Baja - Valley of the Cirios

[Captain Canuck]

here it

[MOTOSOTO]

Originally Posted by ztrab

I'm in as time permits. My HP is apart until I get my tank from Markus.... I have buddy in LA, Steve Soto, owns a 990 too. He would probably do a weekender. Jump on your 990 and head to Tucson. I am guiding a small group through Copper Canyon Nov 8. GSers mostly. If we are small enough, I may take them from Batopilas to Cerocahui and west to Alamos. Return route is very open. We will cross at Auga Prieta and take a 50 mile dirt route to Huachinera, then on to Bamori our first night, Creel via Bashaceachi night 2, Batopilas night 3, then we will see how everyone is doing. Mike

****Can't make the ADV-Trip this weekend, but I could do an XR ride easily. The KTM's been in the shop for about a month and the day it gets out-you can count on me blazing down to San Ignacio, for sure...I've been down there via the SCORE route on the XR about six times and twice on the 990...

[crashmaster]

CC, I was wondering about that route south of San Carlos as well. Never been to San Carlos on a bike, just in my truck on a surf trip. From what I remember, it really looked like the "end of the trail" so to speak but then again I was in surf mode and not dirt bike mode.

When I get down there to surf this winter I'll do a little exploration in the truck and ask some of the locals. One thing is for sure, if there is a way though, its certain to be pretty burly.

[jonz]

Originally Posted by Captain Canuck

I guess there is no route south of San Carlos? anybody?

D

I vaguely recall a ride report where some guys on 450's did it. It was full on gnarly iirc. They carried back packs only, carried some extra gas, had slimed tubes due to all the cactus,and had a helluva time. I've been wanting to truck my 520 down to San Carlos and work on that route now for a couple of years. Dustjunkie and I just need to synch our schedules. Ohhh - and I need to fix my 520.

[Captain Canuck]

Thanks Guys, I guess i'll just give it the shoulder check on the way by next week. We are unsuported to La Paz - so we don't have alot of time to explore.

Speaking of routes to explore, those two mining roads north of Catavina that head east into the mountains. The area looks spectacular on Google earth. Possible route to Sea of Cortez????

Last year saw moto tracks up the El Ronoso Arroyo when we went by. If we got gas I might sniff up there a bit.

D

[crashmaster]

Originally Posted by Captain Canuck

Thanks Guys, I guess i'll just give it the shoulder check on the way by next week. We are unsuported to La Paz - so we don't have alot of time to explore.

Speaking of routes to explore, those two mining roads north of Catavina. The area looks spectacular on Google earth. Possible route to Sea of Cortez????

Last year saw moto tracks up the El Ronoso Arroyo when we went by. If we got gas I might sniff up there a bit.

D

Yeah, I think I know where youre talking about. That road about 5 miles north of Catavina. KInd of takes off to the north at first then winds its way slowy eastbound after quite some miles and Y's, then gets pretty nebulous. Sniff if you want since you have the gas, but about halfway though its going to be rough as hell before it literally almost dead ends into bushwhack and very nebulous single track if its the same road that I'm thinking of....dumps you just south of Puertecitos. Its alot of first/second gear work too. Definately a hardman type ride for sure.

You might consider prerunning it in your Beaver

Its been a couple years, before my GPS days, and I'm glad I did it, but I can pretty much say that I probably wont ever do it again. It will beat the hell out of you. ROCKS, ROCKS, ROCKS, then plenty of deep soft pillowy sand in very narrow tracks. I remember one particluar very gnarly hill climb, you dont wnat to biff it because its narrow and steep drops on both sides of the line. Yeah, you will get a few million of those little hair like thorns all over your arms in the narrow sandwash as well. I think it took us (3 of us) about 9 hours, but we had some issues with flats, case cover punctures from rocks, getting lost up wrong dead end canyons and backtracking, then trying another way through.

However, if you pick the correct way its supposed to be something like 75 miles or so to Puertecitos. Sorry I cant be of more help, the guys I was with knew the line (but no GPS) and we still got eff'd up a few times. But yes the route does exist and it is spectacular, but most of what you will notice is the rocks in front of you! I havent talked to anyone who has done it recently so it may be a bit easier now, but who knows?

