BajaNomad - What we are missing this weekend! (Mision Santa Maria Run, new photos)

What we are missing this weekend! (Mision Santa Maria Run, new photos)

David K - 2-11-2010 at 06:54 PM

Well, with so much rain this winter and the Jet Stream looking like it could bring more this week to the area... BajaCat and I agreed that a dryer date would be more fun and better odds of getting to the mission for everyone who wanted to try!

So, what we are missing is some of the following...

(PS There are many 'new to you' photos shown here for the first time as I know many of you have seen the others many times already. I pulled a bunch that I didn't post on Nomad after our 2007 run, nor did I use on that trip's web page http://vivabaja.com/msm )

A stay at Baja Cactus Motel:

Lunch at Rancho Santa Ynez with Oscar and Matilda:

Giant RV camping area at Santa Ynez (Ines):

The first 4WD grade, just 1.8 miles from the ranch:

The long, rough staight section beyond the grade:

Then back to 'normal':

Palms in the sandy arroyo:

Mile 9.9, view of Punta Final on the Sea of Cortez. (Peninsular Divide):

The really 'fun' stuff is the next 4 1/2 miles down, down, down to the mission!

The Widowmaker!:

Roy first...

Next?

Into the bog (but it was dry this time!):

Mission ahead!

Stay tuned for part II...

PART II

David K - 2-12-2010 at 09:14 AM

A mile past the mission, the road drops steeply down to the sandy arroyo... Ahead one can see the bulldozed grade climbing up the ridge... where the road construction to Gonzaga Bay ended.

To the left, in the arroyo is the oasis where we camped.

We had some visitors the next morning...

Then after a day of hiking to the Camino Real and relaxing... it would be time to get ready to leave.

Another stop at the mission...

Then UP the Widowmaker!

Now it was Roy's turn...

What a great road!!

Well, that's what we all might have seen tomorrow and Sunday... So, those of you on the sideline... When BajaCat reschedules... Don't miss it! :light:

More photos, details: http://vivabaja.com/msm

David K - 2-12-2010 at 10:58 AM

Some area maps...

BAJACAT - 2-12-2010 at 06:11 PM

Thanks David, this trip will be try out again in May. but for know pictures will due..

Bob H - 2-12-2010 at 09:14 PM

David, great photos and maps.

Question... Is it possible to get to the Mission from the Gonzaga Bay side?

Bob H

David K - 2-13-2010 at 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bob H
David, great photos and maps.

Question... Is it possible to get to the Mission from the Gonzaga Bay side?

Bob H

YES! By foot or mule!!!

SEE: http://vivabaja.com/1103/page2.html

Get your GPS ready, you will need it!

GPS Directions (map datum NAD27 Mexico)

Take Hwy. 5 south 7.4 miles from Rancho Grande, turn west: 29°41.094'/ 114°24.566'

3.2 miles west of Hwy. 5, go straight where most traffic curves left for Las Palmitas: 29°41.278'/ 114°27.639'

0.8 miles from above, park at huge boulder: 29°41.68'/ 114°28.20'

Hike to north bank of Arroyo Santa Maria to: 29°41.733'/ 114°28.175' elev. 609' (ECR-1
)
Go northwest and climb out of valley, note ocotillos.

Along left side of side valley: 29°42.374'/ 114°28.566' elev. 741' (ECR-2)

On first padre built switchback up: 29°42.669'/ 114°28.937' elev. 906' (ECR-3)

On a ridge, trail continues northwest: 29°42.671'/ 114°29.425' elev. 1308' (ECR-4)

On the Camino Real: 29°42.748'/ 114°29.482' elev. 1391' (ECR-5)

Crossing ridges and little mesas: 29°43.008'/ 114°29.967' elev. 1477' (ECR-6)

Drop along side of ridge, trail narrow: 29°43.074'/ 114°30.128' elev.1610' (ECR-7)

End of today's hike just beyond this last clear sign of the old trail: 29°43.141'/ 114°30.189' elev. 1702' (ECR-8)

Junction of ECR & bulldozed road: 29°43.126'/ 114°31.753' elev.1413'
(End of bulldozed road, on canyon ridge: 29°43.033'/ 114°31.556' elev. 1,615' )

Mision Santa Maria: 29°43.891'/ 114°32.794' elev.1628'

Don Jorge did the hike a couple weeks after Chris and I and made it all the way to the mission... and returned via the canyon (required deep water crossing).

