Hltoppr - 12-3-2003 at 11:08 AM
Howdy all!
I'm looking for some info. on the road conditions between Canyon Guadalupe and Mexico 5 to San Felipe. Specifically, the dirt road from approx. 32d
01' 30" N / 115d 36' W (Baja Almanac Pg. 6 U/3) to the turnoff on Mexico 5 to Ej. Jose Saldana.
A friend and I will be traveling within the next couple of months in a well equipped 1992 Landcruiser (Heavy suspension,BFG MTs, winch, recovery gear,
spares, sat/cell/cb, 10days food/water etc.) and have both wilderness SAR and medical experience(EMT-B)as well as good off-roading skills.
Any accurate conditions and/or GPS points will be greatly appreciated! (I'll assume WGS84 datum unless posted differently.)
Thanks!
Andy
David K - 12-3-2003 at 07:35 PM
Hi Andy, we drove that 'short cut' coming north from San Felipe, in Jan. '02. It would have been quicker to go to Mexicali and back down Laguna
Salada!
If you just gotta do it, here's the scoop. I will reverse the details as you are going from north to south...
Guadalupe Canyon to Hwy. 5 (Ej. Saldana rd.) is 63 miles. the first and last 1/3 (approx.21 miles) are smooth and fast! The middle 1/3 is a nightmare!
That part is mostly crossgrain and thick with 'Baja dust' (that talcolm powder dry lake silt). My rig is a Tacoma TRD 4WD, and we could only get
between 5 & 10 mph for that 20 miles!
The Baja Almanac is wrong: The road across to the lower Laguna Salada intersects the south bound (fast) road just to the right of the airport
(airplane) symbol on page 6 (new Almanac) or page N-8 of the old Almanac. That intersection is known as 'Cohabuzo Junction' to the off road racers.
The Baja 1000 in 2001 came through there and CODE races do so frequently, as well.
The GPS for Cohabuzo Jcn. (where you will turn left, east) is 31?55.74'/ 115?36.22' Map Datum is NAD27 Mexico (to match the Almanac maps).
Where the east cross-over (bad) road turns southerly (and joins the road shown in the Almanac) is at 31?55.31'/ 115?26.13'
A road joins in from the south at 31?50.17'/ 115?20.21', this road curves east.
Junction with road going south to Ejido Saldano, continue east: 31?50.12'/ 115?19.47'. It's 9 miles east to Highway 5 at the sand dunes, at the former
checkpoint site. A newer road just south on Hwy. 5 is now signed for Saldano.
Please let us know how it was for you!