[skeelo221]

Can anyone show me on a map what "shortcut" gaspipe is talking about to Chapala? I'm going in Dec. and I need to ride this bit!!

Originally Posted by gaspipe

These pics are from that shortcut out to the Chapala Turnoff. I rode that area along the Pacific in '05, and it's still one of my favorite places in Baja...

[Hill Climber]

Wonder if anyone has this track.. Clicking on the link leads me to a blank page. VLYCIRIOS.gpx
Mucho gracias!!

Originally Posted by rider914

crashmaster - thanks for posting those tracks.

Attached is another including a more northern section from Quayaquil to Punta Canoas.
This is one of my favorite areas of Baja. Desolate, beautiful, endless...

We rode the BBCH route east-to-west a couple years ago on 950's. Good stuff! Good stuff! The bushy sandwash out to the coast was tough to follow. I know there is a shortcut from near to San Antonio to ~8miles north of BoLA Junction on Mex1. Haven't taken it yet, but you can see it clearly on googleEarth.

-M

[rider914]

Well, what a coincidence
Also thinking to get back down there this December, so I was browsing this forum to see if there were any new and useful tracks to try.

Originally Posted by skeelo221

Can anyone show me on a map what "shortcut" gaspipe is talking about to Chapala? I'm going in Dec. and I need to ride this bit!!

The 'BBCH.gpx' file in crashmaster's post (#5) is the one you want.

Don't know what happened to my 'VLYCIRIOS.gpx' file

I'll see if I can find it, maybe add some more tracks for that area

-M

[skeelo221]

Originally Posted by rider914

Well, what a coincidence
Also thinking to get back down there this December, so I was browsing this forum to see if there were any new and useful tracks to try.


The 'BBCH.gpx' file in crashmaster's post (#5) is the one you want.

Don't know what happened to my 'VLYCIRIOS.gpx' file

I'll see if I can find it, maybe add some more tracks for that area

-M

Thanks! Got the BBCH track loaded to my GPS - going to hit that for sure. Got a group of 5 of us all on various 650/640's - I'll wait to see how we are feeling after the first day or two to decide if we should hit that west to east or take the "easy" route and take it heading west. Can't wait!

[rider914]

Here is an updated file with most everything I have collected in that area.
ValDeCirios.gpx

All of these tracks were recorded (by myself or others), not just traced.
Wish some were higher res, but should be good enough.
Names and colors have no particular meaning.

If anyone knows of any new permanent fuel/Pemex locations, let me know.

-M

[skeelo221]

Originally Posted by rider914

Names and colors have no particular meaning.

If anyone knows of any new permanent fuel/Pemex locations, let me know.

-M

So "Satan's Arse" really is a good time?

I have a couple fuel waypoints that I've gathered from google maps (which they claim are current Pemex stations) as well as some other stations I've gathered from the Moon Baja handbook (edition is a couple years old so take them with more of a grain of salt). I'll post them up tonight

Edit: Fuel waypoints uploaded. Again I have not personally confirmed these stations - I have just collected them during my research. All the Pemex waypoints I have confirmed with google street view

[Hill Climber]

Originally Posted by rider914

Here is an updated file with most everything I have collected in that area.
Attachment 313947

All of these tracks were recorded (by myself or others), not just traced.
Wish some were higher res, but should be good enough.
Names and colors have no particular meaning.

If anyone knows of any new permanent fuel/Pemex locations, let me know.

-M

Sweet!!! thank you so very much
Hope to be doing some of this stuff next year

[wrk2surf]

san borja area tracks anyone?

[skeelo221]

Originally Posted by wrk2surf

san borja area tracks anyone?

Here's my track from Bay of LA across to Hwy 1 via the San Borja Mission. It's not a super technical route but I highly recommend it! Very nice views and the folks who run the mission were great. I asked if they had any lunch (to buy) and we got some really nice tamales and rice/beans---it was very good! I was just there on 12/28/12

Would have liked to stay longer to check out the hot pools they had there but we were on a bit of a time crunch that day (lame).

Not far after you hit the dirt leaving Bay of LA the views are like this:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-u...20Baja_049.jpg