David K - 11-14-2002 at 09:27 PM
Sunday afternoon going north on Highway One, I stopped in Catavina to
buy some gas from Alfonso ($3/gal for Magna). He also sells Premium. He
said in about a month, the Pemex pump in front of the hotel (across the
street) will once again be working. Alfonso was not disappointed by the
prospect of being no longer needed. He said he would go fishing and
enjoy life!
I stopped at many side roads to add GPS data and to map the relationship
of Highway One to the old main road. The Baja Almanac and Topos are all
wrong in the San Agustin to Catavina area. They just paved the old road
which is a mile or more east of the new.
Between Km.103 and 104 is a cafe on the north side of road. This is the
start of today's adventure... The road to San Juan de Dios and other
interior places, begins here.
The road first goes up the slope behind the cafe. This road has several
forks and no signs! Sonny Espinoza's tractor and some copper mines are
soon passed. The first fork is 2.5 miles from the highway, turn left.
The Sauzalito copper mine/ ghost town is another mile down the road at
N30?05.9' W115?21.8'. The road turns north and crosses the San Juan
de Dios river 1.3 miles from Sauzalito. In July of 2000 there was much
more water and a pond with ducks!
Just 0.2 mi. past the river is the next fork. Left is a rarely used
backroad to El Rosario, go right. A major fork is reached 0.5 mi. from
the river. Left goes to Los Martires and on to San Quintin on the Baja
2000 race course of two years ago. Stay right and pass through an
awesome boojum forest that rivals any in Baja! I stopped along here and
made myself a late lunch (2pm). A rancher and his son drove up in an
older Toyota 4WD truck and stopped to check on me. I told him I was
going to San Juan de Dios and that I knew Sonny Espinoza (who owns the
land). LdB and I met Sonny and his family two years ago when he was
using that tractor to build or repair roads. I asked about the road to
San Quintin over the mountains... muy malo? He said "si" but looked at
my truck (also a Toyota), and said "no problema"! Si, si... Toyota
numero uno. It was a 'special' moment!
11.6 miles from the highway (5.4 from the river) is the next fork. To
the left is a ranch, down in a valley, go right. A half mile later is an
open gate and another road left to the ranch. The road is now traveling
east and a third road comes in from that ranch at the bottom of a grade.
15.6 miles from the highway at 30?10.73'/ 115?15.55' is a cross
road. To the right goes to Cerro Blanco. Continue ahead. Now, the next
fork is a big one, and I took the wrong branch. It is 1.3 miles from the
last one, at 30?10.98'/ 115?14.27'. Right goes to San Juan de Dios,
I went left.
This would end up being an interesting mistake. I had read about El
Sauce de Carter in Peterson's Baja Adventure Book. This left fork goes
5.1 miles to the Arroyo Grande and El Sauce de Carter is in a stand of
tall trees, just to the left along the (now dry) river bed. 'Sauce' in
Spanish means willow tree.
Peterson tells of a 5 mile hike up the river bed to a beautiful gorge
with tall trees, blue palms, and huge pools. The road on the map ends
here... but a well traveled road crosses the river bed going north. I go
north! 1.3 miles from El Sauce de Carter is a major fork (30?15.45'/
115?12.98'). Both branches seem to go on forever. I take the right
branch as it is heading straight for Matomi mountain! Having been in
Matomi Canyon several times (on the other side of the mountain), this
interests me. I would love to find a short cut across Baja... would this
road take me to Puertecitos?
Nope! I arrive at a gate.... again! I am 2.8 miles from Arroyo Grande
(Sauce de Carter) and must turn around. In the Baja Almanac go to page
N-16, Z-6, this new road's gate is almost at that bend in the trail
shown going north to 'La Huertita'. Mount Matomi looms just beyond. So
near, yet so far! I turn back, get back to 'right' road and arrive at
San Juan de Dios 4.9 miles from the Sauce de Carter road. I have time to
re-examine the ruins there and the other adobe ruins that Jack Swords
found, a mile beyond, just as the sun sets.
San Juan de Dios is about 22 miles from Highway One over a mostly good
road. The waypoint for the mission visita ruins and Jack's other adobe
ruins are on my Baja Missions web page, along with dozens of other new
and historic photographs at
http://community-2.webtv.net/DrDrip/bajamissions
Or, find the link on my Baja web site, http://DavidKsBaja.com
GPS waypoints on the Missions page are set to map datum WGS84. Waypoints
in this article are set to NAD27, so you can plot these spots on the
topo maps.
The final chapter is next...
[Edited on 15-11-2002 by David K]
Damn David
Minnow - 11-14-2002 at 09:34 PM
You and bajamur are baja blood brothers. The relentless ones. HEHEHE. Great post. I just tried to send you a instant message. Is that thing working.
Nov. 2002 Article
David K - 6-20-2004 at 12:49 PM
This was a fun solo trip. Mexitron and his friends explore up this way a lot, including their climb to the top of Matomi Mountain http://community-2.webtv.net/thebaja/mexitron
bajalou - 6-20-2004 at 05:33 PM
Thanks for bringing this adventure back up for us newbies to see. I can't get enough of the details of peoples trips.
Email me all the coord's you have & I'll try plotting it on a map.
jide - 6-20-2004 at 06:32 PM
Hey, Mexitron, are you still up for exploring upper Arroyo Grande sometimes this winter?
jide - 6-20-2004 at 06:45 PM
Hey David,
thanks for making us drool with your reports!!
Mexitron - 6-20-2004 at 07:29 PM
Yes jide--by all means!! David K?
David K - 6-20-2004 at 09:01 PM
Steve, Gerald, Lou... the only thing keeping me from going to Baja is money... If I have it, I will be there! The Arroyo Grande hike sounds great. I
first read about it in the former Baja Traveler/Baja Explorer magazine. Looks exotic... and Gerald, bring MORE wine!
D.F.F. (dry food freak)
jide - 6-21-2004 at 04:25 PM
I'll bring more wine for sure, actually I found a dehydrated version for backpacking!!!!
NO nO, just kidding.....
Mexitron - 6-21-2004 at 05:40 PM
Yah, that oft dreamed of dehydrated alchohol........good news is that the hike up to the Arroyo Grande doesn't look to be too far---we can haul in
wine and a couple cases of beer too!!!
Viva Baja in Arroyo Grande?
David K - 6-21-2004 at 05:58 PM
With all that beer and wine, we could have a Viva Baja party!
For those geographically challenged, Arroyo Grande canyon is between El Rosario and Puertecitos, six miles south of Matomi peak. Closest roads at El
Sauce de Carter and San Juan de Dios. Kinda what I would call "DOWNTOWN BAJA!"
Great trip...
BajaCactus - 6-21-2004 at 06:38 PM
It seems you had a great time David..... this kind of stories is what keeps the Baja fever going... does that makes you kind of a Baja
virus....???....
Thanks for sharing them with us....
Antonio M.
Arroyo Grande
bajalou - 6-21-2004 at 07:18 PM
Just as a matter of information, there is another Arroyo Grande in northeastern Baja Calif. Canada Arroyo Grande is north of Mex 3 and extends
nortward emptying into the southernmost end of Laugna Salada. It begins in the foothills of the Sierra Juarez north of San Matis and goes
northeasterly between the Sierra Tinajas and the Sierra Pinta for a distance of about 30 km.