BajaNomad - Bay of Concepcion Peninsula

Bay of Concepcion Peninsula

Mula - 5-4-2012 at 04:34 PM

A friend and I would like to go on a camping trip to the peninsula of Concepcion Bay, but want someone to go with us who knows the place, history, etc.

The paintings, Baja Patty, the old mine, the ranch at the end, when to get a few clams for dinner, snorkeling, etc.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks

Cypress - 5-4-2012 at 04:41 PM

Talk to Pompano.

Mula - 5-4-2012 at 04:43 PM

He's gone for the season, already.

Cypress - 5-4-2012 at 04:52 PM

It's a one way road in and a one way road out.

[Edited on 5/4/2012 by Cypress]

roundtuit - 5-4-2012 at 05:21 PM

there are many roads in but only one road out :lol:

David K - 5-4-2012 at 05:31 PM

Please take photos to share! The manganese mine looks interesting and I always wondered why Erle Stanley Gardner never mentioned it when he explored the area in 1966... He went there because there were no roads shown on maps of the time, out there. Gardner's team even made a runway over there for Capt. Muñoz to fly in to!

Mulegena - 5-4-2012 at 05:34 PM

We're going tomorrow night for the Mega-Moon and some beach camping and snorkeling out towards the point.

Taking the 4x4; not a bad road, but my little Toyota pickup had to turn back a couple months ago just before Jingle Beach.

Will let you know how we did.

Cypress

Howard - 5-4-2012 at 05:40 PM

You sort of sound like that Hotel California Eagles song!

Cypress - 5-4-2012 at 05:48 PM

vgabndo - 5-4-2012 at 06:19 PM

Many here must appreciate Gardner's motivation to see where there were no roads. We crossed through the (safe then) flats on the south of the Bahia heading for San Sebastian because on page 287 of Jack Williams' Magnificent Peninsula he said the road had turned him back twice in a pick-up truck! I was driving a half ton bubble top Ford van, and although Cathy got out and walked un tramo we made it fine. The best part, and unique, we saw both a deer and a bobcat within a mile of each other and within a few miles of the Bahia. Never since for either!

A New connecting road from the one to San Sebastian, to the southerly road from El Rosarito to San Nicolas was cut-in a couple years ago. It runs north/south. It was pretty rough on a dirt bike. It comes out just west of the big striped butte on the San Nic road. No clams that direction though.

[Edited on 5-5-2012 by vgabndo]

Mula - 5-4-2012 at 07:33 PM

Mulegena,

Damn, I wish we would have known you were going, we sure would liked to have joined you.

If you make another excursion that way, we sure would like to go.

Pescador - 5-4-2012 at 07:53 PM

We run it fairly frequently on Quads. It is a very interesting area and the plants are different than I have seen in other parts of the peninsula. The cave scratchings are Ok, but not one of the finest examples. There were about 4 students last time that were doing a study on the Catarina scallops and it was fascinating to talk to them and see what they were doing. They were about straight across from Bob and Susan's place.
It is not safe to park in the old abandoned campground anymore as it is almost 100% sure that your vehicle will get broken into. We always park in the little fishing village just west of there and pay them a few bucks to watch the vehicles.
Lots of shell mounds from when they were doing more scallop hunting and shell harvesting .
Scenery is fantastic.

dtbushpilot - 5-4-2012 at 09:44 PM

Ged and I went out there last year, here is a link to the trip report.

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=51730#pid6038...

For some reason the link starts in the middle of the post, you have to scroll up to the start...

[Edited on 5-5-2012 by dtbushpilot]

chuckie - 5-5-2012 at 05:36 AM

Second on the theft problem, almost 100% that you will get broken into..We were over there last week, by boat...Another caution, watch for Rattlesnakes...Having said all that, IT IS a great trip...

tripledigitken - 5-5-2012 at 06:06 AM

Another vote for taking the trip. We did it in the 90's in my Toy pickup (4x4). It was a day trip and we went out to the mine. Not one vehicle did we see all day after turning off Mex 1.

Like Vag we saw a bobcat. We had just left the mine on the Cortez side and were coming through a narrow section back to the bahia when we spotted it just ahead of us on the road. It stayed in front of us, then we stopped and watched it for a few minutes slowly disappear up the slope.

