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wornout
Senior Nomad
Posts: 595
Registered: 10-24-2004
Location: San Felipe, Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Bad Days
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajalou
Here's Desert Rat as he headed out for last year's assualt on Diablo.
Well the attachment didn't.
[Edited on 4-21-2005 by bajalou] |
Hey, there's Desert Rat heading for Diablo. That's my dune buggy, hey, that's me driving him there. Look forward to seeing you again DR....wornout
This Space Available, E-Mail Me If Interested.
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jide
Nomad
Posts: 245
Registered: 4-9-2003
Location: san diego
Member Is Offline
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anybody heading to picacho next week?
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64842
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Jide, I liked "So much Baja, so little WINE" much better as your signature!
Will you be at the book signing again this Saturday? Hope to see you there!
[Edited on 4-21-2005 by David K]
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jide
Nomad
Posts: 245
Registered: 4-9-2003
Location: san diego
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I'd love to go but I have to be back in SD by 4pm , so looks like I won't be able to make it... last year was great, wine tasting, got to meet the
author of the "Surfing Guide to Baja", got to meet Graham Mackintosh too!!
so WORD OUT people, make the trip there, it's worth it!!!!
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expeditionswest
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 2-23-2004
Location: Arizona
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The route around Blue Bottle and down to Camp Noche was not passible for our team. We had insufficient rope length and webbing for the long snow and
ice traverses. The NE face of Blue bottle still has a several foot base. It took us 3 hours to go less than .5 miles along the face. The last
obstacle would have required a 100+' traverse of a snow shelf with granite below and 50'+ of exposure.
This last challange exceeded the comfort of 3 out of the 4 in the team. So we turned back and climbed Blue Bottle and looked longingly at our goal
from across Del Diablo canyon...
As soon as we reached camp the next morning (yesterday 4/23), it began to snow heavily. There was nearly 2" of snow on the ground before we broke
camp. I was thankful not to be still on the mountain...
Just thought some of you would appreciate the update.
Oh and the road from Mike's to Melling's is rough, but TONS of fun with the right vehicles. The wildfowers are beyond description!
I will post pictures soon...
[Edited on 4-25-2005 by expeditionswest]
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bajaandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 769
Registered: 2-7-2004
Location: North County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Adventurous
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Thanks for the current update. I had somewhat suspected that there would still be snow and ice this late in the season, but not enough to cause that
much trouble. Looks like this season will extend well into May and June this year. A far cry from what's happening up in the Pacific Northwest. I
hear that many of the cascades will have a severly shortened season due to low snowfall. El Nino lives.
subvert the dominant paradigm
"If you travel with a man, you must either fall out with him or make him your good friend."
JBL Noel
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Desert Rat and Don Jorge begin the climb from the east, up Diablo Canon at about 3:30p Sat the 23rd.
We'll see how they fare.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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expeditionswest
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 2-23-2004
Location: Arizona
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajalou
Desert Rat and Don Jorge begin the climb from the east, up Diablo Canon at about 3:30p Sat the 23rd.
We'll see how they fare.
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That route looked pretty clear. There was some snow visible in the gully's used to climb to the peak, but it was minimal. I was certainly wishing we
had come in that way
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expeditionswest
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 2-23-2004
Location: Arizona
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Here is a small photo album from the trip. Just a few teasers 
Picacho Attempt
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wornout
Senior Nomad
Posts: 595
Registered: 10-24-2004
Location: San Felipe, Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Bad Days
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| Quote: | Originally posted by expeditionswest
Oh and the road from Mike's to Melling's is rough, but TONS of fun with the right vehicles. The wildfowers are beyond description!
I will post pictures soon...
[Edited on 4-25-2005 by expeditionswest] |
Would love to hear more about the road conditions....
This Space Available, E-Mail Me If Interested.
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expeditionswest
Newbie
Posts: 8
Registered: 2-23-2004
Location: Arizona
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Any high clearance stock truck or SUV can complete the route (Tacoma, Wrangler, Xterra, etc.). There are a few locations that would be more of a
challenge for a full-size truck, as there are several large boulders that have rolled into the trail. It would be a tight fit and some are on the
shelf road. With an experienced driver even the full-size trucks will be ok.
It was a beautiful drive. 
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wornout
Senior Nomad
Posts: 595
Registered: 10-24-2004
Location: San Felipe, Baja California
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Bad Days
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OK, thanks
This Space Available, E-Mail Me If Interested.
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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The two climbers who went up the East side have returned safely and are on their way home.
