1000 WORDS » walking

sinforosa

anna — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 01:36:45 +0000

We set out from Guachochi towards Sinforosa Canyon on foot and cover the 20 odd kilometres in a few hours with the help of a couple of lifts from locals in the back of pickup trucks.

We arrive at the canyon lookout late in the afternoon and check out the scene.

The lookout affords a good view of the trail we will follow to the bottom of the canyon.

We hike down to a suspension bridge that marks the end of vehicle roads and camp for the night in a structure that was clearly built with a bigger tourist population in mind than is evident. We see no-one.

In the morning we set off, in earnest.

Missing planks make the suspension bridge slightly disconcerting.

Jason tackles it rather nervously ...

...followed by Jeff.

Our walk starts out in pine forest - over half the world's pine species are found in the Copper Canyon area.

But soon we start to descend into a magic realm of rivers, waterfalls, cactus and succulents.

Clear, cold water runs over smooth rock...

...collecting in freezing cold pools.

We head along an exposed walking trail that forms part of the route of an annual 100 kilometre marathon run.

I'd prefer to take it at a more sedate pace, myself. (Photo: Jeff Volk)

Plants cling to sheer rock walls...

...or squeeze themselves into the smallest of gaps...

A venerable fig tree wrapping itself lovingly around a boulder.

Days are short in the canyon but it is far warmer here than up above. Snow is predicted to fall in Guachochi over the next few days and clouds whizz by overhead.

We set up camp while we are still descending a side canyon.

We bed down, without the benefit of a tent, with the local wildlife.

I wake with nothing much but the sky above me...

...surrounded by towering rock walls.

Breakfast over the embers of last night's campfire...

...while the sewing project continues.

Once we get underway and continue walking more...

...and more intriguing vegetation appears...

...along with the odd sleepy cow.

The stream offers the unexpected gift of fresh water cress...

...which we harvest enthusiastically...

...before continuing through the tangled cactus.

Cactus and tree, intertwined.

We finally reach the main canyon...

...where we meet a group of four locals, fishing.

They are the first people we have seen in a couple of days.

We walk down river, crossing the tributary stream we have been following. The stream crossing results in a bit of impromptu bridge building...

...and as dusk falls and storm clouds gather, we ford the main river to reach a beach with some sheltering rocks on the other side where we set up camp.

The campfire...

...attracts some strange visitors.

Another day starts slowly...

...which we use to explore up river. (Photo: Jeff Volk)

We harvest some prickly pears to supplement our food supply with yet more wildfood.

The terrain is quite rough and contains various hazards...

... I end up in the water four times; twice by choice - and twice by accident. The water is icy and it's a cool day so by the time I return to camp at dark, in wet clothes, I am frozen to the bone. (Photo: Jeff Volk)

We start another day relaxing in the sun at our beach camp...

...before setting off down river to find our way back out of the canyon. We pass the ruins of homesteads...

...and even more terrifying suspension bridges - which thankfully we don't have to cross...

...before we finally, and somewhat reluctantly, climb back out of the canyon and back to the lookout at the top. (Photo: Jeff Volk)

return to urique

anna — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:07:01 +0000

We leave Batopilas in the afternoon on New Year's Day with the band still playing and drunks strewn about on the pavement. Even here we can hear the tuba beat.

This time we stay high on the mountain ridges for several days where the nights are cold.

On the third evening we come across a hidden valley, hanging in the mountains below our camp site.

We follow a rocky trail which has existed, no doubt, for hundreds of years.

On top of a ridge, the road that we will leave Urique on with the bikes suddenly appears before us. That's one hard ascent we have in store for us!

The trail leads over rocky slabs on top of the world...

...worn down by countless footsteps...

... before descending on the other side where the trail suddenly becomes more exposed. No place for a careless footstep here...

... but Jeff drops his camera and has to find a way to negotiate the terrain to rescue it. A tricky maneuver in Crocs, his footwear of choice.

The camera rescue is quickly followed by a difficult section where the path has been obliterated by a landslide. It is far worse than it looks in this photo, with a precipitous drop below...

... but the going gets easier and we stop for lunch among the oak trees on the mountain tops.

We pass all but abandoned farms high up in remote valleys...

...and, as we descend, other plots with well tended green cash crops. The drug trade is the basis of the local economy.

Finally we reach the bottom, where we cross a rickety suspension bridge over Urique River and walk back along the bottom of the canyon to return to Keith's magic garden.

going for a walk

anna — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:42:06 +0000

Jeff and I decide to walk from Urique to Batopilas for New Year’s Eve. This means walking out of the deepest canyon in North America over the mountain tops and down into the second deepest canyon in North America on a network of unmarked footpaths that have been used by local people for hundreds of years. We don’t have a map and information is pretty hard to come by.

We tell Keith of our plans but it isn’t until we are packed and about to leave that he informs me that he actually possesses a topographical map of the area. Keith is reluctant to hand over his map but he does allow us to photograph it. He also casually recommends we avoid the route where a local bandit has robbed a number of travellers in recent months.

When Keith realised that we were serious about walking from Urique to Batopilas he let slip that he did actually have a map that might help us.

Armed with our photo map, a few place names and loads of fresh food from the garden, we set off, as the sun is setting, into a rainy, but warmish, evening. We walk about seven kilometres on the road down the river before setting up camp.

The morning brings better weather, as the clouds slowly lift up out of the canyon.

Misty mountains - Urique Canyon.

Flowering trees line the road.

Setting off along the road in the morning. Photo: Jeff Volk.

Soon the road ends and we have to choose our way from the network of footpaths available. Our way takes us further along the river before climbing over the mountain tops.

Jeff questioning Alberto - one of the people we meet en route - about the correct way to proceed.

The first day we don't get far - we are reluctant to leave the river behind us.

The water is cold - but irresistible. Photo: Jeff Volk.

Jeff taking the plunge.

We camp by the river for a second night.

Dawn on the river.

Clouds lifting at dawn.

Cactii and sunshine - a different world from the mountain tops.

I love cactii.

Eventually we start to climb and leave the river below.

Finally we leave the river below start to climb... Photo: Jeff Volk.

...through cactus forests.

Higher and higher.

The third night sees us camping in a cave on the mountain tops.

Sunset from the cave...

...and dawn.

More cave views. Photo: Jeff Volk.

Camp in the cave. Jeff reading in the morning.

We wake in the morning and start the descent into the Batopilas canyon on New Year’s Eve.

A man carrying a sack heading up the mountain we have just started to descend.