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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
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Mood: Gettin' Better
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West of Catavina: Coastal route
Nomads,
I am planning some off-road (dirtbike) exploring west of Catavina towards Arroyo la Bocana, Punta/Puerto Canoa, and south through Punta Blanco to
Punta Santa Rosalillita...
Any Nomads have experience with that region?
Gracias
Don't believe everything you think....
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surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
Member Is Offline
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no experience...but when are you thinking about going?
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
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First week of February....no room for a surfboard...but will post pics if I survive
Don't believe everything you think....
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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Ged check U2U.
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shari
Select Nomad
Posts: 13052
Registered: 3-10-2006
Location: bahia asuncion, baja sur
Member Is Offline
Mood: there is no reality except the one contained within us "Herman Hesse"
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check in with Juan's cousins in Rosalillita (Martin Arce)and we'll have a board here for ya dude!!!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65409
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by motoged
Nomads,
I am planning some off-road (dirtbike) exploring west of Catavina towards Arroyo la Bocana, Punta/Puerto Canoa, and south through Punta Blanco to
Punta Santa Rosalillita...
Any Nomads have experience with that region?
Gracias |
Drove the coastal route highlighted below in 2007, full web page with photos of the 2007 trip is here: http://vivabaja.com/707
ROAD LOG: THE DISTANT PACIFIC
Road Log 194.7 miles from Hwy. 1 to Hwy.1
The route along the Pacific is a way one can experience a little of what it was like to drive the length of Baja before Highway 1 was constructed
between 1967 and 1974 (Dec. '73).
The route shown on the map is almost 200 miles and there are no services or fuel until Santa Rosalillita or beyond at Villa Jesus Maria.
Total (and partial) mileage shown from my Tacoma odometer. AAA map mileages for the same section of road were the same or very close to mine.
0.0 (0.0) Take the signed right turnoff to 'Santa Catarina (32 km)' 46.9 miles from El Rosario's Pemex. The road is between Km. 132 and 133. Just
ahead (on Hwy. 1) is the road left to Guayaquil.
This is a good, fast graded road for the first 30 or so miles and it is fun to drive through beautiful cactus gardens.
7.2 (7.2) Road in from left to San Agustin along the old route from El Marmol... where onyx blocks were trucked to the Pacific at Santa Catarina
Landing to be shipped north.
19.2 (12.0) pass through tree shaded Rancho Santa Catarina.
21.1 (1.9) Fork, left to Punta Canoas and right for Santa Catarina Landing... we go right. The road climbs to the the top of a ridge and then drops
down to the coastal plain. The original road used to haul onyx over can be seen to the north.
36.3 (15.2) Fork, we first take right fork and it goes 3.4 miles to fish camp 'Punta Blu'... dead end, so back to this fork and take left branch.
37.3 (1.0) Road left is the route south... ahead goes 1.0 mile to Santa
Catarina fish camp, on the beach.
38.1 (0.8) Turn left and head away from coast.
47.3 (9.2) Come to the Punta Canoas road which forked at Mile 21.1 above. Turn right.
51.3 (4.0) Road to left... we continued straight.
52.3 (1.0) Road to left... we continued straight.
55.2 (2.9) Junction... Ahead goes 1.1 miles to high, look out/ view point, above Punta Canoas... To continue south, turn left.
58.5 (3.3) Join with road heading south (probably coming from the roads that turned left at Mile 51.3 and 52.3).
62.0 (3.5) Puerto Canoas Fish Camp.
Reset odometer to 0.0 for the next section of the road log.
========================================
0.0 (0.0) Puerto Canoas Fish Camp.
We first travel across the arroyo valley to investigate a modern, large home/ building near the beach... then head east.
1.8 (1.8) Big house facing beach on south side of arroyo. Head east, as no road is seen going south, close to the beach.
The auto club map shows the road we are on and we make camp at Mile 8.0 at the base of a pointy hill... about where the mileage '13.9' is shown on the
AAA map.
The Baja Almanac only shows this road as a trail. Our first night camp is to the east of the word 'Mujeres' (an arroyo) on Almanac Map 17.
17.4 (15.6) Pass a pair of graves and come to a cross road at an abandoned ranch. This should be the road from Hwy. 1 near Cataviņa going to Faro San
Jose. We turn right.
19.6 (2.2) Cross road, fenced entrance. Continue ahead.
