BajaGeoff - 10-27-2015 at 10:43 AM
This past weekend my wife and I joined a group that was headed down to Mike's Sky Ranch for a weekend of off-roading, fun and relaxation in Baja. We had a sizable group with several RZR's, a handful of Jeep Wranglers,
a Baja Bug, a Meyers Manx and a mix of trucks and SUV's. Friday morning we met at Rancho Ojai just east of Tecate to kick off the adventure. Here are some photos in chronological order to tell the story...
The route south...start at Rancho Ojai just east of Tecate, down the Compadre Trail, out to Laguna Hanson, through the ranchos to Santa Catarina, hop
on Highway 3 at Heroes de la Independencia, back on the dirt at Valle de Trinidad and then take the back way into Mike's Sky Ranch.
Only a few minutes after getting underway, the Manx got a flat. All part of the adventure!
The scenic countryside...
The caravan making it's way toward Laguna Hanson.
It was our first time visiting Laguna Hanson. Many in the group said they hadn't seen water here for several years.
The wife and I enjoying the visit at Laguna Hanson. (Viva Baja shirt is available from our friends at Orange & Park!!!)
A Tundra in the dirt is a happy truck!
A cool rock formation with a tiny moon in the background.
More pretty landscape...
Much of the roads were like this....easy enough for 2WD. There were only a few steep, rocky sections where we put it in 4WD.
There were still evidence of the huge fire that swept through here earlier in the year. You could see some of the plants starting to grow back.
Mike's Sky Ranch and the cypress trees that line the pool.
There is no shortage of off-road memorabilia and hilarity in the Mike's Sky Ranch living room!
Most of the crew enjoying happy hour by the pool at Mikes...
Family style dinner...
On the Saturday we drove the road that runs southeast of Mike's for a few miles and then hiked into the waterfall. The water was probably in the mid
50's but several of us still went for a swim.
The wife and I with the waterfall in the background.
After the waterfall adventure we drove down some of the old SCORE course. It was pretty beat up...so we didn't go much further.
On Sunday we pretty much retraced our steps back to Tecate minus the Laguna Hanson visit. We stopped for lunch by the scenic arroyo at the Kutap
Kuatey campground. After loading up the trailers at Rancho Ojai, we headed to the Tecate border. The wait was just under 10 minutes at 5:00 on a
Sunday! Good times.
¡Viva Baja!
[Edited on 10-28-2015 by BajaGeoff]
[Edited on 10-28-2015 by BajaGeoff]
ehall - 10-27-2015 at 11:25 AM
Thanks for sharing. Nice pictures. Good to see water in Laguna Hanson.
StuckSucks - 10-27-2015 at 11:55 AM
Great write-up, loved the photos! WOW - water at Laguna Hanson! Hopefully the El Niño will fill it up this winter.
TMW - 10-27-2015 at 02:47 PM
Excellent, thanks for sharing. Mike's has always been a great experience for me.
David K - 10-27-2015 at 04:57 PM
Very nice photo trip report Geoff!
bajatrailrider - 11-4-2015 at 08:01 AM
Water in Laguna Hanson,I need to go back there to see that.Thanks for sharing.Great trip report.
BigBearRider - 11-4-2015 at 08:31 AM
The first time I was at Laguna Hanson a few years ago, there was plenty of water. I've been back a couple of times and it was sad to see it
completely dry. Happy to see the water is back! I hope to go by around the Holidays.
woody with a view - 11-4-2015 at 08:31 AM
Shrinkage!
BajaRun - 11-4-2015 at 08:06 PM
Did you take the cut over trail at Compadre that runs east to Laguna Hansen ? If so how many closed gates did you have to go through? I've been told
there are 5-6 gates on that trail now...
Whale-ista - 11-4-2015 at 08:34 PM
Thanks for the trip report & photos. Good to see water in Laguna Hansen- after last night's storm I hope there's even more!
David K - 11-4-2015 at 11:16 PM
Geoff, I see from the map you went through Santa Catarina village (5 miles east of Independencia)?
Did your group know that hilltop, just east of the village, was the location of the final Spanish mission in Baja?
Not very much to see... but there was history there. The village name is spelled slightly different than the mission...
http://vivabaja.com/missions2/page10.html