Guadalupe Canyon (post fire) & Petroglyphs (1-08)

Perhaps one of our favorite Baja places that is not far away and has 'Baja magic' is Guadalupe Canyon Hot Springs... In particular, Arturo's Campo #1 as shown on the web site http://www.guadalupe-canyon.com

Recently, it was reported a fire burned through the canyon and did much damage, including Arturo's restaurant/ home, etc. But, we soon learned that most of the camp sites were unharmed and guests were welcome to return.

Our friend's Steve ('Hotschott' on Nomad) and Val were headed for Guadalupe Canyon and were glad to hear that Elizabeth ('Baja Angel') and I could also get away to join them. Hotschott usually likes the camp site 'El Palomar' and Baja Angel and I like 'La Jolla-B', which we reserved on-line via the Guadalupe Canyon web site. The fee for two nights at La Jolla-B was $90... which may seem like a lot for a Mexican campground, but when you get there and have complete privacy in a beautiful outdoor setting with 24 hour hot spring water in your own natural setting tub... it is quite a well-worth-it experience.

It is just two hours from Tecate to Guadalupe Canyon for our 4WD trucks... Really, it is the final 2 miles of the 33 off pavement miles that require ground clearance. The last couple of miles have large rocks in the road that help keep out the mobs... Even still with careful driving, passenger cars do get there. We were the only campers there Friday night, but Saturday, after dark, a Toyota Corolla and a Subaru made their way to 'El Dorado' camp site... once Hotscott showed them the way with his monster flashlight.

Before we left San Diego Friday, Doug (Baja Nomad) asked me to take lots of photos to share here (as if he had to ask!)...

So, here we go (this will take some time, so be patient)... The Rattlesnake (La Vibora) Canyon petroglyph photos will follow...

Picture 1: There are two ways from Hwy. 2 to the canyon... a graded dirt/ all weather road or the Laguna Salada dry lake bed. Both routes are signed on the highway, 2.6 miles east of the Guadalupe Canyon graded road is the Laguna Salada road... It is 33 miles to the canyon, with 25 on the lakebed (in dry weather):

When you leave the lakebed there are a few miles of wide graded road running along-side an olive farm, then this nice desert road... (photo taken driving out from the canyon)

Then about a mile and a half from the canyon the big rocks must be driven over...

Remember, bad roads=good people!

[Edited on 1-21-2008 by David K]

This photo taken driving in, towards the canyon...

The entrance signs... left to the south side campground:

... and right to Arturo's campground, which has the really nice, private campsites... (notice that 'Angel's Campo #2 which is just past Arturo's, has been painted over... it was burned down and Angel is no longer involved with the canyon).

[Edited on 1-21-2008 by David K]

We enter Arturo's campground and look forward to a fun weekend...

Photo taken just past the driveway to El Palomar and both La Jolla camp sites... the next driveway goes left to 'San Marcos'... just up that pair of concrete tracks is 'El Dorado' and the rest of Arturo's camps.

[Edited on 1-21-2008 by David K]

Here is our camp, La Jolla-B and its hot tub...

Here is the palapa for La Jolla-A, it is between La Paloma and La Jolla-B... plenty of boulders, trees and distance for privacy in each.

The fire came up the canyon, and burned most of the palms... only the palapas that were in the palm areas burned (La Cueva, Escalon, XX... that we could see)... La Cueva has already been repaired.

The tub for La Cueva (The cave)...

Val and Elizabeth in the La Cueva camp area...

El Mirador's palapa

Looking across the canyon at the south side camping area in the burned palm grove...

The peak above the canyon, and to the left is the granite pinnacle that resembles the Virgin of Guadalupe to which the canyon gains its name...

Here's a zoom in of the 'Virgin'

The view from El Mirador looking towards Laguna Salada

The cliffside hot tub for 'El Sol'...

The swimming pool at Arturo's...

Arturo's store/ restaurant were lost to the fire

Just past Arturo's was his brother's place Angel's Campo (has been called #2 and #3 over the years)... all burned...

To La Vibora (Rattlesnake) Canyon Petroglyphs

GPS is really not needed, since a road (4WD) goes right to the boulder field containing the petros...

Beautiful desert scenery is along the way... even Indian pottery pieces are laying about. Hotschott found one in the road as we made a stop for photos along the way...

Rattlesnake Canyon

To the south of the entrance to Rattlesnake Canyon is this interesting rock hill... so, do not pass 'Butt Rock' if you want to see the petros!

The end of the road at the boulders with many metates...

