BajaNomad

Jeeping and rockhounding Bahia Gonzaga/Catavina areas

rotortom - 9-11-2016 at 05:45 AM

My wife and I are planning a ten day trip to Northern Baja in a couple of weeks, and would like to do some rockhounding and Jeeping around that area. We will be at Alfonsinas for 4 nights and the rest is not planned. Anybody here have any ideas? We will be driving a moderately built Wrangler Rubicon.
Thanks!

ehall - 9-11-2016 at 06:52 AM

Day trip to see Coco then to Calamajue fish camp. Return to Gonzaga on the old mine trail.

[Edited on 9-11-2016 by ehall]

bajapedro - 9-11-2016 at 07:32 AM

One better would be to drive through Calamajue canyon. There is geology aplenty in the canyon, with each turn a different color of canyon wall. While there, you might want to check out the remains of Mission Calamajue. Just south of the canyon, the desert unfolds into a desert forest.

rotortom - 9-11-2016 at 08:39 AM

ehall, we are planning a visit with Coco. We last visited him in November of 2002, and I understand he has lost another leg since then. I would like some GPS coordinates for the old mine trail if you have them. I looked on Google Earth and didn't find it.
bajapedro, I plan to take Calamuje up to near where it hits the 1. In 2002 Coco did not advise us to take the Dodge 4x4 pickup with a popup camper on it up that canyon. I guess I took that as a personal challenge and made it, but not until we aired down the tires and had some anxious moments.
We are going for a week or so in the area. Keep the replies coming!!

mtgoat666 - 9-11-2016 at 08:54 AM

Quote: Originally posted by rotortom  
My wife and I are planning a ten day trip to Northern Baja in a couple of weeks, and would like to do some rockhounding and Jeeping around that area. We will be at Alfonsinas for 4 nights and the rest is not planned. Anybody here have any ideas? We will be driving a moderately built Wrangler Rubicon.
Thanks!


For rockhounding, I suggest San Pedro martir region,... Lots of granitoids and metamophics,... But you'll need to hike to see the cool stuff, experience the best rock nirvannas.

ehall - 9-11-2016 at 09:06 AM

Quote: Originally posted by rotortom  
ehall, we are planning a visit with Coco. We last visited him in November of 2002, and I understand he has lost another leg since then. I would like some GPS coordinates for the old mine trail if you have them. I looked on Google Earth and didn't find it.
bajapedro, I plan to take Calamuje up to near where it hits the 1. In 2002 Coco did not advise us to take the Dodge 4x4 pickup with a popup camper on it up that canyon. I guess I took that as a personal challenge and made it, but not until we aired down the tires and had some anxious moments.
We are going for a week or so in the area. Keep the replies coming!!




Is this rotortom from Tucson? Maybe DK could post a picture off one of his old maps. If not I will do a Google Earth screen shot for you tomorrow.

AKgringo - 9-11-2016 at 09:43 AM

I drove the Calamajue canyon headed north from highway 1 a couple of years ago (the Baja 1k used it that year). I was driving a Kia Sportage two door, with stock suspension and oversize tires and had no problems.

Any well outfitted 4x4 could have done the route at that time, but there have been a couple of storms since then. I saw no one else, and damned few fresh tracks. Coco thought I was a fool for doing it alone at that time of the year.

TMW - 9-11-2016 at 11:29 AM

Here are some GE images of trails around Coco's and Gonzaga Bay area. The heavy rains the past couple of years may have damaged the trails so beware. I did not include the junction for the Turquesa mine since the new Hwy construction may make it impossible to access. The fourth image down there is a trail west that takes you to an oasis of palm trees and also a junction north to the Padre Mission Trail to Mission Santa Maria.











[Edited on 9-11-2016 by TMW]

rotortom - 9-11-2016 at 01:35 PM

Yep, this is rotortom from Tucson.

ehall - 9-11-2016 at 01:44 PM

Lol. Small world. Me and my wife kendra went jeeping with you a couple years ago. We ran Charleau gap and Chivas falls. We were in the red tj rubicon. Where else are you going besides Gonzaga? A nice drive is south from Rumorosa to Ojos negros. This goes thru the forest. You ever been to Mikes sky ranch, Coyote ranch or Melling ranch?

David K - 9-12-2016 at 11:34 PM

The one 4x4 between Cataviņa and Gonzaga is described here: http://vivabaja.com/msm2010 and drop the 2010 for the previous trip.

