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KurtG
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Location: California Central Coast
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San Isidro/Mulege Mountain Route Trip Report
I posted this link in Willy's thread about their trip tomorrow and not sure why the whole thing showed up here. Anyway, re-reading it brought back
memories of a spectacular day.
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, I believe. 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 to Rcho El Llanito. I believe the other fork
here leads to the area of El Potrero and El Batiqui and the appropriately named 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
[Edited on 3-23-2012 by KurtG]
[Edited on 3-24-2012 by KurtG]
[Edited on 12-11-2013 by KurtG]
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David K
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Wow. just read this on my phone. great details kurt. thanks amigo. your next OJ is on me.
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Udo
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Are you sure you two are not related, DK?
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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vgabndo
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Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
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Wow, I just flew that on Google Earth. What an adventure! and...I'm sure there will be pix to follow! Huh?
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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Cypress
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KurtG, That's some interesting country. Got any pictures?
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Mulegena
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Great trip, eh?
Glad you did it!
It is exquisitely beautiful country, at once remote yet remarkably accessible in the right vehicle.
and yeah, that first down-grade is somethin' else, huh? That's why I so strongly recommended doing this trip ONLY from La Purisima to Mulege. I
wouldn't want to get all the way to El Llano from Mulege and have to turn around because I couldn't climb up that grade!
Springtime up there is a beautiful time to do this trip. Good weather and blooming bushes and cactus! Did you smell the pungent wild oregano as you
came down the cuesta into the Mulege basin?
And it is a high mountain you climb up onto out of La Purisima! We may go camping up there from time to time to get out of the summer heat.
"Raise your words, not your voice. It's rain that grows flowers, not thunder." ~Rumi
"It's the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~ Aristotle
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KurtG
Super Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Mulegena
Glad you did it!
It is exquisitely beautiful country, at once remote yet remarkably accessible in the right vehicle.
and yeah, that first down-grade is somethin' else, huh? That's why I so strongly recommended doing this trip ONLY from La Purisima to Mulege. I
wouldn't want to get all the way to El Llano from Mulege and have to turn around because I couldn't climb up that grade!
Springtime up there is a beautiful time to do this trip. Good weather and blooming bushes and cactus! Did you smell the pungent wild oregano as you
came down the cuesta into the Mulege basin?
And it is a high mountain you climb up onto out of La Purisima! We may go camping up there from time to time to get out of the summer heat.
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Thanks for the inspiration to do this trip! I tried to imagine what it would be like to try to back down that cuesta, really don't want to think
about it.
This was a great short trip for us, the whales were cooperative and the mountain trip spectacular. and yes, all the plant life and smells were
wonderful.
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Mulegena
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| Quote: | Originally posted by KurtG
| Quote: | Originally posted by Mulegena
Glad you did it!...
It is exquisitely beautiful country, at once remote yet remarkably accessible in the right vehicle...
And it is a high mountain you climb up onto out of La Purisima! We may go camping up there from time to time to get out of the summer heat.
|
Thanks for the inspiration to do this trip!...
This was a great short trip for us, the whales were cooperative and the mountain trip spectacular. and yes, all the plant life and smells were
wonderful. |
How'd you feel when you came around a curve and came upon somebody's camp straddling the road? I
couldn't believe my eyes, and didn't have the wits about me to lift up my camera.
When we went through the camp was deserted, well that is to say it appeared nobody was home right then. There was a small tent right smack-dab on the
edge of the road next to a well-used campfire pit with a slab of ribs hanging from a tree! On the other side was a mule all saddled up and waiting
like he was a taxi in downtown Mexico City.
If you'd looked in your rearview mirror you'd have seen the camp's inhabitants. They were 'waaay down the side of the deep, deep canyon operating a
gas-powered cement mixer and hauling the contents further down to the tiny, dry streambed. I guess they were making small dams with the hopes of
catching the meager rain and water that flows through there. Good luck, you hardworking guys!
"Raise your words, not your voice. It's rain that grows flowers, not thunder." ~Rumi
"It's the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~ Aristotle
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Blair
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Location: El Cajon Ca
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Thanks Kurt! That is excellent information. Five of us plan to do that segment on bikes around April 21 on our way back from the cape. Its our third
annual trip and no doubt this will be one of the highlights. If you have any pics I'd love to see them.
