BajaNomad

Baja Grande - San Felipe to Gonzaga Bay (Part 2)

Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 08:06 AM

Waking up in San Felipe after perhaps our best meal in Baja at the El Colorado Restaurante, everyone in our group was treated to an empty campground at Playas del Sol and nice, hot showers. After a brief trip to the Pemex station and a drive around the Malecon (Boardwalk) along the coast in San Felipe, our group was off to drive along the 'Cortez clear to Puertecitos.

After 45 minutes of smooth-sailing, our rigs pulled up to the gate at the Puertecitos village. Here, we intended to walk to the hot water springs which are located against the coast. But, the attendant at the gate was asking a whopping $10 per vehicle! Startled, I told him, "No Way!" and we pulled our line of 14 vehicles around, and continued past the end of the pavement, where we aired down our tires and disconnected our swaybars. The road past Puertecitos is being paved, and the Mexican Government intends to have everything from Puertecitos to Highway 1 paved by 2009. With everyone's vehicles ready for the tire-splitting, neck-brace inducing terrain ahead, our group took off for the 2 hour drive to Gonzaga Bay.

Most everyone traveled along the dirt road, but Paul Childers, "Renegade" Dave, and the Hill Family traveled the less bumpy beach route. Complete with lava-rock rock gardens, salt water, and the occasional cliff thrown in, this "trail" really builds character! "Team Isreal" consisting of Tal, Michael, Tuvia, and Avi decided that the endless washboard was too much for them, and they also jumped at the chance to travel along the sandy beaches. One plus, was that the military checkpoint near the Huerfanito (or "Orphan") island (along with an 18 Wheeler rig) was bypassed on this rocky road, but "Renegade" Dave took out a sidewall/shoulder on his BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tire. Roughly 2 hours after we started this route, we ended up in Gonzaga Bay, and were able by 3 p.m. to begin setting up camp. Dinner was held at Alfonsinas, and our group camped out along the waters edge - enjoying 2 blissful nights in Baja paradise.

The next morning, some of us woke up with the intention of building a road from Gonzaga Bay/Highway 5 to Catavina/Highway 1. Mike Hendrick, myself, Nick and Nicholai Kozin, C.J. and Mark Wasserman, and Russ Chung attempted what we later found to be the impossible. Located 8 miles south of Gonzaga Bay is the turnoff to the La Turquesa mines where turquoise had been mined, and stagnant pools of water exist. The terrain here was ultra-sticky, off-camber slickrock that entertained us for the 3 hours we spent looking for a route beyond the mine to the shelf road which lies beyond the dense flora - thick enough that we decided to not attempt a road-building effort. Returning to Gonzaga Bay never felt so good due to the powerful sunlight and lack of wind in this canyon. Although there was no vehicular damage, my Rubicon nearly fell on its' side while attempting a radical waterfall in the canyon south of the mine, and Nick's Tacoma ate some cholla cactii for lunch.

--to be continued--

Barry A. - 11-27-2007 at 11:09 AM

If I am understanding you correctly, Ken, the problem with the "road building" beyond La Turquesa is the VEGETATION? If the vegetation could be handled (cut thru) do you believe that a good 4x4 COULD get thru?

cpg - 11-27-2007 at 05:52 PM

Looked like you had a nice set of rigs! You guys sold out the Cactus motel. Lets see some pictures please!


[Edited on 11-28-2007 by cpg]

David K - 11-27-2007 at 05:57 PM

As I recall when the Squarecircle and others were last there, the arroyo just below the mine heading west was too rough. Roy believes going a bit south then head west to the switchback was the answer... Of course, the vegetation (as Ken reports) is the obsticle...

Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 08:09 PM

Yep, we sold out the Baja Cactus Motel. Antonio rewarded me with my very own room (free of charge), and everyone was amazed with how awesome the Baja Cactus Motel in El Rosario is. This place is a treat.

As for the La Turquesa Mine, we could not make it through the vegitation and brush. There were layers of rock along with pits and holes in the rocky ground which made up the canyon wash. My Jeep fell in one of the holes, and this nearly threw my Jeep on its side. The good thing was the rock was so coarse that it provided gobs of traction to our tires. But, you had to have the guts to scale waterfalls if your section of road gave up on you. This was the difficult part that made travel up the wash such a problem. Plus, all of the cactii and trees growing everywhere made plowing the place with a tractor your only option for getting through.

surfer jim - 11-27-2007 at 08:23 PM

Wonder if one of those "snowplow" options can mount on a jeep?.....:yes:

Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 09:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by surfer jim
Wonder if one of those "snowplow" options can mount on a jeep?.....:yes:

Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 09:43 PM




Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 09:45 PM




Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 09:48 PM


Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 09:56 PM

La Turquesa Mine Road





Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 09:58 PM


BAJACAT - 11-27-2007 at 10:19 PM

Thanks Ken I like the pictures,great story like always i enjoy your trip reports.to bad my big Ram can go where your jeeps go..

Gonzaga bay trip Memorial Day 5-07 084.JPG - 50kB

Ken Cooke - 11-27-2007 at 10:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BAJACAT
Thanks Ken I like the pictures,great story like always i enjoy your trip reports.to bad my big Ram can go where your jeeps go..

Bring your big Ram. We all have yank straps, winches, if you don't mind some customized body panels! Hahaha. A big FX4 SuperDuty wanted to visit Mission Santa Maria "Mission Impossible" and we told him it would be a bad idea. At the first obstacle/canyon, his poor All-Terrain tires were slipping for available traction and he barely made it up the other side of the canyon!

I told him to turn his rig around and get back to safety. The guy even had a pop up camper on his pickup! These trucks are great on the open dirt roads, but leave the twisty off-camber stuff to the little guys. You have too much money invested to waste it in one afternoon...

Paulina - 11-27-2007 at 11:14 PM

Great report and photos. You guys know how to have a good time! Snow/cholla plow front ends... I can see it happening!

P<*)))><

cpg - 12-3-2007 at 09:44 AM

Any photos of the tighter rougher sections?

motoged - 12-3-2007 at 03:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Cooke
]http://thedesertoutlaw.20megsfree.com/Baja%20Grande%20Folder/Sand%20Highway.jpg[/img]
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What section is that beach road south of Puertocitos??? ....and how long a stretch is it???

Baja Bobcat....a RARE sighting:bounce: ...saw my first one at Bahia Concepcion peninsula...

David K - 12-3-2007 at 06:31 PM

Looking forward to Part 3 Ken!:bounce:

Ken Cooke - 12-3-2007 at 06:32 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by cpg
Any photos of the tighter rougher sections?
Ummm. Not sure, but I will look for some and post as time is available...

4baja - 12-3-2007 at 07:14 PM

nice and thanks for the pics. will be going soon and thats a good fixs.:bounce::coolup:

ELINVESTIG8R - 12-3-2007 at 07:30 PM

Thanks for the great picture tour and especially the one of that Bobcat. Man that was cool!! Those Pictures reminds me when I had my Ford Bronco and was four wheeling all over the desert around Twentynine Palms. Only had to use my winch once to get out of a bind.

[Edited on 12-4-2007 by ELINVESTI8]

Ken Cooke - 12-3-2007 at 09:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by ELINVESTI8
Thanks for the great picture tour and especially the one of that Bobcat. Man that was cool!! Those Pictures reminds me when I had my Ford Bronco and was four wheeling all over the desert around Twentynine Palms. Only had to use my winch once to get out of a bind.


Hey, anytime. I also love the region around 29 Palms. Such a fun place to visit in the winter/spring every year. I hope to upload the bulk of the photos later this week...