smlslikfish - 11-14-2007 at 04:42 PM
I was tooling around google earth/ maps and stumbled on some interesting foundations east of Cocos corner. A very large square and 3 connected
rectangles. Anybody have any info on these? Didn't see any roads near.
Barry A. - 11-14-2007 at 05:47 PM
I am strickly guessing now, but I believe there were some pretty big mining operations in the mountains east and southeast of Cocos long
ago------possibly you are seeing some foundations of old mining buildings?
mtgoat666 - 11-14-2007 at 06:03 PM
the hills have eyes. pass at your own risk.
or
alien landing pads?
Mango - 11-14-2007 at 06:26 PM
Try using google maps to post a link. I am sure David K would have some good input on this matter, as he is a huge history buff regarding remote
locations in Baja.
Jack Swords - 11-14-2007 at 06:47 PM
If you were looking around 29º 25.25 N X 114º 11.662 W, then you were seeing the ruins of the mission Calamajué. Founded in October 1766, bad water
forced closure 7 months later. It was used as a way station for years. There are three circular rock structures among the rectangular shapes that
can be seen easily with Google Earth.
If not, what were the coordinates you were showing on Google Earth when you saw the ruins?
Barry A. - 11-14-2007 at 08:13 PM
Jack------
Is there not a dirt road near the Mission site??? I have not been there personally, but the "Atlas" shows the location of the "old" road running
pretty close to the old Mission site.
barry
Jack Swords - 11-14-2007 at 08:37 PM
Yes Barry there is a road that goes through the "Calamajué Wash" where there is water sometimes. The road is near the mission site, but you will need
to hike up to the mission site which is on the mesa above the wash. Directly across from the mission site is an old mining operation. Just mounds of
adobe are left in rectangular patterns and the three circular rock corrals at the mission site.. Beautiful area, quite remote.
Barry A. - 11-14-2007 at 08:55 PM
Thanks, Jack.
Been wanting to visit that area for many years but have just not got it done-----your description just whets my curiosity, so hopefully soon I can
poke around there myself. All that area between Calamajue and BOLA is like a magnet for me, especially after reading about it in Uncle Earle S.
Gardner's book, "HOVERING OVER BAJA".
Thank you, again. barry
smlslikfish - 11-16-2007 at 10:45 AM
I lost the exact coordinates, when I saved the location it saved the whole area. I can't seem to relocate the foundations. They were north and east
of coco's . Im guessing 1/2 way to punta final. I'm having visions of THE LOST MISSION!!!
GoogleEarth of Calamajue Mission ruins
John M - 11-16-2007 at 01:45 PM
Smlslikfish,
Calamajue Mission is/was south east of Coco's Corner.
This and the next post are of the mission ruins of Calamajue. This first one is a view of the larger area, showing the road through Calamajue Wash,
exiting toward the N/E as though you were heading to Coco's. The mission ruins are on a shelf to the right and up and out of the wash. Unfortunately,
my resolution doesn't allow the labels to be read. I will go back in a little while and try to relabel things so you can read them.
The second post is a close up (1,570 ft elevation on Google Earth) of the ruins, including rock corrals mentioned by Jack Swords. It is a remote site
and well worth the time and effort to get there.
The GPS for the Mission, in two formats, is
29 25.255/114 11.698
29 25 15.3/114 11 41.8
If this sort of thing interests you, a great book is Las Misiones Antiguas The Spanish Missions of Baja by Edward W. Vernon.
Well, I attempted to change the font size and can't seem to do it. So, the three labels on the left side of the image, bottom to top are "Road through
Calamajue Wash" "Calamajue Wash bail out point" & "Road toward Coco's"
John M
[Edited on 11-16-2007 by John M]
Second image
John M - 11-16-2007 at 01:47 PM
attached below:
smlslikfish - 11-16-2007 at 04:25 PM
Definitely not the same foundations that I saw, I'm gonna have to spend some time looking for them again. They were in an area covered by "keyhole"
which seemed to have a higher resolution in that area. thanks for the input. Dan
David K - 11-18-2007 at 11:17 AM
Photos of the Calamajue mission & visita site are on this page: http://www.vivabaja.com/bajamissions/page8.html
Here is the Google satellite image of the mission site:
Calamajue from space
Between Calamajue and Punta Final are many mines if what you saw wasn't the mission remains...
[Edited on 11-18-2007 by David K]
Jack Swords - 11-18-2007 at 03:41 PM
Welcome back David! Had to improvise!
David K - 11-19-2007 at 06:43 PM
Jack you are 'da man when it comes to history of Baja !!!
Nomads, see Jack's photos at: http://vivabaja.com/swords and the newest additions at http://community-2.webtv.net/drdrip/swords