Copper Canyon

The Copper Canyon

The Copper Canyon (Spanish: Barranca del Cobre) is a group of canyons consisting of 6 distinct canyons in the Sierra Tarahumara in the southwestern part of the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. The overall canyon system is larger and portions are deeper than the Grand Canyon in the neighboring United States.[1] The canyons were formed by six rivers which drain the western side of the Sierra Tarahumara (a part of the Sierra Madre Occidental). All six rivers merge into the Rio Fuerte and empty into the Sea of Cortez. The walls of the canyon are a copper/green color which is where the name originates.

History

The Spanish arrived in this area in the 1600’s encountering the indigenous Indians for the first time throughout Chihuahua. For the Spanish, Mexico was a new land to explore for gold and silver and also to spread Christianity. The Spanish named the Indians they encountered Tarahumara, which is derived from the word Raramuri, meaning ‘foot runners’. During the 17th century, silver was discovered by the Spaniards in the land of the Tarahumara Indians. They were immediately kept as laborers for mining efforts. There were small uprisings by the Tarahumara, but to little avail. They were eventually forced off of the more desirable lands and up into the canyon cliffs.

Climate

The alpine climate of the mountainous regions of Copper Canyon has moderate temperatures from October to November and March to April. The bottom of the canyons is subtropical and remains that way throughout the year. During the warmest months, April through June, drought is a chronic problem with little rainfall until July when the rainy season begins.

Flora and Fauna

The Sierra Tarahumara Occidental region contains some twenty-three different species of pine and two hundred different species of oak trees. Mexican Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga lindleyana) trees cover the high plateaus in altitudes over 8000 ft., but due to deforestation in the area, many species of wildlife are endangered. Mexican Wolves and Cougars live in the remotest of regions and are rarely seen. After the summer rainy season these upper regions blossom with wildflowers until October. From 4,000–8,000 ft (1,200–2,400 m), oak trees grow in the huge forests as well as the more shade-tolerant types of trees. In the fall the forests become brilliant with color from Andean Alder (Alnus acuminata) and poplar (Populus spp.) trees. Brushwood and scrubby trees grow on the canyon slopes, which can accommodate the dry season. Huge fig (Ficus spp.) and palm trees thrive at the bottom where water is plentiful and the climate is tropical.

Threats to the Ecosystem

For many years the ecosystem of the Sierra Tarahumara Occidental region was able to remain stable. However, due to increases in human population, there are many threats to the ecosystems of the Sierra Tarahumara Occidental region. The government funding to build a “tourist friendly” atmosphere poses threats to the environment and indigenous cultures. Roads have been built in the former isolated mountainous zones. Agriculture and grazing as well as the cutting of hardwoods and other trees for firewood has accelerated a soil erosion problem. Mesquite (Prosopis spp.) and Desert Ironwood (Olneya tesota) trees are cut and exported primarily to the U.S. for charcoal. Amapa (Tabebuia chrysantha) trees yield highly prized lumber for building and furniture making. Other trees are also cut and sold for their high-priced lumber. Over harvesting of the forests in the area has caused the extinction of the Imperial Woodpecker and Mexican Wolf. Approximately, only about 2% of the original old-growth forest remains. The logging and pulping industry has cut the coniferous forests one to four times. However, a massive forest-harvesting project in the region has been abandoned, for now, by the World Bank. The Mexican forestry department deemed these species of trees “legally protected,” but enforcement is difficult. Unfortunately the local drug trade is also a major ecological threats. The government has taken measures to halt or slow down the cultivation of opium poppies and cannabis by spraying crops with herbicides. These herbicides threaten the populations of many different species. A large saturnid moth, Rothschildia cincta, are one of the species that are threatened by the spraying. Their cocoons are used by the Indian population for ceremonial purposes. Open-pit mining for copper, gold and other metals not only produces air pollution from smelters, but has been linked to the serious decline of the Tarahumara Frog (Rana tarahumarae). Every river system has been dammed causing fresh water shortages in nearby desert communities. An enormous dam is being constructed on the Rio Fuerte, which poses major environmental problems and will lead to massive losses of tropical forest and habitats. Conservation is underway, but remains informal and slow. Mexico has excellent environmental laws, but severely suffers from lack of financial support. Enforcement has been lax or non-existent. Agencies are actively trying to increase the protection for natural preserves.