ROAD LOG:

0.0 The bottom of Arturo's Campground at the entrance for camps La Paloma and La Jolla A & B.

2.2 Take right fork/ straight ahead or east (left fork is the main road).

2.8 Turn sharp right on tracks heading south.

7.5 Drop off mesa and go down rocky grade to arroyo.

8.0 Arrive at parking area for petroglyphs (GPS datum at NAD27 Mexico, is 32-06.733', 115-44.612')

The grinding pits or metates are all over the area

The rock face can be seen from the parking area...

Also facing the parking area...

and this boulder, as well...

The side of the rock facing the parking area...

Our trucks from that rock...

The really cool stuff requires some semi-difficult boulder climbing to get to... It took awhile, but it was worth it.
Here's Hotschott in front of one...

more...

more...

We kept looking around more of the boulders just up the canyon from our trucks and found more...

more...

Hotschott

A good man to know, Steve helps people and has helped with much of the improvements at Guadalupe Canyon.

Hotschott and Baja Angel were going down the canyon when I jumped over to the north bank to check a good looking boulder, and found more!

A really deep metate where I rejoined the hike down with Baja Angel...

Lot's of boulder-cave shelters... Metates in the foreground and the arroyo where we parked is where Steve and Elizabeth are standing...

Back to our camp after a great side trip... allow about 3 hours for this 16 mile + hike trip to the petroglyphs.

Just in case you guys forgot what I looked like with Baja Angel!

It was a great weekend... 3 hours from San Diego, great tacos in Tecate, only a NINE MINUTE border line coming home Sunday (at 11:30am)... and saw most of the Charger game too!

Have a great Baja experience, stay out of trouble... use 4WD to preserve the roads from spinning tire damage... take only photos... haul out your trash... be a good Nomad and share your trips here for those of us who can't get there or are satisfied with just seeing the pictures.

If you would like the GPS waypoint for the petro boulder we hiked to (the one with the human figures), please u2u me or email me for it.

Until next time, adios amigos!

How can I forget your face you are everywhere in BN,Thanks David for the pix/report..like always a pleasure looking at your post,say Hi to BAJA ANGEL

[Edited on 1-21-2008 by BAJACAT]

-----MaGoat-----watch my lips carefully--------David DROVE to rattlesnake canyon, which if you have been paying attention instead of just reacting you would have known.

yes, that could have happened. I am just hyper this morning----too much coffee, and the fact that snow is falling outside just set me off (snow---only happened here about 4 times in 20 years----must be Global Cooling.)

Sorry Mt.Goat-----just a case of itchy trigger finger, I suppose.

Barry

A good pictoral of petros, gracias.
What happened to your profound boycott??

Tease us some more please.

btw.....you guys look more alike every day I think..

Profound? Well, I guess you just can't keep the boy out of the Baja!

Why nobody likes PALOMAR CANYON.I hear I lot of stories about dif, canyons and people seem to forget PALOMAR..Remember Palomar has Hotsprings too,also rock art..

No i haven't,but the road only gets bad when you start climbing towards the end of the canyon.

Barry you could drive all the way to the end of the road,past the palms grove and the old house,you go throught about 3 dry arroyos like the one in my last pict. here is the end of the road in Palomar.


This is as how far you can drive. from here is a short walk to the Hotsprings

The palm grove,this place gave my truck a really nice paintstripe..

We found this bldg close to the hotsprings,don't know what it is?.

Hi,

I have just visited Guadalupe Canyon on Sunday ( Jan , 20, 2008 ) - short trip from the 3rd waterfall to Rancho Sausualito and Rancho Pantalones and returned down that easy trail from Rancho San Luis through "La Vibora "and asked the host of the southern part of oasis ( with La Piedra and La Playita campsites ) about the purpose of the fire in October. They suppose that it was done on purpose by some jealous neighbors - somebody noticed a group of 10 , which could make the arson.
tajo
Ps Surely you know about the painted rock in Carrizo - photographed by "jide", together with "jide" I saw also many pieces of indian Pottery above middle part of Guadalupe Canyon, and there is many pictures of Water Gods which show where is possible to dig out water in the upper dry washes - as the Piedras Pinturas wash below the Rancho Sausualito.
Ps Ps Photo is made by my friend Sebastian on our way from Carrizo to Sausualito , the height about 1000 m above La Lagna Salada

[Edited on 2008-1-24 by tajo]

[Edited on 2008-1-24 by tajo]

[Edited on 2008-1-25 by tajo]

What neigbors?,So you guys climb from G-Canyon to Laguna Hanson Mesa and then down the Rancho San Luis trail?


Rncho San Luis

Rock formation on the trail that leads to Laguna Salada,we just walk about 1/4 of the trail,we run out of time.

Tajo-----if in fact you made the hike you say you did, then I think you are certainly ready to climb Picacho del Diablo. What you claim to have done here is nothing short of stupendous!!! even on a multi-day hike!

-----and no, I don't know about the stuff in Carrizo, but would like to.

