El Canelo wash

TW mentioned in another thread a mine he found on Google Earth near the upper reaches of El Canelo was in the Sierra Santa Isabela west of Puertecitos. I drew some possible routes as tracks in Google Earth and transfered them to Ozi Explorer.

This is north of the Bill Nichols trail, leaving Hghy5 between the Matomi and Puertecitos.

Some people just can't wait. Told a few neighbors about it and they had to go yesterday. - Remember, we're in Baja Bugs and desert rails - no MCs. There is a road into the mouth of the canyon from Hghy 5 but we only found it on our way out.

This shows where we went - from Matomi to the canyon and back out to the highway. (red) and points for the mine and upper canyon near the lower left.




This shows our gong into the mouth - about a mile from the lunch spot.



There were motorcycle tracks going on beyond where we went. Because of a broken axle on a rail and time of day we turned around there but know we can drive further up the canyon on another day. Where we stopped we were at about 635 ft elevation. Longer days will help when we go back again.

The coords for the turn from H5 are
30 27.4765 -114 39.4075
That is Deg and min only
There is a white van just off the highway right where you turn in on the road. One "Y" in the road a mile or so in, stay to the right. The road eventually crosses the El Canelo wash about 1/2 mile from the mouth of its canyon.

From H 5 it is about 22 miles to the curve nearest the mine. (Made a track in GoogleEarth, converted to Ozi to get measurement).



[Edited on 2-25-2007 by bajalou]

Bill Nichols Trail

Here is the Bill Nichols trail on Google Earth

El Canelo

Thanks Lou here's some more satellite images from hwy 5 at Matomi to the mine.

El Canelo

El Canelo

El Canelo

Mine

El Canelo

[Edited on 2-25-2007 by TW]

[Edited on 2-25-2007 by TW]

El Canelo

El Canelo

El Canelo

El Canelo

El Canelo

El Canelo

TW, I've also traced the road from the mine to H1 and it is north of the Bill Nichols trail - I had both on the same GoogleEarth image.

The entry to El Canelo is not the best resolution. Higher resolution as you go on south in the canyon. By width etc I believe the first 4-5 miles will be the toughest as it widens out later.



The "Road to Pacific 7" is where the mine road connects with Hghy1. The red track starting below Puertecitos is the Bill Nichols Trail.

[Edited on 2-25-2007 by bajalou]

Bill Nichols Trail

A motorcycle trail from Hghy 1 to Sea of Cortez south of Puertecitos




And from the Hghy 1 end

El Canelo

I figured you probably have gotten in there, George, might be your tracks we found.

the waypoint "El Canelo Mouth" is at 30 26.696 -114 43.670 Near our End of trip marker is on other map.

I plotted the road from the mine to Hghy 1 near El Aguila as 30 miles. The last few miles there are more choices so ???

The red at the top is the part of El Canelo nearest the mine. The blue is the road most of the way to Hghy 1





[Edited on 2-27-2007 by bajalou]

On the Almanac Map 16, it seems the road from Hwy. 1 to the mine follows Arroyo El Roñoso... So the gap is pretty tiny between the mine and Arroyo El Canelo! I wonder how that little canyon is that makes the gap!!!

John M and Neal Johns... you guys like mines, don't you?

Ken Cooke, ... here's your stress relief project! Also that La Turquesa Canyon short cut!

Lou, when you find out... let us know!

Mine Elevation

The mine is about 250 feet higher than the wash.

Quote:

Originally posted by David K Ken Cooke, ... here's your stress relief project! Also that La Turquesa Canyon short cut!

My stress relief project is 5'0, has long brown hair w/a slight Spanish accent, a perfect smile, and a personality to match. No worries or stress at the moment - I'm feeling the benefits of divorce at the moment...

Back to Jeepin'. We've got a built CJ-7 that will be leading runs at Easter Jeep Safari which will be ready for some action. Andrew wants some prime 'wheeling, and this sounds like it will be promising. My Jeep speaks for itself. Dents, dings, and Baja Bling.

Mike's '07 Long-Wheelbase Rubicon is the trail virgin in search of some sin.

I will be inviting more capable Jeepers on this trip along with my friend with the Ford Explorer which is going EXTREME. This will not be a "run" where people show up expecting everything to be done for them. Mentally, that is not where my mind is at this point. I'm looking for fun and adventure along with a release from the moment. Checking out some new digs south of the border sounds like the kind of fun that will lure me back to my two most favorite things - tough 4 wheeling and BAJA, CALIFORNIA.

That's the spirit!

Oh, don't forget to pay your mordida... Remember the last time you tried to get past the policia in Baja???

[Edited on 2-28-2007 by David K]

Nice photochop picture, David! You know that never happened!?!

The black man just has no chance, does he Ken!???

Quote:

Originally posted by David K The black man just has no chance, does he Ken!???

I could have taken both of them...easy. It just so happens that I am a nice, gentle guy...

