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Emerson
Junior Nomad
Posts: 42
Registered: 6-24-2013
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Isabel Canyon - El Mano Canyon - Laguna Hanson
Last Thursday night a group of 4 cars including my own started the route from Laguna Salada all the way up to Laguna Hanson; here are some details.
Rigs participating:
- 2012 Ford F250 Superduty
- 1998 Jeep Cherokee
- 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser
- 1994 Toyota Land Cruiser
Thursday PM
We met in our usual Costco parking lot, by 9pm we were airing down at the Laguna Salada entrance; very strong wind, almost a sand storm was blowing
from the west; I ingested a significant amount of sand while airing down all four tires.
Once we begun driving on the lake basin, the wind calmed down, and once we approached Ejido Guardianes de la Patria from the Laguna Flats, the wind
was almost none; the floor was softer, probably some rain had fallen in the last weeks or so.
We continued west until we reached Isabel Canyon, all roads were within normal conditions; we camped in the Old Governors House, some wind was
blowing, but nothing tragic.
Friday AM
After breakfast and packing up we started our way east to the main road and then south to find our way to the Mano Canyon Junction, by noon we were
heading up the first hills, and man, I keep forgetting how tiresome that first part is, really slow creeping up very hard terrain a lot of secondary
bypasses have been made thru the years, but there all the same! Several bales of hay were laying around like if the fell from a truck that recently
travelled that path.
The remains of the once active pool and secret weekend lodge, really well built in order to sustain so many years without any kind of maintenance.
Smallest of the two lodges, every inch of metal was stripped away by force.
Nice view into the mountain range, up above, Santa Isabel Nuevo ranch is nearby.
Santa Isabel Canyon
Old water pump enclosure.
Biggest of the lodges, also stripped.
My weekend warrior, this rig keeps surprising me with its endless reliability.
Not the wrong way! at least for us!
Starting the tiresome part of the trail, very nice view, green everywhere!
After a while, the tiresome terrain faded into a normal trail, we kept pushing forward, the lower section where the steel wire used to be was wide
open. On previous trips I never noticed the "CONAZA" text written on them. CONAZA (Comision Nacional de Zonas Aridas / National Arid Zone Commission)
was the government department that carved and built the trail in the 1970's.
Aproaching the lower gate, no steel cable present.
CONAZA text on the pillars
We took a small rest on the rancho on the bottom of the canyon, this is called "Molina de Abajo", two houses are present in the same Rancho, the
bigger one was built recently by the Molina Family, who acquired the land in the 50's or 60's; the smaller shack is from the first person to reside in
the canyon, he was called "Mano" some say he arrived in the canyon during the gold rush era, and never left, he eventually passed away, and the Canyon
adopted his name.
Molina de Abajo Ranch, El Mano Shack
Some Palms in the distance on El Mano Canyon
We continued gaining altitude on the trail; there was a particular section, after the burned and abandoned suburban where I felt my mobile phone
vibrate, and upon checking it I was surprised to see I had Telcel signal, and a couple of voicemails; we stopped in a nice photogenic section and I
could actually call my wife to check in, im still impressed.
Climbing the Trail
Nice Photo spot, with Telcel coverage included.
The climb continues
After a while some pine trees became visible and the landscape changed faster into pine forest; on the top, theres a lot of road building, I think is
to continue extracting vegetation from the mountains, the roads I observed didn't had any kind of direction or path, they just simply climbed hills
and dead ended suddenly, with a lot of redundancy among them, weird.
New roads are being built...
We then arrived to the upper ranch called "Molina de Arriba" (Abandoned), and a couple of miles after to Rancho Tres Pinos (habited), we continued and
found a locked gate, we backtracked to the ranch, and talked with them, first a lady just said 10 dollars per car; then a guy came from inside the
house and said it was OK to just go thru the other unlocked gate closer to their house; we proceded without problems.
Molina de Arriba Ranch
Up in the plateau, we did encounter a couple of closed but unlocked gates, unfortunately, the path to laguna Hanson is now longer, since a increased
number of locked gates that prohibits going north sooner, we just continued and found a free path up north that connects into the main Laguna Hanson
trail; by then, we had suffered from a popped turbo hose; rain, and 3 degree weather, all that combined with more than 6 hours of driving.
In Laguna Hanson, we opted for a cabin due to the constant rain, we quickly started a fire and the BBQ.
Next day, the trip back to la Rumorosa was uneventful, the road is in good conditions; we arrived at Mexicali around 3pm, just in time to get a good
rest and celebrate mothers day on Sunday.
-Emerson
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Excellent, thanks for sharing. Pictures are great.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64743
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Super report and photos! Thank you...
I have gone into Mano twice... the first time coming down from the top (June 2003) and the second time going up from below, but just to the canyon
entrance, with Ken Cooke and his Jeep club following. That LONG rough climb from the sandy desert floor to the canyon entrance sounds like it has not
improved!
