BajaNomad - Guajademi Route to Mulege

Guajademi Route to Mulege

TMW - 3-8-2013 at 01:50 PM

Does anyone know if the Guajademi route from La Purisima/San Isidro to Mulege is open or was it damaged from the hurricanes last year. We drove it in May last year and it was a blast.

I read on Thumper Talk where the road to San Juan de la Pilas was only open to dirt bikes from San Ignacio and totally closed from Mulege. They said the government was bringing in dozers to clear it in March but who knows how long that will take.

Neal Johns - 3-8-2013 at 02:02 PM

TW,
Have you been to San Juan de la Pilas? Great trip.
Neal

KurtG - 3-8-2013 at 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TW
Does anyone know if the Guajademi route from La Purisima/San Isidro to Mulege is open or was it damaged from the hurricanes last year. We drove it in May last year and it was a blast.

I read on Thumper Talk where the road to San Juan de la Pilas was only open to dirt bikes from San Ignacio and totally closed from Mulege. They said the government was bringing in dozers to clear it in March but who knows how long that will take.

I just returned from Mulege but got no info on the San Isidro/Mulege route but the roads behind Mulege were pretty hard hit by TS Paul. We rode to visit our friends at Rcho San Isidro which is about 10 miles west of San Jose de Magdalena and they told us that the cuesta betweeen there and Mission Guadalupe is blocked by a boulder the size of a small house which will need to be broken up before the road can reopen. This is on the steep downslope that has been covered in concrete. They also said that San Juan de la Pila could only be reached from the San Ignacio side. Even the road behind San Jose de Magdalena was rough enough to be a little exciting for old guys (68 & 78, I'm the young one) on KLR's.

KurtG - 3-8-2013 at 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neal Johns
TW,
Have you been to San Juan de la Pilas? Great trip.
Neal

Been through there twice from Mulege to San Ignacio, memorable trips.

TMW - 3-8-2013 at 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neal Johns
TW,
Have you been to San Juan de la Pilas? Great trip.
Neal

Yes, I did a trip thru there in 2005 with my 2 brothers. Had a blast. Took the wrong road out of El Patrocino and got lost after we turned around. Thanks to a cowboy on horseback we found our way. We stopped at the ranch and talked to a lady there. I did a Google search and it said there were 2 families living there, 8 people. Would love to get back in there again.

Neal Johns - 3-8-2013 at 04:57 PM

TW,
I'm good for another trip there when it opens up for 4wd. Been through there two or three times. Great people at the little ranches in there.
Think Ken's Jeep could make it? :lol:

He could invite DK along to pull him out.

David K - 3-8-2013 at 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neal Johns
TW,
I'm good for another trip there when it opens up for 4wd. Been through there two or three times. Great people at the little ranches in there.
Think Ken's Jeep could make it? :lol:

He could invite DK along to pull him out.

As you can see, I stay close to Ken... just in case the need arises! :lol:

[Edited on 3-9-2013 by David K]

TMW - 3-8-2013 at 06:10 PM

We're doing a trip down to Baja Sur next month and were planing on doing the Guajademi to Mulege then down thru San Juan de la Pilas. If the road is closed we might be able to get info on when it may be open then plan a trip thru there.

Here is the report posted on Thumper Talk:

Posted 11 January 2013 - 11:26 AM
#1

What: A remote ranch run by a very hospitable couple in an amazing deep canyon.

Where: 3 hours south east of San Ignacio

Why: This was a secondary destination and stop over in the late 90's and early/mid 2000's for riders going from San Ignacio to Mulege. The route was closed from hurricane damage.

Route: GPS tracks are available from Kacey/lizardlady (recommended). A youtube video shows some of the highlights. Or by map you head toward the pacific coast from San Ignacio (paved), turn left at the big government eco-tourism sign that says 'San Juan de las Pilas' (dirt) and make your way to Patrocinio (its spelled differently on different maps) and then take the second right turn heading east out of the village (or ask). Ride up a mesa and then descend into the canyon. Route gets tight and rocky for a few miles, first arriving at Rancho El Sauzal, and then making it up a very hard ride into San Juan de las Pilas, another few miles, bouncing off basketball sized rocks in places. Its not for everyone, but for those who make it, its an amazing place.
--------------------------------

UPDATE:

Only two groups have made it to San Juan de las Pilas in the last 18 months. Last May Fred W/Mike B and Francisco from SD made it up. Then Hurricane Paul hit this fall. Serious damage--again!

Anyway--we decided to give it a try over the holidays, and with a little luck we made it. We had LL's GPS track and it proved excellent. We carried extra fuel, warm clothes, etc. with the intention of reaching Mulege. Instead we ended up staying a wonderful night at San Juan and backtracking to S Ignacio the next day.

