| Pages:
1
2
3 |
StuckSucks
Super Nomad
Posts: 2323
Registered: 10-17-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
That is correct. There's a Starbucks and McDonald's at all the rest stops.
|
|
|
BigBearRider
Super Nomad
Posts: 1299
Registered: 4-30-2015
Location: Big Bear, Punta Chivato, and Cabo
Member Is Offline
Mood: 
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by Gulliver  | Blue is NOT pavement!! As noted previously, there is a mile or so of pavement leaving Mulege, one paved driveway over near San Juanico and one 200
meter 'paved' climb about 20 miles out of Mulege as you are climbing the gorge.
All else is a mixture of nice relatively smooth straight roads graded out through the desert (the first 15 miles just to suck you in), a lot of 'dry'
washes with loose round rocks, rat trap canyon bottoms where the road cuts back and forth across the wash, more easy stuff and then miles of following
the wash to the Pacific with wash crossing after wash crossing.
As noted, the locals navigate this with junky old 2WD pickups. I know practically nothing about four wheel navigation but my feeling is that ground
clearance and patience will help. Go fast; bust something. I average 25 mph on my motorcycle but I have a foot of suspension travel, I'm only four
inches wide on the ground and I've been riding like a fool since I was 15 years old. 57 years of it. Selah.
If I every get over the crud I will post a more detailed account with pictures, mileages and GPS locations. Until then, I am staying within striking
distance of the bano. |
I was totally kidding. I now know it's not pavement. I should have added some crazy smiley faces when I made the joke.  
|
|
|
willyAirstream
Super Nomad
Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
You guys might be interested in an upcoming trip.... Mulege , highway south to km61, then La Purisimo, Comundo, SJ, Loreto, then return via the
highway. Overnight in Comundo. We are waiting for a road report about Comundo as it has been closed since July. Motos, quads, 4x4s, bugs and buggies,
everyone is welcome. Thinking about sometime in January. Travel as a group, stopping often to let the 4x4s catch up . Last trip we had 30 people and it was a blast.
|
|
|
Gulliver
Senior Nomad
Posts: 651
Registered: 11-18-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
If I ever get over this flu (as it turns out to be) and do my road report on Raymond Canyon, I want to look into the route Southwest over the hills
from Mulege to San Isidro.
It has been done fairly recently https://vimeo.com/146502907 but I have no further info. It will likely be an overnighter as I don't hurry on unknown goat tracks.
I've traced it out on photos but rubber on the rocks is a lot different.
Right now you could shine a flashlight through me but I'm getting better.
|
|
|
MulegeAL
Nomad
Posts: 298
Registered: 8-25-2009
Location: PDX/Mulege
Member Is Offline
|
|
willeyA and I did that 2 seasons ago. After that I'm surprised he'd go anywhere else with me! Ask him about it.
I rode it south to top of the second pass last April. The pasos were really really rough with large loose rocks and severely eroded roadbed as soon
as I began climbing, worse than the year before when willy and I did it S to N. Odile really did a number on this camino, es muy mal.
The local rancheros are parking at the bottom and riding up now, they used to 4WD into a high mesa and ride out from there, but no more. Great guys,
we had lunch at the corrall in the shade and yukked it up like guys anywhere in the back country.
Get well and go try the climb to the top of the first pass for a day trip. If you like that you may be crazy enough for the whole thing! Not sure
I'd do it solo anymore, it is really rough and tough on equipment.
But I figure you and me are loco enough to do it! I'd recc S to N, leave SJ, gas in La Purisma then N through El Hondo. That way more of the bad
track is down vs. up and sun to your back.
[Edited on 12-9-2015 by MulegeAL]
|
|
|
willyAirstream
Super Nomad
Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
If you think you are sick now, try that route and you`ll need to change your pants every mile. Al did. Seriously, it is not a route to do solo.
Rumor is the N and S entry roads to cactus canyon are just plain gone.
|
|
|
BigBearRider
Super Nomad
Posts: 1299
Registered: 4-30-2015
Location: Big Bear, Punta Chivato, and Cabo
Member Is Offline
Mood:
|
|
I can do without those. A few taco stands and some birria would be nice though. 
|
|
|
AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
|
|
A January road trip may work out for me, if I can get my ducks in a row. Right now, I am short a few ducks.
I don't usually leave the mountains during the prime part of ski season, but a quick trip SOB would be better than no trip!
If I get it together, I will sound off here, because I think I have used up most of my good luck traveling trails like these alone. Deep water
concerns me, because Kia decided that the electronic control module could serve as a foot rest for the passenger side. I haven't flooded it yet, but
I sure would like a tow if I do!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
|
|
|
Gulliver
Senior Nomad
Posts: 651
Registered: 11-18-2013
Member Is Offline
|
|
My 350cc bike is geared low and pretty tough but I think towing a KIA anywhere but on a level paved surface would not be in the books.
As the preacher in Blazing Saddles said, "You're on your own!"
Willy. Where is Cactus Canyon??
|
|
|
KurtG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 1-27-2004
Location: California Central Coast
Member Is Offline
Mood: Press On Regardless!!
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by willyAirstream | If you think you are sick now, try that route and you`ll need to change your pants every mile. Al did. Seriously, it is not a route to do solo.
Rumor is the N and S entry roads to cactus canyon are just plain gone. |
The following is our trip report for that route in March 2012. It was spectacular but as I describe this was a successful trip after failing to get
through there several times over a 15 year span. As described we went south to north starting in San Isidro.
