BajaNomad

Rescue!!! at La Cienega de Soto (san pedro martir)

mtgoat666 - 1-29-2021 at 12:07 PM

Rescue from snow! https://agpnoticias.com/news/rescatan-a-familia-atrapada-por...

Has anyone stayed at La Ceinega de Soto? Who owns/operates this place?Pics on FB look interesting, wondering if anyone has been...

Is Baja Dark Skies still operating? Did the astrogypsies ever sell it?

motoged - 1-29-2021 at 12:28 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  
Rescue from snow!

Is Baja Dark Skies still operating? Did the astrogypsies ever sell it?



Sounds like an intro to a turn of the century crime drama...:biggrin:

TMW - 1-29-2021 at 12:34 PM

Personnel from the municipal and state Civil Protection Coordinations, as well as the owners and workers of ranches and the National Astronomical Observatory of the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir (OAN), coordinated to help a family that was trapped by the recent snowfall.

Julio César Obregón Angulo, head of the Municipal Civil Protection Coordination on behalf of President Armando Ayala Robles, reported that the events occurred in Rancho Ciénega de Soto, near the aforementioned observatory, where a family was staying in the cabin area.

The people were trapped because 1 meter of snow prevented the exit from the place, so the authorities and citizens concerned coordinated to clear the road.

He highlighted the use of a private tractor and the OAN snow blower, which facilitated the work so that visitors could leave the place and return to the city of Tijuana.

Obregón Angulo said that the incident was known to other security corporations, since it was thought that the circumstances were more serious, but the family was always under shelter and with food, except that they could not leave the site.

The head of the Municipal Civil Protection Coordination of the XXIII City Council, thanked the support provided by the State and the OAN, in addition to the El Coyote Meling and La Ciénega de Soto ranches, specifically to Alfredo Meling Zaragoza and Alfredo Meling Soto, in coordination with Priscila Meling Soto.

Also to the facilities granted by the administration and the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir park.

Finally, he called on the community to be careful with these types of transfers, because although appreciating snow is a recurring activity for Baja Californians and visitors this season, it is important to take precautions and, on occasions, refrain from going to isolated sites.

David K - 1-29-2021 at 12:38 PM

I was just reading what a fun time they were having at the big cabin. This was on the cabin's Facebook page. Lot's of pretty pictures: https://www.facebook.com/lacienegadesoto
This is at Km. 74.5+ off the Observatory Highway and close to 7,000 ft. Rancho Meling is at Km. 49.5 and a bit above 2,000 ft.

Oh, and Baja Dark Skies Inn driveway is at Km. 67+ and was only signed for Rancho La Joya. Dark Skies is on the old Rancho Concepción land. As for advertising for guests or sharing telescope photos as they had so often, they have gone 'dark'!

[Edited on 1-29-2021 by David K]

TMW - 1-29-2021 at 12:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  


Is Baja Dark Skies still operating? Did the astrogypsies ever sell it?


From what I can tell it is still for sale. The last time I spoke with Mike he said they were taking the telescope stuff on the road to places for talks and shows. But that was before the pandemic so I doubt that happened or was cut way short. They may have moved back to Canada until the pandemic clears up. I wish them the best, they are good people.

mtgoat666 - 1-29-2021 at 12:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
I was just reading what a fun time they were having at the big cabin. This was on the cabin's Facebook page. Lot's of pretty pictures: https://www.facebook.com/lacienegadesoto
This is at Km. 74.5+ off the Observatory Highway and close to 7,000 ft. Rancho Meling is at Km. 49.5 and a bit above 2,000 ft.

Oh, and Baja Dark Skies Inn driveway is at Km. 67+ and was only signed for Rancho La Joya. Dark Skies is on the old Rancho Concepción land. As for advertising for guests or sharing telescope photos as they had so often, they have gone 'dark'!

[Edited on 1-29-2021 by David K]


dark skies used to have a sign on the main road, perhaps it was gone when you drove by.
dark skies was for sale, and i think it got sold. or maybe they got a tenant living there? whatever the case, they dont seem to have a marketing presence on FB or elsewhere on the web like here or TB.
dark skies is a really fabulous place, hope someone gets it running so it can support itself - there is a killer mtb bike track mostly-downhill track you can do from observatory gate down to dark skies via the old route onto plateau.