El Canelo gang:

1. Gadget in his raced-out Bronco
2. Andrew in his built CJ-7 on 36" TSL Swamper Radials
3. Ken in his 'BAJAJPN' Rubicon
4. MadMike in his '07 Unlimited Rubicon

Talk about a diverse group! This should be a blast in the desert. I can't wait to start snapping digital photos of all of the rocks we are bound to encounter!

Have fresh batteries in your GPS Ken!

If it is a no go through Canelo to the mine, then go south to Turquesa Canyon and make the way from the turquoise mine to the grade, and up!

Remember, after the turquoise mine, stay to the right (north) side of the wash... It should only be a mile to the bottom of the grade!

Here are the photos (also in the trip report here on Nomad):

http://community-2.webtv.net/boojum1/207

[Edited on 4-5-2007 by David K]

Thanks for the info. I can't wait to see this area. On Day #1, we plan to tackle Smuggler's Canyon.

As you can see, we have ourselves plenty of off-road fun planned for the next several days...

I wish the moderator would pull this aggravating post from the board so I don't have to look at it any more since I can't go Seriously, guys have fun and be safe. Will hook up GSB with you Jeepers on the next one and you can see what a FoMoCo will do. Granted, as I'm sure there is much snickering going on regarding that comment, I have spent 10s of thousands of dollars on the Bronco to make it work. It was barely worth didily when it was stock and yes, now I have chapped the purest, Ford guys hides, sorry, just a little clowning here.
And David, don't forget to get ahold of me for the La Turquesa when you want to do a Fri - Sun run on it, OK!

[Edited on 4-7-2007 by Gadget]

It looks like we have a full day of HARDCORE 4'wheeling on Sunday which makes me VERY happy. Tuesday, we have a 2nd day of HARDCORE 'wheeling as well, so, this looks to be a really fun and great trip south of the border - my 4th in a month!




[Edited on 4-7-2007 by Ken Cooke]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gadget I wish the moderator would pull this aggravating post from the board so I don't have to look at it any more since I can't go Seriously, guys have fun and be safe. Will hook up GSB with you Jeepers on the next one and you can see what a FoMoCo will do. Granted, as I'm sure there is much snickering going on regarding that comment, I have spent 10s of thousands of dollars on the Bronco to make it work. It was barely worth didily when it was stock and yes, now I have chapped the purest, Ford guys hides, sorry, just a little clowning here. And David, don't forget to get ahold of me for the La Turquesa when you want to do a Fri - Sun run on it, OK! [Edited on 4-7-2007 by Gadget]

Just back from the El Canelo wash expedition, I am amazed at how well Baja Lou's VW Buggy kept up with our built Jeeps! He was able to go literally everywhere our Jeeps could go - with ease.

We could not reach the mine, due to the fact that the rocks kept getting bigger, and I did not want to keep smacking my differentials and gas tank skid plate on those things. I slid off of a rock on my steering knuckle, and my front differential kept getting hit throughout the day-long trip.

Lou, his friends Bruce and Wes were great people. Too bad I have to work everyday for a living - otherwise, I'd spend the rest of the spring in San Felipe instead!

Time for bigger tires?.....

Here's the end L/L N 30 25.375, W 114 45.656.

I got a couple pf pictures I'll post later with a little report of the great time we had with Ken and friends. We got into the high resolution area on GoogleEarth but not too much farther. The rockfield ahead of us was doable, but slowly, so we chose lunch and a return.



Great trip - and not the last one to this area - got to find the mine for TW

[Edited on 4-13-2007 by bajalou]

A few pictures I took on the great trip with Ken, Mike, Andrew, and Gretchen in Jeeps and Wes and Bruce in a desert rail.



Bruce and Wes didn't go as far in as the rest of us as they had little faith in how far we would go. As Ken mentioned, I nad no trouble keeping up with the jeeps - one reason - no hanging shocks, steering stuff or differentials. Just skid-plate from one end to the other.


The jeeps had to pick their routes a little more carefully and we were appreciative of Gretchen walking ahead to scout out some of the areas.


It's quite a canyon - sandy in areas and rockfields with the occasional low rock wall to climb.




Let me know when some more of you want to try it - I'm ready to go----

[Edited on 4-13-2007 by bajalou]

Here is GoogleEarth with our track into the wash. Just barely getting to the High Resolution area.


Still looks like it might be a shortcut to Highway 1 but not a time saver.

Here it is on a topo--



[Edited on 4-13-2007 by bajalou]

I will second that. We were out there under the baking sun for most of the day, and I believe we only traveled a few miles in from Hwy 5. With 40" 'Swampers, it would have been much easier, but I have to garage this Jeep every night, and drive it to work every day.

Wow you guys were right at where the res get good. You were near the second from the left marker labeled Y-gl.

[Edited on 4-14-2007 by TW]

Ken, the first images posted in this thread (page 1) are good to show you where you guys got in the arroyo compared to that mine.

Maybe TW can bribe the miners to do a little bulldozer work when he goes there?