Day 4 Sierra la Laguna

Start | San Dionisio

Distance | 17 kilometers | 10.6 miles | steep climb

Elevation Gain | 1600 meters | 5250+ feet

End | Sierra La Laguna Camp

The Sierra de la Laguna is one of the most beautiful and least-explored areas of the peninsula. UNESCO designated the 11,600 hectares of this mountain range a biosphere reserve in 1994. There are more than 900 plant species in the sierra, ranging from cacti to palms, and over 20 percent are endemic to the peninsula. As a microclimate, the Sierra de la Laguna receives far more rainfall than any other part of the peninsula, providing a drastic change in scenery from the desert below. The highest peak in the range, Picacho de la Laguna (elev. 2,161 m), is also the highest peak in all of Baja California Sur.

This stage continues on a single track that goes 17 km to our camp on the evergreen pine forest in the heart of the Sierra. This is the main part of the event – the Sierra Traverse – and probably the most challenging day, with an elevation gain of more than 1500 meters and with no access to support vehicles. This single track trail through the rugged, isolated and pristine Biosphere Reserve, from Sonoran desert to evergreen forest of oak and pine is unique challenge full of beauty and intensity.