Blair in El Cajon
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El Vergel
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Awesome report! Thanks for the share.
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BajaBlanca
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incredibly detailed. wonderful report.
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KurtG
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Blair
Thanks Kurt! That is excellent information. Five of us plan to do that segment on bikes around April 21 on our way back from the cape. Its our third
annual trip and no doubt this will be one of the highlights. If you have any pics I'd love to see them. |
We just got back home and I will be posting pics or a link to them in a day or so as I get them organized. What will you be riding? There will be
some rock-hopping involved.
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KurtG
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| Quote: | | Quote: | Originally posted by Mulegena
[ |
How'd you feel when you came around a curve and came upon somebody's camp straddling the road? I couldn't
believe my eyes, and didn't have the wits about me to lift up my camera.
When we went through the camp was deserted, well that is to say it appeared nobody was home right then. There was a small tent right smack-dab on the
edge of the road next to a well-used campfire pit with a slab of ribs hanging from a tree! On the other side was a mule all saddled up and waiting
like he was a taxi in downtown Mexico City.
If you'd looked in your rearview mirror you'd have seen the camp's inhabitants. They were 'waaay down the side of the deep, deep canyon operating a
gas-powered cement mixer and hauling the contents further down to the tiny, dry streambed. I guess they were making small dams with the hopes of
catching the meager rain and water that flows through there. Good luck, you hardworking guys! |
Yes, that camp was a surprise. Their cement mixer was in the back of their truck and no one was there and I assumed they were working in the arroyo
but couldn't see them.
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Blair
Junior Nomad
Posts: 63
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Location: El Cajon Ca
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| Quote: | Originally posted by KurtG
| Quote: | Originally posted by Blair
Thanks Kurt! That is excellent information. Five of us plan to do that segment on bikes around April 21 on our way back from the cape. Its our third
annual trip and no doubt this will be one of the highlights. If you have any pics I'd love to see them. |
We just got back home and I will be posting pics or a link to them in a day or so as I get them organized. What will you be riding? There will be
some rock-hopping involved. |
Kurt, we will be on KTM 450's, 525's and I have a xr650r. We're pretty good riders but everyone has their limits. Pretty bad huh?
Blair in El Cajon
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KurtG
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Blair
| Quote: | Originally posted by KurtG
| Quote: | Originally posted by Blair
Thanks Kurt! That is excellent information. Five of us plan to do that segment on bikes around April 21 on our way back from the cape. Its our third
annual trip and no doubt this will be one of the highlights. If you have any pics I'd love to see them. |
We just got back home and I will be posting pics or a link to them in a day or so as I get them organized. What will you be riding? There will be
some rock-hopping involved. |
Kurt, we will be on KTM 450's, 525's and I have a xr650r. We're pretty good riders but everyone has their limits. Pretty bad huh?
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I think skilled riders on those bikes will do ok if you're not carrying a lot of gear. I'm an older dualsport type rider (KLR and DR650's) and
consider my dirt skills to be only moderate so was happier in a 4wd on this route. I'll look forward to your report.
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4x4abc
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yup, I did this road last year from Mulege to Purisima - it is indeed very steep:
http://tinyurl.com/6s228l7
[Edited on 3-28-2012 by 4x4abc]
Harald Pietschmann
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TMW
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Thanks Kurt well done. I put your report in my almanac for reference. Great pixs 4x4, thanks.
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Pacifico
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Great report! I look forward to your pics!
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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tripledigitken
Ultra Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by 4x4abc
yup, I did this road last year from Mulege to Purisima - it is indeed very steep:
http://tinyurl.com/6s228l7
[Edited on 3-28-2012 by 4x4abc] |
Thanks for posting, really enjoyed your photos.
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David K
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PHOTOS FROM KURT of this trip...
Purisima Vieja
Yes, there is a road there!
Getting Steeper
Good section of climb to summit
View at Mile 37 of log.
Road in and out of El Llano looking north.
Final descent to Rcho El Llanito
===========================================
Thanks Kurt for showing us your photos! 
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