The route has been worked by hand with nothing but a crow bar for the last few months and it is once again passable by smaller bikes with good riders. No adventure bikes or novice riders, but it is now again accessable. The last 3-4 miles will take an hour, and it can be frustrating at first, but with care and by looking closely at the creek crossings, its actually not that bad of a ride.

Maria-the owner of San Juan de las Pilas, and her husband still cant drive their truck out, its 1 1/2 hour by mule to the next ranch, but they are working on it. They are an amazing couple living in an amazing place. They want folks to come visit, as they did a few years ago. Overnights can be accomodated. There is no gas, and food is limited, so plan accordingly. They live close to the land, so any gift from the outside world is going to help. We gave a flashlight and some cash. They said they needed a 15 meter lasso. Staples like sugar, tea, coffee, hot sauce, etc would all be appreciated, im sure.

As of January 2013 San Juan de las Pilas can only be reached from the San Ignacio side via rancho El Sauzal. The route further upstream, coming from Mulege is not yet passable. We spent 1-2 hours attempting to get thru but found it just wasnt yet passable. We where assured a single track route would soon be cleared upstream from the ranch, but for now it is not a thru track, only a destination. That is due to hurricane Paul in late 2012, as well as the destructive hurricanes a few years ago.

Rumors: the local ranchers all told us the government was going to fix this route starting in March 2013 with some bulldozer work. I guess we will see.

CONCLUSION:
Im only writing this to help out Maria and her husband, by hoping they get some much needed 'eco-moto-tourism' soon. Its an amazing little corner of baja set in a dramatic canyon with year round running water, palms and soaring cliffs with caves and prehistoric paintings. Best part for me was seeing the old west alive and well. Cooking on an adobe stove, and seeing how self sufficiant ranch life lives on in this little goat/donkey/milpa ranch.
There is a little guest book at the ranch that goes back to the early nineties. Its amazing to read who has (and who hasnt!) made it. Very much a who's who of baja.
I hope this motivates some groups of baja adventurists to go spend an hour or a night out at San Juan de las Pilas on a ride sometime soon.

Remeber-the last 2 miles are not passable to adventure bikes. No KLR's or big KTM's or BMW's. The stream crossings are still crude, and there are long stretches of rock hoping. If you can do the Rockman trail, then your can get to San Juan de las Pilas.

Sadly we didnt have a camera. But we are 'in the book' - 2 guys from NorCal. Have fun and do a ride report. Say hi to Maria and her husband. This route certainly needs to be visited by more riders, and so i feel comfortable posting this on the internet.

Region

David K - 3-8-2013 at 06:45 PM

To help viewers get an idea of the more remote places in this part of Baja compared to well known places:

San Juan de la Pila (no 's' in the topo map) is along Arroyo San Pedro, shown on the above map near the halfway point between El Patrocinio and Mission Guadalupe. Many roads are not shown on the above map of the country west of Mulege.

KurtG - 3-8-2013 at 07:25 PM

TW, my trips through there were 4wd back when that was possible. Agree completely about type of bike and skill level needed. My KLR will never attempt that route. I did make it from Mulege to Rcho San Pedro on my old twin shock xl350 back in the 90's. It was an exciting ride. I found the families at both San Pedro and San Juan de la Pila to be very hospitable and I think that route and the San Isidro/Mulege one are my most memorable Baja trips.

ElCap - 3-8-2013 at 07:27 PM

We did the trip from the west. leaving the coast road north of Cadaje, up through San Miguel to Guadelupe to San Jose de Magdelena, coming out to Mex 1 just south of San Bruno last April in a couple Landcruisers. Great trip, but lots of arroyo driving, I can only imagine Hurricane Paul made things pretty bad up there. There are some pretty steep grades too. One of these days I'll post a trip report.

David K - 3-8-2013 at 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ElCap
We did the trip from the west. leaving the coast road north of Cadaje, up through San Miguel to Guadelupe to San Jose de Magdelena, coming out to Mex 1 just south of San Bruno last April in a couple Landcruisers. Great trip, but lots of arroyo driving, I can only imagine Hurricane Paul made things pretty bad up there. There are some pretty steep grades too. One of these days I'll post a trip report.

Yes please!

Pescador - 3-9-2013 at 07:55 AM

Ok, if you go through the Ice House road and head west out of Mulege, you turn off on the Las Cuevitas road. That is open to the mission Guadalupe and then open on in to Scorpion Bay. The road from San Isidro, as stated is not open and even though there is a big machine up there, I talked to the guy and he is thinking that he will need more than a month to open up through the canyon.

