LAS PINTAS PETRO & FOSSIL GROTTO (a look back)

I got a request for ideas on what would be an interesting site to bring a family with archaeology possibilities. Going to where the native Indians lived or played would be ideal if you wanted to look for arrowheads, pottery, chips and pieces. Las Pintas, southeast of El Rosario and off the graded Punta San Carlos road (Km. 80-81) is such a place.

Saturday, 9-18-10:

We slept well at Baja Cactus Motel in El Rosario and were in no rush, so we casually got motivated and went 2 miles down the highway to Baja's Best (Bed and Breakfast) Restaurant... across the highway from the Turista Motel on the far edge of El Rosario. Elizabeth had hot cakes and eggs and I had their chorizo and eggs breakfast burritos... delicious!

With so many interesting sites around El Rosario, we had not decided exactly which ones to visit until then. We decided on Las Pintas, but this time to try the northern road in and see more of the top of the boulder field. We have been to Las Pintas several times before, and it never ceases to amaze us. See http://vivabaja.com/pintas for our day there in 2005 and http://vivabaja.com/406 when my son and I spent some time there in 2006 (on pages 5-7).

The access to Las Pintas is off the road to Punta San Carlos, a tiny fishing village and nearby wind-surfing resort, about 36 miles from Highway 1 http://www.solosports.net . The turnoff is between Km. 80 & 81 (just over 14 miles from El Rosario's Pemex station). There are two turn offs, the first one is signed for 'Puerto San Carlos' and the second one is just ahead at the second curve in the highway. Set your trip odometer to zero when you leave the pavement.



Just over 3 miles from the highway on the graded road, my low air tire warning light came on! For the second time, a pointy rock punctured one of the truck's tires (BFG Rugged Trail, with 16,000 miles on it). I was able to plug the leak and refilled the tire with my electric air pump. The same thing happened at 13,000 miles while southbound from Gonzaga Bay, near Laguna Chapala (on a different tire). We were in no rush, so we turned back to have the tire patched in El Rosario at Raul's Tires ($5.00). No more flats on this trip... note to self: Get new rubber for the truck!

Take Two, back on the road to Punta San Carlos! Six miles from Highway One we pull over for a beer break where the old road from El Rosario meets the new, graded road to San Carlos... Life is good!





Victoria is a really good tasting beer that isn't as common as our other favorites (XX, Pacifico, Sol, Modelo, Tecate).

We noted the mileage at Rancho Emiliano Zapata as 10.0, and knew the northern road to Las Pintas was not far past the ranch, and took the first road we saw, 1.9 miles ahead. 1.8 miles on this side road is another road to the left (which was correct), but seemed to me to be going too far north so I elected to continue ahead. The road ahead returned to the San Carlos road. No matter, we will just continue south to the normal Las Pintas access road, and return via the less used northern road! Just before the Las Pintas road, the San Carlos road enters a cardonal (a cardon cactus forest, the cardon is the world's largest cactus).



The Las Pintas road is 17.4 miles from Highway 1, and if you miss the first one, another is just ahead. Go too far and a ranch is passed, then you will cross the big Arroyo San Fernando (a usually dry riverbed).

Once on the Las Pintas road, reset your odometer for the 7.2 mile drive in... Here is my road log to Las Pintas:

DIRECTIONS
Highway 1, southward from El Rosario 14.6 miles (between Km. 80-81), turn right at the left curve. GPS: 30°01.59', 115°32.05' (Map datum set to 'NAD27 Mexico')

Go 17.4 miles on the good graded dirt road to a single track road going left. If passed, just ahead is a ranch house on the right and there is a second left road that joins the first. Set odometer to '0.0'. GPS: 29°49.64', 115°28.42'.

Pass ranch houses ('Malvar') and make an 'S' turn right, into Arroyo San Fernando. You soon will be reach a (possibly) closed gate at Mile 3.5. Always re-close any gate after you pass through.

Mile 5.2, (GPS: 29°52.53', 115°25.22') turn LEFT off of Arroyo San Fernando road, and follow a small side arroyo. Brush may scratch your vehicle in here.

Mile 5.4, (GPS: 29°52.69', 115°25.26') turn RIGHT, out of small arroyo and cross low divide to small valley.

Mile 7.2 LAS PINTAS parking area. GPS: 29°53.90', 115°24.48', elev. 755'. You are 24.6 miles from Highway 1 and 39.2 miles from El Rosario's Baja Cactus Motel and Pemex gas station, per my odometer.