-----also "water God" pictures in upper Guadalupe??? what's that all about?

barry

BARRY

Barry I found this book in the library,its call.PALM CANYONS OF BAJA CALIFORNIA,BY RANDALL HENDERSONHere is the picture of the ranch(cabin) the bookn is dated 1971 by la siesta press

here is the book cover..

WOW TAJO thats a great picture...

[Edited on 1-25-2008 by BAJACAT]

Quote:

Originally posted by tajo Quote: Originally posted by Barry A. Tajo-----if in fact you made the hike you say you did, then I think you are certainly ready to climb Picacho del Diablo. Hi Barry, I would like very much to do Picacho from Laguna del Diablo, through Canyon Providencia or Del Diablo. In fact I reacherd once some years ago Campo Noche with my wife - but we lost the trail before the Blue Bottle Peak and because of that we had not enough time for the peak. Last eaar I volunteered for Bahia Travesia and descended solo as the last person Canyon Esperanza - it is two canyons more in the north direction from Canyon Del Diablo, about 20 abseils, some of them in waterfalls to freezing lakes, which you have to swim over after the abseiling... brrrrrrr..... But the canyon is amazing. Wow, very impressive. You will make it for sure up that devil mountain-----I was never able to do that, but gazed at it from Blue Bottle peak many times, as well as from the east base. I have several friends and relatives that climbed it, but all taking several days to accomplish it. I remember providing logistics for the Sierra Club Desert Peaks section (way back when) in their descent of Tajo Canyon, top to bottom. I let them off at the top, and then drove around down to the bottom to wait for them. The NEXT DAY they emerged from the canyon at the bottom exhausted, with tales of terror and wonder to tell, and they had been climbing DOWNHILL------I decided right then that I would not attempt it. I hiked up the mountains of S. California almost every weekend in my youth, but none of those climbs compared to the rigors of the BAJA Canyons, IMO. I once hiked downhill in Anza-Borrego for 21 miles, ending up in Collins Valley, and I thought I was going to die------we were all in total exhaustion, even tho all experienced climbers. You and your friends energy levels are incredible. I applaud you. and thanks for your inspiring posts. Barry

Yes, El Tajo is impressive, the first time it took me 22 hours down, but knowing the path I am crossing it much faster- my wife did it with our kids - there is also a side canyon in Tajo, which i would like to see. There is a long line of palms , perhaps more then a mile long ( which is unusual in the side canyons of Sierra Juarez ) and I may expect a spring or even a hot spring at the top. The google satelite view of it is:
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&hl=en&ie=UTF8&om...
and once i entered the upper part of the canyon and made the enclosed picture in the sunrise - in direction of El Trono Blanco.
The most steep part of the Tajo trail goes to the saddle between El Trono Blanco and La Milla (the peak on the right).


[Edited on 2008-1-25 by tajo]

I have a picture taken by Jorge, ranchero of Sausualito in Pargue Nacional Constitucion. He told me that such signs show water in a dry wash - just water is some feet underground.


[Edited on 2008-1-26 by tajo]

GPS of the Rancho Sausualito can be read from the Google map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll...
Jorge uses the name "Sausualito" - i was told that it means "small willow" (but I am not sure about Spanish spelling). He tries to establish "agroturismo" in his rancho. He has built two stone huts - planning to build some more, and maybe a kind of Indian baths - as there is a very good, all year source of water. The road to Sausualito forks from the Parque Constitucion road near Rancho Rey del Sol (or Pantalones ) and at the point
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll...
turns right behind the Pantalones rock - what is visible in the Baja Almanac. From the ranch there are only horse paths in the Guadalupe valley to the south direction, and in the Corrizo valleyto north - and from the big bend where Guadalupe turns north-east :
http://maps.google.com/maps?t=k&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll...
there is a bushwacking possibility to reach the Hernan's ranch (near St. Luis) - but the only good road goes around through Pantalones and Laguna Hanson. It is advised to obtain a permission from the Pantalones owners to cross their property. I will send an email to Jorge if anybody likes to contact him. The surrounding of his ranch is amazing, a real wonderland of rocks, similar with the scenery of El Trono Blanco above Rancho El Topo.
The next photo is old - there is a new hut which replaced the old one.

[Edited on 2008-1-26 by tajo]

Surroundings of the Rancho Sausualito

All four photos ( including the bighorn ) belong to my friend Sebastian, from our excursion to the Canyon Corrizo in the 2007-03-17

Thanks Tajo I see you meet Hernan.Last time I was there, I was eating fresh hand made flour tortillas made by his wife,right out off the wooden stove.Lovely couple.The Caretaker from Rancho San Luis is not that friendly, I was told.

[Edited on 1-27-2008 by BAJACAT]