BajaNomad

Hiking Ca??n de Guadalupe to Laguna Hanson.

Braulio - 6-9-2005 at 10:40 AM

Does anyone have any experience in hiking this route.

I'd specifically be interested in the practicality of doing it on a mountain bike. From what understand I'd have to carry the bike through certain parts.

Thanks.

Dave - 6-9-2005 at 09:24 PM

Not practical nor possible. The canyon route entails much climbing...specifically bouldering.

There is an indian trail around the south side of the canyon but even this route is not possible with a bike.

Now, going down it just might work.;D

Neal Johns - 6-9-2005 at 09:36 PM

The "indian trail" that starts south and then turns west over the mountain was used for cattle drives so would probably be OK for a downhill run, however I have only hiked the bottom mile or two of it.

It starts on the south side of Canyon Guadalupe a couple of hundred yards below where the road splits (south side/north side camps). After going about a mile south down the middle of a valley, it goes right, west, up, up, up the right side of a canyon. I know not exactly where it comes out at the top. Anybody???

wilderone - 6-10-2005 at 08:45 AM

This travel company, in Ensenada, leads trips from Laguna Hansen to Guadalupe. He does private trips too. In any event, he would know the route.
Francisco Detrell - Owner
Centro Artesenal
Blvd. Costero #1094, Local 14
Ensenada, B.C. Mexico
Tel/Fax: 52 (61) 78-3704
ecoturbc@ens.com.mx

Braulio - 6-10-2005 at 01:11 PM

Thanks to all who responded. I've met several people who have biked on roadbikes from Mexicali to Ensenada - they all took the highway up through the Rumorosa and then down through Laguna Hanson.

If there were a way to do it on a mountain bike without all that freeway riding it might be a neat ride. I ride out to El Progresso frequently - it's pretty safe that far.

David K gave directions to a route that scales the mountain south of Guadalupe Canyon - I guess that would be another possibility.

Thanks again to all.

Looking at the topo;

neilmac - 6-10-2005 at 02:04 PM

It looks like about 10 miles, crow flyin'; but it also looks like you gain about 3000' in the first 4 or 5...

Jeez, if the wind was right, you could hang glide down!

Neil

David K - 6-10-2005 at 05:48 PM

Yah... it's on the trip reports forum (I think)... Also, jide can tell you about hiking Tajo Canyon (just north of Guadalupe Canyon) from top to bottom! See his photos: http://vivabaja.com/jide

Some more Guadalupe stuff here

John M - 6-11-2005 at 11:58 AM

I?ve done an internet search and came up with the following teases from some sort of hiking web site:

This canyon starts in the upper potion of the Sierra de Juarez, although in this trip I did not have time to go through the whole canyon, it would be very interesting to explore the area and descend this great place, once done it would make a great weekend trip for all members.

Location the canyon starts in the North eastern side of the Sierra de Juarez in the heart of the Constitucion national park in northern Baja. The drive from Los Angeles is somewhere between 2.5 to 3 hrs to the border and then 1 to 1.5 to the trailhead, LA to San Diego - 8 Fwy to El Centro, cross to Mexicali and take the Mexican Hwy 2 towards Ca?on de Gualalupe exit sign, get on the dirt road and drive south aprox 26 to 27 miles to the deviation towards the canyon. There is a sign you can?t miss, follow that dirt road ( this one is quite rough, high ground clearance vehicle recommended) towards the campground at the base of the mountain, there are two camps there with websites you can check ( info at the end of the essay), they are nice, clean, comfortable and inexpensive, on top of it all, they have hot tubs near the camping sites where you can relax after a canyoneering day. Set up camp and initiate the hike towards the waterfalls (very well marked trail).

There are seven waterfalls with drops ranging from 3 to 40 ft for what I hiked, I only hiked to the first three and it took me about 2 hrs up(one down), much boulder jumping but good ascent after all, the other waterfalls are, according to the camp owner, about 4 hr hike.

I busted my knee and did not do any other activity but hot tubbing for the rest of the weekend but it sure has lots of potential, there are no fixed anchors of any kind should you do this canyon, the flat sections of the canyon are densely covered with vegetation. If you are into rock climbing there are two open routes in the first waterfall and those are bolted, I do not know the rate on those but the one we climbed was 5.9 or maybe 5.10-.

My idea once I get back down there is to take two cars and drive all the way up to Laguna Hansen and, from there, to hike up to the base of the canyon and to descend from the very top all the way to the campground, there, shuttle a second car and pick up the first vehicle.

This is some info with some pictures for the curious mind

www.guadalupe-canyon.com
www.guadalupecanyonoasis.com
www.exploringbaja.com

I have been to the Canyon Guadalupe oasis a number of times over the years and hiked up the dominant peak above - "Guadalupe Peak" or "Pico Risco". The peak is on the Sierra Club Desert Peaks Section (DPS) list, so it has been climbed many times. Last time, Nov. 2004 we went up a trail from the campsites - about 20 of us - and did the peak in a fairly easy day. A few of us came down the the tributary of Canon Guadalupe which runs SW, near the peak. Not technical to do that - class 3 at the most. It looks like it would be interesting to do the main Guadalupe canyon all the way up or down. It is a VERY long way to consider shuttling cars between top and bottom.

