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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4220
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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looking for some brave 4x4 souls
Over the last 25 years I have been exploring almost every corner of Baja California with 4WD. Heard about "forgotten" roads like the Pole Line Road
just south of the border. Found them. Drove them. Found a bunch more. There isn't much I haven't done between the border and Cabo San Lucas.
But I also ran into dead ends - roads that seemed to abruptly stop and roads that had been washed away by hurricanes. Could I get through anyway?
Those roads have intrigued me more than the ones you can simply drive from A to B.
Even more exciting are some areas in Baja where the maps don't offer any roads at all. Always wondered, what's out there? Are there any tracks created
by ranchers or fishermen that never made it onto a map and could be used to explore Baja more deeply?
Well, I have located several forgotten roads as well as "roadless" areas that beg to be visited. Now with the presence of Google Earth, planning has
become much easier. But substantial scouting and hard labor is still necessary to make it a successful drive. None of these adventures can be pulled
off alone. A team of fearless adventurers is needed.
Fortunately Mexico has (until now) less restrictions than the US - no spotted owl will keep you from visiting a virgin beach. However, many of the
adventures I have in mind will become impossible in a few years. Fences and locked gates are springing up everywhere - especially if there is a white
beach close by. So, this might be the first as well as the last chance for many of us to drive areas that haven't been driven before.
These are not guided tours and no fees are involved - just a bunch of likeminded off-road nuts getting together to drink and drive. Scratch that -
drive all day and then drink.
http://www.baja101.com/first-adventure/1-uno.html
let me know what you think
Harald Pietschmann
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Thank you 4x4abc!
Wonderful... the land is there to be enjoyed... a gift from above. The wilderness of Baja is a deeply special treasure that if unknown or closed off,
looses the splendor of discovery by each who has the adventure spirit in them... and a good 4WD machine!
Hwy. 1 and graded roads is enough excitement for some... Not for all!
You might enjoy a look at what a few of us Nomads did last May... Mision Santa Maria: http://community-2.webtv.net/vivabaja/msm2010/
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sanquintinsince73
Super Nomad
Posts: 1494
Registered: 6-8-2010
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Nice pics abc, thanks for sharing.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4220
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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yeah, I have been driving to Santa Maria since 1987
early 90's filmed some scenes for a Baja documentary there (Spanish soldiers and padres with costumes from Hollywood) I had hired extras and horses at
the St. Ines rancho
found the lower canyon (with Camino Real and indian trail) much more intriguing than the mission itself
I usually drive to a base camp about 2.5 miles from the Las Palmitas turn off - that makes the hike to the pools a little easier (still a 6 hour
roundtrip on foot)
the best pool is right below the saddle where you find the petroglyphs
http://www.baja101.com/GoogleEarth/St%20Maria%20pool.kmz
Harald Pietschmann
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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The Las Palmitas oasis, on the Gonzaga side of the canyon?
Last time I was down there (2003), I could only drive a mile from the turnoff, towards the canyon mouth... just beyond the big boulder (parking spot)
the road entered the white sand arroyo of Sta. Maria and it wasn't more than a 1000 feet when boulders and brush prevented a vehicle from going any
more. Things change in arroyos!
In 1999, with Baja Mur... we went looking for the Camino Real and ended up hiking up the canyon for a couple miles and enjoyed a swim in one of the
pools... photos of that trip (it was a couple days after we rode to the mission from Santa Ynez) at http://vivabaja.com/missionsm
I couldn't get your kmz file to open, it just went to mine... I will check and see if it left a marker on mine.
The Camino Real is one of my favorite subjects... My son and I hiked it 2/3 of the way to Santa Maria from the Gonzaga side... we lost it and were
running out of daylight. Don Jorge followed us a week or so later and found the rest of it getting all the way to the mission then returning via the
canyon.
See http://vivabaja.com/1103 and the hike begins on the second page.
GPS from Gonzaga to the mission:
GPS Directions (map datum NAD27 Mexico)
Take Hwy. 5 south 7.4 miles from Rancho Grande, turn west: 29°41.094'/ 114°24.566'
3.2 miles west of Hwy. 5, go straight where most traffic curves left for Las Palmitas: 29°41.278'/ 114°27.639'
0.8 miles from above, park at huge boulder: 29°41.68'/ 114°28.20'
Hike to north bank of Arroyo Santa Maria to: 29°41.733'/ 114°28.175' elev. 609' (ECR-1)
Go northwest and climb out of valley, note ocotillos.
Along left side of side valley: 29°42.374'/ 114°28.566' elev. 741' (ECR-2)
On first padre built switchback up: 29°42.669'/ 114°28.937' elev. 906' (ECR-3)
On a ridge, trail continues northwest: 29°42.671'/ 114°29.425' elev. 1308' (ECR-4)
On the Camino Real: 29°42.748'/ 114°29.482' elev. 1391' (ECR-5)
Crossing ridges and little mesas: 29°43.008'/ 114°29.967' elev. 1477' (ECR-6)
Drop along side of ridge, trail narrow: 29°43.074'/ 114°30.128' elev.1610' (ECR-7)
End of today's hike just beyond this last clear sign of the old trail: 29°43.141'/ 114°30.189' elev. 1702' (ECR-8)
Junction of ECR & bulldozed road: 29°43.126'/ 114°31.753' elev.1413'
(End of bulldozed road, on canyon ridge: 29°43.033'/ 114°31.556' elev. 1,615' )
Mision Santa Maria: 29°43.891'/ 114°32.794' elev.1628'
[Edited on 1-19-2011 by David K]
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4220
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Location: La Paz, BCS
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Yes, Las Palmitas oasis, on the Gonzaga side of the canyon.