There is also a road going from Una de Gato to San Isidro but that is still closed too. You could maybe get a bike through there, but it is totally impossible in a quad. The area that is not open is less than one kilometer but the hurricane really made a mess up there.

The ranchers that live back there take the storms with a simple acceptance and just kind of smile when you ask them how bad it was. They were thankful for the water and thought it was a small price to pay that things getting washed out just delayed the trip to town for a month or so.

TMW - 3-9-2013 at 11:48 AM

Thanks Pescador

motoged - 3-9-2013 at 11:50 AM

TW,
Yes it is rideable on dirtbikes. Some of my pals got back from going through there several weeks ago (Feb/13)....400-530's....very skilled riders.

Two years ago they rode from Santa Rosalia to San Ignacio through a route E-W south of the main highway (through Santa Agueda I think) through an area I am convinced no one else has EVER ridden through. Ricardo at R&B said "No es possible", but these guys did it :saint:

It was an epic ride and very difficult, and donkeys ended up demonstrating how to get out at the west end before hitting a rancho.....and needless to say the family was more than amazed to see 7 riders coming out of territory that only donkeys and goats had previously entered/exited.

I could ask my GPS guy if he would share the track, but he might guard it more than a surfer does his favourite break.

TMW - 3-9-2013 at 12:03 PM

I know what you mean about secret surf spots and now secert bike trails.

David K - 3-9-2013 at 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador
Ok, if you go through the Ice House road and head west out of Mulege, you turn off on the Las Cuevitas road. That is open to the mission Guadalupe and then open on in to Scorpion Bay. The road from San Isidro, as stated is not open and even though there is a big machine up there, I talked to the guy and he is thinking that he will need more than a month to open up through the canyon.

There is also a road going from Una de Gato to San Isidro but that is still closed too. You could maybe get a bike through there, but it is totally impossible in a quad. The area that is not open is less than one kilometer but the hurricane really made a mess up there.

The ranchers that live back there take the storms with a simple acceptance and just kind of smile when you ask them how bad it was. They were thankful for the water and thought it was a small price to pay that things getting washed out just delayed the trip to town for a month or so.

For those wondering where, in an area rich with history:

Uña de Gato is on the road going west from Palo Verde (Hwy. 1) and before washing out met the road to Guadalupe mission at El Intermedio.

The black dot I added on the c of 'Boca de Magdalena', east of San José de Magdalena is the location of the stone ruins that some maps and books have called 'Santa María Magdalena' (as a mission or visita), at the end of a long aqueduct coming out of the canyon from San José de Magdalena. More on the Magdalena visita at http://vivabaja.com/missions3/page4.html

Here is the larger area, showing the 'Ice Road' west from Mulegé and on up to Guadalupe mission...

Map samples from 2009 Baja California Almanac: http://www.baja-almanac.com/ and http://bajabooksandmaps.com

DavidE - 3-9-2013 at 01:15 PM

The last time I did that trip was 14 years ago. We brought blankets, toys, candy, first-aid kits, flashlights and batteries for the poor folks on those woebegotten ranchitos. I brought slabs of magnesium metal for firestarter (shave with a knife). Wow did that ever go over big. A big costal of granos de elote for the gallenas. Antibiotic, honing stones for knives, and Harbor Freight hatchets. I really believe that if a person were to concentrate on lending a helping hand to folks hard pressed you would have to look a long time to find people more in need than those on those remote ranchos. The children went bonkers over apples - they are expensive. The blankets were heavy comforters. One elderly blind lady hugged me. This made a memorable trek into one of the best back country trips ever.

Pescador - 3-9-2013 at 03:17 PM

I have a problem with woebegotten ranchitos. Most of the people I know up there are there by choice. Some have worked at other things like construction, some at the mine, but they all seem to want to return to that lifestyle and peaceful tranquility. My contractor was born near Las Cruces above San Jose De Magdelena and his desire is to make enough money to move back up there. The kids start school around the age of 10 and live either at Santa Agueda or San Jose de Magdelena during the week.

When a couple of floods hit, I heard lots of gnashing of the teeth from the residents of Mulege but never did hear any complaints from any of my rancho friends.

The custom is very clear that any gift offered is taken with a strong show of thanks and then the obligation is transferred to the receiver to give a gift in return, not necessarily at that time but the debt is still there.

When I and one of my close Mexican friends stopped at a really remote rancho, and we were offered fresh oranges from a little tree. I started to say no thank you, but my friend said it was proper to accept the gift and that when we returned, it would be appropriate to carry some frozen yellowtail to show our appreciation and gratitude.