BajaNomad - No Wimps Trail no more

No Wimps Trail no more

TMW - 1-22-2015 at 08:20 AM

The No Wimps Trail as Kacey Smith calls it from El Barril to San Ignacio was wiped out with the hurricane rains. There is no road to the coast to Rancho San Miguel from the jct with Rancho Santa Barbara. Some rough going in 4 wheelers to the jct, maybe motorcycles will cut a new route in the future. Don't know the condition of the south end for arroyo Trinidad.

Where is Bill Nichols and Malcom Smith.

Barry A. - 1-22-2015 at 10:28 AM

That truly is a shame!!!

That part of Baja I found to be the most beautiful and wild I have ever been to. Spent a week exploring south of El Barril about 10 years ago, and found it enchanting, even tho we were not able to get as far south as Los Corrales back then with my giant F-250 4x4 camp-vehicle----but we tried. I just chickened out south of Rancho San Miguel about 7 miles when the road became way to soft-sandy for comfort.

But we were able to penetrate out to the SOC, and had the beach entirely to ourselves for several days.

Thanks for the update.

Barry

motoged - 1-22-2015 at 11:23 AM

Thanks for the update....

I believe moto riders really developed this route to the point where 4-wheel vehicles could get through (e.g. TW and crew).

Knowing how adventurous, persistent, and defiant of most logic that they tend to be....I have no doubt some noisy two-wheeling dirty cerveza-chugging yahoos will have that route up and worn -in before too long... :biggrin:

willardguy - 1-22-2015 at 11:27 AM

hey there's a motorcycle in the back of that truck with a gunsight on it, my mom had one of those! :lol:

(jeskidding)

motoged - 1-22-2015 at 11:34 AM

Yep, Husqvarna started off making rifles, hence the logo..... :cool:

AKgringo - 1-22-2015 at 12:12 PM

And Yamaha started making pianos, therefore the crossed tuning forks logo!
I'll take a rifle please!

Bob53 - 1-22-2015 at 12:18 PM

I miss my Husky. And my CZ and my YZ and my Bultaco. The good ole days.

motoged - 1-22-2015 at 01:27 PM

Bob,
Go find your BoLA neighbour, AL Perrett and see if he has an extra KTM you could ride for a day with him....he usually has at least one running ...he should be down this or next week....

hurleyskis - 2-20-2015 at 03:38 PM

I couldn't help notice this description "noisy two-wheeling dirty cerveza-chugging yahoos"

You must have known we are coming!

Looking for any current info on this trail. Several of us have run it in the past and we're wondering about trying it on Monday the 2nd.

We'll be coming out of B of LA so one big factor will be gas. We have about 150 mile range so we'd need gas along the way if it's an option.

Any current info on gas and trail conditions would be much appreciated.

woody with a view - 2-20-2015 at 03:41 PM

start a new thread for max visibility.

fudscrud - 2-21-2015 at 11:24 AM

Wow! Good news to us "noisy two-wheeling dirty cerveza-chugging yahoos" for once again it will truly be the NO WIMPS Trail. It seems that with all the four wheeling starbucks chugging yahoos smoothing and widening the trail it became the "Wimps and Fat Guys OK Trail".

David K - 2-21-2015 at 11:32 AM

I am sure some of you m/c guys will find a way south around the washout! May the Force be with you!

TMW - 2-21-2015 at 12:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by hurleyskis

I couldn't help notice this description "noisy two-wheeling dirty cerveza-chugging yahoos"

You must have known we are coming!

Looking for any current info on this trail. Several of us have run it in the past and we're wondering about trying it on Monday the 2nd.

We'll be coming out of B of LA so one big factor will be gas. We have about 150 mile range so we'd need gas along the way if it's an option.

Any current info on gas and trail conditions would be much appreciated.

We tried to get thru in 4 wheelers in Jan. My trip report is here http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=77391

From LA Bay you will need gas for sure. It may or may not be at Rancho Escondido or San Francisquito other wise you should probably carry extra. Besides the washout we found at the San Miguel and Santa Barbara jct we don't know the condidtion along the coast and especially at Trinidad where the trail turns inland. Arroyo La Trinidad may be washed out too from the hurricane rains.

fudscrud - 2-21-2015 at 12:56 PM

Last time through there a little over a year ago we topped off our tanks at El Barril. I'm taking a group of dirty two wheelers through there end of next month from BoLA. I'm sure we'll have lights on long before San Ignacio.
Thanks for the updates TMW.

