BajaNomad

Cartels

desertcpl - 6-27-2025 at 02:09 PM


just wondering, its been years since we been to Baja

is San Felipe still having problems?

we are thinking of going

any input

chippy - 6-27-2025 at 02:54 PM

I was there last month and nothing seemed unusual. My brother has a place in the south campos and was there last week, he didn't mention any problems.

SFandH - 6-27-2025 at 03:41 PM

More bad guys and people of all types are roaming around the peninsula. Stay somewhere safe at night. For us, the days of camping alone, anywhere on the peninsula, are over.

latitude32 - 6-27-2025 at 03:51 PM

I would agree with SFandH.

I'm surprised I thought you guys had bought a place? still interested, there's a nugget at Papa's

AKgringo - 6-27-2025 at 04:43 PM

I did a "drive-about" in April of 24 exploring areas north and south of San Felipe with no "red flag" events. I did another one late December into mid-January of this year in mid-Baja.

I am aware that there are new risks in boondocking alone with my dog, but I feel that they are acceptable risks. The driving is probably likely to be the larger risk, but that seems to be getting better over time.

Having said that, there are places I camp that I would not take family or friends to.

Lee - 6-28-2025 at 09:04 AM

State dept. advisory:

''The U.S. Department of State advises travelers to "exercise increased caution" in Baja California Sur, where San Felipe is located, due to crime. This means visitors should be aware of their surroundings and take precautions to stay safe, particularly in non-tourist areas. While San Felipe is generally considered safe for tourists, there have been incidents of violence related to local fishing disputes and potential cartel involvement. ''

Anyone reporting ''all clear'' in areas of Baja, or ''stayed in San Felipe recently and no problems,'' means in that moment, there were no problems. Doesn't mean there won't be a problem the next day, or night.

Best advice I think: be AWARE of your surroundings.

AKgringo - 6-28-2025 at 10:36 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by Lee  
State dept. advisory:

''The U.S. Department of State advises travelers to "exercise increased caution" in Baja California Sur, where San Felipe is located, due to crime.

Oh, my. Did the U.S. State Department actually publish that San Felipe is located in BCS? :wow:


Perhaps they meant to say Mexicali Sur, which would be accurate for the municipality boundary.

Also, I think that Lee stated things very well, no argument from me!

JDCanuck - 6-28-2025 at 10:53 AM

I think it's that renaming thing and they already claimed Baja as part of California North without telling anyone.

[Edited on 6-28-2025 by JDCanuck]

SFandH - 6-28-2025 at 12:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by JDCanuck  
I think it's that renaming thing and they already reclaimed Baja as part of California North without telling anyone.

So now all the TIjuanenses will be cow toeing to Sacramento? :O


You'll have to ask JZ about that.

The cow toe polka

lencho - 6-28-2025 at 12:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  
You'll have to ask JZ about that.

Cow toeing off to Sacramento!




[Edited on 7-10-2025 by lencho]

BooJumMan - 6-28-2025 at 01:04 PM

I don't like sensationalizing the travel to Baja, but ... You'll be fine. ;)

mtgoat666 - 6-28-2025 at 03:30 PM

When i drove thru san felipe this past spring, shortly after the series of shootings outs and killings, the military was all over the place and it looked like the city was occupied by an army.

bajaric - 6-28-2025 at 06:10 PM

The areas close to the border, particularly Tijuana, have had issues with violent cartel activity for decades, on and off. What seems to have changed, maybe, a little, is that incidents are happening in the more remote areas of Baja. And while these incidents still seem to be pretty rare, just the possibility that a tourist might get ambushed on a remote road is enough to put the nail in the coffin on tourism in remote areas.

Last week I drove the dirt road south of Rumorosa, maybe 15 miles south. Other than a bunch of Sempra Energy contractors, did not see a single other private vehicle on the road. Creepy. Sempra is putting in a bunch of big wind turbines down there, along with gigantic shiny new high tension power line towers. Quite impressive to see a section of windmill getting hauled down a dirt road. They are unloaded at the port in Ensenada and truck up into the mountains. So now the wine route is the turbine route.

Maderita - 6-28-2025 at 11:31 PM

bajaric,

The cartel turf wars have made La Rumorosa and El Hongo a dangerous place since mid-April. A mass grave or pit was found in Rumorosa a few weeks ago with 10 bodies. One was that of a woman who was abducted during daylight hours from her job at the gasolinera Pemex. Another news report said that 40 people have "disappeared" in the area.