21.5 (1.9) Join newer, graded road... continue ahead.
22.6 (1.1) Green school(?), fork to right.
33.1 (10.5) Road in from right, continue ahead.
35.5 (2.4) Fork, go right.
37.4 (1.9) Road to El Mirador to right, continue ahead.
39.6 (2.2) Arroyo San Jose fish camp.
We want to stay near to the coast, and find a poor 'Jeep' road that does just that. After 6 slow miles we near Bahia Corbin and drive out onto the
point on the north side of the bay for a lunch break. Finally, a beautiful looking beach... but a fish camp is there, too.
46.0 (6.4) Bahia Corbin, north end camping area on side road, just off coastal road.
Reset trip odometer to 0.0.
========================================
0.0 (0.0) Bahia Corbin. Return short distance to coastal road by fish camp and continue south.
8.8 (8.8) Arroyo La Pintada valley and road to east (to Laguna Chapala?).
10.4 (1.6) A second road going east which I am pretty sure is the unmapped road to Laguna Chapala on Hwy. 1.
16.0 (5.6) Road to coast at Bahia Blanco. We continue south.
The main road swings inland along Arroyo El Sauz, but we see a lesser dirt road cutting across the marsh (was dry) area staying nearer the coast and
take it. This is not shown on the AAA map or Almanac.
21.7 (5.7) Meet newly graded roadbed on south side of Arroyo El Sauz. This soon follows the 'poor' road location shown on the Almanac and AAA map.
29.3 (7.6) After lots of silt on the graded roadbed we come to the north-south (now graded) road between Cordonices and Punta Maria. We turn right on
the fast road, or better called 'dirt highway'.
34.5 (5.2) Road to right goes to Punta Cono. We continue south.
42.2 (7.7) Bahia Maria beach, near Punta el Diablo
43.0 (0.8) El Cardon ranch.
46.1 (3.1) Road to beach 0.4 mi., just south of Punta Lobos.
We are pooped from so much hard driving and want to make camp, so we go to the beach for a look.
We drive down the beach to find a camp site in the Valle los Ojitos dunes. A sea lion (lobo) is on the shore... photos.
========================================
0.0 (0.0) Beach road (Punta Lobos/ Valle los Ojitos)
6.8 (6.8) Road west to El Marron fish camp (near Punta Prieta/ Punta Negra). Road (or dirt highway here) heads away from the coast around the Sierra
San Andres.
17.0 (10.2) Cross Arroyo San Andres
17.2 (0.2) Road west signed to '3 Alejandras' (Puerto San Andres).
21.1 (3.9) Come to PAVED Santa Rosalillita highway, turn right for the coast. (Hwy. 1 is about 8 miles to the left)
22.1 (1.0) FORK, Escalera Nautica Harbor is 1.2 miles to right. Straight ahead goes to:
22.5 (0.4) Santa Rosalillita village on the beach. Gas and supplies available.
Reset trip odometer to 0.0 for the final section of this coastal road log to Hwy. 1 via Punta Rosarito.
========================================
0.0 (0.0) Santa Rosalillita. Take street parallel to the coast south... road soon turns inland and crosses Arroyo Santo Dominguito, eventually
returning nearer the beach.
This is a slow, rough road and is only advisable if you seek a wide, sand beach that stretches for miles in both directions.
11.0 (11.0) Road to west to coast at Punta Rosarito.
15.4 (4.4) Road has been following a rocky shore for a few miles and now leaves the coast.
18.1 (2.7) Highway 1 at Km. 63 (63 kilometers south of the Bahia de los Angeles junction).
Nuevo Rosarito is almost 7 miles north and Villa Jesus Maria (Pemex station) is 19.8 miles south.
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Sunman
Nomad
Posts: 400
Registered: 6-22-2007
Location: Oxnard
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I drove that entire route 3 weeks ago. U2U me if you have specific questions.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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Ged
told ya so!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65409
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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It's a dirt road... not a secret, private driveway to the Seven Sisters... 
The southern half is graded to highway standards (with kilometer posts) from the paved Santa Rosalillita highway north to Punta Cono and beyond...
Thanks to the Mexican Government, 2WD sedans can now drive to most of the sacred surf points!
