Sara and I seem to have a knack for gravitating towards hot springs around New Years. The problem is many other people have similar thoughts so we have to be creative with the ones we go for (a little more effort to get to or a little less known). This time around we managed to secure reservations at Guadalupe Canyon, a bonafide palm oasis complete with at least 30 carefully engineered soaking pools in a remote corner of northern Baja. The trip would also provide an opportunity to visit Sara's family in Calexico (where we crossed the border) and my grandparents in San Diego on the way home. More than anything I was excited go somewhere new. Sara was sick to the point of being speechless, but we had reservations to keep. The border crossing was uneventful. We drove out of Mexicali as fast as we could, headed down the new highway westward toward Tijuana. Through a slight pass in the range I could clearly spot the surface rupture for the 2010 El Mayor earthquake, as crisp as if it happened yesterday. We turned off the highway and on to the Camino Salto, the Salt Road. This free-for-all stretch of ruts crossing the length of the Laguna Salada was easily the best road I've driven in Mexico. This natural road was free of rocks and easily allowed speeds over 60 mph. I was pleasantly surprised to make such good time. Turning off this silk road, we then crossed sand, washboarded fan, and then very rocky canyon bottom to approach the hot springs. Before long we were checked in and exploring the oasis. Nice spot!
We reserved the La Cabana campsite which had a primitive hut to sleep in, a shade area perfect for my hammock, a kitchen area complete with sink, and like all other campsites, our own private soaking pool. The pool was well designed to allow temperature to easily be adjusted by draining from the bottom or regulating the hot water input. It got cold at night, but could have been much worse given the time of year.
The next day I went for a solo hike up the canyon. The trail is excellent to the first waterfall, then slightly less excellent to the next. Beyond it was much more adventurous rock hopping and traversing, particularly challenging to keep my feet dry. For the first time in a long time I felt unleashed. It was great to be out hiking at my own pace and in my own style.
The third major falls was particularly beautiful with one of the largest and deepest pools I've ever seen in a desert canyon. What an amazing place in summer I imagined. I rusty bolt at the top indicated like-minded individuals passed before me. I continued on a further distance than I thought I would, overcoming a few overgrown stretches to reach another gorge. Wet feet and delicate climbing would be needed to continue so I decided this a good place to peel out the canyon and head for Cerro Rasco. I scrambled up amazing benches and hanging gardens of succulents and cacti, gaining an ever improving view as cliffs appeared below and around me. I got up to some super fun climbing and less fun cacti avoidance maneuvers. I was making good time and the random cross country route seemed like it would lead me to the summit of Cerro Rasco. But then I stopped for lunch, figured Sara might want some company, and then bombed straight down back to camp.
Night 2 was even more enjoyable now that I had the hot pool fine-tuned to the right temperature. I managed to convince Sara to leave early the next morning, which proved a good idea. A one hour border crossing was vastly better than the three hour one if we had left later. We rounded the trip out with a lunchtime visit to my grandparents before driving for home to unpack and prepare for the start of the new quarter. I'm looking forward to some deeper Baja explorations.
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