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i have two weeks off for christmas and was thinking of hiking in mexico somewhere than finding a beach towards the end. i have no experience in mexico and probably am not in the right mind to go down there, but maybe someone can steer me in the right directions.
i heard of a hike in the baja over the mtn. to some beaches and a different on in a large caynon system.

anyone know the area

Pickeltree, take into account that no one has yet posted as statement like "I was just in Mexico and narrowly escaped with my life." I still go down there a few times a year without incident. I know folks with condos down there who go every weekend and "brave" these "deadly" highways without issue or any indication that anything has changed. Point being - don't give up on it if it looks like something you want to do. I've wanted to walk the "Mission Trail" all the way down Baja from Tubac since I was little and still plan to, someday; drug war be darned...

LizP has a cabin down in Rocky Point, maybe she can chime in about safety in that area...

Josh, the GET is the most beautiful trail in the southwest. that's saying a lot, considering it has some very stiff competition (PCT, CDT, CO tr., AZT)
It is for us also the easiest to access, starting at First Water TH. Look up the grand enchanment trail and go to their website... it is very well routed near water and re-supply stores. (unlike the azt)
There is of course areas of great elevation change and when you leave the Supes you start going down into lower AZ deserts until you cross the NM border. then you enter the amazing Gila Wilderness and slowly work your way to the Continental Divide (Rocky Mtns)
You wont be able to do the whole thing, but from here to Silver City is going to be workable, and offer the best (warmest) weather. Seriously, Im prolly going to do this trail with TahoeMike in '09 - at least the section from the Supes to Safford. Plus Ive wanted to do the Safford Morenci trail anyway.

I think Matt went to Anza Boreggo outside of San Dog

at least the section from the Supes to Safford

If you guys are seriously going to do this, I'd love to tag along for as much as it as I could. I'll check out that website.

pickelltree wrote:i was thinking about the trip you did with liz, matt, it was in cal. and i think you needed a offroad vehical to get out there, where was that? i know that not very descriptive, but i am not sure other than it was in cali.

Yeah, that was Anza Borrego Desert State Park. That would be well worth your time. Lots of awesome canyons, old mines, palm groves, and ghost towns to explore. The park is huge, so you can hike for miles, and you can drive countless 4WD roads. I've only been there that one time, so I'm no expert on the area. I would contact Redroxx44 or Grasshopper. Either one of them could give you all of the info you could ever want on that place. A good book on the park is The Anza-Borrego Desert Region by Lowell and Diana Lindsay. It comes with a separate folded map, which at first glance looks cheesy, but it is actually a really detailed map.
Anza Borrego is pretty close to the Salton Sea. There is some thermal activity near the southeast corner of the sea, kinda like mud pots in Yellowstone. That might be cool too.

Cool about Steve and Keeley. I'm not sure how far away Chatanooga is from me, and I don't really have time to go, since we only have one car right now. I can't leave Liz stranded and go overnight somewhere without taking her with me. She does have some vacation to use up, so maybe I can talk her into going there.

Hoffmaster wrote:I'm not sure how far away Chatanooga is from me,

I mapped it out. It's 580 miles one way. Too bad they're not going to the Red River Gorge in KY; that's a more manageable 322 miles.

Hoffmaster wrote:

Hoffmaster wrote:I'm not sure how far away Chatanooga is from me,

I mapped it out. It's 580 miles one way. Too bad they're not going to the Red River Gorge in KY; that's a more manageable 322 miles.

I am only 370 miles away Matt. Perhaps we should meet up in W VA for some hiking in the new year. I think that would be half way for both of us. I am bored too.

Desertroux wrote:Perhaps we should meet up in W VA for some hiking in the new year.

According to my wife, I have tentative plans to go to Seneca in WV for the New Year. Apparently we are going climbing, but I'm sure it's all contingent on weather cooperation.
I'll send you an email soon; I've got some ideas in WV.


I'm so excited! Tomorrow (Sat) I'm going on a real hike here in Ohio! 12 miles! Supposedly, I'm going to loop past two "caves" and some waterfalls. I'll post pics if they're cool.

i ended up going to joshua tree for 4 days then anza borreda for 3 nights and now i am in san deigo right now and sitll am up in the air about mexico, i am giong to get some beta from some of the local shops around here before i decide

I just got from Anza-Borrego myself and did JTree after Thanksgiving, both nice desert parks with loads of hiking potential. Previous winters I've also hit Death Valley and Mojave National Preserve. Have you thought of going there? There's also much to do around San Diego as well as hiking.

i did end up in mexico, it was geto down there, but i made it out ok. mostly i stayed in town just because i was by myself and don't know spanish. i went to ensenata and saw the blow hole, kinda a tourist trap, but it was free. i stayed at the hostel because it was new years and i was going to the clubs that night and didn't want to drive to a camp spot after.
i did hire a guide one day to go repelling and climbing in a canyon, it was fun and the guide was the instuctor rescue worker for the area. i got out into a 70 meter vertical cliff with water running down it. it was different but worth the time. if you want his info i still have it, he also does kayaking and other things.
after ensenata i traveled across the baja to san felipa, this road (3) was very cool, there is a lot of potential to explore along this road. at san felipa i did some offroading to a camp on the top of a large bluff over the see of cortez, it was a neat place to camp, the stars wraped all the way to the water.
sorry i haven't posted any pic from cali, or mexico i have been having computer issues, soon

sounds awesome

Josh, now I know why Angela writes your blog!

Dude, that sounds like a cool trip.

pe teacher man

pickelltree wrote:pe teacher man

Fair enough!