Big Bend in National Geographic Coming in Feb!

[RichardM]

For the El Pico in the Maderas el Carmen, EarthTools.org says 8641.7 feet (2634 meters).

Here's where it shows both locations:

[okiehiker]

That small summit (just under 7,000') in the Sierra del Carmen is a defining landmark of the BIBE landscape.  In all of the early literature it was referred to as "Pico Cerda"  Ross Maxwell and those whose surveyed the park's original boundaries called it "Shot Tower" as it was unquestionably identifiable from such a large area and quite useful for triangulation.  

Interestingly, USGS maps stop at the border.  Mexican maps include the US side.  On the Mexican government maps I got in the 1970's the area south of the Sierra del Carmen was referred to as the Sierra de la Fronteriza.  The Chisos were the Sierra de los Chizos.  

the only maps that were available in those days were a 1:250,000 scale and 50 meter contour interval.  The area that drains the Mexican side of the del Carmens to the east was shown as "Canon el Diablo" an area I have always wanted to explore.  The high point in the Fronteriza appeared to be almost exactly 9,000'.  

As far as the Google Earth topographic interface, there are many places where it is off by hundreds of feet.  

Truth be told, the area from BBRSP to the Corazones to Black Gap Wildlife Management Area on the US side, to the del Carmens, Fronteriza, Sierra San Vciente, Sierra de los Pinos, Canons de Santa Elena and Sierra Rica, would make a virtually uninterrupted 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 wilderness area.  

It is truly one of the great unspoiled regions remaining on earth.

[Al]

Given the choice between "7" and "8" it is "8".  It's not 20 or so miles from el Pico to RGV.  It's about 5 miles from Terminal to Boquillas and I've hiked from by El Pico almost to Terminal while exhausted from having hiked from the back of the del Carmens the day before.  

My knees took a week or two to recover.

Al

[RichardM]

EarthTools says it's 7.4 miles to Boquillas.

[Al]

EarthTools says it's 7.4 miles to Boquillas.

If one travels as a Raven, perhaps?  What does Earthtools say the elevation change between el Pico and Boquillas is?  Many many feet - I'm quessing 3,500 feet plus.

Al

[jimbob]

Pico is 7,000 feet MSL.  The river at RGV is about  1,800.  The difference is roughly one mile 5,200 feet.

[Al]

Pico is 7,000 feet MSL.  The river at RGV is about  1,800.  The difference is roughly one mile 5,200 feet.

 Sounds like the Grand Canyon.  No wonder my knees were killing me!

Al

[homerboy2u]

Okeihiker wrote:

The area that drains the Mexican side of the del Carmens to the east was shown as "Canon el Diablo" an area I have always wanted to explore

  Believe me Okei.....Cañon del Diablo, where the Del Carmen´s drain is spectacular. Hope you can one day see it for yourself.

  RichardM, if you take the last coordinates I posted, and very carefully you move your cursor left and right from Maderas El Pico; you will see the the elevation changes until reaches a maximum height of 2,706 Meters.

  I hadn´t noticed what Okeihiker had mentioned that Google earth could be off by many feets, sometimes, and I have to agree it does apply here. There are many books & maps that state Maderas El Pico is at an elevation of 2,720 meters above sea level.

[RichardM]

EarthTools says it's 7.4 miles to Boquillas.

If one travels as a Raven, perhaps?  What does Earthtools say the elevation change between el Pico and Boquillas is?  Many many feet - I'm quessing 3,500 feet plus.

EarthTools is just calculating the distance using the coordinates, with no accounting for trails, contours, etc.  It lists the altitude for the Shot Tower as 2067 meters (6781.5 feet) and for Boquillas, 568 meters (1863.5 feet).  That's a little under 5000 feet elevation gain.

[SHANEA]

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature2/index.html

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature2/gallery1.html

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature2/assignment1.html

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature2/learn.html

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature2/map.html

HIGH RES MAP (high bandwidth alert)  [NOTE:  you can save the map to your hard drive for future reference]
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature2/images/mp_download.2.pdf

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/fieldnotes2.html

and if you want to see something really really neat on the human heart @ National Geographic, check out this...  One day we'll all probably have one of these...  (be sure to check out "in the or"....
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/sights_n_sounds/index.html

[SA Bill]

Kinda cool that you can purchase prints of the pics taken by the NG photogs. Reasonable prices IMHO. I like the cover photo.

That piece on the heart is interesting...espec ially the time lapse sequence of the 5 hour operation.
   Bill

[SHANEA]

That piece on the heart is interesting...espec ially the time lapse sequence of the 5 hour operation.
   Bill[/color]

Ya know, we might want to put a disclaimer on that too - as it's not for the squeemish - for those with curosisity, it's pics of an open heart surgery taken from the ceiling of the operating room from where they crack the chest, pull out the heart, put in an artificial heart, and then sew em up.

I've been following artificial hearts for a number of years, so I'll continue this off topic as I have a question...

[Picacho]

Okiehiker,

Have you climbed El Pico in the Sierra del Carmens?

[homerboy2u]

I don´t know Picacho, if Okei...has hiked El Pico in Sierra del Carmen. Let´s see what he says, but I know Al has definetly have.

  I know, i would definetly never will, but i can take you to the guides that can take you over to the base of El Pico, and climb your living daylights out of it: No problem :!: .

 Shane, I copied all of Jack´s W. Dykinga´s pics...as well as the map. I should have posted the links, thank you for doing it.

  I read his On Assignment : Big Bend..Best, Worst & Quickiest Colum, they are all interesting . But I relate to the " worst " colum since it happenend the same thing to me when I stayed on top of the Del Carmen´s...man :!: . Absolutely the worst wind camping ever, at least 80 KPH winds. I have never heard the wind howl that strong....but it was just awsome :!:

  Who wants to go back with me :?:

[homerboy2u]

I have more Maderas El Carmen links...this is one from the
Papalotzin Flight of The Monarchs Project. Oh, your going to love the way these folks " suffer " on top of  El Carmen´s....not the Del Carmen´s. Don´t get confused with one and the other.

  I love the Guest house,red wine & steak dinners, nice porch..looks chilly, though and the beautiful panorama shots from the air.

 Casa Grande, ready to go and do your thing over there :?: