Looking for some road advice...headed to Cabo pulling 5k trailer. Was planning Mexicali - San Felipe - Guerro
- Mulege - La Paz - Cabo. However concerns are weather in Mountains and trying to get there quick. Thoughts on the 1 the whole way vs going 5 down and
where should I be concerned or avoid? See snow in forecast at peaks, ignorance is fear. Thank you! mtgoat666 - 3-1-2023 at 12:15 PM
I would take the 5 route. The snow on I-8 is always cleared quickly, snow conditions on 8 rarely last more than half day. JZ - 3-1-2023 at 12:31 PM
5 is much easier. Avoids all the stop and go in the little towns. Also avoids the very winding road just past El Rosario. Mexicali is easier to
deal with vs. TJ.
breimz - 3-1-2023 at 12:51 PM
Think my concern(just haven't traveled the whole section) is Mex side from San Felipe south to where it meets HWY 1 by Punta Preita and then to Santa
Rosalia. Believe it is not a worry altitude wise, just can't tell from my eyes on the map here.
Thank you guys so much!
[Edited on 3-1-2023 by breimz]AKgringo - 3-1-2023 at 01:32 PM
The only section of MX 5 that should concern you is the stretch just south of San Felipe. It is still relatively narrow with some vados (dips) that
could cause you problems with the trailer if you enter them too fast!
From Puertecitos south is all good road. It is my choice when headed down from NorCal, and is probably less driving time for you, even with the
drive over to Calexico.
By the way, welcome to the forum!breimz - 3-1-2023 at 01:58 PM
Beautiful, thank you all again and appreciate the heads up on the dips!
Cheers- see you in the sand! Don Pisto - 3-1-2023 at 02:05 PM
go down one way come back the other Cliffy - 3-1-2023 at 07:30 PM
Drive slower and take your time
Haste makes waste on Baja roads-
especially towing a trailer
Always seemed to me like the trucks were wanting to push me on 5
Several passed me on right hand turns where I couldn't even see around the corner let alone them being able to see.
POT HOLES bend trailer axles!! Don't ask me how I know.
Its NOT a 65 MPH road by any means.
Many have tried to do too many miles each day just "to get there"!
They try to do too much in just a few days.
The beauty of Baja is to "SLOW DOWN" and enjoy the journey.
About those potholes....
AKgringo - 3-1-2023 at 08:23 PM
On that stretch of older pavement south of S.F. they appear to get filled pretty often, but I suspect that there is a full-time effort by the road
crews to re-locate them!TMW - 3-2-2023 at 10:09 AM
For sure, that will guarantee never using Hwy. 1 again (towing)! LOLJZ - 3-2-2023 at 10:44 AM
I towed a 32 foot boat on a 35 foot trailer once up the 1. 9'6" beam.
Man that stretch through mountains before El Rosario was a b#tch.
We hit it just as the sun was setting, which made it 3x worse. If you do the 1, watch your clock. Bob and Susan - 3-2-2023 at 04:58 PM
i cant understand why everyone suggests Mexicali when the poster is in san diego
its 2 hours drive to Mexicali over a BIG mountain on the 8frwy that get closed all the time for high winds and bad weather... lots of stress on a
truck pulling a trailer.
in 2 hours from san diego you can be in ensenada
in 8-10 you are in guerrero negro
if something goes sideways there are lots of repair locations mtgoat666 - 3-2-2023 at 05:04 PM
i cant understand why everyone suggests Mexicali when the poster is in san diego
its 2 hours drive to Mexicali over a BIG mountain on the 8frwy that get closed all the time for high winds and bad weather... lots of stress on a
truck pulling a trailer.
in 2 hours from san diego you can be in ensenada
in 8-10 you are in guerrero negro
if something goes sideways there are lots of repair locations
Susan,
From San Diego it is fastest to drive via Mexicali. Weather forecast can be used to avoid rare high winds and snow on I-8.
The 5 route avoids a lot of hilly/curvy/narrow road on 1. David K - 3-2-2023 at 05:41 PM
Goat is correct.
I also live in San Diego area, and it is faster and less stressful to drive the freeway and roads to Calexico/Mexicali and then head south... anytime
you are going south of Laguna Chapala.
Bob, if you like all that farm town traffic (San Quintin to Camalu) and crossing the city of Ensenada (takes nearly an hour) and the twisty mountain
sections around Santo Tomás and El Rosario... keep using Hwy. 1. Little of that on Hwy. 5, San Felipe and Mexicali traffic only. You can also avoid
Mexicali and use 2-D to zip over to Tecate!
[Edited on 3-3-2023 by David K]Bob and Susan - 3-3-2023 at 07:51 AM
you guys are wrong
if you are in san diego... and going to cabo... use the #1 roadmtgoat666 - 3-3-2023 at 02:45 PM
if you are in san diego... and going to cabo... use the #1 road
Susy,
Sounds like you like the 1. I do too, but sometimes time trumps scenery. Drive the route you like. The rest of us will drive the ugly route but spend
less time on the road!BooJumMan - 3-3-2023 at 09:46 PM
Agreed, looking at the map, Mexicali makes no sense from SD. But in reality, much nicer, faster, less stressful. Not sure how long that will last
though. David K - 3-4-2023 at 05:39 AM
if you are in san diego... and going to cabo... use the #1 road
Really Bob, it's true... Ask Google "San Diego to Cabo San Lucas directions" and this is the map that is created... What does Goat say, trust the
science, lol?