Trip Report/road log San Isidro-Mulege Mountain Route 3/22/2012
For reference our vehicle is a 2000 Explorer stock Bauer Ed. with 255/70/16 Michelin street tires run at about 22#.
The report is a mileage log and includes GPS data and elevation for key points. The log is as accurate as Garmin and Ford's odometer could provide.
Mile Zero is starting North from San Isidro at 26.12.866x112.01.577.
Excellent road to Purisima Vieja at mile 12.3 then to Paso Hondo at mile 15.4. Both are oasis villages with some great scenery.
Mile 17.8-Springs and ponds on left.
Mile 18.3-Small village.
Mile 21.2-water crossing/palms and on to Buenos Aires at mile 25.9.
Mile 29.1-Agua Grande
Mile 32.2. 26.32.962x112.06.834. Elev.2100. Sign: El Llano straight, Guajadami to the right. Go straight.
From here the road is steep and rocky with a lot of erosion. Low range used to the top of high plateau at Mile 36.7. Elev. 3350 at
26.35.899x112.07.222.
Mile 37. Incredible views of deep gorge on right. Continue to climb to:
Mile 39.1. 26.37.146x112.06.743. Elev. 3765. High point overlooking the broad expanse of El Llano below. This is where the road ended when I
attempted this route some 15 years ago. The descending cuesta was the most difficult of the entire trip. Steep, sometimes narrow and off camber and
rough eroded rock with lots of loose stuff. This is an area to use extreme caution. We crept down in low range, 1st gear to arrive in the flats of
El Llano at:
Mile 40.6. 26.37.786x112.07.153. Elev. 2616. At this point we met a rancher with a Ford F350 4wd and a cattle rack who had 3-4 cattle loaded. We
told him we were going to Mulege and he said he was as well. That gave us a better feeling about actually completing the trip since I didn’t feel we
could climb back up that previous cuesta or at least really didn’t want to attempt it. He confirmed that that plateau is El Llano. As we started up
the next grade we saw him starting behind us. A rough ride for those cows! The road continues up and down a bit before a gate at the top of the
final cuesta at:
Mile 43.1. 26.39.029x112.08.07. Elev. 3429. Now down the cuesta, steep and rough but not nearly as bad as the earlier one. There has been traffic
up and down this area since we were on it and turned back a few months ago. I think we could now go up this one ok.
Mile 46.2. 26.40.320x112.07.130. elev. 1346. This position is right by the ranch at the bottom of the cuesta. Rancho El Llanito. It is relatively
new. This is the important coordinate for anyone doing this trip north to south since it is not shown on the maps and in my experience the Baja Atlas
and other maps are only an approximation of the roads in this area. From this point you are on the road that goes straight to Mulege. There are
occasional roads that come in from both side notably at Mile 50.8 which has a sign pointing back to Rcho El Llanito. I believe the other fork here
leads to the area of El Potrero and El Batiqui and Pia de la Cuesta Guajadami. I have motorcycled in that area but not since the hurricanes changed
some of the roads a few years ago. Note that I have not called this the Guajadami Road since it splits off from the old mission route and is
generally to the west of it. Continue straight into Mulege arriving at Hwy 1 (icehouse road junction) at MILE 67.3. This trip took about 6 hours so
an average speed of about 10 mph. Thanks to Mulegena for the trip report on Baja Nomads that inspired us to do this trip. The scenery was wonderful
although I would still rank the San Juan de la Pila road as the slightly more spectacular but I am really splitting hairs on that call. Do them both
and tell me what you think!
Kurt and Kathy, March 22, 2012
|
|
|
TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
We did the trail in May of 2012 at that time I didn't think the road was that bad. We were going to do it in April of 2013 and April of 2014 but were
told both times it was not open due to the rains. I think it is a great run with beautiful scenery.
Here are some pictures from the trip.
Leaving San Isidro
Purisima Vieja
The rock wall at Purisima Vieja
Checking road conditions
Places along the way
That rocky road
The old road was washed out
Up the mountain we go
We are going down there somewhere
The road below
Aaahhh the switchbacks
Don't look too bad
A Rancho in nowhere land
Getting close to Mulege
[Edited on 12-9-2015 by TMW]
|
|
|
KurtG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 1-27-2004
Location: California Central Coast
Member Is Offline
Mood: Press On Regardless!!
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by TMW | | We did the trail in May of 2012 at that time I didn't think the road was that bad. We were going to do it in April of 2013 and April of 2014 but were
told both times it was not open due to the rains. I think it is a great run with beautiful scenery. |
I agree that it wasn't that bad at that time but didn't want to make it sound too easy for those who might not be experienced in the back country.
Our Explorer is far from a heavy-duty 4wd especially with no off-road oriented tires. Nonetheless driven with caution it has carried us down some
pretty rough roads, as did my little s10 Blazer before it. It will never see Mission Santa Maria however!
|
|
|
willyAirstream
Super Nomad
Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-1-2010
Member Is Offline
|
|
Here is a few pics from Feb. 2014 ,lil Al and I, more on FB
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=72247#pid8855...
|
|
|
MulegeAL
Nomad
Posts: 298
Registered: 8-25-2009
Location: PDX/Mulege
Member Is Offline
|
|
Willy, stop that! Yer hurt'in me! Just finished raking .25 acre of wet leaves, WTF am I doing here!
20+ months after we did it is long enough to forget the bad and remember all the good... gotta go do that again while I can still kick start a bike.
And I'm sure there will be more crazy stories to tell camped on the beach at San Juanico, hoy!
|
|
|
TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
|
|
If someone is putting together a ride down or up that road I'm in just give me the date and where to meet.
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2
3 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
