BajaNomad

Roadside Geology and Turquesa Mina

Skipjack Joe - 12-8-2007 at 09:48 PM

I'm asking for your opinions about the best roadside geology book for northern baja. We'll be taking the road to Gonzaga and onward past Cocos. My kid is taking earth science in school and I thought this would be an opportunity.

Also, I am considering driving to the tourquoise mine near Coco's. How much time does it take to reach the mine and will we find tourquoise rocks laying around that we can later polish.

Any help would be appreciated.

Minch

John M - 12-9-2007 at 07:04 AM

The attached image is of the cover of the geology book we use. I am not a geologist yet have found this book helpful, however I'd sure defer to a person who knows the subject to tell if it is on the money. It is keyed to the main highway as it uses mile marks to describe what you are seeing as you travel south. Plenty of detail for my use. But I'd have to say it is probably pretty basic.

I just searched Amazon.com and found this book offered by several folks as a used book. $18 to $40.

Coco's to the turn to La Turquesa - 3 or 4 miles - then another 3 miles or so to the mining area. Part of the road in could be soft sand, I don't know if a 4x4 is required or not but there are a couple of little hills to get over and around.

Ken Cooke was there recently and he could probably give a more detailed or exact description.

John M

Geology.jpg - 37kB

Skipjack Joe - 12-9-2007 at 07:22 AM

Thanks, John. I just ordered it.

Basic is what I want. I don't need the biology part so I hope that's a smaller portion of the book.

Hope it arrives before Christmas.

David K - 12-9-2007 at 10:16 AM

Joe, have a look at a web page I made for La Turquesa Canyon... The first page are photos from Nomad 'Wayno' of the green pools where the road seems to end... also photos of eels on the beach in Gonzaga Bay. The next page has photos I took after walking to the mine from the pools (back in '75). You actually can drive to the mine, just stay to the left on the flat lava shelf, from the pools.

Here is the page: http://vivabaja.com/wayno

To find it and other places in the future, go to my web site and clink on 'Links to Specific Baja Locations' in mu links section at VivaBaja.com

Also, 'the Squarecircle' took photos at the mine recently and they are posted here on Nomad... Scroll back doen the Trip Reports Forum, or use search.

Skipjack Joe - 12-9-2007 at 10:57 AM

Thank you David,

I actually did look for it on your site earlier but found only a trip approaching it from Hwy 1, I think. Anyway, that map really shows it quite well.

Great website, David. You've been to so many places.

David K - 12-9-2007 at 11:02 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Thank you David,

I actually did look for it on your site earlier but found only a trip approaching it from Hwy 1, I think. Anyway, that map really shows it quite well.

Great website, David. You've been to so many places.


The pleasure is mine Joe... It was Cliff Cross' Baja Guide of 1970 that revealed the mine to me... The road to the mine is about 3 miles north of Las Arrastras (now only a clearing near the new graded road) and not easy to spot... I have the GPS for the turnoff... It is about 2 miles to the green pools and another mile maybe to the mine.

Here is the page from Cliff's great baja Guide:

Al G - 12-9-2007 at 11:04 AM

Interesting stuff DK, makes me want to start planning...,

"So Much Baja, So Little Time..."

Skipjack Joe - 12-9-2007 at 12:22 PM

Reminds me of my friends first car. On the left side of the bumper he had:

"So many women, So little time"

And on the right side:

"A$$, grass, or gas. Nobody rides for free"

One day he had to take his mother to safeway. Her impression:

"Oh you're so clever, aren't you"

Barry A. - 12-9-2007 at 01:54 PM

Mom sounds like a liberal to me----that kid will turn out bad, mark my words. :lol:

bajalera - 12-9-2007 at 04:21 PM

The Minch & Leslie book is useful for geology and botany, but don't take the other stuff too seriously.

mtgoat666 - 12-9-2007 at 06:09 PM

The Minch book has adequate road logs, but fails at presenting big-picture geologic view, so leaves you puzzled how the road stop rocks you see fit into the larger regional story.
Also, the book is rather simplistic for readers with a physical science or geology background.
Unfortunately it is the only general guide in publication.

wilderone - 12-10-2007 at 11:09 AM

Consider going to El Marmol onyx quarry and then 3 miles further to the new onyx formations. Very unique geology.

David K - 12-10-2007 at 06:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
Consider going to El Marmol onyx quarry and then 3 miles further to the new onyx formations. Very unique geology.


