Across Baja California via Mike's Sky Rancho (9-05)

One weekend, we decides to go from the Pacific Coast (San Quintin) to the Sea of Cortez (San Felipe) ... off road through Mike's Sky Rancho... with my (then) brand new 2005 Tacoma:



Picking up sand dollars on the beach of San Quintrin





We leave Mexico Highway 1 onto the new paved
road that climbs 9,000 feet in 62 miles to the National Observatory at the top of the Sierra San Pedro Martir. We go 30 miles on it before turning north...



Soon we are on the base roadbed awaiting the final blacktop
coating. The tall sierra is seen in the distance. Some photos from a 2000
trip all the way up are at http://vivabaja.com/davidlorenzo/dlpage6.html



30 miles from Highway One and, 2 miles before the Meling
Ranch, we turn north on a well signed, graded road for 'El Coyote' where
the rough road on to Mike's Sky Rancho begins.



Not far from El Coyote, we discover a large fire had
recently burned much of the area between El Coyote and Mikes (thousands of acres)! (Sept. 2005)



Elizabeth finds this poor fellow who didn't have a prayer...





Some pretty sky in Baja's high country.



I stand in front of the fallen oak that blocked the road. One car and some bikers had made a detour through the brush before we arrived.



On the long down grade to Mike's Sky Rancho on the San
Rafael River, we drive past landslides like this boulder with 'OUCH!'
painted on it!



Looking over the edge, down to the river, as we slowly get closer to Mike's.



Motel, Swimming Pool, Bar, Restaurant and camping along the river...



Mike's road at Mexico Hwy. 3 near San Matias




ROAD LOG HWY. 1 to HWY. 3 via Mike's Sky Rancho, mileage, elevation, time, and GPS:

ACROSS BAJA (Hwy. 1 to Hwy. 3) via Mike's Sky Rancho (GPS datum is NAD27)

• Highway 1 (at Paved 'Observatorio, San Pedro Martir' road): 0.0 miles, 0:00 hours, 123' elev., 30°58.01', 116°09.24'

• San Telmo: 5.7 mi., 0:09 hrs., 310', 30°58.13', 116°05.45'

• Hacienda Sinaloa: 11.4 mi., 0:18 hrs., 483', 30°56.93', 116°00.67'

• Road south (El Carricito, Valladares), stay on pavement: 16.9 mi., 0:27 hrs., 529', 30°56.55' 115°56.28'

• Road north (Buenavista), stay on pavement: 17.5 mi., 0:29 hrs., 564', 30°56.96', 115°55.90'

• Take road north to El Coyote and Mike's: 30.1 mi., 0:55 hrs., 2,611', 30°58.60', 115°45.91'
  

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• El Coyote driveway west (go east for Mike's): 34.8 mi., 1:08 hrs., 2,958', 31°02.23', 115°45.50'

• Los Encinos road east (go north for Mike's): 39.3 mi., 1:41 hrs., 3,405', 31°03.43', 115°42.17'

• Alternate (northwest) road in from El Coyote: 41.5 mi., 1:57 hrs., 3,852', 31°04.33', 115°41.12'

• Rancho Simpson and Tepi road to north: 43.4 mi., 2:09 hrs., 4,570', 31°05.18', 115°39.72'

• Mike's Sky Rancho: 46.6 mi., 2:41 hrs., 3,992' elev., 31°06.57', 115°38.10'

Part 2, Mike's Sky Rancho north to Hwy. 3

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I guess that was too long... as it cut out the last part!

Okay, I will re-post the final part...

Mike's to San Felipe and our beach camp... is here: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/travel/78658-across-baja-part-2-mikes-sea-cortez.html

 

Wow! I wish there were some landscapes like that in Fl.

 

Well, you have nice beaches in Florida, right?

Speaking of beaches, did you see the second half of this trip, our destination on the east coast of Baja?:

 

Very nice beach. Yeah we have good beaches but where I live in North East Fl the water isn't all that clear because of the st johns. Down south and on the west coast of fl the water is crystal clear.

 

El gusto es mio! (The pleasure is mine!)

 

my dad used to go riding there he always told me about mike's and how they used to drink the homemade tequilla and the gross ass diesel heaters in the rooms

 

David you are no longer allowed to post on TW until I can make a trip out with you...great pictures!!!

 

That's a great story!

My first time staying at Mike's was in October, 1972 (I was 15). My parents and I were just exploring a new area of Baja, including the observatory high above Mike's at 9,280 feet. I returned again in 1974 for the first SCORE Baja race, the Baja Internacional (would eventually replace the NORRA and BSC Baja 500, and take that name). There was a one hour 'down time' at the big campground there. Very exciting... The owner (Mike Leon) was very involved in off road racing until he was killed in a highway accident while travelling to his Sky Ranch from Ensenada.

 

Well, pack your gear amigo!

Mision Santa Maria over Memorial Day weekend is a goal, economy permitting... This is a rear locker OR A-TRAC needed L4 trail... 15 miles in 3 hours to the mission from Hwy. 1 at Rancho Santa Ynez (near Cataviña)... 300 miles down Hwy. 1 from Tijuana.