BajaNomad

San Felipe Arroyo/Wash Reference for explorers

PaulW - 1-16-2014 at 06:01 PM

More driving and more editing. Trash the previous versions and use the new link.
Please go to
http://www.blueroadrunner.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=...
Paul

[Edited on 2-9-2014 by PaulW]

David K - 1-16-2014 at 07:13 PM

Thank you!

Neal Johns - 1-17-2014 at 02:55 PM

Very Nice, PaulW
Thank you for putting in the WGS 84 and NAD 27 Mexico info.

David K - 1-17-2014 at 03:13 PM

Datum datum who has my datum?

When I first made trip reports (Amigos de Baja), the GPS was on the standard map datum setting of WGS84 (this was also the datum for Geocaching.com).

Then Neal Johns pointed out that the Mexican topo maps (and Baja Almanac or older Topo Atlas) are drawn to map datum NAD27 Mexico... so after 2001 I posted all the GPS waypoints and made my GPS web page at NAD27 Mexico.

Now, we have Google Earth plus more GPS devices in our trucks/ cars... and all that is at WGS84!

Now the actual physical difference between a point on one vs. the point on another datum is a few dozen feet to 1/4 mile... enough to have you miss the right road or a piece of rubble that used to be a mission! So, be careful to adjust your GPS to the datum (like NAD27 Mex) of the waypoint posted when you enter that waypoint (long. and lat.). After you enter the waypoint you can reset your GPS back to WGS84 and the long. and lat. figures change automatically. The physical spot on earth is the same, but the waypoint figures used by mapmakers is different.

All the waypoints on my Viva Baja GPS page are at NAD27 Mexico: http://vivabaja.com/GPS

Thank you Neal Johns!

:spingrin::spingrin::spingrin:

[Edited on 1-17-2014 by David K]

PaulW - 1-31-2014 at 09:14 AM

My previous Arroyo version uses the MX Datum and after several complaints I decided to switch to WGS84. I even had local guys with older GPSs that do not have datum selection and they were obviously using WGS84.

We did a "find the place" exercise and of course my GPS was NAD27 Mex and I could not find the points. I switched to WGS84 and my GPS found the places within 3'. Using NAD27 Mex the error was over 200 feet, just enough to make them invisible from the truck.
I now have an older GPS at my desk and can switch back and forth as needed and I am no longer frustrated.

I should point out that plotting WGS84 cords on the Almanac or the INEGI maps is still good enough for 90% of my plotting exercises because the maps pretty much deficient in accuracy.

And with regard to the GPX tracks I have posted on this forum- they are WGS84. Pretty important for the Pole line track because the turns are hard to see if one is moving fast.
Paul

David K - 1-31-2014 at 09:54 AM

Thank Paul!

Pacifico - 1-31-2014 at 06:43 PM

Thanks, Paul! Lots of good info there....

PaulW - 2-8-2014 at 05:18 PM

Update 2/8/14 see post #1 for new link
Paul

David K - 2-9-2014 at 10:10 AM

In 2009, Bruce said it was okay if I shared the maps from his book here, and they are in this thread. I added a caption under each map with the canyon names (per Bruce's book):

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=38751

PaulW - 2-10-2014 at 06:26 PM

DK
Your link does make it easier to read Bruce's book. I should use his book more.
There are so many more interesting washes I guess I will have to make PW maps to go with my document.
Thanks for scanning his maps.
Paul

David K - 2-10-2014 at 06:31 PM

De nada Paul, as you know, Bruce's book is chalked full of details on the washes, canyons, and other points of interest. However, it is not edited well and the maps and text/chapters don't all match up... So, I helped a little with the map captions. Bruce made up some wild names for some places, too... That's cool...

SF Baja Arroyo/Wash Reference 3/17/14

PaulW - 3-19-2014 at 02:14 PM

Major update with 10 GPS screen shots
My cheap scanner does not do justice as the topo lines are very faint
Trash the older one and use this one in its place. I tried to document all Bruce's names as well as other local names. Look for new new trails.

Baja Arroyo/Wash Reference for explorers, March 17, 2014 (Annotated GPS shots added)

http://www.blueroadrunner.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=...
Paul

N2Baja - 3-19-2014 at 02:31 PM

That is Awesome! Thank you Paul!

TMW - 3-21-2014 at 11:09 AM

Good work Paul, thanks.

David K - 3-21-2014 at 01:08 PM

Very nice map notes Paul... I like you included the Robby Gordon short cut into Matomi Canyon! :lol:

By-the-way, are the Matomi Narrows still impassable or has some sand returned to cover up the rocks?

PaulW - 3-21-2014 at 04:53 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Very nice map notes Paul... I like you included the Robby Gordon short cut into Matomi Canyon! :lol:

By-the-way, are the Matomi Narrows still impassable or has some sand returned to cover up the rocks?

=======
Nobody wants to drive to Matomi and look. My take from the other washes is it was a dry summer for them. Lots more water further north and east.

Last time I was in Matomi I stopped and hiked up the Robby path from the bottom. I wont be trying that drive any time. Lots of vertical and little runoff at the bottom. At the bottom its a reasonable drive-able wash with sand, but he would not be able to brake on the way down so that means he would hit the bottom at speed. My hike was 2 years after his drive and I found lots of bad stuff at the main wash merge.

David K - 3-21-2014 at 05:25 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by PaulW
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Very nice map notes Paul... I like you included the Robby Gordon short cut into Matomi Canyon! :lol:

By-the-way, are the Matomi Narrows still impassable or has some sand returned to cover up the rocks?

=======
Nobody wants to drive to Matomi and look. My take from the other washes is it was a dry summer for them. Lots more water further north and east.

Last time I was in Matomi I stopped and hiked up the Robby path from the bottom. I wont be trying that drive any time. Lots of vertical and little runoff at the bottom. At the bottom its a reasonable drive-able wash with sand, but he would not be able to brake on the way down so that means he would hit the bottom at speed. My hike was 2 years after his drive and I found lots of bad stuff at the main wash merge.


Sure miss Baja Lou!

twgracing - 3-25-2014 at 10:27 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Quote:
Originally posted by PaulW
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Very nice map notes Paul... I like you included the Robby Gordon short cut into Matomi Canyon! :lol:

By-the-way, are the Matomi Narrows still impassable or has some sand returned to cover up the rocks?

=======
Nobody wants to drive to Matomi and look. My take from the other washes is it was a dry summer for them. Lots more water further north and east.


Last time I was in Matomi I stopped and hiked up the Robby path from the bottom. I wont be trying that drive any time. Lots of vertical and little runoff at the bottom. At the bottom its a reasonable drive-able wash with sand, but he would not be able to brake on the way down so that means he would hit the bottom at speed. My hike was 2 years after his drive and I found lots of bad stuff at the main wash merge.


Sure miss Baja Lou!




I led a group of polaris rzrs though Matomi last thursday 3/20, on our way down to Gonzaga. There are 2 bad spots first at the narrow gorge only about 9 feet clear between now. And the second was about 200 yards down the way. which I would say was worse. Jeeps or high clearance vehicles with 4wd shouldn't have a problem if they take their time. All 8 of our vehicles made it through no problem in 2wd. I will post some pictures later can't do it while at work.

We also went in to the ranch and it was my first time ever seeing anyone there. It ended up being the ranch owner and his nephew? We stayed for a couple hours and had lunch with them, said come back and camp anytime...Got2loveBaja

David K - 3-25-2014 at 11:08 AM

Thank you... good to hear you can get through the narrows once again, at least in a narrow rig.