The only topo I have seen of there is from the Mexican series (not real accurate) : Arroyo del Sauz 111D84. It is reproduced in the DPS Guide.

Picacho del Diablo (to the South) has another interesting canyon (in addition to C. Diablo); C. Providencia which which we went up from the desert, one year, to the summit of Diablo. We took a branch canyon, and on the way up, could see the Seven Falls of the main C. Providencia that are talked about (in Robinson's book I believe) as a challenging way of ascending the peak. We came back down the 11 mile long Canyon del Diablo. I would like to do the peak some time up or down the Seven Falls of Providencia.

Diablo is the highest point in Baja California and is considered a classic mountain to do. I have seen people from various U.S and Mexican states there during my varied ascents of the peak. It is remote and wild and involves many thousands of feet ascent and descent to attain its summit.

then this:

http://www.mexonline.com/baja/ecotur3.htm

Laguna Hanson - Guadalupe Canyon - Laguna Hanson
Backpack down the easy trail to Guadalupe Canyon Hot Springs, then hike back through the canyon up to Laguna de Hanson lake in the middle of Baja's high mountain pine and fir forests (only for experienced backpackers).
Price per person: $150 USD

tried it

jide - 6-11-2005 at 07:39 PM

Braulio,

I've tried getting into the canyon once from the top, a couple years ago. It took my friend and I a lot of efforts just to end up above an impassable 2000 feet cliff(climbing equipment required to rappel down) we could see palms and water down below but couldn't get to it....
Anyways, if you're ready to pay big bucks to rancho san luis(the old guy who runs it is very unwelcoming unless you show some green), they'll be willing to guide you down his private trail by horses.
If you want to hike it, try the ranch next door, the owner(Hernan), is a lot more friendly, and you can hike the down the wash behind his cabin, around waypoint N32"07.431W115"50.896, hike above the north canyon wall to find your way down. It tooks us about 2 days of exploring to figure out how to get down, but we were running out of time and had to get back up to the ranch. I'd like to try it again soon.
Whatever you do, let us know....

Dave - 6-11-2005 at 08:02 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jide
I've tried getting into the canyon once from the top, a couple years ago. It took my friend and I a lot of efforts just to end up above an impassable 2000 feet cliff(climbing equipment required to rappel down) we could see palms and water down below but couldn't get to it....


Is this cliff above the northern or southern fork. And by the ranch next door do you mean to the north or south of San Luis?

I know there is a cliff like what you described at the top of Tajo. Could you describe how you circumvented this and made your way down. Tajo is next on my list.:biggrin:

jide - 6-11-2005 at 11:33 PM

Dave,
Are you talking about guadalupe or tajo?
Rancho San Luis is above Guadalupe.
If you're referring to Tajo, the trail down is praticable, I took it a couple years ago, check my pix: www.vivabaja/jide
Nevertheless, I drove the east side (desert road) this spring, and "no trespassing" signs have been posted recently at the road entrance for the canyon. I also heard of climbers getting threatened recently near the south fork, by trono blanco, kind of "locals only" attitude you find in surfing......
If you need more info, please send me U2U....

David K - 6-13-2005 at 12:26 AM

That's http://www.vivabaja.com/jide

Dave - 6-13-2005 at 01:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by jide

Anyways, if you're ready to pay big bucks to rancho san luis(the old guy who runs it is very unwelcoming unless you show some green), they'll be willing to guide you down his private trail by horses.


I'd be interested to find out the legalities of right of passage on private lands that are included in Mexico's national parks.

tajo - 9-13-2005 at 05:53 PM

This is my first message - I am a newcomer to the Baja Nomad Forum, but not to the Baja itself . Sorry about my English and my Spanish - which are not my native languages.
I am a climber who likes solitude , and after Joshua Tree has been promoted to the National Park I stopped to visit it , and prefer Sierra de Juarez and San Pedro Martir. As Baja nomads probably know the climbers in that area do not propagate info about climbing routes , because they like solitude as well. Also perspective of groups of mountain bikers going down from Rancho San Luis to the Guadalupe Canyon is not very amusing.
But... ... sometimes the crowd of tourists is beneficial for the nature. For instance I know the mountains in Europe, where wild animals are met in large numbers only close to the trails - because of illegal poaching. This is a case of the Tajo Canyon - and situation described by Jide is VERY symptomatic:
Quote:
Originally posted by jide
If you're referring to Tajo, the trail down is practicable, I took it a couple years ago, check my pix: www.vivabaja/jide
Nevertheless, I drove the east side (desert road) this spring, and "no trespassing" signs have been posted recently at the road entrance for the canyon. I also heard of climbers getting threatened recently near the south fork, by trono blanco, kind of "locals only" attitude you find in surfing......
....


