BajaNomad

Montevideo

dravnx - 1-30-2024 at 12:21 PM

Are the petroglyphs at Montevideo still gated? If so, can arrangements be made to pass through the gate?

David K - 1-30-2024 at 03:54 PM

Yes, and you can try to arrange it through the ranch owner. His wife (a daughter of José & Ana Licia of Mission San Borja) on her Facebook page. (u2u me for a link)

Also, I heard that a key was available from Campo Daggett's on L.A. Bay. Sr. Daggett is apparently the land owner?
You will be asked to pay for costs to come to the gate and open it if through the rancher's wife.

The reason for the lock is cattle thieves.

Photo at the gate from 'Mothership' (Mando):

BoenBaja - 2-1-2024 at 09:46 AM

Great info David, I took some of my buds from the clinic there about 15 ~18 years ago on our way to San Borja. It was wonderful, and while we were there I ran into a friend from Canada! Small world, especially in the deserts of Baja. I heard or read somewhere that vandals had painted graffiti over some of the paintings years ago, true?
Btw, my build in Bahía Asunción is coming along nicely, will end up with a garage that will have a cement roof to act as a patio. It should provide a fantastic view of the bay, Punta Prieta, San Hipólito, and La Bocana. Shari has graciously loaned me her construction crew while she’s doing her WhaleMagic Tours so I know the guys are top notch. In addition there’ll be a parking pad for our little 5th wheel trailer off to the west side of the lot, leaving a large area in front of the garage to build a casita (that is, if I can ever convince my wife!) I’d post some pics but I’m too computer illiterate (translates to “lame!”)

David K - 2-1-2024 at 11:41 AM

Hello BoenBaja,
Thanks for your reply!
My final visit to Montevideo was in February 2017 and there was not one bit of modern graffiti added to the panels since they were first publicly photographed in the early 1960s by Howard Gulick.
Please examine my photographs in the location page link for Montevideo at www.vivabaja.com/locations
You are welcome to email me your photos and I will post them here for you.
My email is info at vivabaja dot com or my name at Hotmail, which the first redirects to.
Glad you are connected to Shari's helpers in Asunción!






[Edited on 2-2-2024 by David K]

David K - 2-1-2024 at 08:37 PM

https://vivabaja.com/montevideo/

Montevideo in photos (2002-2017)

This page is dedicated to the colorful pictographs of Montevideo, taken by my camera from New Years Weekend 2002 to my final visit in February 2017. The bigger, better images will be the newer ones, found by scrolling down past the older ones. The photos have been color enhanced so they are more like what are as seen in person. Not one bit of modern graffiti was seen, fortunately. The road was best done with a 4×4 vehicle. This has been a good filter keeping out disrespectful people.

Howard Gulick, author of Lower California Guidebook has the earliest photograph I have seen, from September 1963: https://library.ucsd.edu/dc/object/bb7338770z/. This site was mentioned in the 1967 edition, revision note on page 11 (for page 124).

In the 1971 Sunset Travel Guide to Baja California, the map shows the approximate pictograph location. 1975 and later editions of Harry Crosby’s book, The Cave Paintings of Baja California also details the site with photos, drawings and text.

In 2018, a new ranch named San Ildefonso, erected a locked gate midway up the 5.8 mile road to the pictographs. Fortunately, these photographs preserve this fantastic site I have been so fortunate to have enjoyed many times.

surfhat - 2-2-2024 at 09:52 AM

A curious thing I found when looking at a couple of cave painting sites close to GN was, the images were more easy to see and defined through a camera or phone lens image than what our naked eyes can detect and that was without any manipulation of the image taken.

Photoshop is a mystery to me, but I know it helps makes images look their best like yours do. Thanks to all here for their contributions.

David K - 2-2-2024 at 11:31 AM

Quote: Originally posted by surfhat  
A curious thing I found when looking at a couple of cave painting sites close to GN was, the images were more easy to see and defined through a camera or phone lens image than what our naked eyes can detect and that was without any manipulation of the image taken.

Photoshop is a mystery to me, but I know it helps makes images look their best like yours do. Thanks to all here for their contributions.


There is a terrific photo system called DStretch that brings out faint or invisible colors. It also is really helpful if you have color blindness issues seeing reds or greens.
This DStretch was used at San Borjitas (and other sites):

https://www.dstretch.com/
https://www.dstretch.com/SanBorjitas/index.html
https://www.dstretch.com/Presentations.html

Get it for your phone so you can see the hidden figures while in Baja:
https://www.dstretch.com/Apps/index.html





[Edited on 2-2-2024 by David K]

wilderone - 2-3-2024 at 05:02 PM

wow - thanks, David.

dravnx - 2-5-2024 at 05:02 PM

David, Thanx for the info. Montevideo and the drive through the cactus forest is/was one of the magic places to visit. It's been a couple of decades since I was last there.