BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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Cattle trail from Rancho San Luis to G-canyon
What nomads know about this?.I talk to the owner of the rach next to San Luis (San Luis caretaker is not that friendly)Hernan told me that he can take
us or show us the way.going down from Hanson to G-canyon via canyon is nearly impossible.Has any body done this cattle trail before.?
Here is what the trail looks like on The Laguna Hanson side,sandy but good afther all don't know if it gets worse later.We only hike for half hour..
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
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Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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Rancho San Luis
[Edited on 3-14-2007 by BAJACAT]
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64864
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I entered 'Rancho San Luis' in the Nomad search engine and got this great responce... Unfortunately, 'tajo' never posted again!
From Baja Nomad 'tajo' posted on 9-13-2005 at 04:53 PM
This is my first message - I am a newcomer to the Baja Nomad Forum, but not to the Baja itself . Sorry about my English and my Spanish - which are not
my native languages.
I am a climber who likes solitude , and after Joshua Tree has been promoted to the National Park I stopped to visit it , and prefer Sierra de Juarez
and San Pedro Martir. As Baja nomads probably know the climbers in that area do not propagate info about climbing routes , because they like solitude
as well. Also perspective of groups of mountain bikers going down from Rancho San Luis to the Guadalupe Canyon is not very amusing.
But... ... sometimes the crowd of tourists is beneficial for the nature. For instance I know the mountains in Europe, where wild animals are met in
large numbers only close to the trails - because of illegal poaching. This is a case of the Tajo Canyon - and situation described by Jide is VERY
symptomatic:
Quote:
Originally posted by jide
If you're referring to Tajo, the trail down is practicable, I took it a couple years ago, check my pix: www.vivabaja/jide
Nevertheless, I drove the east side (desert road) this spring, and "no trespassing" signs have been posted recently at the road entrance for the
canyon. I also heard of climbers getting threatened recently near the south fork, by trono blanco, kind of "locals only" attitude you find in
surfing......
....
In fact all canyons above La Laguna Salada are in danger. In this situation I changed my mind and I decided to propagate the idea of tourist trails (
even mountain bike trails for Braulio ) through all major canyons , connecting Parque Constituci?n with the Laguna Salada. At the beginning I propose
to find the easiest routes , and publish description with the GPS data - later we may convince our Mexican friends to build real trails.
I propose at the beginning the following routes:
1. Indian Trail - from the Guadalupe Hot Springs to the Rancho San Luis, through the saddle , which is S from the Madonna di Guadalupe Rock. You are
right that it is necessary to find a by-pass of Rancho San Luis itself - where the owner is sometimes very unfriendly. There is no running water on
this trail.
2, The Guadalupe canyon trail - I know this trail up to the highest ( 4th ) waterfall , and the next step , with a gigantic stone knocked in a
chimney. The canyon above the step looks nice , and it probably forks into two ( or more ) branches - the left one goes to the wash , which is N to
the Rancho San Luis ( is it a wash with a shack of Senor Hernan ?? ). I know only the upper part of the wash - there is a passage to the right ( N)
fork of the Guadalupe Canyon . The upper part has a nice fores of jeffrey pines. Once I tried to get down along this canyon and found it terribly
overgrazed by cattle. Corrals belong rather to Rancho Pantalones or Rancho Sansualito , because all paths lead in the direction of the Pantalones
Rock. I think that one trail should join Guadalupe Canyon with the Indian Trail - behind "Pico Risco", because it would be a nice " Guadalupe loop "
around "Pico Risco". It took me 20 hours to do the loop - but a better trail would take less time - perhaps 10 hours only.
Another variant of Guadalupe Canyon could finish at Hernan's rancho - or perhaps at Pantalones.