Cardon cactus along the Las Pintas road.





An unusual multi-branched boojum tree.



The road drops into the San Fernando riverbed before reaching the side canyon for Las Pintas.





Nearing Las Pintas.



As close as we can drive. The storm of last January really changed the terrain here, as the sand was washed away and made getting to the rock art a bit more of a climb.



I can't say enough good things about my truck! It is my third Tacoma, and comfort and off road ability is supreme. Only the tires could be better!





Here we celebrated my birthday, exploring Baja!











Okay, we have arrived at Las Pintas and we make a lunch, have some cold beer, and explore around the lower end of the rock art and fossil site. In the next part, see more of the lower Las Pintas site and then we travel around to the top end of Las Pintas and see fantastic rock art that we have not seen before!

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After a quick look, and another beer, I find a way to the big room... a cave created by a giant boulder resting on others. Inside are petroglyphs, as well.



One more of the outside glyphs.



Inside the big room, on the ceiling...







From the big room are these boojum tree views...







Back outside...











See Baja Angel waving?











The quail (cordonices) come out to check on us.



Okay, time to go on new (to us) roads! Back out the 1.8 miles to the side arroyo, then 1.0 mile north to the upper Las Pintas road, and 1.4 miles to the end of the road...



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Now a 2WD might get to the lower Las Pintas site, but a good 4WD is a must for the top. There is a short section driving up a mud hill ridge top where traction assistance will make it easy.



Near the end of where we could drive without getting too scratched up, we parked and began to explore... The road to the top is very faint.



The closest petroglyphs were on this large boulder, which we have been to before, walking up here from the bottom of Las Pintas back in 2005.



Close up...



From here we walked east along the base of the boulders. The site reminded us of Montevideo (off the Mision San Borja road).









What was this one trying to say... Trix are for kids?...



Lampost boojum tree!







Quite an overhang... below the large nose!





There are petros all over this and other boulders up here...



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Big rock country...











A toppled tall boojum... perhaps from the big January storm?...







It was getting late, and the street lamps were coming on...



This was pretty cool!



Back at our truck.



Here's the road home.



The boojum trees and cardons wave goodbye!



Back at our room at Baja Cactus Motel, El Rosario... a surprise!



Antonio ('Baja Cactus') is awesome! Thanks amigo!!

The rooms at Baja Cactus are amazing! Comfortable king size beds with custom pillow-top mattress, telephone, 24 hour desk clerk, free bottled water and coffee maker... for under $39! Massage service in your room is available... Baja Angel and I both had one when we stayed here on our anniversary, last July!





10 Satellite TV channals (1/2 in English)



Giant showers with room for two or more! LOL (water pressure is boosted at the motel for good showers)

We topped our gas tank at El Rosario for the 315 mile trip home (via Tecate).

The trip down we left San Marcos with a full tank and it was 283 miles to El Rosario (229 miles from the border at Otay)... I topped the tank with 56 liters (14.8 gallons) giving me 19.1 MPG.

A day of four wheeling and highway driving on Saturday totaled 122 miles and used 26.2 liters (6.9 gallons) giving 17.7 MPG!

The price of gas at El Rosario was 8.21 peso per liter and it was 12 pesos per dollar, making gas about $2.62/ gallon. Premium was 9.59/ liter. The cheaper gas back home was $2.899/ gallon (ARCO).

The 314 mile drive home via Tecate we got 18.0 MPG.



In Ensenada, we got the truck washed (border agents can get fussy if you have too much dirt on your vehicle!)... was 60 pesos ($5).



We took the free road north for Ensenada, and as before, it was in great shape and very little traffic. At Popotla, we hopped onto the Corredor 2000 for 18 miles to the free Tecate highway (Mex. 2) which is 4 lanes wide all the way... only a couple of traffic lights until Tecate, as well. Popotla to the Tecate Border was 38 miles.



Mexican Independence day was Sept. 16, and many flags were flying, including this nice display at the Pemex station in El Florido.

The Toyota Tacoma Factory is passed along Highway 2... this is where my truck was made! 'Built in Baja for the Baja!'





No place to pull over, so a bit blurred!

Here are some of the signs as you drive through Tecate showing you the way to the U.S. border:







We were in line for 20 minutes, around 6:30 pm Sunday... easy!

