van decades ago had me giving up and turning around and has always made me wish I had a fellow traveler along in his own vehicle. If I had, I would gladly have followed him north through the moon dust silt beds.

Gawd they were the worst. That fine moon dust knew no boundaries. I ran my ac in a feeble attempt to keep the moon dust from coming inside.

If wishes were true, it would a dream. It was not at the time. I am forever in respect of those who drove north out of San Juanico.


AKgringo - 1-6-2025 at 02:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
So, there are kilometer markers on the high road now?



Not just kilometer markers, The road from El Patrocino to El Cuarenta had some 40 km speed limit signs, and a do not pass sign on a washed-out grade that was almost rock crawling.

I encountered no one on that drive, except a woman and young boy moving a waterline at a ranch house that the road passes through.

The only tire tracks that did not have animal tracks on them were mine!

4x4abc - 1-7-2025 at 12:25 PM

the road through Patrocinio is not the high road
it feeds into the high road at Rancho Cuarenta
we have to come up with a new name

AKgringo - 1-7-2025 at 04:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
the road through Patrocinio is not the high road
it feeds into the high road at Rancho Cuarenta
we have to come up with a new name


I agree with you. The first 15 miles going south were excellent dirt, but after that, there are numerous old wash outs that add to the adventure of the route. I like the various terrain changes, it is not flat and boring!

The "high road" from El Cuarenta south was also very good, until I hit the silt bomb!

[Edited on 1-8-2025 by AKgringo]