BajaNomad

San Ignacio to San Juanico - salt flats

BajaGeoff - 4-25-2012 at 12:54 PM

Has anyone driven the road from San Ignacio to San Juanico along the salt flats recently? I am heading down there soon and will be pulling a trailer...just wondering what kind of shape it is in. I have a 2WD V8 4Runner with plenty of pulling power...just mostly concerned with really soft sand. Any insight would be appreciated!

David K - 4-25-2012 at 01:42 PM

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=57386

(some recent notes)

rts551 - 4-25-2012 at 02:27 PM

I would try and get some RECENT reports. In Abreojos we had rain in Feb and it looked like that are did too.

BajaGeoff - 4-25-2012 at 03:20 PM

Gracias....yeah....I did see the post from January, but was hoping for something a bit more recent.

Desertbull - 4-25-2012 at 03:44 PM

Well, when you say the Salt Flats that means you will only have a single section of sand to navigate and that's the south end as you travel towards San Juanico after you go through El Datil.

Pulling a trailer shouldn't pose too much of a problem just keep the momentum going right!

However some people take the "sand highway" heading south INTO El Datil from the north and if that's the case or route you're taking, I wouldn't pull a trailer down that route cuz its sandy for a long ways. I only take this route when the tide is high.

I usually drop off the washboard as soon as I make the left at the "Y" and push right to the flats where you can cruise at 50-55 all the way to El Datil, faster over the moonscape to pass out candy to the kids.

Go this way with your trailer Geoff.

Call me tomorrow if you need details.


DB

BajaGeoff - 4-25-2012 at 05:01 PM

Haha! Thanks DB! I was about to send you a U2U.....

You rock!

bajario - 4-25-2012 at 06:49 PM

Geoff, Let us know how it is. We're taking the south road in from Loreto in July but want to take the north road out.

Never taken the north road or the one thru Purisma but wanted to avoid the extra distance of looping all the way back to the south road and home.

Geoff, were you the one that went down last weekend to the orphanage with Dane?

Sunman - 4-25-2012 at 09:06 PM

Geoff,
Wide open as of 2 weeks ago, another friend of mine gave the same report last week. Never thought about using 4wd. Not sure if any of this rain is gonna make it that way though...food for thought.

Sweetwater - 4-26-2012 at 08:38 AM

OK, I can give you my update from February......

Three of us on moto's did a wonderful whale watching session out of Pete's Campo....recommended and reserved by the folks with the yurts in San Ignacio. We then began to follow a gentleman with a Sportsmans Club in San Juanico named Fred. He took us south along the flats until a very impatient Rick decided to pre-run the F350 4x4 that we were supposed to follow. His lack of respect took us down the "sand highway" which Fred later told us was not necessary.

I was on a KTM 990 with knobby tires, the Tenere was sporting some expensive Heidenau tires, the 1150 GS wore Anakee's. All three bikes were loaded with camping gear.

When we hit the sand, the Yamaha and BMW really began to have problems and the Ford needed to stop and help the Yamaha, I shepherded the GS. The 4x4 was borderline stuck at one point, having to stop and restart to keep the Yamaha going. He cut us loose at Datil and said we should not have any problems but that the sand had been entirely the fault of the impatient rider.

As we continued south to San Juanico, there were several other sections of sand which had drifted into the "road". Most of it was around a rocky wash that was adjacent to a "rancho". Once I climbed up off the beach, the road was mostly graded dirt with rocks until a few miles north of San Juanico. Then, another stretch of sand into town. I did see traffic on this road and it was 2x4.

Your current weather and conditions are subject to change of course. We were in the Laguna during some pretty good chop and it appeared to be raining to the south. That rain was not evident on road however. I would be suspicious of a 2x4 through that sand highway, particularly if I had to stop or deal with traffic in the other direction. If the tide is out and you route correctly, I understand it can be avoided. Trailers always compound problems in tough conditions......Good Luck and let us know how the trip turns out.

Sweetwater - 4-26-2012 at 08:46 AM

The "sand Highway" on an overloaded Tenere:


Ateo - 4-26-2012 at 10:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Desertbull
I usually drop off the washboard as soon as I make the left at the "Y" and push right to the flats where you can cruise at 50-55 all the way to El Datil, faster over the moonscape to pass out candy to the kids.

Go this way with your trailer Geoff.


DB


This is EXACTLY the route I'd take if I had a trailer. Get into those flats as early as possible. I used to do the sand highway into Datil but the sand gets really deep and last time I had to help push some locals out. When I came back northbound from Datil I stayed in the flats forever and basically came out at the "y" you mentioned. Cut some time and stress out of the trip.

Ateo - 4-26-2012 at 10:30 AM

And this would be the "Sand Highway" that you'd want to avoid towing anything......


Ateo - 4-26-2012 at 10:33 AM

And of course the beautiful view of the mesas from the flats......I'm getting jealous!!


Ateo - 4-26-2012 at 10:35 AM

And a wave that's down in that area................



BajaGeoff - 5-4-2012 at 04:21 PM

Well.....the trip to San Juanico was a success and the north road along the salt flats was awesome! There were a few sandy spots here and there that we had to plow through, but we kept the momentum up and got through it. The only real rough area was once you get to the south end of the flats, the road veers east and takes you inland towards Cadeje. We took it slow through the rough stuff and gassed it when we got in to the sand and never had an issue.

I ended up hauling 6 barrels of race gas and all of our pit gear....all told probably 5,000+ pounds in the trailer. Thankfully we had a brake controller and definitely put it to good use on the highway going south.

Very proud of the 4Runner too....hauled all that gear like a champ and still had plenty of giddyup when we needed it. Full trip report with pictures is coming soon!

Sweetwater - 5-4-2012 at 04:36 PM

Thanks for that update.....glad to hear a good story when you post that report.....

David K - 5-4-2012 at 05:33 PM

Go go Toyota! Looking forward to the report Geoff!

woody with a view - 5-4-2012 at 06:58 PM

yeah, THAT wave is something! but everyone is on it so they can have it.....

Ateo - 5-4-2012 at 07:26 PM

Awesome. Can't wait to see some pictures. San Juanico will always hold a special place in my brain.

woody with a view - 5-4-2012 at 08:38 PM

it's a great place. unique to the world for sure. one wave like your picture will change your life, it did for me. now i focus on other places...

cmon Geoff, spill it!