David K - 10-28-2003 at 07:37 PM
Baja Almanac pages 25, 23, 22:
As in the previous section (Sam Ignacio to Santa Gertrudis), more than one trail was the Camino Real. This first description will be the route
traveled by Serra (probably) and Harry Crosby, known as the 'Paraiso route' by Howard Gulick.
The old camino is shown in the Almanac as it goes straight northwest from Santa Gertrudis to RANCHO LA UNION then just west of MESA CALMALLI VIEJO and
MESA SANTA CRUZ to RANCHO TRES PALMAS.
The trail from Tres Palmas was sandy as it follows the ARROYO SAN SEBASTION (called Arroyo Tres Palmas by Crosby), but becomes rocky as it climbs up
the sierra to RANCHO SAN SEBASTION.
The Camino Real again climbs and goes through a pass just west of San Sebastion then follows the west edge of Arroyo San Sebastion on a mesa where
Crosby reports a grand view back to Scammon's Lagoon.
Now on Almanac page 22:
EL RANCHO is reached, seen on the edge of the map. EL RODEO is the next place mentioned by Crosby and is shown in the Almanac before the (shown) trail
reaches the edge of the great canyon of ARROYO PARAISO.
The Camino Real was steep where it dropped off the mesa and required an hour of rock moving by Crosby and company to rebuild washed out portions. They
reached the bottom and traveled up the canyon to RANCHO EL PARAISO.
A quarter mile beyond Rancho El Paraiso is the grade to the top of the north side of the canyon. LAS CABRAS then COMPOSTELA are passed as this route
of the Camino Real goes north to reach MISION SAN BORJA.
The other routes are known as the 'Pacific' and the 'Gulfo Camino'...
The Pacific route stayed out of the high sierra until turning east to pass through the visita of SANTA ANA and on to San Borja.
The Gulfo Camino was partly traveled by Arthur North, around 1905. It branches from the Paraiso route near CALMALLI VIEJO, passes CERRO EL VALLE going
north-notheast to VALLE LA BOCANA. Along the way was an important tinaja (water hole) called Santa Maria. We visited Tinaja Santa Maria in 2001 and a
year and a half later: http://davidksbaja.com/1202/page2.html
From La Bocana, the Gulfo Camino travels up VALLE SAN PEDRO and crosses the mountain ridge just south of the 28?40' line on page 23. Go to page 22...
The water hole EL AGUAJE is passed (see photos of it at http://davidksbaja.com/neal/page4.html ) as is RANCHO SAN GREGORIO (see photos at http://davidksbaja.com/401/page5.html ) on the way to Mision San Borja.
TO BE CONTINUED...
[Edited on 10-29-2003 by David K]
[Edited on 11-10-2003 by David K]