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Arrival in
Los Mochis airport on delta. $354.00 round trip..not bad!
Baggage claim..not very sophisticated.
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Los
Mochis airport
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It's a 15 minute ride into
downtown Los Mochis Mexico. Mochis is due east of Cabo San Lucas on the
Mexican mainland.
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Passing through the flat desert as you leave the Los Mochis airport in a
cab.
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Hotel Santa Anita in Los Mochis...nice!
I always stay at
Hotel Santa Anita because of it's level of service, security and they
have live music every night until 3AM in the lobby bar.
(Click here to view Hotel Santa Anta web site)
(normally around $80.oo a night)
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The train arrives, it's big and loud!
(Click here to see a 10 second video of the train arriving)
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The Chihuahua Pacific Railroad...."The Chepe Line"
One of the most impressive engineering
feats ever accomplished in Mexico. The Chihuahua-Pacific Railroad. It
was inaugurated on November 24, 1961, with the aim of promoting the
development of the Sierra Tarahumara and providing Chihuahua with a
route to the sea thorough the state of Sinaloa.
The route begins in Ojinaga, passes through the city of Chihuahua,
crosses the Sierra Tarahumara, and descends [westward] to the
Sinaloa coast, via Los Mochis, winding up in Topolobampo. The total
length is 941 Kilometers,
and there are 410 bridges
in all. The longest bridge spans the Fuerte River (500 meters), and the
highest one arches across the Chinipas River (90 meters). The rail line
passes through 99 tunnels,
with a total length of 21.2 kilometers; the
longest tunnel is 1.81 kilometers, is
located at the border between the states of Chihuahua and Sinaloa. At
its maximum height, the train reaches an elevation of 2,450 meters above
sea level.
The railroad crosses one of the sheerest regions of the mountain range
and runs through the entire Septentrion Canyon, as well as certain
portions of Urique Canyon.
Construction of this line began in 1898, and tracks were laid in Creel
in 1907.
Work on the railroad was interrupted
by the Mexican Revolution, but was reinitiated in the 1950's and finally
finished in 1961.
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When you first board the train, you have an assigned seat. If your
smart, the second the train leaves the station...head to the bar car and
claim a booth for the day...make friends with the bartender!
(Click here to see a 10 second video of the train pulling out in the
morning)
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The land you see coming out of Los Mochis is flat farmland. This allows
you to see the sunrise and at first your not impressed with the
scenery...for three hours your not impressed, then...the good stuff when
you start climbing into the canyon.
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The first time I took the train in 2000, I had no idea what to expect after
being told it was fabulous. The first three hours had me totally
disappointed....but...I just did not understand where I was going. As
you see here...it's just small and typically poor villages.
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As soon as you see the mountains in the distance you know the landscape
is about to change. Then the ground falls out beneath you and you cross
a bridge about 100 feet above the Fuerte river and then the train ride
gets good! In
comparison, the Grand Canyon in Arizona has a depth of 4674 ft. It is
approximately 1/4 the size of the total Copper Canyon area. The Copper
Canyon system is in the middle of the legendary Sierra Madre Mountains
of northwestern Chihuahua.
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"Copper Canyon" is
generally used to define the total canyon system which covers 25,000
square miles. One of the 6 canyons is actually called the Copper Canyon
where the Tejaban copper mine gives the canyon it's name.
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6 Canyons in the Copper
Canyon system and their depth. Remember the Grand Canyon is 4674
deep...
Urique Canyon..........6136 ft
deep
Sinforosa canyon......5904 ft
deep
Copper Canyon.........5770 ft
deep
Tararecua.................4674
ft deep
Batopolis Canyon......5904 ft
deep
Oteros canyon..........3225 ft
deep
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A photo does not pay respect to the size of these cliffs. They are so
large that they make the full grown trees appear as bushes...these
cliffs are magnificent and massive!
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Let me introduce to you, the reclusive ancient and timid nation of
Tarahumara Indians.
Tarahumara Indians are
reclusive, small, shy Indians famous for their long-distance running
ability. Some 50,000 "Raramuri" (people of the swift running feet)
live in caves and other primitive dwellings, much as their
ancestors have for the last 400 years.
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One of my favorite photos of Tarahumara Indian girls in a small town
called Creel in the mountains.
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There is an old man and his family who live here in this house. The
Tarahumara are well known for living in cliffs or building a house over
a cave entrance. The old man can be seen below in other photos.
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As you ride the train you pass small villages up in the mountains. What
may look like old discarded train cars rusting on the tracks are
actually homes where many Indian families live in basic poverty.
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As you continue, you will pass
through many tunnels carved through solid rock. Some tunnels can take up
to 5 minutes to pass through at around 60 miles per hour. at that speed,
that is a long tunnel!
These tunnels were carved out way
before cordless construction equipment and modern tunnel grinders. Sheer
bruit force and dynamite!
(Click
here to see a longer video that allows you to experience the train first
hand as it passes through a system of tunnels. I took the video from
inside the train in the bar car. The views of the canyon are spectacular
between the tunnels.)
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Life is good on the train and life is good
in Mexico...!
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One of my favorite stops, the only large station, the Divisidero. The local woman cook on the tops of 55 gallon drums. It is
fabulous food! I eat it...I'm not afraid. It's good. You can get
breakfast lunch and dinner in the restaurant on the train as well.
Notice the armed guards on and
off the train. "Armed"... means M16 rifles.
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Arrival at the Mirador Hotel at 2000 feet above sea level. The
environment is much like the Colorado Rockies. I prefer to come in
November through January when it is cool and rainy.
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Local Tarahumara men working. The Indian woman wear the wild colors but
the men appear much like your basic farm worker. In the shadow here on
the right a young Indian girl. This is their land and they are not
performers for the tourists in costumes. They are very timid.