Cool Region... seen by few!

David K - 2-21-2015 at 03:01 PM

Between Trinidad and Santa Marta, much of the route is on El Camino Real from the 1750's!

El Camino Real trails north from San Ignacio.

4x4abc - 2-21-2015 at 10:51 PM

I will drive the stretch in a couple of weeks
if Arroyo Santa Barbara is washed out you can always use the previous road in Canyon La Fortuna (abandoned 12 years ago, but drivable)

http://baja101.com/Baja-GPS/wimps.kmz

La Fortuna route

John M - 2-22-2015 at 01:02 PM

4x4abc - is this the route you may try?

As we were driving south from El Barril Tom (TW) pointed out what we believed to the the start of that bypass about 1.7 miles from the Rancho La Illusion gate, and then a second possible entrance to that route 5.8 miles from the Rancho La Illusion gate. The second one looked more like an old route. I glanced at it where we intersected it and I would not imagine it suitable for 4x4s. Of course we only got a passing look and didn't make any effort to explore it.

John M

wessongroup - 2-22-2015 at 01:25 PM

Thanks ... Good stuff

And TW must "vibrate" if not moving

Enjoy

[Edited on 2-22-2015 by wessongroup]

4x4abc - 2-23-2015 at 10:07 AM

John,

I have driven the La Fortuna route and it is super easy - entrance might be difficult to find though. It will be much easier to drive than the washed out section between the new (bypass) and old (Fortuna) Santa Barbara juntas

[Edited on 2-23-2015 by 4x4abc]

good luck

John M - 2-23-2015 at 02:40 PM

Yea the turn to the "bypass" didn't look so inviting. Can't wait to hear what you find both to and after San Miguel.

Pappy Jon - 3-1-2015 at 08:12 PM

I was there in October. Two pics. First is the blowout as you climb up and over. Somebody had managed to take a route on the left side. I didn't hike all the way to the top to see how possible it was. With a pair of loaded rigs we were not about to try. The second is the Google Earth track. The red line is as far as we got. The blue line is what I did a few years ago.

TMW - 3-1-2015 at 08:51 PM

I believe the people at Rancho Santa Barbara repaired the road to their ranch. John M walked the hill before we drove up and you could see the road repairs. There was a small dozer at Rancho La Ilusion when we were there so they may have used it.

Pappy Jon - 3-2-2015 at 07:47 AM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

I believe the people at Rancho Santa Barbara repaired the road to their ranch. John M walked the hill before we drove up and you could see the road repairs. There was a small dozer at Rancho La Ilusion when we were there so they may have used it.

Interesting. I'm going back down in April and just might need to check it out. They were grading the lower end when we were there.

[Edited on 3-2-2015 by Pappy Jon]

4x4abc - 3-16-2015 at 12:37 PM

we made the entire trip from El Barril to Santa Marta
three 4x4 - 4 tough days
incredible destruction in arroyo Santa Barbara towards San Miguel
same in arroyo La Trinidad
no visible trail for miles
tracks of 4 motorcycles on the ground
ran out of gas, broke a fuel pump
more later

TMW - 3-16-2015 at 12:39 PM

OMG that certainly was a wild adventure, thanks. I look forward to a full report.

way to go!

John M - 3-16-2015 at 04:25 PM

I'm so happy to hear of your success! How many gallons of gasoline did each vehicle have when/where you last filled up?

Like Tom said, I'd sure like a trip report.

John M

4x4abc - 3-17-2015 at 09:46 PM

still working on the report - here a teaser to keep you focussed

4x4abc - 3-26-2015 at 12:08 AM

OK guys, haven't sorted all my images yet (pool and cerveza require more attention - did I mention the girls?), so this will only be a brief outline.

anyway, the No Wimps Trail (it used to be a very easy drive) is now certified hard core for 4x4.

download some GE stuff first, so you have an overview:
No Wimps trail tracks and points

the grade at the Santa Barbara road has been fixed - that ranch can be reached. The road to San Miguel, however is wiped out for miles. We picked a side canyon that I wanted to explore for years. It connected us to a usable portion of the road. (blue line - previous track, white line - our new way in)

easy start of the new way in to San Miguel

but it gets rough soon:

one of the drivers wasn't very talented, so he got hung up on the rocks on occasion:

nonetheless, we had to do quite a bit of trail building to get through:

once we had connected to the road, things got easier - but not easy:

the switch over to the other side of the valley at La Junta - there is no trace of the road in the arroyo any longer:

how it looked like through the windshield:

on the opposite side we had first locate the road and then build a suitable ramp up a 6 ft cliff"

once back on the road, driving got easier. Actually, the entire drive along the coast was pleasant and without any major road building. The coastline is absolutely stunning the entire length:

we had a wonderful camp right at the beach:

I am happy to report that the eagle's nest that had burned down a couple of years ago, has been rebuilt on a different Cardon.

