Real de Catorce to Charcas, San Luis Potosi

[walks]

Or Charcas to Real de Catorce. My “Northern Mexico Handbook� reads of a road between these two locations in San Luis Potosi as suitable only for “motorists with sturdy, high-clearance, 4WD vehicles…Gasoline supplies are spotty� in this area.



Although a KLR650 isn’t a 4WD, this sounds like my kind of road. Does anyone know about this area in northern SLP and this road to Charcas?



I’m headed to La Reserva Biosfera El Cielo (between Cd. Victoria and Mante) on or about March 11 and might head west to SLP to dry out after living in the cloud forest and mountains for a few days.

[NAVIGATOR]

Beautifull place El Cielo, you´ll like it a lot.

It seems that from Charcas you get on Hy 63 to Estación Laguna Seca, turn north on the dirt road (along) following the railroad tracks up to Wadley, get on pavement again, to Estación Catorce, turn right on a dirt road to Real de Catorce.

[walks]

Originally Posted by NAVIGATOR

Beautifull place El Cielo, you´ll like it a lot.

It seems that from Charcas you get on Hy 63 to Estación Laguna Seca, turn north on the dirt road (along) following the railroad tracks up to Wadley, get on pavement again, to Estación Catorce, turn right on a dirt road to Real de Catorce.

El Cielo...been there many times by auto (since 1995). This'll be the first time on two wheels. Planning to go over the mountain range and out the other side.

But, as for Charcas, etc. this is all unfamiliar and my Rand McNally map of the entire country doesn't even have Real de Catorce or hwy 63! Guess I need to run down a higher scale map.

Thanks for the info though, at least now I can ask for the right roads and towns.

[CMWoody]

The roads you speak of are freshly paved and you can hit 100MPH in parts. I was there last week. Also look for the Camino Frio running south of La Victoria. Most beautiful road I've ever seen, like a Deals gap but only 8000' high looking down perfect green mountains. Lots of great undiscovered roads in that area. About the gas situation, It is a little spotty, about 50-80 miles between Pemixs. Fill up often and you'll have no problems. Good luck and have fun.

[walks]

Originally Posted by cmwoodys

Also look for the Camino Frio running south of La Victoria. Most beautiful road I've ever seen, like a Deals gap but only 8000' high looking down perfect green mountains.

Gimme a clue...around where should I be looking for La Victoria? Near Charcas?

[Gustavo]

Originally Posted by walks

Gimme a clue...around where should I be looking for La Victoria? Near Charcas?

Draw a straight line from Matehuala to Hwy 54. La Victoria is just below it a little more than half way to Hwy 54.

Gustavo

[CMWoody]

Its actually much more curvy than it looks on this GPS map. I lost my tracklog when I lost power to the unit from a short. sucks.

[hgulledge]

Originally Posted by cmwoodys

The roads you speak of are freshly paved and you can hit 100MPH in parts. I was there last week. Also look for the Camino Frio running south of La Victoria. Most beautiful road I've ever seen, like a Deals gap but only 8000' high looking down perfect green mountains. Lots of great undiscovered roads in that area. About the gas situation, It is a little spotty, about 50-80 miles between Pemixs. Fill up often and you'll have no problems. Good luck and have fun.

Is that the road that goes from La Victoria to Cerritos de Bernal? Camino Frio is paved? And what did you use to generate tha map? I may be going that way in a week or so.

[walks]

Originally Posted by cmwoodys

Its actually much more curvy than it looks on this GPS map. I lost my tracklog when I lost power to the unit from a short. sucks.

Okay, that's the road from Cd. Victoria to Juamave. I know that road, I've driven that in a Jeep. ..Hwy 101. That's about as curvey then as Hwy. 85 that runs along the eastern slope of the Sierra Cucharas to Cd. Mantes.

I'm headed down 85 s. of Cd. Victoria about 50 -60 miles then taking a sharp right (west) up into the Cucharas...up as in from about 900 ft. elevation to 5,000 ft. in about a mile!

Thanks for the GPS map too. I may be trying for one of the remaining lat/long confluences. Since you appear to be a GPS-freak you may be interested in: http://www.confluence.org/

[walks]

Originally Posted by hgulledge

Is that the road that goes from La Victoria to Cerritos de Bernal? Camino Frio is paved? And what did you use to generate tha map? I may be going that way in a week or so.

Going that way, eh? I'm planning to leave San Marcos, Texas on March 11. Ride to the border and camp. Leave early on Sat. 12th for El Cielo Biosphere Reserve. That'll take me through Cd. Victoria (with a stop at the Mezcaleria along the way).

Gimme a holler if you're going that way during the same time. walks@txstate.edu

[CMWoody]

Man, their paving like madmen down there, all part of Sr. Foxes plan to straighten out all the curves in Mexico.... Really, he's on TV and thats his platform. Not feed the poor, or get rid of government corruption, or create opportunity... frickin straighten out the curves man, whats more important? The map I posted was from my Bicamapas basemap of Mexico. While better than Garmin Worldmap, which totally blows in Mexico, its by far not all that complete nor accurate. Walks, make a few waypoints down there if ya think about it. I'd like to see the biosphere preserve on my next trip.

BTW, I'm keeping my GSA in Abosolo Mexico, near Irapuarto, and going back in June. Anybody want to do some exploring around then? I really want to check out Los Posas in Xilita, ride the "Espinoza del Diablo", Chill in Mazetlan, and doo Copper Canyon next time.

[walks]

Originally Posted by cmwoodys

Walks, make a few waypoints down there if ya think about it. I'd like to see the biosphere preserve on my next trip.

Here are some way points in order along the road from Alta Cima to La Gloria:

Hotel El Pino (in Alta Cima) west and above (altitude-wise) of the municiple seat Gomez Farias accessible from hwy. 85. South of Cd. Victoria.
N 23 03.635'
W 099 12.235' 3090 ft

Casa Piedras
N 23 04.029'
W 099 13.518' 4758 ft.

Canindo Station
N 23 03.156'
W 096 13.974' 3156 ft.

San Jose
N 23 02.805'
W 099 13.882' 4372 ft.

La Gloria
N 23 02.819'
W 099. 15.223' 5368 ft.

El Elefante (a rock formation that looks like an elephant)
N 23.02.013'
W 099 16.577' 5300 ft.

This same road apparently comes out in Ocampo, west of Cd. Valles (which is where I'm headed for some cloud forest exploration).

I use the GPS with topo maps not to track routes so much, but to keep track of where the hell I am in these mountains. You know, here a road, there a road, everywhere a frik'n road...now which road was I just on? Have I seen that tree before? It's all jungle-like, sometimes gets clouded in, and often difficult to find your way around with no landmarks, just trees, and more trees. But heh, that's the adventure part, right?

Anyone want to come get lost in the jungle with me and my KLR650?

[CMWoody]

thanks,

I be using thos way points my amigo

[dtop1]

From Estacion Catorce there is a very steep jeep road that goes up to Real de Catorce. When there was still passenger train service in Mexico, 4WD vehicles would meet the trains and take people up to Real de Catorce. It's not used too much now so it might be a little rough but should be doable on a KLR. Dan

[schmidtle]

Hi guys,

I know that this posting goes back a few years, but I'm hoping everyone associated with it is still around and can answer a question for me.

I have a map of Mexico from Mapas Internacionales de Viaje. The map shows a road(s) from La Victoria (via Taque de Dolores) to Real de Catorce. Does anyone know anything about this road. Is it new, or has it been upgraded over the past few years?