BajaNomad

Laguna Salada

KasloKid - 10-29-2022 at 08:25 AM

Does anyone have knowledge about the status of Laguna Salada? Is it still a wet or dry lake? Friends are hopeful of riding through in a couple of weeks.

TMW - 10-30-2022 at 06:08 PM

I don't think there has been any rain for a while so my guess is that it's dry. They're going to ride anyway so if it's wet turn around if not keep going. They should be able to radio the chase crew as to the condition. A little mud doesn't hurt and can make it fun.

AKgringo - 10-30-2022 at 06:25 PM

I did not go anywhere near Laguna Salda on the trip I just returned from, but I covered a lot of ground, and saw water in many places that I wouldn't have expected to find it.

What I would worry about is finding a mud or silt bog that has dried just enough to make it look a firm surface!

David K - 10-30-2022 at 07:22 PM

They may need a Plan B?
The graded road on the west side is the wet surface alternative.

mtgoat666 - 10-30-2022 at 07:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by KasloKid  
Does anyone have knowledge about the status of Laguna Salada? Is it still a wet or dry lake? Friends are hopeful of riding through in a couple of weeks.


Was pretty full of water last month after the big rains. Probably still a lot of wet areas, or areas with mud hiding below dry surface.

Maderita - 10-31-2022 at 02:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by KasloKid  
Does anyone have knowledge about the status of Laguna Salada? Is it still a wet or dry lake? Friends are hopeful of riding through in a couple of weeks.

Good news. Sorry for the delay in responding - just in from Baja last night. The Laguna Salada road is open now. Some work was done to open the main track. Any other track is 4x4. Do not drive off the main track due to mud hiding below a dry appearing crust.
Enter from the Pavarotti sign at Highway 2D.
Then look for these tires to loacte the main track:[/url]
Follow sticks with orange/red tips.
The main track will pass close by all of the emergency beacon towers.
That route is now passable with 2WD all the way to the abandoned olive grove and Ejido Manatou. 2WD to the creek at the mouth of Guadalupe Canyon.
The entrance to Guadalupe Canyon is now 4WD. Some campsites may have been opened. I know people who have hiked up the canyon this month.
The canyons ejected significant loose sand with Tropical Storm "Kay" on September 10. Some sand crossed the "high road" above Laguna Salada to the west.
If you need more info about Canyon Guadalupe, I can update after I get word from the owner.

KasloKid - 10-31-2022 at 11:16 PM

Thanks for all the input. I'll pass info onto friends and let them make the decision to go or not. I know they'd like to get further sounth and get back onto Mex 5 at the sand dunes but that might be a stretch.
A few years back, the road leading out to 5 just north of the dunes, I got sucked into thinking the what looked solid ground adjacent to the road turned out, wasn't.... discovered a lot of hidden mud. My bike and me went over and slid for 50+ feet. Mud dried like concrete in crevises I didn't know existed.

David K - 11-1-2022 at 05:40 AM

There is a dry (elevated) graded road from the sand dunes west then north, around the edge of the Laguna Salada... SCORE uses it, goes to Cohabuzo Junction (and there is another road that goes north of Cohabuzo, as shown on this Auto Club map of 2010 and earlier. Cohabuzo Jcn. is approx. where the mileage 14.7 is on the map):




On my maps, I only show the Cohabuzo Jcn. route, as that is what I drove:





[Edited on 11-1-2022 by David K]

KasloKid - 11-1-2022 at 08:12 AM

Thanks David. Passing this info on...

Kaslo

John M - 11-1-2022 at 04:18 PM

Please check your U2U

John M

KasloKid - 11-1-2022 at 05:34 PM

Thanks John
U2U sent
Chuck

StuckSucks - 11-1-2022 at 05:42 PM

Ah, "Cohabuzo Jct" -- was trying to pull that name out of my brain cell. Thanks!

4x4abc - 11-1-2022 at 06:08 PM

Cohabuzo Junction
how did it get its name?

David K - 11-1-2022 at 08:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
Cohabuzo Junction
how did it get its name?

On the older AAA maps was a Cerro Cohabuzo just west of this junction. Score named the junction when Baja races used it from the AAA map.

David K - 11-2-2022 at 07:26 AM

Harald, Cerro Cohabuzo first appeared on the 1967 edition Auto Club map and continued on each one through the 2000 edition. In 2001, it was removed.

Stuff like this is why I wanted to share every AAA map I could to see how things changed from year to year... Mostly on how roads were shown or pavement progressed. Also, to see errors corrected, all in fun. Sort of a where's Waldo game.

I made a web page just for the AAA maps (1927-2010) plus the covers of the maps, as it changed, are included: https://vivabaja.com/automobile-club-maps/

PaulW - 11-2-2022 at 09:02 AM

To many place names are missing for both the AAA and INEGI maps.
Thanks for the Cohabuzo place history.
1967 was before GPS and the AAA maps were best. Not much exploring of routes otherwise. I wonder when the INEGI maps became in use?

4x4abc - 11-2-2022 at 09:54 AM

so, only AA has it on its maps

Maderita - 11-2-2022 at 12:11 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
so, only AA has it on its maps

Cohabuzo Junction is also on the BC Road & Recreation Atlas (2021).

David K - 11-2-2022 at 01:02 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Maderita  
Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
so, only AA has it on its maps

Cohabuzo Junction is also on the BC Road & Recreation Atlas (2021).


Yes, I put it there since it is a 'major' point of refernce for so many years with racers and desert explorers.

The mountain name could have been from local ranchers when asked by Auto Club staff or on some other maps used in the 60s? It is not on the 1962 Howard Gulick Lower California Guidebook maps (I suspect there may be some truth that Gulick assisted the Auto Club with improving their 1962 map for 1967).

By-the-way, Cerro Santa Isabel is the name now used for Cerro Cohabuzo, today (see it on Benchmark Atlas, Almanac, and Inegi topos).
GPS: 31° 54' 10.9" N 115° 49' 54.5" W

David K - 11-2-2022 at 01:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc  
so, only AA has it on its maps


I think AA's (Alcoholics Annonymous) maps may only show liquor store locations to avoid?!!
All kidding aside...
It does seem to only be on the Auto Club of Southern California's maps (AAA for short as it is part of the American Automobile Association).
:light:

David K - 11-3-2022 at 08:59 AM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
The mountain name could have been from local ranchers when asked by Auto Club staff or on some other maps used in the 60s?

Though they do salve one's ego, guesses aren't "information".


Do you have information?
I am 'guessing' becuase I may have the largest collection of books and maps on Baja (which I share freely) of the living Nomads. I can have an opinion because the study of Baja has been going on pretty much my whole life. OK?

Maderita - 11-3-2022 at 12:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
The mountain name could have been from local ranchers when asked by Auto Club staff or on some other maps used in the 60s?

Though they do salve one's ego, guesses aren't "information".

Perhaps what David is referring to is the fact that many landmarks and topographical features are named by the locals. Many names are known only to the locals. In inland areas, mountains, and deserts the "locals" tend to be ranchers. Often times a ranch is named for a nearby feature, or, conversely, the feature is named after the nearby ranch. After some generations have passed, it is difficult to know which came first, the name of the feature, or the name of the ranch.
It is likely that any remote ranch could reference several nearby places by names which are not printed on any maps. The probability of "Cohabuzo" originating from local history is quite high.
I will inquire with a local rancher to see if we can solve this mystery :?: