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ElCap
Nomad
Posts: 281
Registered: 1-22-2010
Location: Montara CA, or San Ignacio BCS
Member Is Offline
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Yes, I think Paulina is right about 1 guide per 3 guests - that was the way it was for us. Kind of an odd number - I thought it was because our guide
only owned 4 mules. But that makes sense after seeing how hard the guide works. Most guests are not really experienced 'muleros', so your guide has
alot to do keeping all the animals/people together. When I went last time with two friends, we rented 3 mules to ride and 3 burros that were fully
loaded with all our gear, but the guide brought a fourth burro which he called his spare tire, just in case one of the burros fell off the canyon
wall. Luckily he wasn't needed.
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Baja Bucko
Nomad
Posts: 288
Registered: 9-23-2003
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Sierra San Francisco Packtrip info-IMPORTANT!!!
I will bring this topic up again as I did months ago regarding the seriousness of the situation in the San Franciscos. There has been little rain and
the animals are still starving. Yes, the people need the tourists to come as there is no cheese production due to no feed and mountain lions. PLEASE
go see the cave art BUT be sure that WHOEVER is in charge-whether it is you or a tour operator-BRING HAY FOR THE MULES & PACK ANIMALS!!!
Understand that the mule you may get to ride might not have had much to eat if the tour operator isn't up on this and the last thing you need is a
weak animal. Trudi, of Saddling South, has hay hauled/packed in for the animals used on her trips and is very aware of the situation. I don't know
about other tour operators so please make inquiries and see if feed has been hauled in for your animals. Using a tour operator gets a smoothly-run
trip with good food for all people and a quality experience. If your tour person is not concerned about the availability of animal feed-and places
like Cacarizo etc have NOTHING for the animals to eat-think twice.
It is so easy to just think that everything will be taken care of by the tour person BUT if they are NOT getting feed hauled in BEFORE the animals
are used or at locations on the trail, it is not a good situation.
If you are running your own show please think about picking up a couple of bales of alfalfa in Vizcaino (if it is available-because everybody is using
it!) and telling the guys on the radio that you will need an extra animal to bring in feed. The vaqueros will appreciate having food for the animals.
Now just because the hay is there doesn't mean the animals get to pig out. Underfed animals given access to too much rich feed (ie alfalfa) translates
to ill or dead animals. The vaqueros are up on this and they don't want to lose any valuable animals. They know their job.
So many times people will say yea-I went to see the cave paintings and then all they see is Pintada and the others in that canon-there are hundreds of
sites in that mountain range alone and yes, Pintada is the motha of all BUT my favorite is San Gregorio 1....heheheh...and I've spent years ridng
those trails.
Go-have the trip of a lifetime but please BRING HAY!!!!
I will be riding "the range" for the month of March so if we meet, say "howdy".....
ItsallIwannado.............
My other 4WD is a Baja Mule!
La Mula Mil Survivor 2013-2014!
1000 miles by mule from the tip to Tecate!
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Paula
Super Nomad
Posts: 2219
Registered: 1-5-2006
Location: Loreto
Member Is Offline
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Harrrrrumffff!!!
There is Paulina, and there is Paula. Paulina has not posted on this thread, but Paula has. Ironically Paula's bith name is Paulina, but she has
not been called that since she was 13, though it is a lovely name-- until she signed on as a Nomad. 
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ElCap
Nomad
Posts: 281
Registered: 1-22-2010
Location: Montara CA, or San Ignacio BCS
Member Is Offline
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Oops, sorry Paula, didn't intentionally do that!
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boe4fun
Super Nomad
Posts: 1040
Registered: 1-22-2006
Location: Margaritaville
Member Is Offline
Mood: Circling the drain........
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When we visited we had 4 people in our group. We visited Santa Theresa canyon, and were supplied with 4 burros, 4 mules, and 2 guides (each with his
own mule). We packed in steaks on dry ice in a thick foam container, enough for the entire group (we were told in San Ignacio to provide food for the
guides on the trip). It took us about 6 hours to ride in, spent 2 nights at a base camp where we hiked to the several caves in that particular
canyon, and then another 6 hour (plus or minus) ride back out. I don't know if a 3 day trip is available or advisable.
Two dirt roads diverged in Baja and I, I took the one less graveled by......
Soy ignorante, apático y ambivalente. No lo sé y no me importa, ni modo.
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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wow thanks everybody for all the information thats why I love bajanomad, we share all our trip details...
for people that doesn't know me, english is my second language, being spanish my native one, I was raise in Tijuana went to Rosarito beach for junior
high, and I did my high school education in Sweet Water High in National City, so comunication will not be and issue, but thanks for the advice...
Baja bucko, I will rember about the feed for the animals, Im riding in a big RAM truck, so I will have the room for it...
thanks to Baja Bucko, Paula, El cap (David, dtbushpilot), Neal KurtG,DK, Bajatripper I hope I didn't forget anybody... I will have a week for this
trip ..
[Edited on 2-15-2012 by BAJACAT]
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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bacquito
Super Nomad
Posts: 1615
Registered: 3-6-2007
Member Is Offline
Mood: jubilado
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Interesting discussion, thanks to all
bacquito
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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Any thoughts on what would be the ideal month for these trips? What elevation do the trips terminate at, generally?
