BajaNomad

Baja looks like this, too!

David K - 2-16-2005 at 09:14 AM

For those who think it's all desert, have a look at this...



This is at 8,000 feet on the road to the Observatory in Vallecitos Meadow. Leave Mex. 1 at San Telmo de Abajo (south of Colonet) on the paved/ then graded dirt road... about 64 miles total.

David K - 2-16-2005 at 09:16 AM

This is closer to the observatory, which is at 9,280' ASL.

yankeeirishman - 2-16-2005 at 10:09 AM

who's the young kid here in the picture? I swear I saw him in the Napa State Hospital for the Mentally Disturbed. Was there too :lol: This pine tree studded picture blows me away! Had no idea that there was trees in Baja as this. Got a profile on this area: camps, lakes, whatever.....?

bajajudy - 2-16-2005 at 11:08 AM

Up by where jr is also has some beautiful trees. The locals say to go in Oct and the leaves are changing. I believe that its the Sierra de San Francisco but am not sure on that.

Brrrrrrrrrr!

DanO - 2-16-2005 at 11:55 AM

The coldest night I ever spent camping was in October 1994, in a clearing surrounded by pines and boulders on the eastern fringe of Vallecitos. My wife put on every piece of clothing she had packed and curled up into a ball at the bottom of the sleeping bag. I told her she'd suffocate, but she said she'd rather die that way than be so cold (she pulled through). Our drinking water and everything in the cooler was frozen solid in the morning. To top it off, I got surprised by a curious steer during my morning, er, constitutional. That was also the trip I learned to carry a second spare into the backcountry (Yankee knows what that's all about now, eh?).

Too bad I can't post photos

jrbaja - 2-16-2005 at 12:01 PM

maybe David or someone can pull up my Ski Baja picture from the past when I was skiing up there.
I also have a story on here somewhere about the coldest night I ever spent which was when I was skiing in Baja.

yankeeirishman - 2-16-2005 at 01:11 PM

I know to carry a spare what? Spare rope to hang myself when flat number 2 occures? Yes.! Anyone here with a nice detail area map of the area, so I can see where we are from SF?

bajalou - 2-16-2005 at 02:06 PM

In some of the canyons on the east flank of the Sierra San Pedor Matir, you might find tree trunks that have washed down these canyons from the forests above. Quite a suprise when you come across one. I think you're curious enough Yankee to fit in down here.

:biggrin:

yankeeirishman - 2-16-2005 at 03:35 PM

Oh dude...I was born curious! If we were 'talkin kalifornia here...I'd be able to be the DavidK Guru of the forum! Have explored all my life in Ca and numerious countries (not bragging). It's got to be Baja and Ca for the adventure. Have you ever done the State 395 corrador? Best kept secrets are along that road from Tahoe to past Bishop. Yes...I would fit in most certainly in Baja. Cant believe it took me this damn long to REALLY find it!

Only one spare?

DanO - 2-16-2005 at 03:35 PM

The funniest thing about that little lesson was my wife, pacing back and forth while I swapped my one spare for the BFG T/A that had suddenly acquired a very large hole about halfway between the national park entrance and Meling's. Noting that we only had one spare, she asked what I planned to do if we got another flat out there in the middle of nowhere.

My answer?

"Camp."

As far as getting Vallecitos from the east, I believe your choices are (1) park in one of the arroyos on the east side and hike over the escarpment, (2) come around the north side of the mountain via Mike's Sky Ranch (the last I heard, that route was tough even on a motorcycle), or (3) come back around through Ensenada and south down Hwy. 1 to the turnoff for the park.

KurtG - 2-16-2005 at 03:38 PM

My daughter and I camped up there several years ago in August. It was lovely, we had the whole meadow to ourselves for the weekend and hiked up to the observatory. A great place to camp and well worth the time it took to get up there.

David K - 2-16-2005 at 03:59 PM

Here's the view of Diablo Mountain (10,154') from the end of the road at the observatory. This picture of me was taken in 1978 by Jon LaFrance. San Felipe is on the opposite side of Diablo. The view to the left is tremendous. On clear days you can see Arizona!

David K - 2-16-2005 at 04:04 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by yankeeirishman
who's the young kid here in the picture? I swear I saw him in the Napa State Hospital for the Mentally Disturbed. Was there too :lol: This pine tree studded picture blows me away! Had no idea that there was trees in Baja as this. Got a profile on this area: camps, lakes, whatever.....?


Go to http://www.grahammackintosh.com and order Graham's third Baja classic: 'Nearer My DOG to Thee' (A Summer in Baja's Sky Island)... You will learn all about the San Pedro Martir mountain range, and how Graham and his dog lived for 4 months amongst the trees, lightning strikes, condors, and mushrooms!

David K - 2-16-2005 at 07:33 PM

Maps to go from San Felipe to the Observatory? With 4WD, shortest is through Mike's Sky Rancho and past the Meling Ranch. Otherwise, all the way to Ensenada then south to San Telmo and up the main road.

Mexitron - 2-16-2005 at 08:01 PM

Quite an island forest up there--Ponderosa, Jeffrey, Lodgepole, Sugar, Pinion, and Coulter Pines, White Fir, Western Red Cedar, an endemic Cypress(Cupressus montana), Aspen(!), and even some older reports of Sequoias in scattered locales....although the earlier botanists probably mistook the Red Cedars for Redwoods. There was a lumbermill up there years ago(which is still there-what's left of it--lots of old planks laying around) and the first road to the San Pedro Martir was graded for it. The road ran up from Mike's Sky Ranch--its still printed on the topos but is mostly washed out--I've seen parts of it though.

Most of the park is now closed to traffic though, so you'll have to hoof it to see the park's remoter parts(like the vista looking south to Matomi--epic country).

Ken Cooke - 2-27-2005 at 08:39 AM

Our 4WD club did a run from Mikes to Rancho El Coyote and then to the Observatory Road in August '03. The only obstacle was a large boulder in the trail that we had to negotiate with the help of a spotter - nothing else to deal with. We didn't see any washouts, although this has been a rainy year that probably upped the ante for 4WD adventures on this road!

JESSE - 2-27-2005 at 01:37 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Here's the view of Diablo Mountain (10,154') from the end of the road at the observatory. This picture of me was taken in 1978 by Jon LaFrance. San Felipe is on the opposite side of Diablo. The view to the left is tremendous. On clear days you can see Arizona!


I bet you where wearing Op shorts.