We saw some motorcycle tracks on occasion, but no other signs of humans.

Entering Arroyo El Gato we got lost for a while. No trace of the old road (and I didn't bring my old tracks on GPS - so I had to find everything by memory). Once full with big Palo Blancos, the Arroyo is now almost barren:

we saw more rattlers on this trip than I have seen in the last 10 years (and I live in Baja):

and the number of downed Cardones was absolutely amazing:

we got lost many many times in Arroyo El Gato, but eventually hooked up to the straight road (Camino Real) leading towards Santa Teresa. That's when it happened - one guy rammed a boulder so hard under his gas tank, that it broke the fuel pump inside.
Low on gas anyway, we sent one vehicle out to get gas while the rest of us contemplated how to fix the fuel pump. Took us 2 days but we managed thanks to JB Weld.

our work camp wasn't bad at all - right next to Cerro Piojo:

ehall - 3-26-2015 at 05:43 AM

Looks like a lot of fun. Thanks for the pictures and gps track.

bajatrailrider - 3-26-2015 at 08:27 AM

Yes thanks for pictures,Ed you ready to do it on Bikes.We will need 2 extra gal gas Im told.

David K - 3-26-2015 at 08:42 AM

Wow Harald, that is a great trip and so much true 4WD trail running too! Thank you!

Fernweh - 3-26-2015 at 09:09 AM

Thank you Harald,

it certainly looks quite different from our last trip, we almost could have it done blindfolded by then....

Did you look into the Fortuna arroyo trail? It must have gotten blown away pretty bad this time around.

4x4abc - 3-26-2015 at 09:47 AM

Karl,

didn't check Arr La Fortuna - however GE has images of 12-23-2014 and they show the tremendous destruction in Arroyo La Fortuna. Toggle between 2006 and 2014 and you'll see

TMW - 3-26-2015 at 10:14 AM

Excellent, thanks for the report and pictures.

motoged - 3-26-2015 at 10:43 AM

Harald......EPIC !!!!!

wessongroup - 3-26-2015 at 10:48 AM

4x4abc .. thank so much for taking me on your trip .. really enjoyed getting out and in a Mercedes to boot ...

Glad to see you guys getting out and doing stuff ...

Plus the breakdown was priceless ... have been stuck for a couple of days ... trying to make something "work" ... with limited resources .. Great job :biggrin:

[Edited on 3-26-2015 by wessongroup]

4x4abc - 3-26-2015 at 10:52 AM

a long, long time ago I was a Camel Trophy finalist (no, I wasn't good enough to make it into the team) - the motto back then was: "Do what others only talk about." Have adopted that for my entire life

motoged - 3-26-2015 at 11:10 AM

"That" explains it, Harald...... :biggrin:

I was always intrigued by the Camel rallies....and was Googling them a few weeks ago .

David K - 3-26-2015 at 03:15 PM

Karl and Harald, are you both coming with us on the Pole Line Road (and Melchior Diaz Grave hike)?

I have no worries about blocked roads with your skills along!

gueribo - 3-26-2015 at 03:19 PM

Love the trip report and photos. Why so many rattlers this time, do you think?

TMW - 3-26-2015 at 04:06 PM

I think April is normally when the snakes come out but the warm weather may have caused them to come out sooner. Interesting that when Mike Younghusband did his walk down Baja, I think it was Oct.-March, he said he never saw any snakes.

We also saw a rattlesnake similar to the one shown above when we were about half way between Jesus Maria and El Arco on our Jan. NWT trip. We had stopped for a while and when I walked behind my truck there he was. For a short fat old guy I can jump pretty good when necessary. We tossed him in the bushes unharmed.

[Edited on 3-26-2015 by TMW]

gueribo - 3-26-2015 at 04:22 PM

Here's a beauty we saw near San Borja in April . . .