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A small bus picks you up at the Mirador station and shuttles you up the
dirt road about 3 blocks to the Posada Mirador Hotel. The hospitality is
the best!
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Entering the Mirador gates...
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Front entry to the Mirador
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The Tarahumara weave
baskets, bracelets and stuff out of long flat pine needles. Worth buying
actually. They also carve wooden Indians about 8 inches tall. They sit
at the front steps of the Mirador.
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Hotel Mirador main lobby
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After checking in, you access your room from the back side of the hotel.
72 rooms total.
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Some of the cleanest hotel rooms you will ever visit. All rooms have a
chimenea, two beds and a private balcony.
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All of the art work and furniture are hand made by the Tarahumara
Indians.
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The first time I came here, I had no idea where I was going nor did I
understand what this hotel would be like. Looking through my patio door
was the first time I realized the hotel was on a cliff. You enter on the
back side and cannot see the canyon. I, of course was blown away by this
view!
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You cannot tell your friends about this place and truly explain it. You
cannot photograph it and actually capture the depth of the canyon and
views."You can only
be with this canyon"
Here is a view from your
private patio in your room.
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The Mirador is built on a cliff overlooking the Copper canyon.
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The mid-day sun on the Mirador restaurant patio...time for a cold
cerveza with lime please...make that two...!!! |
This is the money shot...And...your cell phone probably can't get connection here...Priceless!
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At dusk...the sun falls below the local horizon causing the canyon to go
black. The rays of the sun shoot across the horizon illuminating the
clouds like flames. Spectacular!
There are no street lights so there
is no light pollution and the stars at night are so dense and amazing it
reminds you that you live in a universe...amazing!
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Sunrise at the Mirador hotel...from your balcony!
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At this altitude, many times, you are above the clouds.
These next photos taken after an
all night rain in the canyon.
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Sunrise from the balcony at the Mirador hotel on the cliff.
A 360* pan of the canyon from the Mirador hotel restaurant patio. |
Nighttime view of the restaurant at the Mirador. When you stay at
the Mirador all of your meals are included in the price. The food is
very good and the plates are big. I have paid anywhere from $167.oo to
$200.oo per night depending on when I go. Considering that that includes
meals...not bad. Even better that the food is decent.
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There is a little Indian family I have visited down in the canyon. This
man is over 100 years old. He makes the violins you see here.
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The old man lives in the house built over the caves you saw
above.
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These are his grand children
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Back on the train to head back to
Los Mochis but first...a stop in my favorite colonial town of El Fuerte
on the Fuerte River.
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Train station at the village of El Fuerte. It's a 10 minute drive into
the village and worth it. This is my favorite village and I hope to buy
a small house there this year.
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Colonial style architecture is the style in all of El Fuerte.
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(A 360* view of the plaza in central Fuerte) |
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Arrival at Posada Hidalgo
Hotel in El fuerte...One of the 3 buildings combined to form the hotel
is considered to be the original home of Don Diego De La Vega...[aka]...ZORRO....!
Click here to visit the Hidalgo hotel site..it's
very cool!
The front entry to the Hidalgo hotel is simple on not that noticeable.
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The main entry way from the street to the hotel lobby. A steep incline.
This photo is looking down the ramp to the front gates.
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Pool side bar at Hidalgo hotel.
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A view from inside the room at Posada Hidalgo hotel. This window (no
glass) opens to the courtyard...beautiful!
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(A 360* view of a guestroom at Posada Hidalgo hotel in El Fuerte...10
seconds) |
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(A 360* view of the courtyard outside of my guestroom at Posada Hidalgo...10
seconds) |
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(A quick view of the garden courtyard at Posada Hidalgo hotel in Fuerte...10
seconds) |
OK....here is where it gets a little silly...but you've got to
love it! I had more fun at this place!
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The statue of Zorro in the courtyard of Posada Hidalgo Hotel in El
Fuerte.
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Every afternoon at 5:30 they have "Zorro happy Hour"...I usually
despise stupid tourist entertainment and local cultural dancing,
however, the appearance of Zorro at happy hours was very entertaining.
This guy Miguel then takes his mask and cape off and goes back to the
front desk...please watch the Zorro videos below...their very
entertaining.
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(This is the funniest of all the Zorro videos....Zorro get's help putting his
sword back in it's place...watch the whole thing) |
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(Zorro arrives and starts working the ladies with the sword) |
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(Zorro dancing with fat Americans) |
It was fun!
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The El Fuerte river as it flows through El Fuerte. It is very deep and
flowing strong.
The Fuerte River is
a river in the northwestern Mexican
state of Sinaloa. It is formed at the junction of the
Verde and Urique rivers. The course Fuerte River lies
close to the city of Los Mochis. The river is
surrounded by large
mango
plantations which produce the fruits mainly for export
to the United States.
Rio El Fuerte is dammed near the town of
El Fuerte
creating a reservoir, and the water is used extensively
for irrigation of agriculture in northern Sinaloa, and
southern Sonora.
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360* view of
the Fuerte River from the cable bridge....short
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More colonial style buildings in El Fuerte.
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I'm sorry...the home owners Association has not yet approved these color
schemes for the neighborhood...but I love the Mexican taste.
While in El Fuerte, I walked the neighborhoods and took photos of the
odd color choices for houses.
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I love the colors!
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While walking around town for 4 hours or so (taking photos and looking
for a place to buy)...on the edge of town I discovered this agave
farm...or in layman's terms...Tequila.
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More cases of Tequila.
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This is an agave plant..huge! Beautiful!
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Old school gateways in Mochis..and it's back to the unreal world of Los
Angeles...."I'll be back......................!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thank you for viewing this
far...drop me a line and tell me what you think...!
Abel Josephson
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Viva
Mexico |