TalkBaja.com » Baja Mexico Forums » Baja Photo Uploads / Trip Reports

Where I left off in Part 1 was near the end of the 4 mile hike down Arroyo El Volcan... As we looked high up the cliffs to the location of the corral in elbeau's satellite images we could not see directly the level or semi-level area. It was out-of-sight, and some of us wished to find a way up there for a closer look... Now, if we only had a helicopter, like Erle Stanley Gardner did 40 some years ago!

bajalou had all the sites GPSed on his hand-held and I had the primary Santa Isabel site on mine... That was my goal: to get right to the spot that elbeau saw 'man-made' structures like arches, stairways, fountains, etc. If that was there, then we would look for the others places later.

On the Google Earth image, the site is just off the main arroyo, along a side gully...







Both images are looking southwest, up the side gully...

GPS of the site marked by the white ballon: GPS is 30º01.42', -114º46.29' (WGS84). Elevation is 1,701'

Here are the views as we near the final big S bend in the arroyo, see the corral area, and see the entrance to the LOST MISSION side gully (maybe call it Arroyo Santa Isabel?):









Interesting trench erosion up and over the ridge... Santa Isabel is on the other side!














That is the 'corral' area up above the cliff.


Ahead, on the left... are the formations marking the entrance to Santa Isabel arroyo!


Close up view of the rock face on the north side of the Santa Isabel arroyo, where it meets Arroyo El Volcan.

Okay, the next set of my photos I will share will be of the Santa Isabel site, and all around... :light:

We turn towards Santa Isabel and begin the final few feet of the 4 mile hike!




(Vern Pic)




A dry waterfall is the only way into Arroyo Santa Isabel (Vern Pic)

Vern, José, DT, Phil and I make the climb.. and soon we see the site!




Vern photos me closing in on the site.


My GPS on 'ground zero' at the site!

I will show you the LOST MISSION OF SANTA ISABEL (according to elbeau)!

Close up from Google Earth, north at top:



Rotate and angle for 3-D effect, looking southeast:





This is what elbeau sees in the Google Earth image:



HERE is what we saw:


Close up

Now, from across the small arroyo and up the other slope:




Arroyo El Volcan is in the background



Zoom in:



THAT'S IT! (well, that's all we have agreed to show you... you should have joined us!)

Seriously, there is MUCH MUCH more to this trip...

El Vergel and BAJACAT continued up Arroyo Santa Isabel some distance, as did dtbushpilot and XRPhlang (while I was climbing the north slope for the above photos)... BAJACAT gave something to the mountain (I will let him share that with you). We all got bloodied on the brush or rocks.

BAJACAT and El Vergel continued further down Arroyo El Volcan and found bigger pools of water (photos coming).

The hike back to our camp seemed much longer, as the temperatures were higher and water was running out...

That afternoon, after a good rest, we drove up to La Olvidada mine and also the small onyx mine at El Volcan.

The next day (Sunday) we explored the El Volcan geyser and surroundings... so STAY TUNED, plenty more high adventure and photos coming!!!

Well, it was time to head back... so-I-thought!





Vern and I were the last out of Arroyo Santa Isabel, and climbed down the waterfall into Arroyo El Volcan.



Vern and José needed more adventure... so they headed further down the big arroyo (see El Vergel's thread with photos of what they saw!: BajaNomad Forums - "Peace, Love & Fish Tacos" )



A look towards the corral area, up there.

I head back towds camp with dtbushpilot and XRPhlang... we soon find the three others who scouted the corral area (bajalou, TW and Bill).

It was 4 miles from Santa Isabel back to our camp, I walked with David and Phil for about a half mile after we left the three Corral explorers (TW, Bill, Lou)... and decided to wait and see if any of the 5 were going to get a move on...

Tired of waiting, I decided to march on solo... About a kilometer from camp, I took a break in the shade of a cliff and after maybe 15 minutes, here comes El Vergel... We finish the trip back together.

Here are some photos of Arroyo El Volcan on the return:













This was mile 2 from camp marker (I did one at the other mile points, but this was the highest).











Stay Tuned for PART 3: La Olvidada Mine and a view of the Cortez, far below ... the the El Volcan Cold Water Geyser! HERE: LOST MISSION EXPEDITION 2011 (PART 3) - TalkBaja.com

Really interesting - love the photos of the rocks and topography...

Wow, good stuff David! When did you do this trip?

Originally Posted by Bob H

Wow, good stuff David! When did you do this trip?

3 weeks ago... (April 29-May 1) it was well discussed on Nomad... and there were 8 of us (7 Nomads and 1 brother: bajalou, BAJACAT, dtbushpilot, XRPHLang, El Vergel, David K, TW and brother Bill). Nomads Brian McKenzie and Wilderone were close to going, as well. See the multi page thread from 'elbeau' on finding Santa Isabel.