BajaNomad

Snow in Baja!!!

sargentodiaz - 5-18-2014 at 12:30 PM

I had to read it several times to realize it was what was being described.

From Antigua California, when they got to the expedition of Padre Consag with Captain Rivera, they talked about being in a high elevation and suffering from extreme cold AND SNOW!

I've looked at the map and, while there are certainly lots of mountains in Baja, something really unusual must've been going on.

David? :rolleyes:

DENNIS - 5-18-2014 at 12:48 PM

So?? What's the question? The San Pedro Martir Range goes well above 12,000 feet and I've been in a foot of snow at 5500', Laguna Hanson.

David K - 5-18-2014 at 01:12 PM

The southernmost snow was experienced by the Jesuits just south of San Borja at Las Cabras as I recall. However that was after Consag. I am heading home soon from 4 days of fire evacuation so give me some time to cross check my references.

Just fyi, since 'Baja' is the short name for the peninsula and the mountains in the northern 1/4 of the peninsula get annual snowfall (being upwards of 5-10 thousand feet high), I will assume you are speaking of the areas explored by the Jesuits?

Padre Link did get into the southern San Pedro Martir in 1766, but that was long after Consag died.

[Edited on 5-18-2014 by David K]

bajabuddha - 5-18-2014 at 02:09 PM

Only two winters ago after a very cold and cloudy night with a low of 40 degrees (f) in Santa Rosalia, the Tres Virgenes volcano had a dusting of snow on the top that looked like a mini- Mount Fujiyama. Only lasted a day, but shows it can happen. I'm certain that a palabra with the Vaqueros of the Sierra San Fransiscos would confirm some encounters with nieve in the higher elevations.

Maderita - 5-18-2014 at 04:00 PM

Not so unusual in the mountains. There is snow every winter in the Sierra de Juárez. The plateau is 5'000' to 6,000' elevation.

The Sierra San Pedro Mártir plateau is approx. 8000' to 9,000' elevation, not 12,000'+ as stated above. (The high point, Picacho del Diablo, is 10,157').

DENNIS - 5-18-2014 at 04:05 PM

I missed it by only inches.
Anyway....snow country is snow country and if you have more than enough to fill a blender, you have too much.
Thanks for the correction.

David K - 5-18-2014 at 04:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
The southernmost snow was experienced by the Jesuits just south of San Borja at Las Cabras as I recall. However that was after Consag. I am heading home soon from 4 days of fire evacuation so give me some time to cross check my references.


Okay, back home after 4 days being evacuated due to fire here...

This is from my recent article on San Borja, published by Discover Baja Travel Club:

The first snow observed in California by Europeans was witnessed in December, 1763 at Las Cabras. This was about 14 miles south of San Borja and over 4,200 feet in elevation and is where the mission’s cattle were brought to graze.

Padre Consag died in 1759 (4 years before this event). I didn't recall that Consag reported seeing snow from his canoe expedition in 1746 nor from his land expeditions a few years later. If anyone has different data, I would enjoy seeing it!

vgabndo - 5-18-2014 at 04:17 PM

:yes:

TT snow.jpg - 8kB