I have been driving in there continuously the last 20 years. Things change and some boulders get exposed (and sometimes covered with sand), but it was
always drivable - if you know how to use a 4x4 to your advantage without sacrificing it or leaving scars in the ground behind.
The pools deep in the canyon are stunning, very deep witha waterfall constantly adding more water
found some old images (sorry for the bad quality)
[Edited on 1-19-2011 by 4x4abc]
[Edited on 1-19-2011 by 4x4abc]
[Edited on 1-19-2011 by 4x4abc]
[Edited on 1-19-2011 by 4x4abc]
[Edited on 1-19-2011 by 4x4abc]
Harald Pietschmann
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Cool... yes driving to Las Palmitas was easy... but going into the canyon wasn't passable then... a mile west of the Palmitas left turn.
Here is a photo of one of the petro rocks at the top of the bulldozed road just up from the one in your photo, along the Indian trail:
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4220
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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is there a maximum of 4 images? can't get the 5th in
Harald Pietschmann
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 17639
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 4x4abc
Even more exciting are some areas in Baja where the maps don't offer any roads at all. Always wondered, what's out there? Are there any tracks created
by ranchers or fishermen that never made it onto a map and could be used to explore Baja more deeply?
Well, I have located several forgotten roads as well as "roadless" areas that beg to be visited. Now with the presence of Google Earth, planning has
become much easier. But substantial scouting and hard labor is still necessary to make it a successful drive. None of these adventures can be pulled
off alone. A team of fearless adventurers is needed.
...drive all day and then drink
let me know what you think |
you asked for thoughts...
why go to all that work to drive somewhere? a whole lot easier to hike or bicycle. why do you need to stay in your air conditioned car? can't you
enjoy the outdoors without a car?
the beauty of roadless areas is that they are roadless - and you can find peace, quiet and solitude.
creating road access destroys the wild state.
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3397
Registered: 9-21-2003
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Mood: Happy!
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Have fun, looks like a blast---I've still got a bunch of roads I haven't finished exploring yet myself.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4220
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Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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mtgoat666,
why go to all that work to drive somewhere?
good question!
we have already hiked it a couple of times and since it is a road we wanted to make it drivable again
since its not on the map there is no danger that tourists will flood the area - in fact most people don't even leave pavent. Good so. I enjoy nothing
more than the empty quiet desert. Empty except me in it.
| Quote: | | creating road access destroys the wild state. |
You are absolutely right! Unfortunately it is a process that none of us will stop. Like nobody will stop the destruction of thousands of acres of
desert for Gringo homes. Or new airports. Or new shopping centers.
When I lived in Los Angeles the definition for an environmentalist was: "Someone who built last year."
If we were all dead serious about saving Baja - would all go back home.
[Edited on 1-19-2011 by 4x4abc]
Harald Pietschmann
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sanquintinsince73
Super Nomad
Posts: 1494
Registered: 6-8-2010
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Nice pics again, 4x4abc. That's what this forums all about.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4220
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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knock yourself out on Baja pics
check the links on the left of the following page:
http://www.baja101.com/Baja-California-Nature-Trips/happy-cl...
Harald Pietschmann
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3882
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
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Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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Wow - Great website, story and photos! You got me wishing I could make this trip. Maybe next time but will look forward to your trip report...
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4220
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
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Mood: happy - always
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naa, those trips are not for you - all grumpy Germans. They even b-tch at the sunset (sunrise, whatever). It takes me weeks to recover. But they have
lots of money - Americans don't.
Check out the casual, no fee trips:
http://www.baja101.com/first-adventure/2-dos.html
[Edited on 1-20-2011 by 4x4abc]
Harald Pietschmann
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | | Originally posted by 4x4abcBut they have lots of money - Americans don't. |
I agree with this statement. I am currently paying down some bills, but I must spend at minimum 1 week in Baja (in the dirt, or sand). In April, I
have a small trip planned called Baja Grande. It is usually a lot of fun!
Rainstorm in JesusMaria
Roni crawling on the Mission Impossible
Jesus Maria - "The Taco Lady" Taco restaurant
Check out the Baja Grande Facebook Page
[Edited on 1-26-2011 by Ken Cooke]
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Ken, edit you photo captions a bit... |
I have "Dirt On The Brain" syndrome.      
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64612
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Good Job! Wish I could go!!! Love to four wheel DRIVE!!
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ddawson
Nomad
Posts: 103
Registered: 9-6-2010
Location: Hilo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 4x4abc
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Awesome FJ40. Those are great pics, thanks.
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4220
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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its my oldest 4x4 - a 1965 - and its my favorite, use it as my beach toy now:
Harald Pietschmann
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