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Contractor
Boulder climber
CA
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Thank you for posting. Fred hiked up from the valley floor, through the arroyo if I'm not mistaken.
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Juan Maderita
Trad climber
"OBcean" San Diego, CA
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Safety updates:
There were 2 armed robberies in June 2018 at Laguna Hanson in the Parque Nacional (approx 15 miles south of Trono Blanco/Canyon Tajo.)
https://frontera.info/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Ensenada/22062018/1351056-Alertan-por-robos-en-Sierra-de-Juarez.html
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I received a message on June 26, 2018 of a third robbery. (In addition to the two at the Parque Nacional). The info was minimal. Location was at K38 of the dirt road between Laguna Hanson and and La Rumorosa (38 Km south of La Rumorosa, and approx 14 miles north of Laguna Hanson). If you are familiar with the area, it is a narrow rocky hill which has been improved with the addition a section of concrete surface). (The Rancho El Topo turnoff is at Km35).
A vehicle was stopped by a large rock or rocks placed in the road. A bandido jumped out with a gun. It is not known if this robbery is related to those at Laguna Hanson.
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In a bizarre incident at basecamp this summer 2018, a gringo climber was assaulted and held for hours with a machete to his head. A group of approximately a dozen Mexican city folk were on the short hike from basecamp to the "notch" aka: "mirador", overlooking the south face of Trono Blanco. They split into 3 groups. A teenage girl became separated and lost upon returning to basecamp. Unbeknownst to the group, she walked past basecamp and continued westward. She was lost for several hours (must have an I.Q. of <60 !)
During the time she was lost, the boyfriend and his friends assumed that the solitary gringo at basecamp (who, by the way, does look sketchy in appearance) had abducted the girl. Despite being compliant and offering assistance with his local knowledge, el gringo feared for his life.
Using martial arts skills, he wrestled the machete away and reversed the situation, with the machete now at his assailant's throat. He talked calmly to them in broken Spanish, attempting to assure them that he did not see the girl and that he would help to find her. Believing that the threat was over, he put down the machete. The boyfriend was irrational and agitated. Instead of looking for the girl, he and his friends jumped the gringo and held him captive. His tires were slashed, presumably to prevent the gringo from driving away.
A few hours later the girl returned to basecamp from her misadventure. The group made apologies and some reparation for the tires.
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Juan Maderita
Trad climber
"OBcean" San Diego, CA
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In environmental news:
https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/pumped-storage-lake-battery-planned/
The article locates the proposed pipeline and storage reservoirs in various places: 1. La Rumorosa, 2. 12k south of the border, 3. "10 kilometers north of El Trono Blanco and El Topo, two of the world’s most renowned climbing rocks.” (Funny, because El Topo is the ranch where I spend weekends. There are six single-pitch routes and my 10m outdoor climbing wall.)
"Cañon Cascada" must be a made-up name for the project.
A little sleuthing to match photos to Google Earth shows the proposed site. The upper reservoir is 11 miles from basecamp/Trono Blanco, 13.5 miles from Rancho El Topo, and 12.3 miles south of La Rumorosa.
This is still too close for comfort. The mountain and canyon wilderness is being exploited by corporations. The other threat from the Rumorosa Wind Project remains. To date, there are approx. 40 wind generators near La Rumorosa and Hwy 2. The plans for hundreds more along the granite escarpment have stalled, for now...
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Pete_N
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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News of the robberis is a bummer, but the plans for the pumped storage facility are really bad...
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Dec 25, 2018 - 09:57am PT
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bump for first page exposure
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Jamesthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, California
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Dec 28, 2018 - 06:30pm PT
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Juan Maderita,
I was with Fred Beckey when he first visited El Gran Trono Blanco, I believe in late 1972. We drove to the top and went down the gully. The group included Fred, my brother Greg, Richard Kelty, Doug Ross and one other I don't remember.
We didn't climb anything special, but it sure added to my collection of Fred stories.
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Dec 29, 2018 - 03:28pm PT
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Dec 29, 2018 - 03:28pm PT
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Dec 29, 2018 - 03:29pm PT
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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Dec 29, 2018 - 03:39pm PT
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Juan, the above photos are from a wall south of camp. Rojo Grande ?? it’s around 600 feet tall. Ted Doughty and I went down to do a new route on it in the early 90’s. It followed the roofs and went diagonally up and left. We did two pitches and left fixed ropes to come back the next day. I took a nasty fall climbing out of the Gully that afternoon. I was hanging upside down with my leg pinned under a large boulder. Ted managed to free me and save me from being coyote bait. I’m wondering what type of routes have been done on the wall. The first photo of me is drilling a 1/4” bolt. Canon Tajo is a special place and enjoyed my times there in the 70’s and 80’s. Hope all is good with you, James
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Juan Maderita
Trad climber
"OBcean" San Diego, CA
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Jamesthomsen,
Thanks for that interesting bit of history on one of the very early explorations of Cañón El Tajo/El Gran Trono Blanco. Fred must have made a several trips to the area before I started climbing with him in the mid-70s. He put up a couple routes on the north face and climbed 1 or 2 pitches up the south face (the start to what is now El Paseo Blanco).
Any chance that you have photos from that trip?
F10,
Happy New Year James, cool photos! Thanks for posting up. Will copy for the archives. Did you finish the route the next day, or ever? Yes, "Rojo Grande" (for the red color of the rock) is what Dan Curley and I named the steep formation after an exploratory hike in the 1970s. Vaguely recall someone attempting a route there, but nothing in my notes.
Just saw Ted & Cinda D. two weeks ago when Dan C. hosted a holiday gathering. Several of the old Tajo gang were there: Tom & Anne S., Jim E., Adrian A., Chuck Berry & Judy.
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F10
Trad climber
Bishop
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John, we never got back down there. I'll see if I can dig up anymore photos. Dan's get together sounds like a good time with some old friends.
Happy New Year to you too !
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Jamesthomsen
Social climber
Mammoth Lakes, California
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Juan,
I will look for photos. I probably have some others from about that time on other trips with Fred to the area. I know my brother went with Fred a few times after that first trip (and it could have been 1971..) Mostly I remember Greg's stories about Fred and staying in La Rumorosa. I will also ask Rich Kelty if he has any from that first trip.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Living in Seattle in mid-70’s I saw a Sierra Club type coffee table book about Baja and was
enchanted. Wish I could find that book. Sadly I’ve never been. Actually had my maps,
my plane gassed, and we were literally about to climb in to go there when the wife discovered
that her passport had expired! I tried to tell her that she only needed her driver’s license,
which I think was still true in early 90’s. I tried pointing out that her DL wrapped in a $20 would certainly suffice but she wasn’t buying it. 😫
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Juan Maderita
Trad climber
"OBcean" San Diego, CA
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May 30, 2019 - 01:49am PT
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Last bump before this thread becomes a "read only" archive and the photos disappear tomorrow.
Questions on El Gran Trono Blanco and Canyon Tajo may be sent to: ClimbBaja [at] aol {dot} com
Contributions of trip reports, topos, and photos for the historical archives are welcome.
¡Adiós mis amigos!
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