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the Degree Confluence Project
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Honduras

7.7 km (4.8 miles) SE of Gualaco, Olancho, Honduras
Approx. altitude: 847 m (2778 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 15°S 94°E

Quality: good

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

#2: North #3: East #4: South #5: West #6: GPS proof #7: Narrow bridge in Jicalapa #8: Last house in Laguna on the way to the confluence

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  15°N 86°W  

#1: Confluence almost on top of the hill

(visited by Arnulf Blecken)

15-Oct-2005 -- When I started in Tegucigalpa, it seemed to be a sunny day, heading north-east to Juticalpa in Olancho, it became cloudy and first showers were pouring down. But in front of me it seemed to be a clear sky again.

11 km after Juticalpa, in the settlement of Telica, I turned off the main road to the left following a good gravel road through the mountains to San Esteban, passed through San Francisco de la Paz to Gualaco. Several rain spells soaked the street, making it slippery and dirty. My GPS indicated the confluence 8 km to the right, so I took the dirt road just before I reached Gualaco, the way became wet and muddy, I had to use the low 4x4 gear and passed through Laguna, few houses, donkeys, pigs and cattle on the roadside, some farmers sitting under a veranda and having a beer glanced at me, I vowed my hand and drove on.

My GPS led my straight to a way into the forest, almost imposible to pass, with lots of water, logs blocking the road; I removed them and got further. A way turned off to the right, I was still 2 km away from the confluence. I tried this one until in an opening I was only 800 m away from the confluence. I parked my car took my camera and GPS and started walking; 800 m should be 15 minutes, no more.

I crossed through pine forest with long wet grass, started descending a steep hill, crossed a stream, fought my way through dense jungle climbed up another hill, cut my hands in a hidden barbed wire fence, my shirt was soaked by sweat, my trousers by water from the wet grass, it started raining again. I followed cattle tracks, crossed another two barbed wire fences, a small track which lead to nowhere, and found the confluence on a steep hill side.

I needed an hour for these 800 m, I took the photographs, light was fading, I had to go back, took a path a little easier, waded through the stream and headed to my car, using the track log of the GPS. At sunset I reached the gravel road back to Telica and arrived in Tegucigalpa at 9 pm.

23-Oct-2005 -- Well, the Photographs of the 1st visit are not what I expect to publish, but I didn’t know if I could visit the confluence another time, so I uploaded them to the system.

By chance I had to go from Trujillo to Juticalpa, passing near the confluence. So I took the necessary 1 hour to visit the confluence again, if one knows where to go to it is much easier then the first time. I avoided the dirt road in terrible condition, instead I went off the main road in the centre of Gualaco, turned behind the Plaza to the left and followed the way to Jicalapa, crossing a river on a really narrow bridge, went straight following the recently installed power line (it hasn’t been there last weekend) to Lagunas, entered the forest, stuck my car in a mud pool, could free it without help using all my 4x4 experience.

Following the road I crossed a river by car, probably the one that gave me so much trouble last time. I had to pass 2 more small streams and about 500 m after the 2nd one I turned to the right (the only possibility) and parked the car when my GPS told me, I have to go only 300 m more (and the way became impassable by car).

It turned out I was on the way I described in the last weekend's report as “a small track which leads to nowhere”. I followed it, climbed over a barbed wire fence, went up the hill to the confluence and took the necessary photos (hopefully in better quality this time). Returning was easy, I went the way back to Gualaco, avoiding the mud pool, and then followed the gravel road to Telica, reached the main road to Tegucigalpa and arrived there about 4 o’clock in the afternoon.


 All pictures
#1: Confluence almost on top of the hill
#2: North
#3: East
#4: South
#5: West
#6: GPS proof
#7: Narrow bridge in Jicalapa
#8: Last house in Laguna on the way to the confluence
ALL: All pictures on one page