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CandRnelsons
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Registered: 10-4-2012
Location: San Diego
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Has anybody here hiked to La Grulla recently?
I'm a new poster here, but have spent a lot of time in Baja. There is a thread here about Gordon Gastil; I was one of his many students and was
involved in the geologic mapping of both the Sierria Juarez and Sierra San Pedro Martir (RIP Gordon). The last time I was in Vallecitos meadow was
1990, when I took my wife and two friends on a backpack down to La Grulla and beyond. Probably I've spent 3 months total on the plateaus of San Pedro
Martir and have even seen 4 to 6 ft of snow on the ground there.
I have John Robinsons' book and my own trail map from the 1980's. Too be honest, my map is more complete than Jerry Schads, but it is also old. I
just got my new Topo's  and they are a large improvement over the old ones. But
they also show a newer trail that incorporates some of the older system I knew. Things have changed and I am wondering if anyone here has been down
to the pond and if the old trail through the canyon is still in use. Who has been down there in the last 10 years??? I promise to post up a TR. And
I'm not going down for trout, just to check the place out again before it gets too popular. Are there any issues with going to where the vaqueros run
the cattle? Or is it like it used to be; no problem.
ps. I'm putting this topic here because the Backpacking thread looks dead for now.
Chris
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by CandRnelsons
I'm a new poster here, but have spent a lot of time in Baja. |
Welcome to BajaNomad, Ca..........
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bajaguy
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Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Trout
I for one would be interested in a report on the Trout. Baja fly fishing is calling me.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
I for one would be interested in a report on the Trout. Baja fly fishing is calling me. |
Andy Meling used to tell me about Trout the size of Albacore in the high country on their ranch. Of course, he used to tell me these stories while we
were in Hussongs, but others would concur.
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CandRnelsons
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I met "Bertie" Meling once....very nice people I met there. But the trout are more like 8 to 10" max. 12" would be a lunker
Oh yea, CandRnelsons stands for catch and release Nelson's trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss nelsoni). That's the name of the trout in that area.
[Edited on 10-5-2012 by CandRnelsons]
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thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3718
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
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Mood: muy amable
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How big were the trout legs???
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
I for one would be interested in a report on the Trout. Baja fly fishing is calling me. |
Andy Meling used to tell me about Trout the size of Albacore in the high country on their ranch. Of course, he used to tell me these stories while we
were in Hussongs, but others would concur. |
Most of those streams would require serious walking ability in the dry season....
just saying
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Welcome to Nomad Chris!
Graham Mackintosh is a member here and you are probably familiar with his excellent book on the San Pedro Martir, 'Nearer My Dog to Thee' (yes a
bizarre title until you read the book) http://grahammackintosh.com
I have an interest in Baja or Antigua (Old) California history... and wondered if you saw the foundation stones at La Grulla for the very brief, first
site for the San Pedro Martir mission there?
I have Schad's map, Robinson's book (several editions). the Meling Ranch book 'Where the Old West Never Died', etc. I would enjoy seeing your map!
Posting images here on Nomad is tricky, so I am happy to assist, if you care... otherwise, email me.
I was first at the Meling Ranch in 1972, as well as Mike's Sky Rancho and up to the new observatories just a couple years after they were built... I
was 15 traveling with my parents then. That forest is very unique I think... Graham calls it a "sky island" in his book... very true.
I hope the other Nomads who have been to Mision San Pedro Martir (April 2004 expedition) or climbed Diablo Mountain will chime in... We used the
photos taken during that expedition in our new book on the missions of California (Baja & Alta).
Again, welcome to Baja Nomad!
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mcfez
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How The Trout Climbed The San Pedro Martir Mountain, C.E. Utt
http://leighrobertson.net/trout.html
interesting reading
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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CandRnelsons
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Thanks for the welcome you all!
David K. I have been to the foundation ruins, but they are not in La Grulla. Rather they are about 12 miles due South of La Grulla as the crow flys.
Check out Robinson's trail map of the area. This map is a good schematic guide to the trails, but not particularly accurate. I will try to post some
photo's later, so I may need some help with that. I have been up Diablo twice, both times from the plateau. Did not bring a camera either time. It
was in the 80's and I was a starving student  .
