Baja is a magical place full of beauty around every corner, from the oceans to the vast untouched landscape it has it all. On the flip side, Baja is a place that will bite you where the sun doesn’t shine if you are not careful.

While we were in Baja with Terrible Herbst Motorsports we decided to find out what some of the darker sides of the peninsula hold. We sat down with Jason Montes to see what to watch out for.

Silt

We have all heard of the term, but just how bad is it? “Driving through silt is like driving through talcum powder,” Montes said. “The dust lingers once vehicles go through it and make it even harder for vehicles entering later.”

Booby Traps

It may seem like a term used in a Hollywood film, but this type of thing really does happen. Whatever is done to the course whether it be a hole or a berm it usually never ends well for racers. It is something that they do not expect and results in a crash or worse case someone dying.

Rain Washouts

Rain always seems to come at the most inopportune time. If it happens between prerunning and race day it can create havoc. “The wind will blow all the dirt out and then a creek will form,” Montes said. “It then makes random ditches. When it gets really bad it is like driving into a brick wall.”

Locals

Just because a race is going on does not mean that there will not be traffic. The Baja 1000 may be one of the biggest days for the locals, but it does not keep them off the road. Even if they are not driving on the course the amount of people that line the course can become an issue as well.

Rocks

This one may seem like a given, but they can be more of an issue than you think. “Some teams will spray paint rocks to make them stand out at night with construction paint,” Montes explained. “Rocks can also get dug up out of the silt or by other vehicles on the race course.”

Cows

Prerunning, race day, raining, or snowing animals do not care. They may be one of the only obstacles on this list that are a moving obstacle. “Cows just sit there,” Montes explained. “You can do all the honking and revving you want, but until they want to move you are not going anywhere.”

Race Vehicles

It may not seem like an obstacle as everyone is heading to the same place, but with the high rate of failure, you may see more than you think. Even if they are not broken down if the course gets to a narrow section where passing is not possible you are at the mercy of the vehicle in front of you.

Out of these items which do you think you would hate to come across? Tell us in the comments below!