BajaNomad

Road conditions from Loreto west to the Comondus

Cypress - 1-2-2009 at 03:51 PM

Yep! Get an early start.:yes:

Paulclark - 1-2-2009 at 06:58 PM

Hi -- It is passable and used as a race route for the Loreto 400 race --

Paula - 1-2-2009 at 10:30 PM

Amy, there are three routes from Loreto to Comondu.

You should rule out the one that goes all the way to San Javier, where you go to the left of the mission and continue on for miles of dirt in poor condition to the paved road from Insurgentes to La Purisima. It is very long and tedious.

It is faster to take Mex 1 from Loreto to Insurgentes, where you will turn north to Ej. Francisco Villa, then on to Comundu. This route will be long, but it can be done as a long day trip from Loreto and back.

The third, shortest and most direct, way is to head up toward San Javier, and turn off at the signed road to Comondu near Rancho Viejo. We took this road a few years ago and it was treacherous. I have heard that it is improved now with the dangerous stretch re-routed. I think this must be the way that Paul Clark means. If you do this road I would love to hear about it!

vandenberg - 1-3-2009 at 10:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaamy
Thank you, Paula! That makes it clear. Can anyone confirm that the road turning off at Rancho Viejo has been improved?

Also, is the road past San Javier at least passable enough to get to the visita of La Presentacion (about 12 miles)?

Amy



If you're driving a 4x4 high clearance vehicle, that would driving those roads a lot simpler.
They can be rather nasty for a regular car.

Paulclark - 1-3-2009 at 10:49 AM

The road past San Javier was in good shape the last time i traveled it about 2 months ago -- it is fast and will take you out to the Highway north of Insurgentes. It is frequently traveled and maintained -- for a ranch road. I am not sure of the location of La Presentacion so can't help you there. The road to Commondu from Rancho Viejo is rough but passable in a two wheel drive truck -- not by car. -- Paul

Paula - 1-3-2009 at 04:35 PM

The time I drove past San Javier to San Miguel we felt like we saved some miles, but returning by going all the way to Insurgentes and taking Mex 1 was actually a bit shorter in time. Of course the dirt road is more scenic. And it is easily passible in any car.

We drove back from San Jose on the short route 3 years ago. There was just one death-defying stretch, at the top of the hill leaving San Jose. It was cliffside, barely one lane, steep up, steep down, and the surface was large loose boulders. We'd have turned around if we could have. We were driving a Subaru Forester. I've heard that this piece has been re-routed to go behind that peak, and if that is the case I'd love to go again that way, it is so beautiful up there.

Paulclark, it sounds like you're familiar with that road. Is there anything like I just described on it still?

Paulclark - 1-3-2009 at 05:27 PM

--The road from San Javier to the highway between Ciudad Insurgentes and La Purisma meets the highway about 25 km. north of Insurgentes. It is in good shape and usable by a car.

--The road from San Javier, north through Rancho Viejo and on to San Miguel Comondu is passable by a 2 wheel drive truck. -or Subaru -- There are some bad rocky hills on it before Commondu going downhill traveling East to West. From there to the highway at Fransisco Villa is good improved gravel. I don't know what the road from San Jose Commondu to La Purisma is like, but having past it at both ends i think it is passable in a 2 wheel drive truck. Any of these roads that are used as race routes -- which all these are --are passable in a class 11 car, which is a VW Beetle with stock suspension -- So if you can go where a VW can -- ?? On the other hand it is amazing what a VW can make it through!:spingrin:

The road from Loreto up the canyon to San Javier is being paved and an annual pilgramage to the mission happens every December. This year over 6,000 people attended.

Neal Johns - 1-4-2009 at 03:58 AM

Paulclark, I have been reading your posts and you are a great asset to the board!

Welcome to the Nomad Board!

Scorpimon - 1-4-2009 at 03:45 PM

I might want to add that when traveling from Loreto and after the Comondu turnoff before San Javier, the road is not marked that well, at least for us.

We attempted this a few weeks ago and ended up on the Palo Chino side route south of the main road, which has a few rough sections in it. Never did see a sign that said where to turn to stay on the main road. We thought we were on the main road until we past the Palo Chino sign.

Comondu road

XRPhlang - 1-5-2009 at 01:46 PM

Back in Sept. of 2007 the road from Loreto to the Comondoos could be easily driven in a sedan, in one day, there and back.

The road to La purisma from Comondu would require a 4x4 IMO. (I had to turn back because the large, loose rocks in the road bed proved too much for me on my motorcycle).

I ended up taking the road that leaves the Valley, North East towards Bajia Conception. I turned down a lot of wrong roads that looked like the right one, only to end at a rancho.
Then it started raining which turned everything to muck and made the arroyo crossings a bit challanging. I ended up in Mulege by dark.

If you're only going to Comondu, you could easily make it back to Loreto in one day backtracking. I have not gone this way, but you might try to loop back around to San Javier from Comondu by way of the La Purisma/Insurgentes paved road. That way you could check out La Presentation ruins on the way back. That was my plan before it started raining.

I'll try posting some pics.

XRPhlang - 1-5-2009 at 01:56 PM

trying again

Baja Sept 2007 073r.JPG - 48kB

XRPhlang - 1-5-2009 at 01:59 PM

ok, now I think I got it. This should be El Horno where the mortar was made for the missions.

Baja Sept 2007 076R.JPG - 38kB

XRPhlang - 1-5-2009 at 02:03 PM

Happy horses

Baja Sept 2007 081r.JPG - 49kB

XRPhlang - 1-5-2009 at 02:07 PM

looking South

Baja Sept 2007 075r.JPG - 47kB

XRPhlang - 1-5-2009 at 02:09 PM

San Jose de..

Baja Sept 2007 084r.JPG - 50kB

XRPhlang - 1-5-2009 at 02:12 PM

wet moon dust

Baja Sept 2007 099r.jpg - 49kB

LaTijereta - 1-5-2009 at 09:20 PM

Approching the Comondus from Loreto you will drop down into the valley..
We made the trip last May.. good road all the way for high clearance 2wd

DSC_0093.50k.jpg - 47kB

LaTijereta - 1-5-2009 at 09:22 PM

One of the hills that you climb heading over from San Javier going northwest...

DSC_0076.50k.jpg - 40kB