Chris
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CandRnelsons
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mcfez, that IS an interesting read. I've seen another version of that story somewhere else and they certainly seem to jive.
I do still have photos from the last time I went to La Grulla. I'll do a little blast to the past TR in a week or so.
Chris
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Location: San Diego County
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| Quote: | Originally posted by CandRnelsons
Thanks for the welcome you all!
David K. I have been to the foundation ruins, but they are not in La Grulla. Rather they are about 12 miles due South of La Grulla as the crow flys.
Check out Robinson's trail map of the area. This map is a good schematic guide to the trails, but not particularly accurate. I will try to post some
photo's later, so I may need some help with that. I have been up Diablo twice, both times from the plateau. Did not bring a camera either time. It
was in the 80's and I was a starving student .
Chris |
The foundation ruins/ wall ruins are at the SECOND (main) site of the mission... BUT, in 1991, archaeologists discovered the FIRST site, at La Grulla
meadow... SEE this report: http://www.pcas.org/Vol33N3/333Fostr.pdf
The site was called by the Indians Casilepe, and until 1991, historians were unsure which meadow it was in, but believed it to be La Grulla or Santa
Rosa.
I just bumped up the thread it was mentioned in... http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=31763
Here is my page on San Pedro Martir missions (from VivaBaja.com): http://vivabaja.com/missions2/page9.html which explains the two sites, with photos by Jack Swords of the second site:
>>> San Pedro Martir is the most remote and difficult to reach mission on the peninsula. At 5,080 feet above sea level, reaching the mission
requires 2 days of backpacking, from the nearest road. In 2004, Jack Swords and other Baja enthusiasts reached the mission, with guides from the
Meling Ranch. GPS: 30°47'24.3" 115°28'20.9"
Originally founded 7 miles north at La Grulla meadow, at an elevation of 6,800 feet. The mission was moved here after just 3 months because of the
cold... <<<
[Edited on 3-27-2018 by David K]
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CandRnelsons
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Interesting....
David K, has anybody looked at Santa Rosa? The times I have been there were all prior to this "new" discovery. Of course I was not all that
interested in the history of the Mission San Pedro Martir; I just assumed what I was told was correct. The time I spent 6 weeks there we were mapping
geology. And I will also have to say 7 miles north of La Grulla is still a large area as it is an elongated valley. I will have to contact you about
this and about posting pics.
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CandRnelsons
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I just read Jose Martinez's 1791 description of La Grulla meadow and it is dead on to what I saw. Even to the water marks in the various meadows on
the boulders. Pretty cool stuff.
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David K
Honored Nomad
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Sure thing Chris... if you are in the area, perhaps come over? At the top of the Nomad page you will see U2U (in blue) as wll as U2U at the bottom of
everyone's posts... That is the PM (private message) system on Nomad... to exchange thoughts, phone numbers, etc., in private.
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Mexitron
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Chris---welcome to Nomads. How far south did you travel along the San Pedro Martir in those days? I've been looking to do a backpacking trip from
the park down to the Pico Matomi area and would appreciate any info on trails/water, etc. Pretty fascinating area---lots of ecological confluences as
the mountains descend into the Central Desert.
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BajaBlanca
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welcome to bajanomad. sounds like you will contribute a lot!
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BajaBlanca
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McFez - that reading was fantastic. Thanks so much for sharing.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mexitron
Chris---welcome to Nomads. How far south did you travel along the San Pedro Martir in those days? I've been looking to do a backpacking trip from
the park down to the Pico Matomi area and would appreciate any info on trails/water, etc. Pretty fascinating area---lots of ecological confluences as
the mountains descend into the Central Desert. |
Photos of Mexitron and friends climbing Pico Matomí, Mesa el Avion, and hiking beyond Rancho Matomí: http://vivabaja.com/mexitron
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Vince
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From what I read about the San Pedro Martir area it hasn't changed much since I hiked around there several times in the early and mid 1950's with Bud
Bernhard and the Sierra Club. We caught some trout but they were small. Phil Meling ran cattle in La Grulla then and the Meling ranch was very much
the same as now. That's what I love about most of Baja.
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David K
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Great story Vince!
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