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ElCap
Nomad
Posts: 281
Registered: 1-22-2010
Location: Montara CA, or San Ignacio BCS
Member Is Offline
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I have done trips in late November and in late March, and both were very pleasant weather. This year drought conditions are pretty bad up there as
Baja Bucko discussed earlier, but in a better rain year you might have more water in the canyon, and more green in your scenery in the late Fall.
March is a pleasant weather window too - although we got hit by a freak rain and windstorm one night on that trip. I think Sierra San Francisco is
about 5000' elevation, but you actually hike down 1000-1500' into the canyons where the cave paintings are. If you go on to San Gregorio or other
places you'll be at higher elevation, and possibly more exposed. It can get pretty darn cold at night up there - I like sleeping under the stars, but
a tent is a good idea to have with you for those inclement nights. I would think the summer months might be pretty hot during the day, and I sure
wouldn't want to get caught in a hurricane deluge up there, even though god knows they really need it.
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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i have seen alot pix, but no kids .it's this adventure tenager friendly.?
I have a 12 yr old girl and a 15 yr old boy...
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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mtgoat666
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 20375
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BAJACAT
i have seen alot pix, but no kids .it's this adventure tenager friendly.?
I have a 12 yr old girl and a 15 yr old boy... |
depends on the teens. if they like riding mules and camping and getting dirty exploring canyons and brush, they will like the trip.
the trails are really a difficult hike, quite rocky, and newbies on mule back sometimes get sore and do end up smelling of mule,... some teens may not
like that (it ain't the hilton!)
that said, i know some teens that dig it
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BajaRat
Super Nomad
Posts: 1304
Registered: 3-2-2010
Location: SW Four Corners / Bahia Asuncion BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Ready for some salt water with my Tecate
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DT, after seeing the pics I'm jonesn
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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thanks, my kids are avid campers, so I think they should be ok..
I was just wondering, Thanks..
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Bug
Junior Nomad
Posts: 62
Registered: 11-12-2005
Location: San Felipe, Baja
Member Is Offline
Mood: Life can not get better than this!
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I was at Hostal Buenaventura last week. This is were they will give you the tours for the cave paintings that you where asking about. There email
address is
www.sierrasanfrancisco.com
Telephone number is 01 (615) 1 56 47 47 ask for Ramon
They had two rooms with two set of bunk beds in each room, take a warm sleeping bag. They have hot showers. The rooms was very clean. The cost per
night per person was $150. Dinner was $10.00, lunch $8.00 and breakfeast was $6.00 us dollars. They can not do enough for you there, they are very
poor. While I was there they where having a meeting with the la Paz goverment people who came to visit with them. The ranchers where saying they need
to learn english to make more money, for they speak no english.
I am going at the end of April, for it was a cold night, my down sleeping bag, three blankets and a hot water bottle in the sleeping bag I finally
got warm. In the morning there was a solid sheet of ice on my jeep windows.
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larryC
Super Nomad
Posts: 1499
Registered: 8-11-2008
Location: BoLA
Member Is Offline
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Bug
You must mean 150 pesos pere person not 150 dollars US per person, Tell me it ain't so.
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mtgoat666
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 20375
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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nice website. hostel looks interesting. was it crowded? how is food? any bedbugs?
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Bug
Junior Nomad
Posts: 62
Registered: 11-12-2005
Location: San Felipe, Baja
Member Is Offline
Mood: Life can not get better than this!
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The cost per night is 150 pesos.. Sorry about that..
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Bug
Junior Nomad
Posts: 62
Registered: 11-12-2005
Location: San Felipe, Baja
Member Is Offline
Mood: Life can not get better than this!
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The hostel was very clean, they have a thin sleeping bag on top of a sheet, nice clean pillows. The rooms where very clean. I was the only crazy one
to be there at that time of the year. The gal cook me chicken, salad, rice, beans and french fries. for dinner. I had in the morning, mexican eggs.
And the food was really good.
I have travel around the world, and thought wow this is a hidden place people have not found how great it is yet. 30 miles of pave road and 30 miles
of rough dirt road to the ranch.
The only thing.. they have one cave painting you can walk up to very easy by the Hostel. All the other cave painting you must take a mule ride for a
few days. Since I did not know this, I did not have time to stay a few more days. But it was cold at night that night I was there.
I am hoping I will be returning back some time soon to stay a while and ride the mules to the different cave paintings. The people only speak spanish
only.
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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Thank you Bug...
for the info...
with a 2 night stay , how many caves can I visit..
and what caves are the best ones..
[Edited on 3-2-2012 by BAJACAT]
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Bug
Junior Nomad
Posts: 62
Registered: 11-12-2005
Location: San Felipe, Baja
Member Is Offline
Mood: Life can not get better than this!
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I have not seen all the caves, only the one close to the hostel. I was hoping to see them when I was there a few weeks ago. This is when I found out
that I need at least two days to go and see one or two caves.
I would say to call them or email them..
buenaventuralhostal@gmail.com
They have a computer there and they do check there emails. I seen that you do speak spanish so this will be a big help. When you email use your
spanish.
I want to go to the caves here soon, hoping some of by San Felipe friends will want to go and ride the mules for a few days.
I think any caves you see will be wonderful. I have Harry crosby book with all the information on the caves and a lot of history of the area. After
reading his book, this is why I wanted to see these caves.
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