BajaNomad

End of the new road to.....

mcfez - 4-24-2010 at 06:23 AM

From the end of the new road, to Gonzaga Bay......I am looking for information on a realistic driving time via Dodge Truck and/or Dodge Truck with a 14 ft boat. Yes...been on this road many times with a Rover, but not in the last two years.

bonanza bucko - 4-24-2010 at 06:36 AM

From Puertecitos to Gonzaga Bay you have: 1.)15 miles of pavement (all the way through the Tres Marias where most of the bad road used to be); 2.) 5 miles of graded dirt...good road and 3.)20 miles of THAT ROAD as it used to be all the way. It takes me 1+25 for the whole trip in a 2010 F-150 truck...I go about 40 MPH on top of the washboard. Towing a trailer and boat you are gonna have to slow waaaaaayyyy down on the 20 miles of rocks and washboard so I'd guess it'll take you about 2+15 for the trip. As you probably know, the boat the trailer is gonna be the main problem because most don't make it to GB without stopping for repairs.

We last drove this trip a month ago

BB

cj5orion - 4-24-2010 at 06:45 AM

ditto !
couldnt had said it better !
drove it last week....and in about an hour from now.

jeremias - 4-24-2010 at 12:04 PM

how is the road going from Gonzaga bay cutting over towards the pacific to get back to the highway 1? Was thinking about doing a loop, but the road on my map looks like 50 miles of a gravel road.

woody with a view - 4-24-2010 at 12:05 PM

gravel is not an option....

doradodan - 4-24-2010 at 01:37 PM

If you can, load your gear in your boat and launch at puertocitos. Alot less stress on your boat and trailer. You will have to pay Clara to leave your rig at boat ramp $10 a day, we have left our trucks there for a week and no worries. you can get gas at Rancho Grande. Only down side is wind, you will get wind in front of Black Mountain, just hug the coast if you have to. We have done this run at night with gps a bunch of times, just be careful between salvatiera island and bufeo, there is a reef/sand bar at low tide can be dangerous, just check the tide charts. It is an adventure!!!

doradodan - 4-24-2010 at 01:43 PM

sorry i didn't read your post clearly, 14ft boat, no way. Car topper or trailer?

Wishfull thinking..yeah!

mcfez - 4-24-2010 at 02:52 PM

Great feedback from all of you. Once again...the Nomads rule.

Tow trailer......yeah yeah! I really know better that to do that!

Driving out from Puertocitos ramp.....interesting. How many hours would you say for that? Where in Clara's place did you leave your truck for a week. I have concerns about that.

Anyone here sees my truck....has www.kissmygrass.com plastered on it...give us a Howdy!

doradodan - 4-24-2010 at 03:24 PM

I do it in a 17ft Whaler calm seas 2 hours, windy/choppy 6+. It is a hit and miss on the wind, seems we just had better luck in the late afternoon and evening. We run with two GPS units and we have the lighthouses timed, believe it or not the light at papa's and the turn to gonzaga are timed differently and have always been accurate. I would not do it in a 14ft boat, too much gear, and it can get pretty ugly out there. You leave your rig at he top of the ramp, there is parking, those people watch that place like hawks, mainly to make sure you don't skip out without paying them, only one way in and out.

bonanza bucko - 4-24-2010 at 05:04 PM

Don't even think of doing that trip in a small boat if there is any wind....and watch out for "The Wind Tunnel" which is right in the middle of that trip. It can be dead calm at Puertecitos and howling 50 knots out of the west and down the slope south of Huerfanito. Problem is that I don't think you can forecast that except to just not go any time before about June 15. I almost lost a good buddy in a 27 foot Grady White on that trip two years ago......9 foot seas and 50 knots of wind...baaaaaaddd
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cj5orion - 4-25-2010 at 06:30 AM

play it safe !!!! 14' boat from Puertos to Gonzaga...NO WAY !!!
trailer it down,take it slow,easy,SAFE !
Just have spare tires at the ready,springs also blow a lot,ratchet strap that puppy TIGHT to the trailer,,,,,plenty of cold beer! relax...enjoy the view.
They started work on the road again,,,,its gettin shorter all the time.

wilderone - 4-25-2010 at 08:58 AM

Don't even think of doing that trip in a small boat if there is any wind....and watch out for "The Wind Tunnel"

si - OMG - the swells can get to 5-6 ft. easily, and breaking at the top. I capsized in a kayak there. At first light next morning, gentle rolling swells - no problem.

David K - 4-25-2010 at 09:01 AM

It is 36 miles in from Hwy. 1 (at Laguna Chapala) over a much better graded dirt road, if you MUST trailer in...

mcfez - 4-25-2010 at 10:33 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
It is 36 miles in from Hwy. 1 (at Laguna Chapala) over a much better graded dirt road, if you MUST trailer in...


I agree with u on that DK.....problem is San Felipe to that turn off on H1 has major distance.....+36 miles :-( I was just hoping that was possible to get down there using the 5S.

Any current prices on camp fees at Puertoscitos ?

David K - 4-25-2010 at 10:02 PM

Since the highway is paved to El Huerfanito, why not launch there... much closer to Gonzaga! Did you see the photo of the Huerfanito launch ramp taken by bbbait (Wayno) I posted?

Here it is again (low tide):



[Edited on 4-26-2010 by David K]

mcfez - 4-26-2010 at 06:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Since the highway is paved to El Huerfanito, why not launch there... much closer to Gonzaga! Did you see the photo of the Huerfanito launch ramp taken by bbbait (Wayno) I posted?

Here it is again (low tide):



[Edited on 4-26-2010 by David K]


Well...I think we will just hang out off Puertecitos this time...and drive in to GB next year using H1.

Thanks DK for the El Huerfanito idea. We'll go there too and see what the Sea has to offer. BTW...how's the contracting business with irrigation doing in SD this year? We've picked up pretty good. Can buy groceries now :lol:

Camping at Puertecitos still 10 bucks?

David K - 4-26-2010 at 06:24 PM

Thanks for asking, it Sucks still... the economy crashed for most construction related industries, but the November elections should give people a morale boost that America is not lost... and this extra wet season delays work.

redhilltown - 4-26-2010 at 11:14 PM

It will be great any way you do it but if you can bite the bullet and make to Papa Fernandez you'll do much better if fishing is your number one criteria to the trip. There won't be much good fishing from Huerfanito south unless you are targeting Corvina (and good luck at that). At Fernandez you have short trips up the coast to Bufeo and out to San Luis not to mention all around Willard and Gonzaga Bay proper and a couple of bays if the wind is kicking up. if you head south from Huerfanito towards Gonzaga in all likelihood you'll be coming back against the winds and as mentioned, it ain't always pretty. But of the two you're right to head out of Puertecitos...Black Mountain area south and Corvina, Pargo, Grouper, Triggers, and maybe even Sierra if the water has warmed up...check out the Baja Catch fishing maps.

bonanza bucko - 4-27-2010 at 06:03 AM

if you are there to fish stay at Puertecitos and ask the locals to tell you exactly where The Golden Reef is.....off shore at Puertecitos a mile or so....not sure about that. There is a good buddy there with the handle BeerCan who fishes it a lot...He lives in a house on the hill above the gate to the "town" on the west side of the dirt road. But I would think anybody there with a boat in his front yard would tell you where to go if you don't act like yer basic gringo tourista.

BB