I'll leave it to them for the trip reports.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Don Jorge
Senior Nomad
Posts: 647
Registered: 8-29-2003
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Thanks!
to everyone who made our trip such an enjoyable and safe adventure. BajaLou & Tina, Wornout and Debbie, Jim! What can I say, you fed us, gave us
transportation to and from the trailhead, invited us to your party and put us up in a nice home for an evening. Con todo mi carazon, gracias!
As for the trip, we did not make the summit, few do the first attempt. We made Campo Noche and points higher but El Diablo had his way with us in the
end.
What a butt kicker of a hike! Rocks, high water, poison oak, overgrown willow and brush everywhere making for rock climbing/route finding problems to
be solved at many points. At 7000 feet, giant agave growing side by side with cedar, pines, cypress, manzanita and barrel cactus. A full moon which
lit up the canyon as on fire the first night and the last night a ceiling of stars almost as bright.
And everywhere, water, water, water in a desert canyon and we saw noone else the entire 6 days!
The first days hiking brought rain and gale force winds knocking one backwards if you were not very careful and the following 5 days brought ideal
weather, cool, sunny days and crisp, clear nights for sleep.
Dez Rat: Hiking with you was a most enjoyable experience. You have the heart of a lion, the will of a terrorist and the soul of Atticus Finch. Your
children are very lucky to call you Daddy!
I think D?Rat is home by now after a long bus ride and I hope to hear his report soon! Post your story amigo!
Once again, thanks to all! Godspeed and Godbless!
[Edited on 5-1-2005 by Don Jorge]
[Edited on 5-1-2005 by Don Jorge]
�And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry
years. It was always that way.�― John Steinbeck
"All models are wrong, but some are useful." George E.P. Box
"Nature bats last." Doug "Hayduke" Peac-ck
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
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Glad you're home safely, Don Jorge.
It was a pleasure to meet you and give the slight assist we could. Great to have even a slight part of such an adventure.
DR, let's hear your side of the story.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Desert Rat
Junior Nomad
Posts: 69
Registered: 8-29-2003
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Did we reach the summit of Picacho? The answer is, "No!" Did we have one heck of a memorable adventure? The answer is, "Yes, it was
fan-damn-tastic!" I could not have picked a more accomodating, patient, understanding hiking partner as Jorge. Without his excellent climbing and
trail knowledge, I wouldn't have reached my secondary goal of hiking the entire canyon. Thanks Jorge, for all that you did for me!
And to all the others who helped us on our way, I can't express my thanks any better than the words of Jorge. Lou, Tina, Wornout, Debbie, Jim---you
are El Dorado's finest! Once again you have shown me great hospitality and support and sought nothing in return. I am humbled by your graciousness.
Thank you, one and all.
In time, I hope to re-create our adventure for you all, but at the moment I am in the process of recovering from the exhaustive bus ride, not to
mention the physically demanding hike. Until then! Dez Rat
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bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
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Glad you made it home on that loooong bus rid DR, I'm waiting for your great trip report.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Don Jorge
Senior Nomad
Posts: 647
Registered: 8-29-2003
Member Is Offline
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Talked to Dez Rat. Says he is just about recovered form the trip and will post day a trip report soon.
The day we tried to summit, Dez Rat and I first acsended Night Wash. D'Rat stopped there, wisely opting out. I went on. I made it to Wall Street via
Slot Wash. My planned time was way off so I aborted the attempt so as not to worry D'Rat by arriving into campo Noche as dark neared. I descended to
Slot Wash, checked out the campsites there by the water, they are nice , and crossed over to West Face Wash which I descended into Diablo canyon just
a few hundred yards north of Campo Noche. Arrived there at 1600 as promised to D?Rat.
Check out my pants from sliding on my arse down the coarse granite in West Face Wash. Poor Dez Rat followed me down looking at this!
�And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry
years. It was always that way.�― John Steinbeck
"All models are wrong, but some are useful." George E.P. Box
"Nature bats last." Doug "Hayduke" Peac-ck
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Don Jorge
Senior Nomad
Posts: 647
Registered: 8-29-2003
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Red Rock Pool
Lots of water up there androcks, rocks, so many rocks.
�And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry
years. It was always that way.�― John Steinbeck
"All models are wrong, but some are useful." George E.P. Box
"Nature bats last." Doug "Hayduke" Peac-ck
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64842
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Map of Climb
Thanks Jorge... For those not familiar with the route (and the names), here is a link to excellent maps showing both routes: The western and eastern
(that you and Rat took):Climbing Diablo Maps
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