Otay Mountain Wilderness Access

[spazegun2213 36]

Otay is probably my closest location for anything fun offroad. Easy gravel roads, with some cool intermediate stuff in and around it. Anytime I get a bike, or a friend is in town this is where I go.

That said, over the years more and more gates have closed like Pio Pico (as covered in this thread) as well as the gate on Alta Road in Otay Mesa. Occasionally they are open, but there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. CBP has been cool and let me through the Alta Rd gate more times than I can count, but the last few times I've been... its locked. 

These two, plus the point on marron valley road (by the gun club) are the only access I know of.

So what am I missing?

 

[shutterrev 511]

A lot of times rangers will close white gates in the week leading up to and the week following heavy rainfall, in an effort to help cut down on 4x4's going mudding and tearing everything up. We have just had a period of heavy rainfall, the gates will likely open as soon as the rangers deem either of the above cases to no longer be true. 

Edited January 18, 2023 by shutterrev

[Bubbagums 42]

Entry on Alta road is getting more difficult.  Someone keeps putting up fences and barriers making stealth entry challenging.

[350thumper 336]

 Sorry about the closures.....I'm sure they are only doing it for our protection.  

 

https://youtu.be/no42Jy3tUZQ

 

 

 

[crfxer 87]

There’s access at the Pink Gate 

[spazegun2213 36]

12 hours ago, Bubbagums said:

Entry on Alta road is getting more difficult.  Someone keeps putting up fences and barriers making stealth entry challenging.

Yes it is! and I "feel bad" every time I go from a public road, to that public trail via some side path that is clearly made by people like me just trying to get access. This last time it was pretty sketch which lead me to post.

11 hours ago, crfxer said:

There’s access at the Pink Gate 

There is a pink gate? 

[tntmo 927]

32 minutes ago, spazegun2213 said:

There is a pink gate? 

"Pink Gate" is off Hwy 94 between the Border Patrol checkpoint and Dulzura.  It used to be open majority of the time, got closed/locked several years ago "temporarily" due to rain or a fire.....can't recall which but it never really reopened after that.  It was reworked with a walk through that was wide enough for a motorcycle to go through, one of my BP contacts who is into dual sport riding said he had input on that design. 

[spazegun2213 36]

1 hour ago, tntmo said:

"Pink Gate" is off Hwy 94 between the Border Patrol checkpoint and Dulzura.  It used to be open majority of the time, got closed/locked several years ago "temporarily" due to rain or a fire.....can't recall which but it never really reopened after that.  It was reworked with a walk through that was wide enough for a motorcycle to go through, one of my BP contacts who is into dual sport riding said he had input on that design. 

You know, I've passed by that get a million times and never noticed it! That is awesome and thanks for the info!

[crfxer 87]

This is what it looked like about 1/4 mile in from the Pink Gate back in April 2020.

Lot of fun, except for getting roosted(my bad, I should of known)

With the recent rains should be similar now

 

Edited January 18, 2023 by crfxer

[350thumper 336]

Nice pics, 

         So it got closed and locked,  then never reopened after that.  Then they put a "walk through" for pedestrian access at the Pink Gate next to the BP checkpoint off the 94HWY,  and now we're supposed to ride our DUALSPORT bikes thru there? ...... 

What level is the terrain on the other side of the Pink Gate?

 

 

 

 

[tntmo 927]

19 minutes ago, 350thumper said:

 

What level is the terrain on the other side of the Pink Gate?

 

Some of it is level, most of it’s hills though.  
 

Bad joke.  Lots of fire roads, just less maintained than Otay Truck Trail.  I think I will put together a group ride out there next weekend since it sounds like a few people have not been there.

[350thumper 336]

2 hours ago, tntmo said:

 Lots of fire roads less maintained.  I think I will put together a group ride out there next weekend 

 

Do you think my slow old XR650L honda would survive it?   

If so, expect me to display noob level skill set.

 

[crfxer 87]

3 hours ago, 350thumper said:

Nice pics, 

         So it got closed and locked,  then never reopened after that.  Then they put a "walk through" for pedestrian access at the Pink Gate next to the BP checkpoint off the 94HWY,  and now we're supposed to ride our DUALSPORT bikes thru there? ...... 

What level is the terrain on the other side of the Pink Gate?

 

 

 

 

There's some good stuff back in there you'd like, if you can find it.

Edited January 20, 2023 by crfxer

[350thumper 336]

Are these pics of the area Tom's gonna lead us too ?

Awesome thanks for putting it on next weekend, Tom.

 

 

 

 

[tntmo 927]

I probably won’t get into the tough stuff too much, the 690 is a handful and I am just an intermediate rider.  

[Zubb 1119]

11 hours ago, 350thumper said:

 

Do you think my slow old XR650L honda would survive it?   

If so, expect me to display noob level skill set.

 

Of course it will. There’s plenty of dirt to cruise around on up there. 

[350thumper 336]

Oh man this is awesome I love cruisin around on dirt

[numpty 35]

Is this ride for the 28th? Depending on son's soccer schedule and my front brake condition I might like to tag along...noob level. Can I hitch carry my bike out to where the access point is and leave a car?

I've ridden from pio pico to the top a couple of times but haven't seen what else is out there.

edit: Just saw the invite for the 29th.

edit #2: Found it on unread content, came back to edit this and now I can't even find the invite.

Edited January 20, 2023 by numpty

[350thumper 336]

I think there a couple rides happenin over on the Callender. One looks like it's slow and hard for this week near Jacumba, and one looks slow and easy for next week over by Otay.

[Goofy Footer 548]

On 1/20/2023 at 9:19 AM, 350thumper said:

Oh man this is awesome I love cruisin around on dirt

When did you hit the Intaglios? This is on the CABDR.

What was your route from Ocotillo to Blythe?  Have to get around the big ol Salton Sea and Chocolate Mtn military area