Notes on Cerro Pescadores and Pico Risco   2-14-94     Larry Tidball

While in Mexico to lead a climb of these 2 peaks this weekend we noted a number of changes from the information shown in the Peak Guide. This information will be helpful to those planning to climb these peaks. I had been to both peaks before and I was able to get to the right places despite the changes. Someone who is going for the first time may encounter some difficulty unless they note these changes.

Cerro Pescadores: The peak guide instructions call for you to turn-off of Highway 5 onto a dirt road 0.1 miles South of KM post 24. There is a gate on this road and a sign reading "Se vende Arena" Another sign indicates that it is prohibited to go through the gate without permission. A pair of local police officers enforced this prohibition on several of the cars in our group arriving late Friday night. As the trip leader and having happened to be the first car there, the police discussed the situation with us and were very helpful in escorting us to an alternate road.

To avoid the problem of the road you are not supposed to use, continue South on Highway 5 to Just past KM post 25. Turn right here and you will find the dirt road immediately blocked by a large mound of dirt and a fence. Bear right along the dirt mound about 100 feet to a gap in the fence. Twist around past a tree and you will arrive back on the blockaded road. This dirt road is the one shown on the Peak Guide Map. Continue straight on this road passing the left turns shown on the map at 0.25 and 0.4 miles from the highway. Take a right turn on the major NW/SE dirt road about 3/4 mile from the highway and follow it back NW about 0.6 miles to intersect the road heading in from the gate near KM post 24. Turn left here and follow the peak guide to the trailhead. We tried the other NW/SE connector road shown on the Peak Guide Map that starts 1.35 miles from the pavement, but could not make it connect up in the dark. The route described above works OK for standard 2WD vehicles. There is one sandy spot crossing on the NW/SE connector road where one car needed a bit of a push to get through.

Pico Risco: in approaching the Peak and Canyon Guadalupe from the East on Highway 2 the following change has occurred. The highway is being reconstructed into a toll road and a free road. As you approach the start of the toll road, bear left onto the free, "libre" portion of the highway. The right-hand toll portion is separated by a divider as you approach the turn off for Canyon Guadalupe and you cannot get across. Changes in the route of the highway make the turn off 0.5 miles West of KM post 27. Note that the KM posts are located on the far side of the divided road. This Toll road is apparently complete to Rumorosa, and still under construction West of that town to Tecate. Further changes in the directions for both the North and East approaches to the peak may be necessary as the road is completed and the toll booths are installed.

The upper portion of the campground at Canyon de Guadalupe has been devastated by a fire not too long ago. The palm trees are starting to come back, but most of the campground improvements have not been rebuilt. The lower portion of the campground was not effected by the fire, and has been more developed that in the recent past. New campsites and hot tubs have been constructed. The lower camp, "Campo #1" charges $10 per night per car. Reservations can be made by calling Rob Williams at (714) 673-2670.
 
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