3. Carrizos trail - here I have the GPS data from the lower gate at Laguna Salada - to the main Palm Oasis, and from Rancho Pantalones - Sansualito
1558 m (N32"08.895W115"51.987 ) to the peak 1687 m ( N32"11.825W115"52.152 ) , where is a horse path in a long, flat valley. This valley is very
beautiful , similar with El Topo - El Trono Blanco surroundings. The view from the peak 1687 m is very spectacular - though El Trono Blanco is
invisible , but there are beautiful cliffs falling down from neighbor peaks to the "burnt" canyon, which may be reached from the saddle on the W side
of the peak . Between the peak 1558 m and La Laguna Salada there is Canyon Carrizos , with its three forks - each one has a palm oasis. Hot springs
are in the S fork, but the easiest slope is between the peak 1687 m and the N fork - but I do not exclude good possibilities from the middle fork. All
three forks, and palm oases meet at 459 m ( N32"11.959W115"49.078 ) . From there I reached a small peak 1205 m above the S-fork (
N32"12.283W115"50.522 ), but I need still to find a passage between 1205 m and 1687 m - it may be this fall, anybody would like to join ?
4. The "burnt canyon" - on the aerospace images it is visible as the biggest green palm oasis above Laguna Salada , but at present from the upper
peaks it seems like burnt . There is a running water in this canyon. On the INEGI topo map it is called "Canon El Tajo" , which is a mistake. The
trail can join Carrizos trail near the peak 1687 m or in the same fork more E.
5. El Tajo Trail South Fork , it follows the same way as the N-fork - up to the East face of El Trono Blanco. From that there is a possibility to
reach a high forested hill ( higher than El Trono Blanco ) which culminates above the S-fork, and to find a path to the road Rumorosa _ Laguna Hanson
, near El Topo Ranch. Another possibility would be to climb any pass between peaks which are to the S from El Trono Blanco. Behind the peaks ( to the
W ) there is a valley, which starts at the Tajo campground , but the final part of this valley goes underground - to a deep canyon - which may allow
to reach the S-fork of El Tajo canyon - but I have no info about that. There is some running water in the S-fork - up to the wash , S of the Forest
Hill..
6. El Tajo Trail - the N-fork , it goes to a col between El Trono Blanco to the S and La Milla to the N. It is well known, and not very difficult.
First water is quite far from the Laguna Salada. Last water is at the junction of N-fork and S-fork.
7. Canada Cantu de las Palmas trail - I'm not sure if there is running water all the year, and have seen this canyon only from the Devils Tooth.
Perhaps enough for the beginning. Tajo.
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cymeryss
Junior Nomad
Posts: 50
Registered: 12-20-2004
Location: San Diego
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Mood: So much to see, so little time...
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I have not posted a trip report since I have been way too busy, but would like to say that this past weekend I have just finished hiking from the G.
Canyon to Pico Risco and back. We started at G.C. and hiked/climbed to a certain point (up to the 12m water fall if anybody is familiar with the
canyon), then traversed towards the wash below pico risco, about 200m below. We then proceeded on to the top behind the peak, and then to the top,
approx. 5000ft. From there, we have walked passed the virgin de guadalupe and hit the indian trail - "La vivera" down to the G.C. It was definatelly
a nice hike but pretty exchausting since we have done it a about a day, walking down half of the indian trail at night.
The indian trail takes you up to Rancho san Luis, but like bajacat stated the owner is not too friendly. I don't know if anybody knew (we did not)
that G.C. was closed for a whole weekend do to a private event, but we were able to talk to the organizers to leave our car inside. Let me tell you,
we could hear the music up at pico risco.
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
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Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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Wow, this is interesting to read. I think it was about '70-'71 when a bunch of used to dirt bike into Rancho San Luis. Jose and Lydia were
scratching-out a "living" around that little seep of a spring. We would take vegetable seeds to Jose and .22 ammo to Lydia for her little sawed off
single shot. They had a little herd of goats, a few chickens and not much of a garden.
How times have changed. I didn't think anything of accepting Lydia's invitation to take her rifle on our hike to the little spot on the rim we called
Buena Vista. (You could see Salton Sea and the Gulf) I was to make sure any rabbit I saw got invited to dinner.
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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The cattle trail from Canyon Guadalupe bottom end start is below (I only went about two miles):
Start where the road splits to go to the different campsites on either side of the canyon. Hike across the canyon/wash and go 0.1 miles downstream on
the SE side and there is a go-up used by cattle. This is the start of the trail at 32° 9' 29.23"N 115°47' 2.57"W Datum WGS84. It goes south about
1.3 miles until it turns half right up a side canyon at 32° 8' 21.69"N 115°46' 59.87"W. I know not where it comes out at the top.