David K - 3-26-2015 at 06:32 PM

All my Baja snake encounters were in April!!!

Three in one trip (2003):

A Red Diamondback at Mission Santa Maria (came right to us and the dogs)

A Baja California Rattlesnake on the road to Montevideo

Another Red Diamondback near the Bahia Las Animas turnoff
(Sarah was getting brave with #3, acting like Steve Irwin) :wow:

elgatoloco - 3-26-2015 at 06:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc

we made the entire trip from El Barril to Santa Marta
three 4x4 - 4 tough days
incredible destruction in arroyo Santa Barbara towards San Miguel
same in arroyo La Trinidad
no visible trail for miles
tracks of 4 motorcycles on the ground
ran out of gas, broke a fuel pump
more later

WOW!

David K - 3-26-2015 at 06:55 PM

Matt, looks a little like Arroyo Matomi in 2001, right?

4x4abc - 3-26-2015 at 07:14 PM

well David, sometimes I give up (for that day): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153949920757281&am...

David K - 6-26-2015 at 11:50 AM

Bump for DirkEXC

Any new reports on the El Barril to San Ignacio trail (motorcycle or 4WD)?

DirkEXC - 6-26-2015 at 01:48 PM

Thanks for the bump David,

We are planning a trip from Tecate to Todos Santos for either late November or December. I hope to do the section from El Barril to San Ignacio. Also to get warmed up for this we will be doing the rock trail.

If anyone has any recent intell on the no wimps trail, please chime in.

Bike or 4x4

John M - 6-26-2015 at 02:06 PM

You'll be on bikes I presume? and without a chase veh?

John M

bajatrailrider - 6-28-2015 at 10:03 AM

Quote: Originally posted by DirkEXC

Thanks for the bump David,

We are planning a trip from Tecate to Todos Santos for either late November or December. I hope to do the section from El Barril to San Ignacio. Also to get warmed up for this we will be doing the rock trail.

If anyone has any recent intell on the no wimps trail, please chime in.

Don't have Info,but may want to join your group.Nov/Dec good time not hot,but gets dark early. On Rockman trail do it one time,not second time!

TMW - 6-30-2015 at 09:04 AM

I suggest you go to page 2 on this report and read 4x4ABC's report on the areas where the roads are washed out.

1- The road to San Miguel. 4x4ABC highlites the section he had to bypass. Go to Google Earth and note the GPS waypoints.

2- The road from the ocean inland from La Trinidad to El Gato. You probably will have to make a new route.

At the end of April I drove from Hwy 1 north past Santa Marta and the road was good to within maybe a mile or 2 from El Gato. At that point the road was covered with deep sand. I had to get out of my truck and walk to find spots of the road to drive to. I soon turned around because I was running out of time to be in Loreto. Again Google Earth can provide you with GPS waypoints to follow.

Your biggest problem will be gas. Make sure you are full when leaving El Barril. It would be nice to have someone waiting south of El Gato with gas if possible. If the timing is right I would have no problem meeting you there. I am very interested in how the trail is.

Good luck.

DirkEXC - 6-30-2015 at 09:20 AM

Hello Tom,

Thanks for the offer on the gas we may need it. We all have 3.2 gal tanks and we carry an extra gallon so on tough trails we can usually makeit 100 miles. I know this stretch will put that range to the test

I am just starting to get this figured out and I have been getting some help with waypoints and offers to join in. It would be nice to know the mileage from El Birrel to El Gato. Is El Gato the spot with the water trough ?

Thanks Dirk

David K - 6-30-2015 at 10:32 AM

Quote: Originally posted by DirkEXC

Is El Gato the spot with the water trough ?

Thanks Dirk

TMW - 6-30-2015 at 02:01 PM

Yes it is as David shows it and is 63 miles from Rancho Illusion out side of El Barril. As you know running in sand and over rocks can make you use more gas. Here is my trip notes from El Barril to San Ignacio. They are n reference with the GE track I had posted before.

Here are my trip notes:

Updated 2-3-2015
El Barril to San Ignacio:
Note: Kasey Smith’s motorcycle path is in yellow where it differs with the 4 wheel trail.
The Rancho San Miguel trail is in light green.
The alternate 4 wheel path is in red.
Dump at El Barril is at 28-17.515x112-53.300 and is 3 miles from R. La Ilusion.