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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DK- Perhaps you can point me in the right direction on this. At the time Highway 1 was paved, why was there no consideration of changing the alignment
and run it down the coast? After all, it's not like it was connecting to much of anything with that turn inland.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65409
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
DK- Perhaps you can point me in the right direction on this. At the time Highway 1 was paved, why was there no consideration of changing the alignment
and run it down the coast? After all, it's not like it was connecting to much of anything with that turn inland. |
Good question!
Some reasons might be:
The original main road down Baja was in the center south of El Rosario, so the highway stayed close to it for construction access... ?
Staying in the center allowed equal access to both Pacific and the gulf coast... the gulf resorts of Gonzaga and L.A. Bay were a zillion times greater
attraction than the foggy, cold Pacific coast to most. Commercial fishermen and the off road surfers just didn't seem to justify a Pacific coast
highway route... ?
The Pacific route had more difficult terrain... ?
Just think if they had built the road along the Pacific... what would the hard core secret surfers do?
Anyway, that dirt road is no secret, it was the 1975 Baja 1000 race course, been in books and maps since the 1950's, at least any new details on that
old road posted here on NOMAD is not on bookstore shelves or nes stands today... It's for us, members of Baja Nomads... Where we are supposed to share
Baja travel information with each other. There are actually a lot of Nomads who don't surf and may just want to drive a dirt road for a couple hundred
miles without seeing any other cars, highways, towns! Bring a jacket and windbreaker, however!
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Sharksbaja
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5814
Registered: 9-7-2004
Location: Newport, Mulege B.C.S.
Member Is Offline
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So much for discovery, eh.
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
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I often wondered about the terrain issue, as I was climbing a steep grade into a hairpin turn on the paved road. I understand that certain folks
appreciate the difficulty in reaching some of those "secret' surf spots.
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DEVEAU
Nomad
Posts: 104
Registered: 11-29-2005
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Mood: "WFO"
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Just got back, 4 guys on Bikes, 5 days, no Chase Truck.
http://www.spotadventures.com/trip/view/?trip_id=182880
The gaps in the track are kind of secret, I was asked not to share.
Chase Trucks? ??
We don\'t need no stinking chase trucks!
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Sunman
Nomad
Posts: 400
Registered: 6-22-2007
Location: Oxnard
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
I often wondered about the terrain issue, as I was climbing a steep grade into a hairpin turn on the paved road. I understand that certain folks
appreciate the difficulty in reaching some of those "secret' surf spots. |
If you look at the terrain view in google maps it's pretty obvious why. There are some seriously unnavigable (real word?) mountainous areas in there.
You can see how the road actually takes the easiest route through that area.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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| Quote: | Originally posted by soulpatch
But isn't the original question asking for experience on that area? Not to bust your balls but sometimes ya gets whats ya ax for.
| Quote: | Originally posted by woody in ob
Ged
told ya so! |
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no problems here! i just asked to leave some gaps in the report, like DEVEAU did. and also pointed out that a map would be forth coming.... lucky
guess on my part, right?
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
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You guys are why I like BN
I will contact some of you by U2U for info....as for this thread, my main questions are:
1) First week of February...what are temp and fog
conditions like?
I am thinking it is cold and foggy in morning and late
afternoon???
2) I am wondering if fishcamps have gas.... I have a 5 gal tank on bike and
3) I do not plan on camping and want to do the route in one day...will not do the northern section closest to El Rosario, but will enter boulder
fields 5-8 miles north of Catavina and head towards Arroyo El Bocano and head south from there...
Trip planning is so much fun...
Don't believe everything you think....
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65409
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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El Rosario on the north end and Villa Jesus Maria on the south end. There was a sign at Santa Rosalillita advertising gasolina for sale.
The other fishcamps may have gasoline for their outboard motors and may not be able to spare any extra for tourists... However, I did not need any, so
didn't ask. It was close to 250 miles from El Rosario to Villa Jesus Maria, and I was on empty... (four wheel drive used on the coast road north of
the graded section, decreases mileage a bit)
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65409
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Nice trip! Looks like the route to San Ignacio south of El Barril via Trinidad is back open... You may have used some of the Jesuit El Camino Real
between Trinidad and San Marta!
Hope you have photos to share!
Thank you!
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Went South of El Rosario about 75 or more miles back in 1970..
That was all we could take in the Toyota Land cruiser (capable unit, but a very hard ride) ... we fought to see who got to drive as that was the best
spot to not get your head into the roof...
We only spent the night and then turned around and came back, it was just a lark.. really rough "road"????
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