Baja Divide - Day 2 • Pio Pico to El Compadre

Baja Divide - Day 2
December 27, 2024
Pio Pico to El Compadre - 45 Miles
Start  7:08 AM
Finish  5:36 PM
Total Duration 10:22
Moving Time 6:57
Stopped Time 3:25
Ascent 6,887’ 
Descent 4,777’
Tour Total  79 Miles

My first night out was tolerable, though cold. I slept in my clothes, cocooned in my sleeping bag. While it never dropped below freezing, the chill made for a restless night. A car rolled down the dirt road late in the evening, and another passed by early in the morning. Dawn didn’t break until around 6:30 AM, accompanied by the distant roar of an interstate and the hum of jets overhead. The coyotes' howls added a wild ambiance, and I even heard a pack circling near my tent at daybreak. Packing up was slow and deliberate.

As the first rays of sunlight bathed the Otay Ranch Reserve, the mountains came alive in spectacular hues. A lone hiker passed by as I prepared to leave. The climb began almost immediately, warming my body as I ascended. The steep terrain often required hike-a-bike, but the scrubland grew greener the higher I climbed, offering an invigorating contrast to the arid surroundings.

By 9 AM, I reached the 3,280-foot summit of Otay Mountain, the second-highest point on my route. There, I caught up with the hiker I’d seen earlier—a Chula Vista local out for a day hike. The sweeping vistas were worth the effort: Otay Lake, San Diego, and even Tijuana stretched out before me. In the distance, the festive rat-tat-tat of holiday fireworks echoed faintly.

Descending the mountain was a welcome reprieve, and I even managed to charge my phone by a single percentage point. The chilly air nipped at me, but I resisted layering up, preferring to savor the cool breeze. I passed a picnic table noted as a possible campsite on my map before entering Sycamore Canyon. The serenity was punctuated by the echo of target shooters and the hum of a border patrol helicopter overhead.

Navigating past a ranch gate required climbing over a boulder to bypass it, after which a dirt road led me to State Route 94. Along the way, I passed a border patrol agent parked in his car, the sky overcast.

At the Mexican border crossing, there was no formal exit from the U.S. On entering Mexico, I filled out immigration forms, paid a small fee, and exchanged currency. My first stop in Tecate was Los Amigos, where I enjoyed two carne asada tacos and a burrito—much-needed fuel for the day ahead.

Tecate, with its population of around 65,000, charmed me with its bustling main square and market streets. I circled the iconic Tecate brewery before heading south. The streets steepened dramatically, and the air was thick with exhaust fumes and the scent of burning garbage. After navigating a pleasant single-track, the route joined Mexico Route 3, leading me south toward Ensenada, briefly skirting vineyards along the way.

A quick stop at an OXXO provided me with a Gatorade, bottled water, and granola bars. From there, the route veered off the highway onto rugged dirt paths. At one point, I had to open a barbed-wire gate to proceed. The terrain was distinctly ranch country, and I soon found myself pursued by a large brown pitbull. It sank its teeth into my rear-left pannier. Startled, I jumped off my bike, grabbed a rock, and hurled it in the dog’s direction. Each attempt to remount was met with another charge, but eventually, I managed to outrun it.

The mountain terrain was breathtaking, though I wouldn’t want to endure it in the sweltering summer months. The trail grew increasingly challenging—rutted and rough, with sharp-angled rocks, loose stones, and thick sand in places. Higher elevations revealed stands of trees, offering brief respites from the relentless climb.

As darkness fell around 5:30 PM, I found a flat spot along the track to set up camp. At 3,000 feet, the cold was palpable—I could see my breath in the air. Exhausted, I pitched my tent and crawled inside, taking a moment to reflect and edit this report before succumbing to sleep.







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