Rancho La Ilusion gate is 0 mileage for reference.

Miles GPS and remarks
Jct 28-17.300x112-53.500
0.0 28-16.138x112-55.465 Rancho La Ilusion, close gate
1.3 Y GL
- 1.7 28-13.387x112-56.209 The Old MC trail to L
2.8 Road from R and road off to R
3.7 Open metal gate 28-14.580x112-56.460
5.2 28-13.201x112-56.284 Rocky downhill
5.7 28-12.907x112-56.390 Y GL
6.0 Cross rocky wash
---- 28-12.590x112-56.490 Old MC trail to L
8.2 Road from R, gate at bottom of hill
8.5 28-10.750x112-56.980 Top of Mtn.
9.0 28-10.453x112-56.580 Either/Or
9.2 28-10.385x112-56.500 Road from Either/Or
11.7 28-09.630x112-55.325
14.0 28-07.767x112-57.291 Metal Gate open
15.0 28-07.068x112-57.535 Y GL R. Santa Barbara & R. San Miguel
16.9 28-07.684x112-55.943 Open Gate
19.1 Y GR
19.7 28-08.270x112-53.801 Bear Right
20.5 28-07.832x112-53.472 Shrine
23.9 28-05.622x112-51.550 Y GR San Miguel to L
25.4 28-05.031x112-50.370 Y GR
27.8 28-04.600x112-48.270 T GR
29.2 28-03.719x112-47.632 Rocky Beach
31.8 28-01.926x112-48.306 Rock Corral near beach
32.1 28-01.439x112-48.279 Off Beach after 100 yards on beach
36.6 28-00.008x112-45.947 28 Parallel R in Wash thru Gate
37.1 27-59.195x112-46.261 Out of wash
37.6 27-57.820x112-45.480 Rd Turns R
38.5 27-57.730x112-45.482 Open Gate at Beach
40.0 27-57.080x112-45.895 R in Wash then L uphill out of Wash
40.2 27-56.960x112-46.010 Palapa on hill follow road up to it turning west.
40.5 27-56.915x112-46.332 Y GR
41.2 27-56.816x112-46.603
41.7 27-56.320x112-46.510
42.2 27-56.132x112-46.112 Green Sulfur Hill
43.2 27-55.770x112-46.140
44.4 27-55.500x112-45.890
45.3 27-55.213x112-45.800 around red rock & uphill GPS is top of hill
45.5 27-54.46x112-45.930
46.7 27-53.245x112-46.129
48.8 27-51.360x112-46.060
50.7 27-49.890x112-45.300
56.6 27-49.528x112-48.729
62.8 27-49.350x112-52.280 El Gato Corral
68.4 27-44.482x112-53.722 Rd from R GS
78.2 27-37.280x112-54.690 Rd from R GS
84.0 27-33.430x112-56.380 Rd from R GS
84.6 27-32.710x112-56.470 Santa Marta Jct. GL
94.7 27-29.260x112-48.400 Rd from R GS
107.2 27-21.590x112-42.700 Hwy 1 R to San Ignacio

[Edited on 6-30-2015 by TMW]

Udo - 6-30-2015 at 02:46 PM

Superb mileages, TMW!

Edit test...

David K - 6-30-2015 at 04:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TMW

Yes it is as David shows it and is 63 miles from Rancho Illusion out side of El Barril. As you know running in sand and over rocks can make you use more gas. Here is my trip notes from El Barril to San Ignacio. They are n reference with the GE track I had posted before.

Here are my trip notes:

Updated 2-3-2015
El Barril to San Ignacio:
Note: Kasey Smith’s motorcycle path is in yellow where it differs with the 4 wheel trail.
The Rancho San Miguel trail is in light green.
The alternate 4 wheel path is in red.
Dump at El Barril is at 28-17.515x112-53.300 and is 3 miles from R. La Ilusion.

Rancho La Ilusion gate is 0 mileage for reference.

