David K - 8-19-2016 at 03:01 PM
A brand new, nice article by Jennifer Kramer of Discover Baja: http://www.discoverbaja.com/2016/08/19/san-pedro-martir/
Whale-ista - 8-19-2016 at 07:18 PM
Great report with good info- thanks for posting!
gsbotanico - 8-20-2016 at 01:57 PM
David, thanks for posting the link. The article is very complete. I wish we had had it when we went in August 2015. We tried to book one of the
cabins in the park, but all were reserved. We were told to make the reservation more than 30 days in advance.
Instead we stayed at Rancho Meling. It was very hot with day temperatures at the Meling ranch in the mid-90 degrees. So the rooms were very warm to
go to sleep. Can't run the fans because the power goes off at 10 pm. Mornings were cool.
I would only add that the locked gate to the observatory is to control traffic because parking is very limited at the observatory itself. There are
limited hours to visit the observatory. The phone is not located at the gate, even though the sign implies this. It is to the right up the road a
distance in a box. If there are already visitors, you won't get in until their tour is finished and the caravan of cars comes down, and then the
waiting cars will go up.
Although temperatures in the park are mild at the 8000+ feet altitude, the air is very dry, so if hiking up steep slopes exposed to the sun, it's
important to carry sufficient water.
It's a beautiful place and the views to the east and west are spectacular and unique in Baja California. The park was remarkably deserted when we
were there. It's a long, windy drive to get to the top, but worth the effort.
David K - 8-20-2016 at 07:17 PM
Thanks for that info!
Sadly, I have not been past the Meling Ranch since 2000, and it was all dirt but they did pave the last two kilometers from the gate to the end (to
keep down dust).
I was at the observatory previously in 1984, 1978, and 1972. In '84 the gate was closed so we walked the steep-steep 2 kms. and got a ride back down
in back of a work truck. The previous two years and in 2000, the gate was open and we drove to the end for the view to Arizona.
jbcoug - 8-20-2016 at 10:19 PM
I took a day to travel up to the park this past March. It was absolutely beautiful! It is a good road. But a he'll of a climb. The view is amazing all
the way. There are some viewpoints where you can see forever. I went to the observatory gate but got the impression it wasn't open to the public. Wish
I had read this article earlier, good information. Fabulous area well worth the trip up!