David K - 4-5-2004 at 11:48 PM
My main Easter Week trip (backpacking to Mision San Pedro Martir) plan didn't pan out, so Plan B is a shorter trip to the desert southwest of San
Felipe. Along the Sierra San Pedro Martir are several palm oasis canyons... most require some hiking. Last February many of us Nomads went to Matomi
Canyon http://community-2.webtv.net/matomi2004/matomi . Three years ago, LdB and I hiked up Agua Caliente Canyon to the hot springs (just past a
"cilantro" farm) http://davidksbaja.com/baja_2001
This weekend, jide and I plan on meeting Baja Lou and Bruce Barber in the next canyon north of Matomi, 'Parral'. Mexitron, Pappy, and others on the
backpacking trip to the mission, plan on also meeting us there.
North of Parral is El Berrendo and then El Carrizo.
Here's what John Robinson says in his excellent CAMPING and CLIMBING in BAJA published by La Siesta Press:
Canon Carrizo: This is a beautiful canyon, with over a thousand fan palms along the canyon bottom and growing out of the rock walls on both sides. An
Indian trail ascends several miles up canyon.
Canon Parral: As many fan palms also grace this canyon. Miniature waterfalls and sparkling pools make a hike up canyon rewarding.
Sounds great to me... well, anywhere in Baja sounds great, right?!!
We are meeting Friday in Parral, along the road, a few miles from Carricitos, map 14 Baja Almanac... GPS available...
STAY TUNED!
surfer jim - 4-6-2004 at 09:07 AM
Will be at GLAMIS testing new dune buggy
....but thinking about BAJA....
Word is there was some rain in that area last week ...should be good for flowers....
[Edited on 4-6-2004 by surfer jim]
Pappy Jon - 4-7-2004 at 11:47 AM
Last May I stopped in El Berrendo. Nice canyon with blue palms all the way up to the ridge line. No water, though. Parrel was fenced, though the gate
was open. It seemed there was a vehicle parked in the way. Looked on purpose, like they didn't wan't folks up there. I was able to get by, but it was
a squeeze.
As far as the "cilantro" farm in Aqua Caliente ... I thought it was a tomato farm , but I'm not much of a farmer.
'Cilantro Farm'
David K - 4-7-2004 at 05:59 PM
In Agua Caliente Canyon, off Valle Chico, southwest from San Felipe... Here see rows of drip irrigation tape under pruned mesquite trees (no aerial
visibility). The water was siphoned from the year round stream using a large diameter polyethylene tube, from a ways upstream.
This was on Dec. 31, 2000... the workers confronted us on our return from the hot springs... but only to ask for a ride into San Felipe... it was New
Year's Eve, afterall! The good part was Lorenzo and I were allowed to live!
[Edited on 4-8-2004 by David K]
Hot Springs, Hot Streams, Baja is magic!
David K - 4-7-2004 at 06:08 PM
The fuzziness on either side of me is steam rising from the hot water streams running from the source springs down to meet with the cool mountain
stream... Hot and Cold running water! The volume of exremely hot water flowing was incredible!
The hot springs were about a half mile upstream from the 'cilantro farm', where the canyon bends to the south, the springs are on the right (west
bank). Photos of other cool Baja locations, as well as GPS data can be quickly found by going to my linked 'Index' at the bottom of this, and all my
posts.
[Edited on 4-8-2004 by David K]
san pedro martir canyons
jide - 4-7-2004 at 10:36 PM
Hey David,
Did you also read in that book, the part about canyon El Cajon?
Looks like a big beautiful canyon with plenty of palms and water (good for the cilantro as well....)
G.
[Edited on 4-8-2004 by jide]
David K - 4-7-2004 at 11:00 PM
Yes, most of Baja's canyons contain great things to see! El Cajon was the route of the trail betwen Mision San Pedro Martir and San Felipe, used for
centuries before by the Indians. Petroglyphs are found in El Cajon, also. I hope we have time to see a few. Baja Lou expects the gang from the SP
Martir backpacking trip to show up, also.
bajalou - 4-8-2004 at 02:48 PM
Since we're talking canyons, here is a photo of a pool in Canon Esperanza, a ways north of Diablo. Taken in early March 04.
BajaLou
David K - 4-8-2004 at 03:07 PM
Hey Lou... I am packing my truck now, picking up 'jide' early in the morning (5am?), and will be in Valle Chico mid/late friday morning. After we find
your camping spot (GPS), we might start exploring. See you when you arrive. I did get an email from Bruce that he wasn't able to come, but will meet
him at the book signing May 1.
If the road is blocked or the land owners ask us to move on, I will mark our way to another camp with the blue Ewing Sprinkler Marker Flags.
Otherwise, see you near the end of that red line on your map...
[Edited on 4-8-2004 by David K]
El Parral at last
bajalou - 4-11-2004 at 10:06 AM
WE made it!
Met up with David K and JIDE on the way into Parral. Also a group that made the Mission San Pedro Matir hike coming out. They were headed to
Matomi.
David will post a account of the trip but I'll just say we got to the old Rancho El Parral and a bit beyond, seeing thousands of blue palms. We also
went up Barrendo for a few miles again seeing the palms and water, water, water.
PabloS - 4-12-2004 at 09:07 AM
Thanks Bajalou for the excellant pictures!