Great side trip and one that I'd like to do again, only next time I'd camp a few days out there.

A few years later I got the Baja Almanac and when reviewing the area we had traveled I noticed that just north of the mine there is Punta el Gato!!!!

(page 37 O/2)

Ken

Skipjack Joe - 5-5-2012 at 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken

...I noticed that just north of the mine there is Punta el Gato!!!!

Should've called it Punta El Gato Roberto. <groan>

tripledigitken - 5-5-2012 at 08:12 AM

:lol:

David K - 5-5-2012 at 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dtbushpilot
Ged and I went out there last year, here is a link to the trip report.

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=51730#pid6038...

For some reason the link starts in the middle of the post, you have to scroll up to the start...

[Edited on 5-5-2012 by dtbushpilot]

Just edit out everything after the thread number 51730:

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=51730

Bajatripper - 5-5-2012 at 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Please take photos to share! The manganese mine looks interesting and I always wondered why Erle Stanley Gardner never mentioned it when he explored the area in 1966... He went there because there were no roads shown on maps of the time, out there. Gardner's team even made a runway over there for Capt. Muñoz to fly in to!

Because he was sworn to secrecy on penalty of death not to divulge the secret American underground missile site that's there. The whole WWII-manganese-mine story was just a cover for its construction.

David K - 5-5-2012 at 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajatripper

Quote:

Now that is believable! :light:

30 miles to Jingle Beach

Mulegena - 5-7-2012 at 06:30 PM

We went camping on the peninsula for the mega-fullmoon and it was time delightfully well-spent, but I gotta warn ya' its really hot out there already and very, very isolated. We left Mulege early afternoon reached our destination on the peninsula, Jingle Beach, at 5 pm. The locals call it Playa Santo Domingo, btw; don't know what the map says. Its on the inside of the bay and just before the point and fishcamp, Punta Hornitos.

We gathered dry cactus laying around and had a campfire as the moon came up-- not that we needed a fire but its a campout tradition. Its early May and the nights cool down fast, but there was so much humidity in the night air that our bedding was wet when we turned in, the fullmoon high over the Bay of Conception waters.

A coyote visited us in the early, early morning hours but stayed clear of our equally curious and friendly dogs.

We enjoyed the morning snorkeling and diving for chocolate clams. Water was brisk, not cold anymore, and we used 3mm wetsuits.

If you go, take your own shade. The sun is direct and persistent out there. Between us and the dogs we used about 9 gallons of water in 24 hours.

Good to know: there is a fresh-water source, El Salto which is about half-way down the peninsula. There's a fence you must open and close at one point on the narrow road out the peninsula, and you'll soon come to a y-intersection. At the Y, go away from the water and you'll come to a ranch house in a while. Don't know if someone lives there. Its a short walk up into the canyon from there. A nice diversion and possibly vital knowledge. I think there's a thread about it here on Nomad.

Its a great, fun drive out there and you will need a 4x4. We averaged 10 miles per hour of bumps and beautiful scenery, unexpected heat and humidity. Its hotter out on the peninsula by 5-10 degrees than in Mulege, it seemed. We'd periodically stop and jump in the water to cool down, not a bad option for a Cinco de Mayo getaway!

[Edited on 5-8-2012 by Mulegena]

tiotomasbcs - 5-7-2012 at 06:56 PM

Thanks for the info/update, Mulegena. This sounds like a great 1/2 nite getaway from eL pueblo. I hope to be in town within the month for some exciting adventures! Gracias. Tio

Mula - 5-7-2012 at 07:11 PM

Thanks, Mulegena.

Sure wish we could have gone, but will try soon.
There is 2 of us gals to go. Been talking about it for several months now.

Sounds like it was just GREAT!

motoged - 5-8-2012 at 02:53 PM

Water is available about 1/3 way up peninsula....a small sign indicates that the area has Excellente Ubicacion....

DT at dam....just past ranch house:

Mulegena - 5-8-2012 at 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by motoged
Water is available about 1/3 way up peninsula....a small sign indicates that the area has Excellente Ubicacion....

That's it, El Salto/The Jump, which I hope DT didn't-- its a 'ways down.
Thanks for the photo. Lovely place, isn't it.