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neilm81301
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Camping on Pacific side;
Say, El Rosario to Santa Rosalillita? (Did I spell that OK, Dave? Google Maps & Earth screw it up pretty bad).
Can I get down near the beach w 2WD?
Any guidebooks?
Thanks!
Neil
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monoloco
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El Tomatal, turn in at the military checkpoint. Great spot, usually deserted, 2wd no problem.
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woody with a view
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beware of rain. the soil is clay based in most cases and the sand is deep.
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tiotomasbcs
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Soft sand is always there but take a shovel and old carpet. Just be careful and walk it out before you get too deep. Tire pressure ?! Smiles, DK.
Tio
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David K
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Yes you get an A+ for spelling the places correctly and a gold star for good attitude (you also tio tomas)!  
My response to your question is how near to the beach, and what kind of 2WD? A Porsche is different than a pickup truck, afterall!
That in mind, the roads towards the "Seven Sisters" coastline are mostly graded roads, and 2WD friendly IN DRY WEATHER.
However once you get near the coast on the various graded roads, you may not get to that sweet spot to set up camp without crossing some sand. So, you
choices are less... There is also some silt (moon dust) beds in a few places along that coast where you drop into it and it engulfs your vehicle. I
highly suggest a companion vehicle even if you had 4WD, but specially since you don't!
The suggestion of El Tomatal is good, and the road into Santa Rosalillita is paved, and before you get to the town, a government graded dirt road
turns north off of it and accesses lots of coast... but not always right to the beach. You could drive as far north as Punta Cono from Santa
Rosalillita. In the north, graded roads from Hwy. 1 go to:
a)Punta San Carlos (from Km. 80)
b) Puerto Catarina (from Km. 132/133)
c) Faro San Jose (from Km. 168)
Again, my advice is to go with another 4WD vehicle, and in dry weather only.
If you do get stuck in sand:
1) Don't spin the tires once you stop moving forward, as you will only bury your truck.
2) Remove the air in the tires to about 10 psi (for 2WD), and clear away the sand from in front of the tires (or back if you are backing out).
3) Avoid high speed, sudden turns, slamming the brakes when deflated.
4) Have an electric tire pump to refill the tires once you are done in the sand.
[Edited on 2-19-2013 by David K]
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MMc
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What do want to do while camping? Long walks on the beach, picking up shells or rocks, surf fishing, cliff diving, set up camp and hang. If we know
what you want to do it might make it easier. Some of us have explored lots of shoreline.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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shari
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El Tomatal is hard to get to the beach in a 2 wheel drive...you can get close but it is very sandy...you can get out to Esmerelda though which is at
the north end of Tomatal. Easy camping at Rosalillita but no restaurants at all.
Another great camp spot is Laguna Manuela...turn to the beach at Jesus Maria.
San Roque, just outside of Bahia Asuncion is fantastic for camping and an easy road to the beach...no 4X4 needed.
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neilm81301
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Maybe I'd better just get the 4x4
I'd been looking at camper van conversions, but they're almost all 2x and low-slung - at least in my price range (cheap).
4x truck/campers & 'burbs are more avail., that's probably the best approach.
Thanks for the advice. Shari, I do want to get down to Asuncion, hopefully this summer. That's really 1-1/2 or two days from the border - right?
Neil
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shari
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get a cheap Trooper...they go anywhere! see ya when we see ya then
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David K
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Neil, they make 4WD vans:
http://www.sportsmobile.com/4_4x4sports.html
http://www.advanced4x4vans.com/
http://www.pathfinder-vans.com/
http://www.quadvan.com/
I piloted one, the Viva Baja Van... when Amo Pescar and I were going to have a tour business... on the test trip with fellow Amigos de Baja in 2001...
Here, on the beach at Alfonsina's (Gonzaga Bay):
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David K
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If you left San Diego early enough, specially in the summer, you can make Asuncion in one day... but why wear yourself out?
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
Another great camp spot is Laguna Manuela...turn to the beach at Jesus Maria.
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laguna manuela looks like interesting stop for camping. where do you camp at laguna manuela?
i see on google sat photo there is a fish camp(?) where main access road ends at ocean beach, and i see a broad rocky point west of the lagoon and
fish camp.
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BajaDanD
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camping
| Quote: | Originally posted by neilm81301
Say, El Rosario to Santa Rosalillita? (Did I spell that OK, Dave? Google Maps & Earth screw it up pretty bad).