Details to El Volcan (4 miles by 4WD) and photos are here: http://vivabaja.com/marmol

Here is the onyx dome (geyser) of El Volcan:



[Edited on 12-11-2007 by David K]

Skipjack Joe - 12-10-2007 at 06:56 PM

I've had a gem and mineral guidebook in the past and was rarely able to identify the rocks in Death Valley. They never quite looked like the ones in the pictures. The kids loved it though. We always looked for the 'sparkly' ones and pretended they were valuable. So perhaps a simpler one will be more valuable in a sense.
Quote:
Originally posted by wilderone
Consider going to El Marmol onyx quarry and then 3 miles further to the new onyx formations. Very unique geology.


Thanks for the wonderful suggestion. I hadn't thought of doing that. Remember when those onyx chess sets were such a popular tourist buy in tijuana? That must have been over 30 years ago. That and those black velvet rugs with Elvis on them.

Ken Cooke - 12-13-2007 at 08:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
How much time does it take to reach the mine and will we find tourquoise rocks laying around that we can later polish.


I saw rocks galore about 3 weeks ago in that area, but none were actual Turquoise. I guess that is why the mines were set up to pull the good stuff out of the sides of the hills.

Give yourselves about 20 to 25 minutes, and watch for a few washouts which will creep up on you. These are easily maneuvered, but if you are not traveling with a buddy vehicle, you wouldn't want to get stuck in the dirt. But, the dirt is really soft, and can be easily shoveled away and you'll be on terra firma in no time.

Here are a few photos from my Baja Grande adventure giving a real accurate idea of what the area looks like...

Here, the dirt road reaches bedrock, and a black outcropping must be maneuvered around.



It is probably a good idea to just stop and park here, because the terrain becomes very off-camber and you could get into trouble if you are not traveling with a buddy vehicle.



The wash just below the turquoise mine looks like this, is filled with cholla and other tire-eating entities, and is not adviseable for travel beyond the mine.

bkbend - 12-14-2007 at 10:54 PM

If you're headed back north via Hwy 1 there's La Esperanza Turquesa mina south of the hwy about 28.2 miles north (really west) of El Marmol turnoff. I'm not smart enough to keep track of KM markers but if you have a copy of Baja Almanac it's shown on there and the miles I gave are based on the map. The road heads south through a gate in the fence, stay right at a fork in a mile or two then go 3-4 miles west. Was there a year ago and an old guy in a small ranchito will hop in your rig and show you around for the price of a cold one. He still digs with a pick and shovel in small veins and can show you some color. Also take a look at the water collection system he has on his roof. Doesn't miss a drop.

La Esperanza

John M - 12-15-2007 at 12:07 PM

I don't think we've been here but there are several sites shown in the Baja Almanac with the word turquoise in their name nearby. This is about 20 miles east of El Rosario, just south of Highway 1.

John M

page-15 inset.jpg - 36kB

David K - 12-15-2007 at 03:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bkbend
If you're headed back north via Hwy 1 there's La Esperanza Turquesa mina south of the hwy about 28.2 miles north (really west) of El Marmol turnoff. I'm not smart enough to keep track of KM markers but if you have a copy of Baja Almanac it's shown on there and the miles I gave are based on the map. The road heads south through a gate in the fence, stay right at a fork in a mile or two then go 3-4 miles west. Was there a year ago and an old guy in a small ranchito will hop in your rig and show you around for the price of a cold one. He still digs with a pick and shovel in small veins and can show you some color. Also take a look at the water collection system he has on his roof. Doesn't miss a drop.


That would be Km. 103, just west of the cafe at the jcn,. with the road that goes north to San Juan de Dios & El Metate or Los Martires & San Antonio

David K - 12-16-2007 at 07:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
I'm asking for your opinions about the best roadside geology book for northern baja. We'll be taking the road to Gonzaga and onward past Cocos. My kid is taking earth science in school and I thought this would be an opportunity.

Also, I am considering driving to the tourquoise mine near Coco's. How much time does it take to reach the mine and will we find tourquoise rocks laying around that we can later polish.

Any help would be appreciated.


Joe, I just pulled out my big Baja Atlas and saw that I had some details noted on it for La Turquesa Canyon:

Turnoff from 'Hwy. 5' is at 29-34.347', 114-21.043' (NAD27)... this is 2.4 miles north of the site of Las Arrastras, a former ranch, now just a clearing near the ben in the road, above the arroyo which has gold mine grinders (arrastras).

It is 2.7 miles to where the road seems to end by the green pools at 29-33.716', 114-23.890'

As you can see from Ken's pics, you continue past the green pool parking area by driving over the lava shelf to the mine.