David K - 2-13-2010 at 01:34 PM

Here's photos of the Camino Real where it meets the bulldozed road in the mission valley:

http://vivabaja.com/msm/page8.html

David K - 2-13-2010 at 07:17 PM

About now, we would be sitting around the campfire telling stories or listening to mountain lions and coyotes! (if we went to Santa Maria today)

Can you name the Nomads sitting around these campfires?

David K - 2-14-2010 at 11:25 AM

The above four photos were taken on past President's Day weekends...

The first one in 2001 at El Camote's place near San Felipe where we did our Sulfur Mine, Shell Island, and Matomi Canyon Oasis tours from.

L to R: Amo Pescar, El Camote, MexRay, David K. See the rest at http://vivabaja.com/shell and http://vivabaja.com/matomi

The next three in 2004 at Nuevo Mazatlan where we repeated our Matomi group excursions from.

Photos: 1) MexRay making Jiffy Pop. 2) GeoRock. 3) David K and Pat (Mrs. MexRay). See the rest at http://vivabaja.com/204

BajaRoadrunner - 2-17-2010 at 11:15 AM

[Edited on 2-17-2010 by BajaRoadrunner]

BajaRoadrunner - 2-17-2010 at 11:35 AM

David K - 2-17-2010 at 11:35 AM

Nice pics... I like this one looking UP the Widowmaker!

When did you take the photos?

BajaRoadrunner - 2-17-2010 at 11:39 AM

BajaRoadrunner - 2-17-2010 at 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Nice pics... I like this one looking UP the Widowmaker!

When did you take the photos?

That one is from April or May '05, at that time I had a stock Jeep Cherokee so I didn't drive down, we walked to the mission.

I've been there 4 times total; '05 2 times, '08 and '09. I plan to go there every year from now on.

BajaRoadrunner - 2-17-2010 at 12:06 PM

Last one

David K - 2-17-2010 at 12:14 PM

Great... sure is beautiful there!

I liked that your YouTube even used the name 'Widowmaker'! Thank you... I thought that was fitting based on the difficulty when I first went over it, in 1999.

Baja Mur and I both got thrown from our rides and got cut up pretty good on the rocks!

Photo from May 1, 1999 when Baja Mur and I were there...

widowmkr.jpg - 48kB

BajaRoadrunner - 2-17-2010 at 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Great... sure is beautiful there!

I liked that your YouTube even used the name 'Widowmaker'! Thank you... I thought that was fitting based on the difficulty when I first went over it, in 1999.

Baja Mur and I both got thrown from our rides and got cut up pretty good on the rocks!

Photo from May 1, 1999 when Baja Mur and I were there...

HAHA, that name is well known by now and specially here in Bajanomad.
Even in the mexican off-road forums I am a member of, they call it like that and also they call the trip "Mission Impossible" which I think Ken made up. :lol:

I think Oscar made a reference to the widowmaker with a mexican name, but I was not sure if we were talking about the exact same grade. Next time I'll bring a picture and ask him again.

BajaRoadrunner - 2-17-2010 at 02:34 PM

By the way, in spanish I don't think there is a 1 word translation for "widowmaker". La hace viudas.
So my wife calls it "la viuda" which is "the widow"

David K - 2-17-2010 at 05:05 PM

Great!

The maker of widows/ La hace viudas...

I think the term was first used in an old western cowboy/ bandito movie... Someone who killed many men and turned many wives into widows!

David K - 2-18-2010 at 04:07 PM

In 1999, after Baja Mur and I rode to the mission... and back out to Santa Ynez... we drove on to Gonzaga Bay and stayed at Doug's place (had a hot tub, was great) next to Alfonsina's cantina. A couple days later, before I flew home with Doug, he took Mur and I for a flight over the mission valley from Gonzaga.

Here is looking down at the Widowmaker (where the road turns down towards the arroyo off the mountain):

====================================================

Here is the mission... see the two standing ends of the mission, in the white sand area, above the arroyo/ palms just below the center, middle of photo:

Both photos looking northward and down towards the road and mission.