David K - 1-29-2021 at 02:23 PM

Indeed that is the old logging road built about 1950 that goes past Corral de Sam.

Emerson (Nomad from Mexicali) was able to drive to the top in his Toyota Land Cruiser. A fallen tree blocked the way so he and his friends had to come back down.

Edit: No logging was ever done.

[Edited on 1-29-2021 by David K]

bajadarkskies - 5-18-2021 at 08:40 AM

Baja Dark Skies actually does have a Facebook presence. Also an airbnb listing. Pamela and Mike did sell it last year (to me) and we host the occasional (4x4) visitor. Hope to do more in the future!

Welcome to the forum!

AKgringo - 5-18-2021 at 08:54 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajadarkskies  
Baja Dark Skies actually does have a Facebook presence. Also an airbnb listing. Pamela and Mike did sell it last year (to me) and we host the occasional (4x4) visitor. Hope to do more in the future!


Good information! Stay in touch with this forum, I am sure there are people (like me) that have always concentrated on getting as far south as possible on their Baja trips.

I don't know much about your part of Baja, and it is of interest to me. I don't do Facebook, or Twitter!

David K - 5-18-2021 at 09:01 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajadarkskies  
Baja Dark Skies actually does have a Facebook presence. Also an airbnb listing. Pamela and Mike did sell it last year (to me) and we host the occasional (4x4) visitor. Hope to do more in the future!


Indeed, welcome! Please post links to you website and Facebook pages. If you need assistance with posting photos here (not an easy thing for some folks), just ask or email me... info <at> vivabaja.com :light:

TMW - 5-18-2021 at 09:58 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajadarkskies  
Baja Dark Skies actually does have a Facebook presence. Also an airbnb listing. Pamela and Mike did sell it last year (to me) and we host the occasional (4x4) visitor. Hope to do more in the future!


Congratulations as the new owner. Mike and Pam gave me a tour of their house at Dark Skies and I was very impressed. I wish them the very best in what ever they are doing. I assume it has something to do with looking at stars.

Baja Dark Skies

bajadarkskies - 5-18-2021 at 01:51 PM

Thanks for offer of help, David, and thanks to TMW. I will indeed need help if I ever try to do much of anything here. So...the link to the Facebook page for Baja Dark Skies is
https://www.facebook.com/BajaDarkSkies

and the link to the Airbnb listing is
https://airbnb.com/h/bajadarkskies

Thanks!

advrider - 5-18-2021 at 02:00 PM

Looks really cool, hope to try your place out next year. Please do post more on here.

TMW - 5-18-2021 at 06:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajadarkskies  
Thanks for offer of help, David, and thanks to TMW. I will indeed need help if I ever try to do much of anything here. So...the link to the Facebook page for Baja Dark Skies is
https://www.facebook.com/BajaDarkSkies

and the link to the Airbnb listing is
https://airbnb.com/h/bajadarkskies

Thanks!


If you ever need help just post it here and I am sure many Nomads would be ready to help.

dravnx - 5-21-2021 at 09:19 AM

Hey Lucy, Jeff here from Santa Rosa.
Fancy meeting you here.

Fancy that!

bajadarkskies - 2-15-2022 at 10:20 AM

Hi Jeff!
Not surprised at all! Come and visit some day. I miss the group rides.

David K - 2-15-2022 at 01:47 PM

Lucy, please come here and post more than a couple times a year...

Share photos or hobbies from your ranch.
Are there still telescopes there to look at the Dark Sky?
How is the road in?
Can people get through from the northwest or only via the observatory highway?

Thanks for posting on Baja Nomad!

bajatrailrider - 2-15-2022 at 03:30 PM

I would like to know more as I live few hours away. When Pam and Mike got snowed in . The they asked me of all things bring cat food . As nobody could get to them with 4X4 fight to death but I got them there cat food