Calamajue canyon was great last week. Coco was fine, too.

ehall - 9-13-2016 at 04:33 AM

I meant the old mine rd from Punta final to cocos. Never been on the road to turquesa mine.

TMW - 9-13-2016 at 10:01 AM

Here is a GE image showing the Turquesa mine road from the old graded road (hwy 5). The image is dated 2005 so who knows what the road building crew has done to it. Maybe fenced off or will be when the Hwy is done.

TMW - 9-13-2016 at 10:24 AM

Here is the mine road from the mine to Hwy 1. Two Nomads have done it in 4x4 vehicles in the last 10 years. The squarecircle and 4x4abc. Motorcycles regularly use it as a crossover road.

rotortom - 9-13-2016 at 05:16 PM

I guess I will have to check out the Turquesa road and report back here. It is starting to look like I may have to extend at Alfonsinas! Damn!
ehall, I rember you two. The only picture I have of your rig on Charoleau is when we were climbing the granite elevator on the first part of the trip. You were waiting at the bottom, a long way away so I did not send it to you.
Keep the ideas coming. We would like some info on snorkeling with Whale Sharks. Any tours like that available? I am a bit concerned that too many folks doing that might interfere with their behavior. Your ideas on that please.

TMW - 9-13-2016 at 06:15 PM

Are you aware of the onyx field in the Gonzaga Bay area. Worth a day trip.

ehall - 9-13-2016 at 06:21 PM

Twice I have seen whale sharks cruising close to the beach while I was at alfonsinas.

ehall - 9-13-2016 at 07:26 PM

Just saw on talk baja that they are diving with them at Bay of La. About 3 hrs from gonzaga.

rotortom - 9-14-2016 at 04:30 AM

TMW, Where is the Onyx field? i have always just driven through this area of Baja, just stopping in to see Coco or have a beer at Alfonsinas.

TMW - 9-14-2016 at 09:24 AM

It's only a couple of miles west from the store. When I was last there you could drive within about 1/4 mile from it. I have not checked out the white areas further south to see what they were. Go to Google Earth to get GPS coordinates if needed.



TMW - 9-14-2016 at 09:46 AM

Another cool place is Las Palmitas an oasis of Palm trees bent from the strong winds. Someone use to live there. There is water and either a cabover or small RV trailer that's abandoned, I forget which. To get there you follow the road from Hwy 5 west. The road going down to the arroyo was badly damaged a couple of years ago but another road to the east goes down a soft sandy section into the arroyo. Maybe 40-50 feet down. We did not try to come back up it because the sand was soft. To get out we followed the arroyo back to Hwy 5 at the large bridge. You may have to follow the arroyo further east to get out.



[Edited on 9-15-2016 by TMW]

basautter - 9-14-2016 at 07:14 PM

There is a geyser at the onyx fields near Gonzaga Bay (west of the El Grande Market). I have never been there, but it sounds like it is worth the trip!

motoged - 9-14-2016 at 08:15 PM

Thanks for a great thread.... lot more ridin' out there :cool:

rotortom - 9-15-2016 at 05:40 PM

Geyser? That must be past the onyx TMW posted about. I am definitely interested. Do you have any more info as to the location?

David K - 9-15-2016 at 10:01 PM

The cold water geyser is El Volcan, 4 miles from El Marmol. The soda/onyz spring behind Rancho Grande store is like a big white glacier with dripping water.

rotortom - 9-16-2016 at 09:38 AM

Are those onyx areas being mined or what? It seems like there are quite a few onyx deposits in the area. Time for me to hit the books on onyx formation.
Are any of you using GPS mapping programs other than GE? I would like to use the IPhone as my primary tool, with a Garmin GPS478 as a backup. Google Earth says I can save their maps on the phone but I can't figure out how.

TMW - 9-16-2016 at 09:42 AM

The onyx west of the store is not mined. There is or was an onyx field north of Gonzaga Bay and south of Puertecitos that was being mined not long ago, maybe still is.

David K - 9-16-2016 at 08:41 PM

See my El Marmol article at BajaBound.com, Baja Travel Adventure Articles... There were also onyx mines southwest of Cataviņa called San Telmo and south of Nuevo Rosarito and north of Jesus Maria, called El Marmolito.

TMW - 9-17-2016 at 08:25 AM

The last time I was at San Telmo there was a man and his dad working it. He told us to take whatever onyx we wanted. The onyx was yellowish like at El Marmol. I found a neat piece that looked like a large ash tray. The onyx west of Rancho Grande is white.