So, if you want some adventure and luxury I recommend the sites around El Rosario, with a stay at the Baja Cactus Motel! Las Pintas is a petroglyph paradise,and while I took many photos, it doesn't take the place of being there. There are many petros and fossils I did not show, that you will find! I have been going to Las Pintas starting 10 years ago, and I am still seeing new things!
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Back in time... further:


In 2000, with Lorenzo de Baja:

http://www.vivabaja.com/davidlorenzo/dlpage2.html


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In 2001, with the BBBB-1 and Viva Baja Van gang:

http://www.vivabaja.com/van1/page4.html


That's Amo Pescar!
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In 2005, with Baja Angel:

http://vivabaja.com/pintas/


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In 2006, with my son Chris:

http://vivabaja.com/406/page5.html



We still haven't seen the water flowing here, as shown in The Baja Adventure Book!



But, Chris waited for it...


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In 2007, with some of the Nomads attending the Baja-Rosario Cultural Festival:
http://vivabaja.com/707/





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The following is on the last page of http://vivabaja.com/pintas

DIRECTIONS
Highway 1, southward from El Rosario 14.6 miles (between Km. 80-81), turn right at the left curve. GPS: 30°01.59', 115°32.05' (Map datum set to 'NAD27 Mexico')

Go 17.4 miles on the good graded dirt road to a single track road going left. If passed, just ahead is a ranch house on the right and there is a second left road that joins the first. Set odometer to '0.0'. GPS: 29°49.64', 115°28.42'.

Pass ranch houses ('Malvar') and make an 'S' turn right, into Arroyo San Fernando. You soon will be reach a (possibly) closed gate at Mile 3.5. Always re-close any gate after you pass through.

Mile 5.2, (GPS: 29°52.53', 115°25.22') turn LEFT off of Arroyo San Fernando road, and follow a small side arroyo. Brush may scratch your vehicle in here.

Mile 5.4, (GPS: 29°52.69', 115°25.26') turn RIGHT, out of small arroyo and cross low divide to small valley.

Mile 7.2 LAS PINTAS parking area. GPS: 29°53.90', 115°24.48', elev. 755'. You are 24.6 miles from Highway 1 and 39.2 miles from El Rosario's Baja Cactus Motel and Pemex gas station, per my odometer.

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These time guesses include photo stops... from El Rosario:

Hwy. 1 for 14.6 miles = 30 min.
San Carlos Road for 17.4 miles = 45 min.
Las Pintas road for 7.2 miles = 30 min.

Yes, great trip report! You and Baja Angel look very happy

buddah - Not to be argumentative, but two schools of thought re "PLEASE remember when you find a 'treasure', it's not a SOUVENIER. If it ends up in your pocket, you are stealing from your grandchildren's grandchildrens' experience. Also, put if you pick it up, put it back exactly where you find it."
I'm sure you've read Craig Childs’ Finders Keepers. Kinda hypocritical statement when you think of the millions of artifacts that archaeologists have collected, sometimes a site totally scoured with nothing left, and put in a drawer in a basement never to see the light of day again, much less share with the general public. Wouldn't it be nice for me if all the archaeologists "put it back exactly where [they] found it."
Craig Childs' books (see House of Rain as well) are the last word on the dilemma, i.e., no definitive right answer.
I worked a Native American site last year with 3 archaeologists. They collected about 10 bags of pot sherds, hammer stones, etc. for analysis – those sherds and artifacts will never be put back exactly where they found them. There were essentially 4 types of pottery found at the site. Why not just a dozen sherds for analysis, or analysis in the field? Archaeologists have enough in storage right now to learn from for the next century.

Hi José, the cardonal is up the Rosario river valley from the Hwy. 1 bridge crossing, to the right of the road that goes to the La Vibora grade. The road goes to the Sauzalito copper mine then back out to Hwy. 1 at the Los Martires turnoff cafe.

Antonio showed it to me in 2004: http://vivabaja.com/1104/ (pages 3 & 4) and I led a Nomad caravan to it in 2005:
http://vivabaja.com/705/ (photos at the sites). Nomads on the trip: The squarecircle, Surfer Jim, Bob H, Hook, Frigatebird, Santiago, Baja Nomad, Neal Johns.






El Sauzalito is easy to reach from Hwy. 1:

We left Hwy. 1 at Km. 103+ next to the roadside cafe 28.5 miles from El Rosario's Pemex station. The El Sauzalito copper mine ruins are passed at mile 3.6, then the San Juan de Dios river is crossed 1.3 miles further.

(from : http://vivabaja.com/1105/page3.html )

[Edited on 7-2-2014 by David K]