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the Degree Confluence Project
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Mexico : Querétaro de Arteaga

4.1 km (2.5 miles) NNE of Ojo de Agua, Querétaro, Mexico
Approx. altitude: 2421 m (7942 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 21°S 80°E

Accuracy: 4 m (13 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: Viewing north – more trees #3: Viewing west – the creek in the background #4: Viewing south – the hillside #5: Viewing east – the light brown tree #6: GPS: nines or zeroes, which do you prefer? #7: The Conde team at the exact spot #8: Collage: team, hat, Raul, Toliman, David, forest, Adriel, flower, chapel #9: Topo map. Pink line: approximate route of dirt road. Green line: walking route

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  21°N 100°W (visit #2)  

#1: The exact site is in the path at the base of that light brown tree

(visited by Raul Conde, Adriel Conde and David Conde)

English

09-May-2004 -- Por fin llegamos al punto de confluencia N21 W100 en el segundo intento. Partimos de Querétaro por carretera a Tolimán (N20°55’ W99°56’), once y medio kms rectos al suroeste del punto. De ahí la mejor forma de acercarse es por un camino de terracería hacia Casablanca y a Derramadero (esto no aparece en los mapas). El sinuoso recorrido de 20 kms se hace en una hora y se sube más de un kilómetro (de 1565 m sobre el mar hasta los 2637 m). Descubrimos esto en el primer viaje hace una semana (ver).

En el punto del camino más cercano a la confluencia (2.5 kms) hay una capilla (N20°58’52’’ W100°00’45’’). Dejamos el auto ahí y empezamos a andar por la montaña. Tras la capilla hay una propiedad privada. No hay casas ni gente, sólo unas pocas vacas y caballos. Los lugareños nos dijeron que los dueños viven lejos y que el acceso está permitido. Continuamos subiendo hasta los 2780 metros y comenzamos a bajar del otro lado. La zona es boscosa y la vista fantástica. En este recorrido nos tocó lluvia y vimos un venado, unas ardillas, pájaros carpintero y colibríes. Al irnos acercando nos dimos cuenta que el punto está en el extremo del brazo del cerro que habíamos visto en la vez anterior, pero del lado opuesto!

Conforme la lectura del GPS indicaba mayor cercanía lo empinado se incrementaba. Bajamos al punto hasta los 2435 metros. Por fin logramos los ceros y celebramos! Tras las fotos requeridas y descansar un momento emprendimos el pesado regreso a través de la montaña. En total pasamos unas 5 horas caminando. Fuimos los primeros en lograr la única confluencia en nuestro estado. Misión cumplida!!

PD. Gracias a Ernesto Valderrama por prestarnos el GPS y a Alex Conde por pedírselo prestado.

English

At last we arrived to the confluence point N21 W100 in our second try. We departed from Querétaro City by highway to Tolimán (N20°55’ W99°56’), eleven and half straight kms southwest of the point. From there the best way to approach is by a dirt road to Casablanca and Derramadero (this doesn’t appear on maps). The curvy 20 km route takes one hour and goes up more than a kilometer (from 1565 m above sea level to 2637 m). We discovered this in the first trip one week ago (see).

At the nearest point on the road to the confluence (2.5 kms) there is a chapel (N20°58’52’’ W100°00’45’’). We left the car there and started walking by the mountain. Behind the chapel is a private property. There are no houses nor people, just few cows and horses. Nearby people told us the owners live far away and access is granted. We continued hiking until 2780 meters altitude and started descending on the other side. The zone is forested and the view fantastic. On this route we had rain and saw a deer, some squirrels, woodpeckers and hummingbirds. When we were getting closer we noticed the point is at the extreme of the mountain’s arm we saw in our previous attempt, but on the opposite side!

As the GPS reading indicated greater proximity the steepness increased. We descended to a point at 2435 meters. At last we achieved the zeroes and celebrated! After the required photos and a resting moment we started the tough way back by the mountain. In total we spent about 5 hours walking. We were the first ones to reach the only confluence in our state. Mission accomplished!!

PS. Thanks to Ernesto Valderrama for lending us his GPS and to Alex Conde for borrowing it.


 All pictures
#1: The exact site is in the path at the base of that light brown tree
#2: Viewing north – more trees
#3: Viewing west – the creek in the background
#4: Viewing south – the hillside
#5: Viewing east – the light brown tree
#6: GPS: nines or zeroes, which do you prefer?
#7: The Conde team at the exact spot
#8: Collage: team, hat, Raul, Toliman, David, forest, Adriel, flower, chapel
#9: Topo map. Pink line: approximate route of dirt road. Green line: walking route
ALL: All pictures on one page