BajaNomad - Road Conditions: Comondu to San Javier?

Road Conditions: Comondu to San Javier?

Mula - 12-23-2014 at 06:14 AM

Anyone been over this road lately?

Since the Baja 1000.

Neighbors want to go to San Javier from Lopez over the back route through the Comondus.
They have a Rav4 and a 2 wheel drive Toyota pickup.

Suggestions, please and thank you.

wilderone - 12-23-2014 at 08:34 AM

Bring a shovel and an extra tire.

AKgringo - 12-23-2014 at 09:15 AM

This was covered recently, look for the post from Ribbonslinger about camping, under the questions and answers forum.

Mula - 12-23-2014 at 09:51 AM

O.K., I re-read Ribbonslinger's post.

I did not get any idea of the CURRENT - condition of the road from the Comondu's to San Javier. Lots of before the hurricane and rains of August - September 2014, but nothing from after.

Talking about going to San Javier - not La Purisima, San Isidro or Bay of Concepcion.

Comondus to San Javier. That's the question.

David K - 12-23-2014 at 09:56 AM

Hi Mula,
Just fyi, the Baja 1000 has not run between Comondu and San Javier. I mention this because there is already enough anti-off road feelings here without getting them to think the race was responsible for any of that road's conditions.

mcnut - 1-5-2015 at 06:40 PM

As of 12-30-14 from a very good source, the road has just been redone and is freshly graded, a contrast to the last several years.

Bruce

David K - 1-6-2015 at 08:52 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mcnut

As of 12-30-14 from a very good source, the road has just been redone and is freshly graded, a contrast to the last several years.

Bruce

Good news then? If any Baja Sur Nomads travel the complex of roads between Loreto, Comondu, and La Purisima, new reports would be appreciated!

mcnut - 1-6-2015 at 05:25 PM

I have enough faith in the source I would not hesitate to plan a route using the road.

The other route in question is the Comondu to San Isidro road. There were reports of rebuilding starting north and working south over a year ago. I wonder if they ever finished it????

Hopefully someone down over the holidays can provide a firsthand account.

Bruce

[Edited on 1-7-2015 by mcnut]

TMW - 1-6-2015 at 08:18 PM

In April they had graded about 10 miles from San Isidro. Don't know what the last hurricanes did to it.

mcnut - 1-7-2015 at 10:06 AM

TMW, check your U2U.
Bruce

ncampion - 1-7-2015 at 03:29 PM

Some folks from Loreto made the trip on Jan. 7 and reported the road passable (4X4 desired in some places) It took them 3.5 hours from the turnoff of the San Javier road to Comondu. They did it in a Jeep Wangler and said it was slow but worth it.

rhintransit - 1-7-2015 at 04:56 PM

See u2u

ncampion - 1-8-2015 at 08:56 AM

Trip report posted with permission from Jon & Karen Easterbrook.

For this trip, we decided to travel to the Comondu's from the San Javier side and then decide options once at Comondu. When we reached Comondu, we elected to return home via Highway 53 mostly due to the slow travel it took to reach Comondu. The road was drivable, but tough!!

Goal:

Reach the twin cities of the Comondu's on the Pacific side of the mountain range from Loreto side (Hwy 1). Our trip was in a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with large tires and winch.

Details:

From Hwy 1, we turned towards San Javier. The road has been repaired in most spots since the hurricane. We had sever water crossings, of less than one foot. The turn to Comondu is not marked. It was at 17.1 miles and at 1,516 ft. elevation. We knew it was the right road due to the somewhat well-traveled look. After we took the right turn, and about 100 yards further, we found a "rusted" sign indicating a left arrow to stay on the more traveled dirt/gravel road. A bit further along, we came across another rusted sign intended for the travelers going the other direction. This sign indicated the direction to San Javier. We knew we were now on the right road.

We reset our miles to zero at the turn to Comondu.

At mile 4.3 we passed an old abandoned ranch. At mile 6.0 we passed an occupied ranch that had two dogs come out barking to great us. The road was rocky and slow.

At mile 9.5, we started to ascend the mountain. This was 4x4 and very slow with many navigable rocks and dips in the road. Most of the road was one vehicle width. We never passed another vehicle. Not sure what we would have done?

At mile 19, we passed an ecological sign on the left that indicated no hunting of cougars, bobcats, quail etc.

At mile 20, we observed a large lake off to the left well in the canyon below. Not sure of the lake name, but my map showed several in the area (see photo).

At mile 25.3, we reached the summit at an elevation of about 2,206 ft. At this point we observed a large palm oasis well below in the canyon.

We immediately descended to Comondu and reached the first village at mile 2.1. (see photos)

The trip from the San Javier turnoff to Commondu took 3:34 hours of slow moving 4x4 with several brief stops. The trip was well worth it to see the beauty of the mountains and various lava formations.

David K - 1-8-2015 at 09:29 AM

Thanks Nick, that is a pretty good report! Can you verify the final mileage when they reached the village (between 25.3 and 30?).

Here's the AAA map for a visual of the route, they give 26.8 for the mileage:

Here's the folding Almanac map, and it gives 26.1 as the mileage:

Did they indicate the condition of the new paved (concrete?) road from Comondu out to Hwy. 53?

mcnut - 1-8-2015 at 11:05 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ncampion

Some folks from Loreto made the trip on Jan. 7 and reported the road passable (4X4 desired in some places) It took them 3.5 hours from the turnoff of the San Javier road to Comondu. They did it in a Jeep Wangler and said it was slow but worth it.

Wow, that certainly doesn't jive at all with what has been reported to me on 12-30-14. I was in the area at that time and the firsthand report was the route and been freshly redone. I hate to pass along inaccurate info!

Any chance this trip occurred before Jan. 7 or even Dec. 30???

Bruce

ncampion - 1-8-2015 at 05:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mcnut

Quote: Originally posted by ncampion

Jan. 7, 2015 is when they took the trip. Don't know about the condition of the road to Hwy 53.

Gulliver - 1-8-2015 at 06:06 PM

I would be amazed if that road had been fixed up recently. There is a pothole on the edge of Rt 1 about one mile South of town here at Mulege that is three feet in diameter and ten feet deep (I'm not exaggerating!) and nothing has been done about it in three months.

Where would they find the money to grade a road from nowhere to no where?

On the other hand, I'd welcome it as I ride those roads on my bike and that climb going Southbound at Palo Chino is rude.

Sweetwater - 1-8-2015 at 06:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mcnut

Quote: Originally posted by ncampion

Bruce,
I've been on that road, not within your time parameters but, it's not within the current laws of physics to grade multiple sections of lava rocks that the road presents. I've seen the graded pieces but they do not make that road very passable in my experience. Some folks here speak from maps but not experience. Be sure your friends took the route specified and good luck to the travelers......

David K - 1-8-2015 at 06:48 PM

Maps are provided to give an idea of the roads being discussed so more people can relate to the post and possibly enjoy the experience.

I personally have not been to the twin towns of Comondu since 1966, when they were on the main road from Tijuana to La Paz.

TMW - 1-9-2015 at 02:12 PM

I'll be going thru there on or around Jan. 21st. Will give full report on the road the next day from Loreto. Good bad or whatever. The Baja Amigos are getting ready for another adventure through the sights, sounds and mysteries of Baja and Baja Sur.

ncampion - 1-9-2015 at 04:08 PM

I also intend to give it a try on dirt bikes in the next week or so, maybe our paths will cross.