There have been firefights in town with automatic weapons. Locals have been terrorized with "cuernos de chivo" AK-47s. They are afraid to report to the police, even when there is a "disappearance". So who knows how many have been abducted and killed? For a formerly tranquil town of 2,000 residents, this is horrific.

The Jalisco New Generation cartel is fighting with the Sinaloa cartel for control of territory. That is compounded by a split of the Sinaloa cartel into two factions, the Chapitos (sons of El Chapo Guzman) and the Mayos. As I understand it, one faction has teamed up with the Rusos of Mexicali. The other has joined up with the remnants of the Arellano Felix Tijuana cartel.

It is not surprising that you didn't see private vehicles on the Laguna Hanson road. Advisories were made in May, stating to stay away from the area. Tourism is almost nonexistent. It seems that Mexicali residents would rather suffer the summer heat than take a chance on cooler temperatures in the Sierra de Juárez .

The SEMPRA Cimarrón project is installing 64 wind turbine generators in the area that you visited. You are fortunate to have made the trip last week. A huge wildfire erupted south of El Hongo more than a week ago. As I write this, it has advanced eastward to the Laguna Hanson road. The 6 km wide front of the fire is south of Cerro La Plasta and Cerro Teta de la India. Livestock from at least one of the ranches are being moved south to El Topo tonight. El Topo is safe for now, 14 km south of the fire.

wilderone - 6-29-2025 at 08:05 AM

Are firefighters trying to control that wildfire?

Tioloco - 6-29-2025 at 09:12 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Maderita  
bajaric,

The cartel turf wars have made La Rumorosa and El Hongo a dangerous place since mid-April. A mass grave or pit was found in Rumorosa a few weeks ago with 10 bodies. One was that of a woman who was abducted during daylight hours from her job at the gasolinera Pemex. Another news report said that 40 people have "disappeared" in the area.

There have been firefights in town with automatic weapons. Locals have been terrorized with "cuernos de chivo" AK-47s. They are afraid to report to the police, even when there is a "disappearance". So who knows how many have been abducted and killed? For a formerly tranquil town of 2,000 residents, this is horrific.

The Jalisco New Generation cartel is fighting with the Sinaloa cartel for control of territory. That is compounded by a split of the Sinaloa cartel into two factions, the Chapitos (sons of El Chapo Guzman) and the Mayos. As I understand it, one faction has teamed up with the Rusos of Mexicali. The other has joined up with the remnants of the Arellano Felix Tijuana cartel.

It is not surprising that you didn't see private vehicles on the Laguna Hanson road. Advisories were made in May, stating to stay away from the area. Tourism is almost nonexistent. It seems that Mexicali residents would rather suffer the summer heat than take a chance on cooler temperatures in the Sierra de Juárez .

The SEMPRA Cimarrón project is installing 64 wind turbine generators in the area that you visited. You are fortunate to have made the trip last week. A huge wildfire erupted south of El Hongo more than a week ago. As I write this, it has advanced eastward to the Laguna Hanson road. The 6 km wide front of the fire is south of Cerro La Plasta and Cerro Teta de la India. Livestock from at least one of the ranches are being moved south to El Topo tonight. El Topo is safe for now, 14 km south of the fire.


Unfortunately you are correct about the area.
Also been abductions and attempts down near Valle de Trinidad and cant forget about the 8 guys murdered in Bay of LA a few weeks ago. Troubling times.

Maderita - 6-29-2025 at 11:18 AM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone  
Are firefighters trying to control that wildfire?

A good question, because in the 1970s there were few efforts to stop wildfires in BCN. Yes, there are hundreds of people fighting this fire. Professional firefighters, volunteers, and local citizens/ranchers. A helicopter arrived on the scene yesterday to drop water.

The fire started more than a week ago, south of El Hongo. Unconfirmed reports indicate that several fires were started by criminals to escape law enforcement officers. The fires merged and continue eastward.

Most of this land is undeveloped chaparral and pinyon forest, at or above 4,000' elevation. The most recent report says 12,000 hectares have burned (= 30,000 acres / 47 sq. miles). Last night, the fire advanced across the road between La Rumorosa and the Parque Nacional/Laguna Hanson. This is a screenshot today, June 29.




Fire map June 29-2025, 14-day burn area resize 184kb.jpg - 184kB

Maderita - 6-29-2025 at 12:17 PM

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone  
Are firefighters trying to control that wildfire?