In fact all canyons above La Laguna Salada are in danger. In this situation I changed my mind and I decided to propagate the idea of tourist trails ( even mountain bike trails for Braulio ) through all major canyons , connecting Parque Constituci?n with the Laguna Salada. At the beginning I propose to find the easiest routes , and publish description with the GPS data - later we may convince our Mexican friends to build real trails.
I propose at the beginning the following routes:

1. Indian Trail - from the Guadalupe Hot Springs to the Rancho San Luis, through the saddle , which is S from the Madonna di Guadalupe Rock. You are right that it is necessary to find a by-pass of Rancho San Luis itself - where the owner is sometimes very unfriendly. There is no running water on this trail.

2, The Guadalupe canyon trail - I know this trail up to the highest ( 4th ) waterfall , and the next step , with a gigantic stone knocked in a chimney. The canyon above the step looks nice , and it probably forks into two ( or more ) branches - the left one goes to the wash , which is N to the Rancho San Luis ( is it a wash with a shack of Senor Hernan ?? ). I know only the upper part of the wash - there is a passage to the right ( N) fork of the Guadalupe Canyon . The upper part has a nice fores of jeffrey pines. Once I tried to get down along this canyon and found it terribly overgrazed by cattle. Corrals belong rather to Rancho Pantalones or Rancho Sansualito , because all paths lead in the direction of the Pantalones Rock. I think that one trail should join Guadalupe Canyon with the Indian Trail - behind "Pico Risco", because it would be a nice " Guadalupe loop " around "Pico Risco". It took me 20 hours to do the loop - but a better trail would take less time - perhaps 10 hours only.
Another variant of Guadalupe Canyon could finish at Hernan's rancho - or perhaps at Pantalones.

3. Carrizos trail - here I have the GPS data from the lower gate at Laguna Salada - to the main Palm Oasis, and from Rancho Pantalones - Sansualito 1558 m (N32"08.895W115"51.987 ) to the peak 1687 m ( N32"11.825W115"52.152 ) , where is a horse path in a long, flat valley. This valley is very beautiful , similar with El Topo - El Trono Blanco surroundings. The view from the peak 1687 m is very spectacular - though El Trono Blanco is invisible , but there are beautiful cliffs falling down from neighbor peaks to the "burnt" canyon, which may be reached from the saddle on the W side of the peak . Between the peak 1558 m and La Laguna Salada there is Canyon Carrizos , with its three forks - each one has a palm oasis. Hot springs are in the S fork, but the easiest slope is between the peak 1687 m and the N fork - but I do not exclude good possibilities from the middle fork. All three forks, and palm oases meet at 459 m ( N32"11.959W115"49.078 ) . From there I reached a small peak 1205 m above the S-fork ( N32"12.283W115"50.522 ), but I need still to find a passage between 1205 m and 1687 m - it may be this fall, anybody would like to join ?

4. The "burnt canyon" - on the aerospace images it is visible as the biggest green palm oasis above Laguna Salada , but at present from the upper peaks it seems like burnt . There is a running water in this canyon. On the INEGI topo map it is called "Canon El Tajo" , which is a mistake. The trail can join Carrizos trail near the peak 1687 m or in the same fork more E.

5. El Tajo Trail South Fork , it follows the same way as the N-fork - up to the East face of El Trono Blanco. From that there is a possibility to reach a high forested hill ( higher than El Trono Blanco ) which culminates above the S-fork, and to find a path to the road Rumorosa _ Laguna Hanson , near El Topo Ranch. Another possibility would be to climb any pass between peaks which are to the S from El Trono Blanco. Behind the peaks ( to the W ) there is a valley, which starts at the Tajo campground , but the final part of this valley goes underground - to a deep canyon - which may allow to reach the S-fork of El Tajo canyon - but I have no info about that. There is some running water in the S-fork - up to the wash , S of the Forest Hill..

6. El Tajo Trail - the N-fork , it goes to a col between El Trono Blanco to the S and La Milla to the N. It is well known, and not very difficult. First water is quite far from the Laguna Salada. Last water is at the junction of N-fork and S-fork.

7. Canada Cantu de las Palmas trail - I'm not sure if there is running water all the year, and have seen this canyon only from the Devils Tooth.

Perhaps enough for the beginning. Tajo.

David K - 9-13-2005 at 06:24 PM

Welcome to Baja Nomad Tajo! Be warned of the anti-GPS meanies here, but the majority appreciate the travel details.

Baja's remoteness and being in Mexico will always limit the numbers of new people to its remote areas... specially hiking areas.

Jide moved here (San Diego) from France... you are European as well?

Viva Baja!

Dave - 9-14-2005 at 06:37 PM

Great report, Tajo!

Now, could I pay you a little something to remove it? ;D

jide - 9-15-2005 at 08:59 PM

All these canyons should be protected as a national park.

[Edited on 9-30-2005 by jide]