2003 Baja Mountain Trail Run hosted by Rebel 4x4

[Ken Cooke]

This is Rebel 4x4's first international 4WD trail run with trails covering hundred's of miles of distance, taking participants from rocky desert canyons to the hills above the coast and up into the Ponderosa/Jeffrey Pine Alpine-land for a unique 4WD adventure.

Several stops are planned along the way:
-Laguna Hanson - one of interior Baja California's few semi-permanent bodies of water.
-Arroyo Matomi - a rocky 28 mile trail that leads from the San Felipe area to the base of the Sierra San Pedro Martir mountain range. The Baja 250 is raced in this rock-shrewn canyon featuring a rock-lined pool with a cold-water waterfall.
Meling Ranch - a 10,000 acre cattle ranch rebuilt in 1911 after being destroyed during the Mexican Revolution.
National Observatory - located at the end of a one-way 70 mile dirt road that climbs 9,000 feet above sea level that takes you from the coast into Alpine country!

The trip is tentatively planned to take place August 2nd-10th...returning to the U.S. on August 11th.

Several 4WD magazines will run ads in their August issues (hitting the stands on July 1st). For those of you without a 4WD vehicle, California Baja Rent-A-Car has joined forces w/Rebel 4x4 to offer discounts for Baja Mountain Trail Run participants. Contact California Baja Rent-A-Car at:
California Baja, Rent-A-Car
9245 Jamacha BLVD
Spring Valley, CA 91977
Phone: (619) 470-RENT (7368)
Fax: (619) 479-2004
www.cabaja.com

More information will be posted in the coming weeks about trip itinerary, trail difficulty, and hotel/motel room reservations. This is free trip. The only expense will be your travel expenses, gasoline, food, etc. Please email me at: Baja Mountain Trail Run - Ken Cooke if you are interested in taking part in this unique trail run...

 

[Ken Cooke]

Baja Trail Run Itinerary

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August 2 [Saturday] - meet the group in Chula Vista, CA at around noon, purchase our auto insurance, get our tourist visas (as a group). Sleep at Los Pelicanos -- possibly visit Papas and Beer [www.papasandbeer.com] after dinner???

August 3 [Sunday] - Travel from Rosarito (9 or 10 a.m.) to Ensenada, break for a quick 1 hr. lunch. Go to the Fish market, and stock up for that evenings BBQ. Top off our tanks/cans before heading to Mikes.

August 4 [Monday] - Depart Mikes at 9 a.m. to Sierra Juarez. Investigate historic mining sites, Laguna Hanson, and Chichi de la India. Check out as many of the trails as possible before heading back to Mikes.

August 5 [Tuesday] - Depart Mikes at 1 a.m. to visit Canyon Matomi. Tour the springs, and travel the rocky road/trail to the springs. Nap at the end of the trail until dusk (time permitting). Travel to Shell Island for a brief drive on the sand, and stop at Norma's in San Felipe (on the Malecon) for brunch before returning to Mike's for a mid-day nap. Free afternoon to spend however we like - hiking, sightseeing (in pairs), or just laying around the pool.

August 6 [Wednesday] - Depart Mikes at 9 a.m. to investigate the rocky trail from Mike's to Rancho Coyote. Travel new logging routes into the Sierra San Pedro Martir just for the heck of it. Drive down the Observatory Road to investigate the now closed Rancho Meling and take snapshots of it before it is either sold to a private party or demolished. Record this location w/digital cameras to capture a piece of Baja history. Return late in the afternoon/early evening.

August 7 [Thursday] - Depart Mikes at 10 a.m. - Cross the Valle de Trinidad to San Telmo. Travel to Parque Sierra San Pedro Martir. Visit with the personnel (briefly), before setting up camp in Vallecitos (due to our trailers - this will provide the easiest access).

August 8 [Friday] - Botella Azul, Venado Blanco, La Tasajera Meadow (we'll walk down to the trout stream this time!).

August 9 [Saturday] - National Observatory Tour [10 a.m.-12 p.m.] Altar de la Mirador trail (I might do a ride-along if I get spooked by the switchbacks).

August 10 [Sunday] - Depart Parque San Pedro Martir for San Quintin. Set up camp and drink/party!

August 11 [Monday] - Depart campground at 6 a.m. and do an early morning tour of Cinder cones (low tides permitting). Return to camp at 10 a.m. Depart San Quintin at noon - returning to the USA by early evening.

Those wishing to stay in San Quintin will return to the USA with Andrew and Gretchen on the 15th/16th. Those wishing to return on the 11th can depart with Ken/Suzanne and the Rebel 4x4 crew.

 

[FLYIN 5.0]

Just a bit of advise to all going on this trip. Top off your fuel tanks on this side of the border. The gas you buy in Mexico is not that great to say the least. Last time I bought gas down there my truck ran like poop for weeks. Also take along fuel additives to displace water.
One more thing buy the highest grade gas you can find when you do have to fuel up.

 

[Ken Cooke]

I normally pack some octane booster, or I stick with 91 octane (Pemex). An extra fuel filter sometimes helps too...

 

[Ken Cooke]

Our Internation run will continue on the U.S. side of the border on August 16th.

Runs that day will include: John Bull Trail and Dishpan Springs trail - San Bernardino Natl. Forest -- Big Bear City, CA...

It should be a blast finishing off a great series of trail runs. If anyone would like to attend, be ready for some serious rock action!

-Ken