This post today from a friend who is assisting firefighters in La Rumorosa. Screenshot w/ translation to English:



Fire resized Gerardo's post Screenshot Translate 9-29-2025.jpg - 273kB Fire resized Gerardo's post Screenshot translator 9-29-2025.jpg - 260kB

bajaric - 6-29-2025 at 12:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Maderita  
bajaric,


It is not surprising that you didn't see private vehicles on the Laguna Hanson road. Advisories were made in May, stating to stay away from the area. Tourism is almost nonexistent. It seems that Mexicali residents would rather suffer the summer heat than take a chance on cooler temperatures in the Sierra de Juárez .



Now you tell me! I was actually there the day that fire started. The road south of El Condor was blocked off so I drove to Rumorosa and went south to dig for gold. Little did I know that I was driving right into a turf war between rival factions of the Mexican cartels. I made a video of my trip to post on YouTube, but I'm going to have to edit it and tell people to avoid the area for now, don't want to get anyone into a bad situation. Will post a link to the video later today if I get it edited.

Maderita - 6-29-2025 at 02:17 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric  


Now you tell me! I was actually there the day that fire started. The road south of El Condor was blocked off so I drove to Rumorosa and went south to dig for gold. Little did I know that I was driving right into a turf war between rival factions of the Mexican cartels. I made a video of my trip to post on YouTube, but I'm going to have to edit it and tell people to avoid the area for now, don't want to get anyone into a bad situation. Will post a link to the video later today if I get it edited.


bajaric,
You missed the advance warning. A good thing, as you may have missed a fun day in the sierra. https://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=101788#pid12...

Did you go to the La Milla area?
I've been meaning to ask if you are a collector of antique mining items. If you'd like, I can get you a short length of the original water pipe that brought water to La Milla from El Topo (circa 1930s?). The pipe is of riveted construction, with a nice red-brown rust patina displaying its age.


Pipe water El Topo 1930s wide angle resized.jpg - 237kB Pipe water El Topo 1930s close up resized.jpg - 196kB

bajaric - 6-29-2025 at 05:28 PM

Hey that is really cool Maderita but I don't really collect artifacts. Not sure when La Milla was occupied as a mining camp, though the 1930's make sense. I have seen some old car parts laying around that look like that era. I had read somewhere that water was brought there from Arroyo El Topo. A lot of the historical descriptions of mining in the Sierra Juarez describe how cold, wet, and miserable it was, because winter was the only time when sufficient water was available to sluice the placers.

Anyhow, here is is a link to the YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEKYg25o4Mk

I will probably let this run for a week or two then delete it. I accidentally started the video with a disgusting dirty mattress sitting next to me ha ha.

Maderita - 6-29-2025 at 07:11 PM

bajaric,
Thanks for the Youtube video link. That is so cool. I hope others don't mind our thread drift.

Your first stop at tailings, minute 7:15, appears to be where an Australian miner operated heavy equipment for several months about 15-20 years ago before going broke broke. The placer miners of the 1930s must have done a fairly good job of washing gold there.

After 50 years of rock climbing and horseback riding in the area, it's time that I bring a gold pan to try my luck.

AKgringo - 6-29-2025 at 08:09 PM

I think your video and prospecting trip deserves a thread of its own. I am not an expert on placer mining, but my grandfather bought the property that I now own because there is gold in them hills!

My grandfather died in 1961, but I still remember what he told me when I was about 14; Quartz is the mother of gold, but iron is the father! Iron pyrite (fools gold), hematite (black sand and other iron oxides) mixed in with quartz is a good prospecting sign.

Tecate fire photos

lencho - 6-30-2025 at 03:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Maderita  
Yes, there are hundreds of people fighting this fire. Professional firefighters, volunteers, and local citizens/ranchers. A helicopter arrived on the scene yesterday to drop water.

Some photos

David K - 7-6-2025 at 07:52 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric  
Quote: Originally posted by Maderita  
bajaric,


It is not surprising that you didn't see private vehicles on the Laguna Hanson road. Advisories were made in May, stating to stay away from the area. Tourism is almost nonexistent. It seems that Mexicali residents would rather suffer the summer heat than take a chance on cooler temperatures in the Sierra de Juárez .



Now you tell me! I was actually there the day that fire started. The road south of El Condor was blocked off so I drove to Rumorosa and went south to dig for gold. Little did I know that I was driving right into a turf war between rival factions of the Mexican cartels. I made a video of my trip to post on YouTube, but I'm going to have to edit it and tell people to avoid the area for now, don't want to get anyone into a bad situation. Will post a link to the video later today if I get it edited.


I go onto YouTube every few days (I watch Felix's WAI or What About It show on Space X an other rocket launches). Your newest video was at the top of the selection of shows I have watched... Those were some giant wind turbines!