Miles... GPS... and remarks
Jct 28-17.300x112-53.500
0.0... 28-16.138x112-55.465... Rancho La Ilusion, close gate
1.3... Y GL
- 1.7... 28-13.387x112-56.209... The Old MC trail to L
2.8... Road from R and road off to R
3.7... Open metal gate... 28-14.580x112-56.460
5.2... 28-13.201x112-56.284... Rocky downhill
5.7... 28-12.907x112-56.390... Y GL
6.0... Cross rocky wash
---- 28-12.590x112-56.490... Old MC trail to L
8.2... Road from R, gate at bottom of hill
8.5... 28-10.750x112-56.980... Top of Mtn.
9.0... 28-10.453x112-56.580... Either/Or
9.2... 28-10.385x112-56.500... Road from Either/Or
11.7... 28-09.630x112-55.325
14.0... 28-07.767x112-57.291... Metal Gate open
15.0... 28-07.068x112-57.535... Y GL R. Santa Barbara & R. San Miguel
16.9... 28-07.684x112-55.943... Open Gate
19.1... Y GR
19.7... 28-08.270x112-53.801... Bear Right
20.5... 28-07.832x112-53.472... Shrine
23.9... 28-05.622x112-51.550... Y GR San Miguel to L
25.4... 28-05.031x112-50.370... Y GR
27.8... 28-04.600x112-48.270... T GR
29.2... 28-03.719x112-47.632... Rocky Beach
31.8... 28-01.926x112-48.306... Rock Corral near beach
32.1... 28-01.439x112-48.279... Off Beach after 100 yards on beach
36.6... 28-00.008x112-45.947... 28 Parallel R in Wash thru Gate
37.1... 27-59.195x112-46.261... Out of wash
37.6... 27-57.820x112-45.480... Rd Turns R
38.5... 27-57.730x112-45.482... Open Gate at Beach
40.0... 27-57.080x112-45.895... R in Wash then L uphill out of Wash
40.2... 27-56.960x112-46.010... Palapa on hill follow road up to it turning west.
40.5... 27-56.915x112-46.332... Y GR
41.2... 27-56.816x112-46.603
41.7... 27-56.320x112-46.510
42.2... 27-56.132x112-46.112... Green Sulfur Hill
43.2... 27-55.770x112-46.140
44.4... 27-55.500x112-45.890
45.3... 27-55.213x112-45.800... around red rock & uphill GPS is top of hill
45.5... 27-54.46x112-45.930
46.7... 27-53.245x112-46.129
48.8... 27-51.360x112-46.060
50.7... 27-49.890x112-45.300
56.6... 27-49.528x112-48.729
62.8... 27-49.350x112-52.280... El Gato Corral
68.4... 27-44.482x112-53.722... Rd from R GS
78.2... 27-37.280x112-54.690... Rd from R GS
84.0... 27-33.430x112-56.380... Rd from R GS
84.6... 27-32.710x112-56.470... Santa Marta Jct. GL
94.7... 27-29.260x112-48.400... Rd from R GS
107.2... 27-21.590x112-42.700... Hwy 1 R to San Ignacio

PPDBJA - 7-2-2015 at 09:15 AM

Well this trail its long, some times at el Barril its not possible to buy gas!!, so make sure You cover that, from Punta San Francisquito I have done it twice, last one in January 2014, and its about 130/140 miles from there, ridding in deep sand You will use more GAS!!, and trying to FIND THE RIGHT PATH!! I recomend to have each rider 2 extra gallons at the waist!!, belive Me!!, the first time that I crossed that way I did it w/out gps route, only with info from the Guy at Punta San Francisquito, I had my gps with baja expeditioner maps, but only shows some of the ranch names of that area NO TRAIL MARK!!, I navegated perfect no mistakes, and no problem with the gas on the xr400r (4 gal.), last time I used my xr650r w 7 gal. NO PROBLEM!!.

Once that You have the oficial date, let Me know, I'm in La Paz, used to work as a tour bike guide (Chris Haines Motorcycle Adventure Tour Company), and of course I know all that!! maybe I can joint Your group up North, if you plan it on First and 2nd week of January, I could Do it for sure!! :light:

PPDBJA.

TMW - 7-2-2015 at 10:21 AM

Dirk I suggest you and your buddies go over the trail from the coast to El Gato. It is about 12 miles. The original trail wandered from one side of the arroyo to the other. There is a lot of vegetation in there as well as rocks. Picking a new path will not be easy. You may be moving north and south as you move west.

The turn inland is near the 50.7 mile mark in my trip notes at
27-49.890x112-45.300.

Also at the 45.5 mile mark 27-54.470x112-45.940 you will come to the salt flats as Kasey Smith calls them. Follow the road to the west around it. If no road stay on dry ground and go west as far as you can. This is quick sand type mud and you don't want to get in it.