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bajatrailrider
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El Coyote
We spent 4 days camping at El Coyotes we talked to guys from 4LO off road club. They came from Mikes to Coyote one 4Dr Jeep on 35s one Toyota SUV on
35s both with 2in lift and lockers. They said small pick up with 32s would be tuff to make it . We rode it on our motos on the way up to forest. We
where looking for a old trail from Mikes up to forest. We had not done it in over 25 years. Very Hard there was no tracks anywhere of any body going
there. Your not allowed to Ride Motos beyond park entrance. So we had lunch in the pines we could go back the way we came. Or try to find trail down
another way so we explored many dead end cow trails. We did in fact find another way down but in some places so steep had to walk the bikes. A real
adventure it was a fight to get down. When we saw the road down just before the gate at Dark Sky Rancho. Never so happy to see a road.
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TMW
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Thanks Larry.
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ehall
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Sounds like my kind of trip. Love exploring and don't mind dead end roads.
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ehall
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Sounds like my kind of trip. Love exploring and don't mind dead end roads.
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David K
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Thank you Larry!
Exploring old roads is a favorite of mine!
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John Harper
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Did you ride the road past Rancho Las Truchas on the way to the park from Mike's? Does it circle around to El Coyote, or not passable?
John
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bajatrailrider
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Quote: Originally posted by John Harper  | Did you ride the road past Rancho Las Truchas on the way to the park from Mike's? Does it circle around to El Coyote, or not passable?
John |
We did not go that way but have done it many
times on motos. Don't think I would try it with my 4x4. We went in on old baja route moto only. Will be passing pictures to David hoping he has time
to post. The old forest trail does come out in park. We only rode below park as to not cause problems. The best part was finding another route down it
was so steep. I'm sure Ed knows what I mean by steep.
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David K
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajatrailrider | | Quote: Originally posted by John Harper | Did you ride the road past Rancho Las Truchas on the way to the park from Mike's? Does it circle around to El Coyote, or not passable?
John |
We did not go that way but have done it many
times on motos. Don't think I would try it with my 4x4. We went in on old baja route moto only. Will be passing pictures to David hoping he has time
to post. The old forest trail does come out in park. We only rode below park as to not cause problems. The best part was finding another route down it
was so steep. I'm sure Ed knows what I mean by steep. |
Just send them and I am happy to post for you amigo!
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David K
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Larry's pics of the ride east from Rancho El Coyote, San Pedro Mártir
I think this is all of the first group of Larry's photos. Probably not in correct order, but I will number them and Larry can add what each number is
showing, etc.
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
#11
Larry, if I missed any, please resend just the missing ones, if you can.
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Ken Cooke
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That looks like a blast. I have not been to Sierra San Pedro Mártir Since August 2001. I'm long overdue for a trip there Larry.
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bajatrailrider
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Soon as you get time off lets plan a trip. My Nissan all apart getting big time make over for wheeling.
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BajaBlanca
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Those photos are really beautiful and show the ruggedness in living color!
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ehall
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Great pics. Mike is looking good.
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bajatrailrider
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Thank you all Mike is 75 years young he is a Iron man. To ride a moto on this challenge is not for the novice riders. Mike is a former grand champion
rider. The other Mike that lives at El Coyotes only made it 5 miles into ride. After crashing numerous times and me riding his bike up hard parts. He
decided it best he ride back to camp . It is so quite up in forest no people anywhere. We did see one dear med size our bikes are super quite. We
came up to 30ft of dear engines running the Dear just looked at us for a min.
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David K
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In photo #10, an ancient roadbed going up the mountain indicates history!
I asked Larry if it could be the old logging road to Corral de Sam, and he replied:
We should discuss its history. I was told yes logging road. Around 1978 big Strom took out road. When we where at Mike sky rancho in 1982 he told
us. Don't even think of going on that bad track. Haaaa we want there next morning. It was tuff it is more easy now also with little bikes. Please tell
any history you Know.
In the 1962 Lower California Guidebook (mileage figures edited to be from El Coyote, add 4.7 if from the observatory/ Meling road:
Using the road going east from El Coyote, the abandoned ranch of Cerro de Costilla is passed (2.5 mi). This was the site of a proposed lumber
mill and the road beyond was built about 1950 to haul lumber from the mountains (but never used for that purpose).
It passes Los Encinos [original airstrip location for Mike's Sky Rancho, 1967+] (7.6 mi from El Coyote), and at 11.6 mi. is on a ridge with the deep
Arroyo San Rafael down to the left (trout fishing).
Beginning at 13.8 mi. (from El Coyote) the road follows for 1.5 mi. the easy grade of the canal built by Harry Johnson about 1896 to transport water
from Arroyo San Rafael to the Socorro mine. Then a very steep grade leads up to the ponderosa pine forest in the northern Sierra San Pedro Mártir,
elev. 7,000 ft., in the area known as Corral de Sam, the road ending 18.8 mi. (from El Coyote).
Lumbering was never carried out here, and the road was not maintained; however, it was passable in 1960.
Here is the Lower California Guidebook map, with El Coyote and 'Sam' shown:
 1967's Mike's Sky Rancho would be about the middle of the word 'Rafael' in 'Arr. San Rafael', on the 1962 map.
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David K
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This is the 1972 map from the book Camping and Climbing in Baja. The placement of Mike's Sky Ranch is too far upstream and the road through Mike's is
off as well. Other than that, Corral de Sam is shown as is Los Encinos and Cerro de Costilla. Concepción would become Baja Dark Skies Inn for a few
years.
==========================================================
Here is an older AAA map (1978-ish) and it shows Cerro de Castillo, the airstrip for Mike's (El Encino) and Concepción (Baja Dark Skies Inn)
[Edited on 6-23-2018 by David K]
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David K
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More maps... see Corral de Sam near the top edge:
The 2003 Almanac, with my mileage notes after driving through Mike's in 2005. See Los Encinos and the abandoned San Pedro, on the logging road:
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blackwolfmt
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That does look like a total BLAST,,thanks for the pic and maps
So understand dont waste your time always searching for those wasted years
face up and make your stand and realize that your living in the golden years
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David K
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The mountain forests of Baja California are an entire subject of their own... one that we usually don't envision when we speak of places in Baja.
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bajatrailrider
Super Nomad
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David you know your history about this old logging road. Very few people know about this. Anybody wanting to try it be warned. Only possible walking
horse or Moto. It is not a novice ride does have cliff drop offs you don't want to fall down. Expert level rider and Half the road no longer there.
Just cow trail only way we made it because we remembered the way. Also helped to ride cheater bikes with cheater tires.
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