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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cymeryss
Junior Nomad
Posts: 50
Registered: 12-20-2004
Location: San Diego
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Mood: So much to see, so little time...
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For clarification, the cattle trail is the 'Indian trail', and at this time I can't imagine cattle making this trail since it does require some foot
work and since it has not been "cleaned" there are several small detours to avoid fallen cactus, rocks, etc. It takes about 4 hours from the top flats down to the Guadalupe Canyon (going down) and as Neal mentioned it will
take you to the road past the wash.
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vgabndo
Wow, this is interesting to read. I think it was about '70-'71 when a bunch of used to dirt bike into Rancho San Luis. Jose and Lydia were
scratching-out a "living" around that little seep of a spring. We would take vegetable seeds to Jose and .22 ammo to Lydia for her little sawed off
single shot. They had a little herd of goats, a few chickens and not much of a garden.
How times have changed. I didn't think anything of accepting Lydia's invitation to take her rifle on our hike to the little spot on the rim we called
Buena Vista. (You could see Salton Sea and the Gulf) I was to make sure any rabbit I saw got invited to dinner. |
Sadly enough they sold the place but it wasn't them it was their
dauther,that sold the properity to a American coupple,and they don't like visitors but the do not live there,they go in and out. the caretaker of the
place is the mean one, but I was lucky he was in vacation and the owners of the ranch next to S-luis where housesitting the place and they let me
in,the gate is lock I borrow their key to take my cars in.But Hernan told me I can used his ranch(next door to San Luis) to stage are 4 hours long
hike to Gc.
The spring still there here is a pic. VGABNDO
[Edited on 3-15-2007 by BAJACAT]
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by cymeryss
For clarification, the cattle trail is the 'Indian trail', and at this time I can't imagine cattle making this trail since it does require some foot
work and since it has not been "cleaned" there are several small detours to avoid fallen cactus, rocks, etc. It takes about 4 hours from the top flats down to the Guadalupe Canyon (going down) and as Neal mentioned it will
take you to the road past the wash. |
Your right it is a Indian trail I was going by what Hernan told me.
(cattle trail).So if you do 4 hrs to hike down how many to hike up hill.?
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
I entered 'Rancho San Luis' in the Nomad search engine and got this great responce... Unfortunately, 'tajo' never posted again!
From Baja Nomad 'tajo' posted on 9-13-2005 at 04:53 PM
This is my first message - I am a newcomer to the Baja Nomad Forum, but not to the Baja itself . Sorry about my English and my Spanish - which are not
my native languages.
I am a climber who likes solitude , and after Joshua Tree has been promoted to the National Park I stopped to visit it , and prefer Sierra de Juarez
and San Pedro Martir. As Baja nomads probably know the climbers in that area do not propagate info about climbing routes , because they like solitude
as well. Also perspective of groups of mountain bikers going down from Rancho San Luis to the Guadalupe Canyon is not very amusing.
But... ... sometimes the crowd of tourists is beneficial for the nature. For instance I know the mountains in Europe, where wild animals are met in
large numbers only close to the trails - because of illegal poaching. This is a case of the Tajo Canyon - and situation described by Jide is VERY
symptomatic:
Quote:
Originally posted by jide
If you're referring to Tajo, the trail down is practicable, I took it a couple years ago, check my pix: www.vivabaja/jide
Nevertheless, I drove the east side (desert road) this spring, and "no trespassing" signs have been posted recently at the road entrance for the
canyon. I also heard of climbers getting threatened recently near the south fork, by trono blanco, kind of "locals only" attitude you find in
surfing......
....
In fact all canyons above La Laguna Salada are in danger. In this situation I changed my mind and I decided to propagate the idea of tourist trails (
even mountain bike trails for Braulio ) through all major canyons , connecting Parque Constituci?n with the Laguna Salada. At the beginning I propose
to find the easiest routes , and publish description with the GPS data - later we may convince our Mexican friends to build real trails.
