I need a place to park my car for six days or so while I am hiking to Picacho del Diablo. I'm looking for a place in either San Felipe or El Dorado
Ranch. I would drive my car to the trailhead but it is a little 2-wheel drive Hyundai and it would never make it across the desert without getting
stuck in the sand, plus it has a very low clearance. If anyone can help me out with the parking, I would appreciate it. Thanks....D'Rat
[Edited on 4-29-2014 by Desert Rat]Jack Swords - 4-29-2014 at 06:53 AM
WE have had good success by stopping at a local ranch and talking to the rancher about parking near the casa. We agree on some parking fee and have
never had a problem. A small tip or gift after the hike is a nice gesture.PaulW - 4-29-2014 at 07:35 AM
How do you plan to get to the TH? If you hire one of the guides in town then park at their place. If you have access to a 4wd (not AWD) and plan to
drive it to the TH then at rancho Santa Clara the owner will let you park in side his compound for a small fee. Some hikers just begin the trip from
the rancho rather than the TH. I would recommend driving to the TH - leave your stuff then drive back to the rancho - park and walk back to the TH.
Take a water bottle for the easy walk. Your first overnight camp will not be affected much by the extra hike.
Tip- take a sling or two and a simple harness to get up the pendulum at the first spillover. The next cliff had a broken down ladder with steel cables
and you can get up ok, but may want to use a short line to drag up your pack. Read my old report on this forum for details. What I said above is
accurate several years ago. Those two hard places haven't change much at all.
Expect route finding issues due to snow up high after the latest storms.
PWDesert Rat - 4-29-2014 at 02:09 PM
Paul, In order to get to the trailhead, I will have to hike or hitch a ride from where ever I park my car. As I mentioned, my car will not make it
across the desert to the trailhead. I will probably make my way to the highway 5 and 3 junction ( at the checkpoint) and then hike or hitch my way
down highway 3 to the turn-off point for the ranch and the canyon. I know it will be tough but it's the only way I can do it. I have been up the
canyon several times so I know about the Santa Clara ranch and the owner. If I am lucky with hitching, then I might have to hike only ten to 15 miles
across the desert.mcfez - 4-29-2014 at 03:06 PM
I have several places in Campo Ocotillo where you may park the car. Email if you wish to do so produce@thenatomsfarm.com
The question you really should be asking is: "can someone drive me to Picacho del Diablo".PaulW - 4-29-2014 at 04:43 PM
Drive to Jose's and park there Hwy 3 to diablo lake graded road 2wd okDesert Rat - 4-29-2014 at 09:02 PM
Paul, Who and where is Jose's?Desert Rat - 4-29-2014 at 09:08 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by mcfez
The question you really should be asking is: "can someone drive me to Picacho del Diablo".
Yes, that should be the question I should be asking. "Hey, mcfez, can you drive me to Picacho del Diablo.?David K - 4-29-2014 at 09:52 PM
Folks, Desert Rat is an old friend since the Amigos de Baja days. He took a bus from Texas to attend M's BBBB-1 party at Cielito Lindo in 2001 and
joined us on the Viva Baja Van tour for the next week... D'Rat is an amazing and great person. His first Baja adventure came after reading Graham's
book and he followed by walking from San Felipe to Gonzaga Bay. It was such a cool story I took his few photos and made it into one of my first web
pages to share Baja adventures, he called the 'Baja Cha-Cha': http://www.vivabaja.com/desert_rat/index.html
Here is D'Rat in Sept. 2002 at M's BBBB-4 at Cielito Lindo:
Is there a Nomad in San Felipe area that can help D'Rat with a place to leave his car and a lift to Diablo Canyon, by the dry lake, like our late
amigo Baja Lou did last time for D'Rat? You won't regret helping this nice Texan!Desert Rat - 4-29-2014 at 11:16 PM
David, thanks for the character reference but really all I am looking for is a place to park my car. I'm pretty sure that I will make my way to the
trailhead one way or another. I was just joshing McFez about a ride to the trailhead. I am going to accept McFez's offer for a place to park.
Thanks, again. D'RatDesert Rat - 4-29-2014 at 11:36 PM
McFez, Check your U2U, please.mcfez - 4-30-2014 at 07:13 AM
If I was going to drive you there....I be going with you :-)
Try that email again....it's my business email and should work. produce@thenatomasfarm.com "only when it is properly spelled out by the owner of the
email"
Yeah.....now try it!
Map below. North of San Felipe town 6 miles. 3 miles past the ED. At the first edido where the tall steel tower is. As you will be driving
southward...the clearly marked open entrance will be on your left.
Night arrival.....there's a guard but the gate is open. Tell the guard who you are...and that you are going to my house. ... DENO not McFEZ! The guard
is also my caretaker :-) I will notify several neighbors of your pending arrival and site manager Abril. Feel free to park in the driveway
or...follow the road and park behind the house.
The house is yellow with a bell tower (like a taco bell outlet). Located on the "Y". Heavily landscaped.
Camp there if you wish...you will find a "camp ground" 40 feet from the front door. Fire pit and water.
There are many folks in SF that would take you...advertise around.
[Edited on 4-30-2014 by mcfez]
Desert Rat - 4-30-2014 at 07:25 AM
Thank you, McFez. Great directions and information. Looking forward to the trip. I will try the e-mail later today. On my way to the dentist, now.
Diablo Hike, east TH
PaulW - 4-30-2014 at 09:00 AM
For a 2wd car here is the closest you can drive
Turn S off Mx3 at K162.8 or 163. Follow the graded road and be sure to not drive down the bank to the dry lake bed. If you do not like the graded road
try the dry lake, but if you suspect any moisture do not drive there.
When you come to the sign for beer & soda turn right then left and find the fenced area where the old man has his store for snack food. Make
arrangement to have the guy park your car. He speaks only Spanish. I cannot find the store coords sorry. The guy has a sign on the burned race road on
the dry lake and on the graded road.
Then head off to the west until you come to the burned in race track and walk to the tire near 31-04.94716', -115-15.68780'. Head NW near the tire on
a light track which becomes an ok road until you get to Rancho Santa Clara at 31-05.0777', -115-16.48819'
Follow the sandy road to the TH by always taking the most used track to your right. TH = 31-04.46639, -115-21.92812' or nearby.
Datum all WGS84. Options for hiking are shown in the pics below
Have a great hike I wish I was going with you.
PaulW
[Edited on 4-30-2014 by PaulW]mcfez - 4-30-2014 at 09:10 AM
Driveway entrance....right of the Y
Quote:
Originally posted by Desert Rat
Thank you, McFez. Great directions and information. Looking forward to the trip. I will try the e-mail later today. On my way to the dentist, now.
Desert Rat - 4-30-2014 at 09:52 PM
Paul, I know exactly where the old man's store is. I had forgotten that his name is Jose. He offered to let me sleep in the back of his truck for
the night, but I got lucky and got a ride from the owner of the peac-ck ranch. I just wonder if the store is still operating. The last time I was
there was May 2004. Thanks for your input. That does give me an option if the store is still open. I have my gps coordinates from El Dorado all the
way to the trailhead. The store waypoint is N31 04. 136 --W115 14. 977
[Edited on 5-1-2014 by Desert Rat]
[Edited on 5-1-2014 by Desert Rat]PaulW - 5-1-2014 at 08:35 AM
Thanks for the coords. BTW, the road from Morelia Jct to the store is pretty bad. 4wd recommended.
The guy who's name slips me comes and goes. Drive their and see what his plans are.
He was present most all the time last winter season.
Paul
Yeah.....now try it!