Can I get down near the beach w 2WD?
Any guidebooks?
Thanks!
Neil |
you got the spelling right except you spelled David's name wrong.  I cant
believe no one else caught that.
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msteve1014
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Any where you want. Be carefull there too, off the road a few feet and you are in sand again
| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
Another great camp spot is Laguna Manuela...turn to the beach at Jesus Maria.
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laguna manuela looks like interesting stop for camping. where do you camp at laguna manuela?
i see on google sat photo there is a fish camp(?) where main access road ends at ocean beach, and i see a broad rocky point west of the lagoon and
fish camp. |
[Edited on 2-19-2013 by msteve1014]
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Curt63
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Dont forget to bring 1 or 2 recovery straps for a local to pull you out of that that sand you may get stuck in.
No worries
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MMc
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El Rosario to Santa Rosalillita, Two different places with different ways in. The area from El Rosario to Punta San Carlos along the Pacific can be
very rough. This is where the "Rock Farmers" practice their trade. It's cliffy and the run outs to the sea are full of rocks. I love this place, very
remote.
The Area above Santa Rosalillita is much easier access, more sand and more traffic on the roads. All the roads change whenever they get rain.
Clearance is the issue here, more so then a 4X4. Most locals don't have 4 wheel drive. They manage to live there ,your just passing through. Getting
across the sand usually isn't that big a deal. Plenty of advice for that here and on this site. Also most camping is done on the hard pack, not the
sand.
There are a lot of surfers using a truck and a pop-up camper. Another idea is a 1/2 ton van with a storage/living area built in. Very simple and light
pack up your stuff and go easy to lock up while you are away.
If it just you and one other consider a small SUV(4runner, RAV, Explorer, trooper size)
Grab a AAA map and go!! If you don't have 4X4 walk the area in question and figure a way though it. If it's raining leave QUICK, that red mud is nasty
with 2x. Also a come a-long and a good jack/shovel will get you anything else.
Remember the better the stuck, the better the story.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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chuckie
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I have had em all at one time or another, and while not the ultimate, my present Baja "Events Wagon" is just what you are looking for. (mine is not
for sale) I bought an AWD Astro Van, mine had been in its prior life an ambulance.. Has lots of custom cabinetry, HD everything, 37 Gallon fuel tank,
room for sleeping...I paid 2200 bucks for it.....14-16 MPG
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MMc
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Thinking about what to drive around Baja is interesting. There are those that bring a place to stay in, while others bring something to haul there
stuff to where they are going. Living more inside or living more outside. Some a little of both.
"Never teach a pig to sing it frustrates you and annoys the pig" - W.C.Fields
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Skipjack Joe
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Location: Bahia Asuncion
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| Quote: | Originally posted by mtgoat666
| Quote: | Originally posted by shari
Another great camp spot is Laguna Manuela...turn to the beach at Jesus Maria.
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laguna manuela looks like interesting stop for camping. where do you camp at laguna manuela?
i see on google sat photo there is a fish camp(?) where main access road ends at ocean beach, and i see a broad rocky point west of the lagoon and
fish camp. |
The rocky point is El Morro. It has a series of pocket beaches that can be descended from the dirt road to the lighthouse. It takes 4WD to get up that
road. The beaches have corbina and halibut at times. Beautiful country up there.
The northern part of the lagoon has been hit hard by the locals and has little to offer. They've built a small pier where the oyster farm had been and
very little fish remain anywhere within walking distance of it. The locals fishing there will tell you how great it is but they don't know how it was
just 20 years ago.
Camping there is a bit challenging. It's usually calm in the mornings and the wind grows steadily from noon. Stay in camper or a good tent during
those hours.
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neilm81301
Nomad
Posts: 134
Registered: 3-21-2012
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Chuckie;
That's quite a steal. How is the ground clearance? The minivans I've seen and rented were a little low. I'd hate to take a rock through the pan, 50
miles from nowhere. AWD sounds like a good idea.
Neil
| Quote: | Originally posted by chuckie
I have had em all at one time or another, and while not the ultimate, my present Baja "Events Wagon" is just what you are looking for. (mine is not
for sale) I bought an AWD Astro Van, mine had been in its prior life an ambulance.. Has lots of custom cabinetry, HD everything, 37 Gallon fuel tank,
room for sleeping...I paid 2200 bucks for it.....14-16 MPG |
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