| Pages:
1
2 |
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
HARDCORE JEEP 4WD TRAIL -- La Cuesta de MOLINA
In November 2013, I led a hardcore 4WD Jeep run to the Pole Line Road. Unprecedented rain prevented us from crossing the Laguna Salada, so our group
instead visited Cañon de Palomar. After our Palomar campout, we traveled back to Coral de Molina before rounding the Paredones Hills. We set up
camp for the night and the next morning, we rose early to conquer the hardcore CUESTA DE MOLINA.
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
Reviewing our maps and position before our Jeep run.
 
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
When nearing the mighty CUESTA DE MOLINA, the road bed is rough and formidable as you can see here.
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
The trail becomes a shelf road with a lone cabin below. There is no room for opposing traffic as you travel up this challenging route. Before things
became dicey, Victor, Vicki and I got out of our Jeeps to assess the trail.
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
On our way up!
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
Just past the deadly STAIRSTEPS the trail becomes relatively easy. The STAIRSTEPS required DOUBLE LOCKING DIFFERENTIALS. Brake-assisted limited slip
might not get you to the top of the mountain. Travel at your own risk!
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
The views are among Bajas best!
|
|
|
AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6027
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
|
|
Ken, is that a NORRA race course marker in the bottom photo? Looks like a fun road/trail!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
The view from the passenger seat (in a Jeep Rubicon)
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
SCORE marker. We ran the racecourse backwards. Don't try it in your average Datsun pickup..or a Subaru.
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
A well-known landmark is this stripped Suburban. Our smaller Jeeps were able to maneuver around this stripped-out behemoth.
 
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
We made it into Parque Constitución!! Only in our Rubicons and Vicki's double ARB-locked TJ Sport!
 
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
The TAKEAWAY
This threads takeaway is to AVOID these trails unless you have a well prepared Jeep 4wd with locking differentials. I hope that you enjoyed this
Friday throwback thread.
|
|
|
ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
|
|
looks fun. I need to find it on a map.
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
I wouldn't rode a Moto up this hill, Ed. One wrong move, and you'll wish there were guardrails on your right side. The stairstep section is so
steep all you will see is the sky as you drive up it.
[Edited on 11-9-2018 by Ken Cooke]
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64852
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
Ken, where are you getting these place names from? This looks a bit like EL MANO CANYON? Let's help Ed find it on his map!
Mano is south of Palomar and Santa Isabel. I led your Jeep group to the bottom of it in 2003. Everyone in a Jeep driving one tire up on that boulder
was the highlight of the day for them. Who was in the Isuzu Trooper who was chatting with me as we watched you Jeepers? I forgot.
[Edited on 11-9-2018 by David K]
|
|
|
ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
|
|
Quote: Originally posted by Ken Cooke  |
I wouldn't rode a Moto up this hill, Ed. One wrong move, and you'll wish there were guardrails on your right side. The stairstep section is so
steep all you will see is the sky as you drive up it.
[Edited on 11-9-2018 by Ken Cooke] |
The jeep is ready.
|
|
|
4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4289
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by Ken Cooke | | In November 2013, I led a hardcore 4WD Jeep run to the Pole Line Road. Unprecedented rain prevented us from crossing the Laguna Salada, so our group
instead visited Cañon de Palomar. After our Palomar campout, we traveled back to Coral de Molina before rounding the Paredones Hills. We set up
camp for the night and the next morning, we rose early to conquer the hardcore CUESTA DE MOLINA. |
Cuesta de Molina around Lomas Paredones?
[Edited on 11-10-2018 by 4x4abc]
Harald Pietschmann
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
| Quote: Originally posted by David K | Ken, where are you getting these place names from? This looks a bit like EL MANO CANYON? Let's help Ed find it on his map!
Mano is south of Palomar and Santa Isabel. I led your Jeep group to the bottom of it in 2003. Everyone in a Jeep driving one tire up on that boulder
was the highlight of the day for them. Who was in the Isuzu Trooper who was chatting with me as we watched you Jeepers? I forgot.
|
Saturnino and I talked about this route a few weeks ago. He took his club up the mountain from Mexicali for a 4WD club run.
You are also referring to Brock Tella who has since traded his Isuzu Trooper for a shiny, new Toyota 4 Runner. I saw him earlier this year on my
annual, January Joshua Tree 4WD Berdoo Canyon crawl that I host.
|
|
|
Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8946
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
|
|
Saturnino pictured on the right with his wife Maria after the 2017 Baja Pole Line Run.
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