I propose at the beginning the following routes:
1. Indian Trail - from the Guadalupe Hot Springs to the Rancho San Luis, through the saddle , which is S from the Madonna di Guadalupe Rock. You are
right that it is necessary to find a by-pass of Rancho San Luis itself - where the owner is sometimes very unfriendly. There is no running water on
this trail.
2, The Guadalupe canyon trail - I know this trail up to the highest ( 4th ) waterfall , and the next step , with a gigantic stone knocked in a
chimney. The canyon above the step looks nice , and it probably forks into two ( or more ) branches - the left one goes to the wash , which is N to
the Rancho San Luis ( is it a wash with a shack of Senor Hernan ?? ). I know only the upper part of the wash - there is a passage to the right ( N)
fork of the Guadalupe Canyon . The upper part has a nice fores of jeffrey pines. Once I tried to get down along this canyon and found it terribly
overgrazed by cattle. Corrals belong rather to Rancho Pantalones or Rancho Sansualito , because all paths lead in the direction of the Pantalones
Rock. I think that one trail should join Guadalupe Canyon with the Indian Trail - behind "Pico Risco", because it would be a nice " Guadalupe loop "
around "Pico Risco". It took me 20 hours to do the loop - but a better trail would take less time - perhaps 10 hours only.
Another variant of Guadalupe Canyon could finish at Hernan's rancho - or perhaps at Pantalones.
3. Carrizos trail - here I have the GPS data from the lower gate at Laguna Salada - to the main Palm Oasis, and from Rancho Pantalones - Sansualito
1558 m (N32"08.895W115"51.987 ) to the peak 1687 m ( N32"11.825W115"52.152 ) , where is a horse path in a long, flat valley. This valley is very
beautiful , similar with El Topo - El Trono Blanco surroundings. The view from the peak 1687 m is very spectacular - though El Trono Blanco is
invisible , but there are beautiful cliffs falling down from neighbor peaks to the "burnt" canyon, which may be reached from the saddle on the W side
of the peak . Between the peak 1558 m and La Laguna Salada there is Canyon Carrizos , with its three forks - each one has a palm oasis. Hot springs
are in the S fork, but the easiest slope is between the peak 1687 m and the N fork - but I do not exclude good possibilities from the middle fork. All
three forks, and palm oases meet at 459 m ( N32"11.959W115"49.078 ) . From there I reached a small peak 1205 m above the S-fork (
N32"12.283W115"50.522 ), but I need still to find a passage between 1205 m and 1687 m - it may be this fall, anybody would like to join ?
4. The "burnt canyon" - on the aerospace images it is visible as the biggest green palm oasis above Laguna Salada , but at present from the upper
peaks it seems like burnt . There is a running water in this canyon. On the INEGI topo map it is called "Canon El Tajo" , which is a mistake. The
trail can join Carrizos trail near the peak 1687 m or in the same fork more E.
5. El Tajo Trail South Fork , it follows the same way as the N-fork - up to the East face of El Trono Blanco. From that there is a possibility to
reach a high forested hill ( higher than El Trono Blanco ) which culminates above the S-fork, and to find a path to the road Rumorosa _ Laguna Hanson
, near El Topo Ranch. Another possibility would be to climb any pass between peaks which are to the S from El Trono Blanco. Behind the peaks ( to the
W ) there is a valley, which starts at the Tajo campground , but the final part of this valley goes underground - to a deep canyon - which may allow
to reach the S-fork of El Tajo canyon - but I have no info about that. There is some running water in the S-fork - up to the wash , S of the Forest
Hill..
6. El Tajo Trail - the N-fork , it goes to a col between El Trono Blanco to the S and La Milla to the N. It is well known, and not very difficult.
First water is quite far from the Laguna Salada. Last water is at the junction of N-fork and S-fork.
7. Canada Cantu de las Palmas trail - I'm not sure if there is running water all the year, and have seen this canyon only from the Devils Tooth.
Perhaps enough for the beginning. Tajo. |
Thanks for the 411 David this is the thread that lead me to think
about it.That was the reason for my trip to Rancho S-Luis and the no pictures where is this place? thread also had something to do...
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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