La Barranca del Cobre, aka Copper Canyon

Copper Canyon is pretty much the only tourist destination in Northern Mexico, outside of Mazatlan. It is comprised of over 20 canyons and is larger than the grand canyon. A 650 km-long railroad by the name of Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacifico (abbreviated CHEPE, and if anyone can think of why please let us know) runs through the canyon, connecting Chihuahua to the Pacific Ocean. (Well, it used to go to all the way to the ocean but now it only gets close.) The railroad is quite an achievement, as it includes 36 bridges and 87 tunnels. It also provides some spectacular views, and is decidedly much more fun than sitting on a cramped bus for 11 straight hours. This is precisely what we did en route from Mexcaltitán to Los Mochis, the railroad´s western terminus.

Pictures from the train:

There are various places to stop in the canyon, which is full of hiking opportunities and glimpses of the indigenous culture of the Tarahumara. We decided to stop first in Ceracahui ("Ser-uh-KA-wee"), about an hour from the Bahuichivo ("Bah-wee-CHI-voh") train stop.

...Tell me about it, the names are tough. When the conductor asked where we were going when we boarded the train, I could only say "empieza con B" ("it starts with a B") Luckily, it is the only stop that begins with a `B´...

Yogi the Bear, looking out at us from our hotel.

In Ceracahui, we couldnt help deciding on a hotel named after a nearby rock formation shaped like Yogi the Bear. It turned out to be a great place, run by an American who does a lot of work fixing up the schools in the surrounding communities and raising money to provide scholarships to local children. When he discovered we were budget travellers and we had skills in both computer-repair and English-Spanish translation, he proposed we work for room and board. We were thrilled. Dave did some computer fixing, and I translated letters from local students into English to send to potential donors. He also took us on a trip into the Urique Canyon, and we stopped at nearly every school along the way where he would ask questions about a new floor he was getting put in for them, or new posters donated.

The cathedral in Ceracahui---Students at a school we visited

Canyon Urique

After a few days, we hopped back on the train for our next destination, Creel. Creel is the most popular destination in the canyon. We stayed at a bustling hostel and heard many different languages. In addition to making a few friends, we went mountain biking through the nearby valleys, which are known for their unique rock formations. We rode through beautiful, nearly untouched country-side with scattered Tarahumara houses. What a wonderful way to spend our last few days before flying to the great big city of Chicago!

Tarahumara women selling produce to people on the train

In a valley near Creel---------Tarahumara dresses hung up to dry