Here is a map I made showing the run from Hwy. 3 or Hwy. 5 to Guadalupe Canyon from the south. The former general's (or governor's) hide-a-way is just
west of Cohabuzo Junction to give a location on the map:
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
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Registered: 5-21-2013
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Emerson -- I like
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StuckSucks
Super Nomad
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WOW - looks like a fun trip, lots of great scenery!
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Mexitron
Ultra Nomad
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Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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Mood: Happy!
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Beautiful country on that road, thanks for the pics and report!
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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Greetings >>>> Nice report >>>> Just lost a 1 hour write on the Gov's party villa. My reportage just vanished like a fart in
the wind!!!>>> I know that area well. Thank you the memories.>>> Regards sq.
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
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Great post,pictures.Thank you
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64743
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Location: San Diego County
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Quote: Originally posted by The squarecircle  | | Greetings >>>> Nice report >>>> Just lost a 1 hour write on the Gov's party villa. My reportage just vanished like a fart in
the wind!!!>>> I know that area well. Thank you the memories.>>> Regards sq. |
Roy, if I can help with your lost post on the desert hide-a-way, let me know! I think it may be interesting to read... There was even a landing strip
so he and his 'guests' could fly in for a little R & R out of the view of the voters.
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
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A history account would be an interesting read. The place had a lot of infrastructure.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64743
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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| Quote: Originally posted by The squarecircle | | Greetings >>>> Nice report >>>> Just lost a 1 hour write on the Gov's party villa. My reportage just vanished like a fart in
the wind!!!>>> I know that area well. Thank you the memories.>>> Regards sq. |
Roy called... he had a nice report on the history of the hide-a-way mansion for the ex-governor. Then the Nomad page he was typing to vanished/timed
out/ ?
In a nutshell, Roy had been in there about three times when it was recently completed, and saw the pool full of clean water. The airstrip was well
maintained. There were gates and signs to stay away... but that is like an invite to curious Roy. This was in the 1990's.
The dozed road up the mountain going south and west from the mansion was made by a big bulldozer that was abandoned for some time up on the ridge, but
eventually removed. The road never went anywhere.
Roy thinks the governor went to jail for using public funds for his playboy mansion... or other wrong doings.
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Would like to see that information
| Quote: Originally posted by The squarecircle | | Greetings >>>> Nice report >>>> Just lost a 1 hour write on the Gov's party villa. My reportage just vanished like a fart in
the wind!!!>>> I know that area well. Thank you the memories.>>> Regards sq. |
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64743
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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I told Roy on the phone today that if wants to type it all over again, he can email it to me and I will post on Nomad. He has photos too... but it
sounds like he will need to hand them to me if they are ever going to make an appearance on Nomad...? Roy knows I like details, and what I posted just
above after he called, are the only details I got from his chat.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Roy needs to get his Land Rover ready as I would like to go back in there and see the place. Also check out the 3rd summit trail. I may be ready the
end of May around the Baja 500 time frame.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
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Thanks for taking the time to bring us along wit your words and photos! Gracias.
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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| Quote: Originally posted by TMW | | Roy needs to get his Land Rover ready as I would like to go back in there and see the place. Also check out the 3rd summit trail. I may be ready the
end of May around the Baja 500 time frame. |
Tom, >>> You are right! Tomorrow
I'll connect the trickle charger up on the old English ford and get it running again. Hope the newer electronics are better than older Lucas (Prince
of darkness) you know OFF/DIM/DIMMER. >>>> Need to get a list started of those interested in the Cowboy Ranch(3rd summit trail) and get it
done. >>> Good time of the year to have a Baja adventure, don't you think??? Best Regards, sq.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64743
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Location: San Diego County
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I would love to go too... but I won't know if I can until a week before any trip. Not retired yet, like you lucky guys!
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Emerson
Junior Nomad
Posts: 42
Registered: 6-24-2013
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If the date lines up with my schedule, I'll be happy to join.
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BornFisher
Super Nomad
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Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
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Thanks for the report Emerson. What a great trip and report!!
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The squarecircle
Nomad
Posts: 173
Registered: 11-28-2004
Location: El Cajon
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Mood: 'Baja Feeling'
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Greetings, Emerson >>>Those two Toyota Land Cruisers look great comfortable and capable to go anywhere! >>> Lets do the #3 summit
and have a look at the Cowboy Canyon as another escape up the mountain and out of the desert. >>>> IF we can all agree on a time of
somewhere around last of May or first week of June maybe we can get 'er' done! Should be a an interesting trip. Approach route is up for grabs.
>>>> Enter thu Ej. Jose Saldana/ La Ventana ie. run the pole Line backwards (E. to W.) or La Ponderosa/Poso Salado to start of PLR at the
base of the El Mano or hit the PLR coming down El Mano from above or Arroyo Grande entering at Guata off M3 or the Ej. Heroes DE LA Independencia thu
to Puertozualo (sp) high route.>>>>> Interested partisans so far are >> 1. David K >> 2. TW>> 3. sq.(me) >>
4.Emerson and anybody else that is up to a challenge. >>>>Regards, sq.
[Edited on 5-20-2015 by The squarecircle]
[Edited on 5-21-2015 by The squarecircle]
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