PaulW
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Turn off Hwy5 to Turquoise ponds
Here is a GE view with roads
This is all GPS data
The red line the new Hwy5 as I drove it. The purple line is the old road. The green line is the road to the turquoise ponds. The Waypoint from my
GPS is where I parked at the north end of the bridge where at dirt path goes into the wash. As you can see the green one crosses under the bridge.
Should not be a big deal to get from the highway to the green track. When I get back in January I will do over and provide authentication of all this.
Tq Rd = 29° 34.356'N,- 114° 22.029'W
[Edited on 10-24-2020 by PaulW]
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David K
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We have been calling the grade west of your map, the La Turquesa Grade, as a point of reference. Fred Hampe built it after he built the road to the
mission. Kacey Smith called the Turquesa Canyon grade The XR Ride (up or down). Some have even called it Coco's Shortcut!
If I recall, I think a Nomad spotted this point at Km. 176.
[Edited on 10-24-2020 by David K]
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TMW
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David when are you going to do Mission Santa Maria and the Widowmaker. Roy is waiting. Me I'm just following along in case you get in trouble.
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WestyWanderer
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David, Paul, or TMW can you please post more about the widow maker or the turquoise pools? I’m always looking for more rides in this area. Thanks in
advance
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WestyWanderer
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David, I saw the other thread talking about the area. Were you guys able to drive there from the Gonzaga side or side you access from Catavina? I’d
be on a motorcycle.
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David K
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Quote: Originally posted by WestyWanderer  | | David, I saw the other thread talking about the area. Were you guys able to drive there from the Gonzaga side or side you access from Catavina? I’d
be on a motorcycle. |
I think you are asking about the La Turquesa Grade?
It is a common motorcycle route (XR400 stuff) and yes, a Baja Nomad (The Squarecircle, Roy) made it through in his Land Rover LR3 with help from TMW,
XRPhil, and others.
The Top end access on Hwy. 1 is Km. 213 (south of the boulder hill, El Pedregoso).
The Bottom end access on Hwy. 5 is Km. 176
The road was built by Fred Hampe of Rancho Santa Ynez, in the 1960s or early 1970s, before Hwy. 1 was built. Fred had previously built the road to
Mission Santa María and 2 miles beyond, hoping to create a shortcut to their property at Punta Final.
I drove to the top of the grade from Hwy. 1 in Feb. 2007: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=22806
Squarecircle then checking out the Turquoise Mine from the Hwy. 5 side, and looking beyond, May 2007: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=24607
See the successful climb photos from 2008 in this thread: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=30726
The difficult part is between the turquoise mine and the bottom of the grade. The flash floods in the arroyo here just obliterate any road work.
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bajatrailrider
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I have been up xr ride 4 times . on of all things a xr600 and 400 xr. that climb all depends if it rained hard before you try it. As going up it not
the problem. Going up the canyon to get to it after rain storm. was miles of loose rocks size of basketballs. At one point we had to push the bikes.
No rain long time easy track. Unless asking David someone was making dirt road to left side of canyon. To avoid big rocks que pasa David tell me.
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David K
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Westy is asking about it, not me. Thanks for the report. When was your latest ride there?
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WestyWanderer
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Thank you DK and bajatrailrider for the info
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bajatrailrider
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I'm thinking I do know last time was on xr400. So maybe 6 years ago . David did you not go up it 3 years ago with square circle. When are you making
this run Westy.
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WestyWanderer
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Moving the in-laws into their house south of Puertecitos Nov. 9th-16th. Hoping to explore this route and some of the others in the Gonzaga area toward
the end of our stay.
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bajatrailrider
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if you pass me I have incredible riding here. Give me heads up .
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David K
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider | | I'm thinking I do know last time was on xr400. So maybe 6 years ago . David did you not go up it 3 years ago with square circle. When are you making
this run Westy. |
Roy (Squarecircle) did it the one time, I wasn't down there then.
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bajatrailrider
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ok sorry David I got mixed up. depending when 4 wheels goes up I would think very difficult. Big step at bottom from washout and another washout
half way up. For sure someone has fixed those places by now.
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PaulW
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KML file
Forgot to post the KML file for you all to get the details
Note that this trip to the mines was 2009. Which is why I need to revisit.
Attachment: Turq Ponds09.kml (21kB)
This file has been downloaded 244 times
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David K
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From the mine to the bottom of the grade (that goes up to Hwy. 1) it is 1.6 miles in the wash.
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