Indigenous People

Copper Canyon traditional inhabitants are the Tarahumara. With no official census, the population of the Tarahumara people ranges between 35,000 to 70,000. The Tarahumara reside in the cooler, mountainous regions during the hot summer months and migrate to the canyons in the cooler winter, months. Their survival strategies have been to occupy undesirable lands to remain isolated. Their diet is largely vegetarian with only small amounts of goat, freshwater fish, sheep and beef, which they hunt themselves. They cultivate crops of vegetables to supplement their diet between hunting and gathering fruit, berries and seeds. Maize represents 85% of the Tarahumara’s diet. The Tarahumara people are known for their endurance. Living in the canyons, they are forced to travel great vertical distances, which they often do by running nonstop for hours. The Tarahumara people are also hunters and often bag their kill by tapping into their own sheer stamina. They literally chase their prey until it drops from exhaustion. A popular Tarahumara community race called “rarahipa,” is played by kicking a wooden ball along the paths of the steep canyons. All players must run nonstop until the finish. It is not uncommon for a game to last for days and continue without breaks, even through the dark of night. Ethnic tourism is a growing industry for Copper Canyon, but the acceptance of it is debated between the local communities. Some communities which accept government funding for building roads, restaurants and lodging to make the area attractive for tourists.

There are threats to the indigenous Tarahumara Indians including the cultivation of opium and marijuana. Armed drug cultivators, buyers and distributors are a danger to the local people, tourists, and scientists. The local people have been forced to work cultivating and harvesting drug crops. The drug lords employ violent measures if they fail to cooperate.

Tourism

There are many other ways to explore Copper Canyon such as hiking, biking, driving or horseback riding. The most popular way is by train, the Chihuahua Al Pacifico Railroad, runs along the main canyon called Canyon Urique, between Chihuahua and Los Mochis, on the Gulf of California. The Chihuahua al Pacifico railroad began in the late 19th century. The revolution, lack of funding, and the overall difficulty of building a railroad over such terrain hindered its completion until 1961. The railroad comprises 405 miles of rails with 39 bridges and 86 tunnels. The total trip takes approximately 15 hours and passes over towns, as well as the towering cliffs of the canyons. Along the railway, you are likely to see many Tarahumara Indians laying out their food, crafts and other wares for sale.

The system is traversed by the Chihuahua al Pacífico railroad, known by the nickname “Chepe.” It is both an important transportation system for locals and a draw for tourists.

Mexico established the Parque Nacional Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon National Park) to showcase this remote area.

The canyon is the traditional home of the indigenous Raramuri (Tarahumara) people.

Cities and towns

Among the villages located in or on the Copper Canyon are:

• Creel, atop the canyon and, at 8,000 feet (2,438 m) altitude, marking the highest point on the ChePe railroad route; a central point for commerce and tourism.
• Batopilas, a town on the Batopilas River at the bottom of a canyon; first established by the Spanish around 1632 to mine silver
• Urique
• Divisadero, situated between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean watersheds on the ChePe railroad route; a key vista point with amazing views down into three of the canyons (del Cobre, Urique, Tararecua). The ChePe train allows a 15-20 minute stop for visitors to enjoy the view.

Popular culture

This canyon was featured on Season 2 Episode 3, of Man vs. Wild on the Discovery Channel. It is also featured in Raramuri Tale^[1], a short film about a Raramuri boy, his mother and the timeless teachings of the Tarahumaras. Copper Canyon was also featured in the Film The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. Copper Canyon was also a destination in Motorcycle Mania 3, a feature that aired on the Discovery Channel, which featured Jesse James of West Coast Choppers riding with singer Kid Rock, on two custom-built motorcycles. "In the Sierra Madre", a book by Jeff Biggers, looks at a Tarahumara village in the Copper Canyon^[2]. Much of nonfiction book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall takes place in Copper Canyon.

See also

• Basaseachic Falls, Mexico’s second-highest waterfall.
• Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico, the full name of the ChePe railway.
• Piedra Volada, site of Mexico's highest waterfall.

References

This article includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (June 2009)

• Lumholtz, Carl (1987) Unknown Mexico: Explorations in the Sierra Madre and Other Regions, 1890-1898. Vol 1. Dover Publications. pp 118-421. ISBN 0486253643
• Hale, S.F., Schwalbe, C.R., Jarchow, J.L., May, C., Lowe, C.H. and Johnson, T.B
• Disappearance of the Tarahumara frog. In Our living resources 1994, National Status and Trends Report. National Biological Survey, Washington, D.C.
• Seedhead News (1991). Sierra Madre World Bank "development" or logging project? The Seedhead News Nos. 32 & 33: 1-11.
• Hart, John M. The Silver of the Sierra Madre: John Robinson, Boss Shepherd and the People of the Canyons. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2008.
• Fontana, Bernard L. Tarahumara: Where Night is the Day of the Moon. University of Arizona Press, 1997.
• Cassel, Jonathon F. Tarahumara Indians Naylor Co. 1969
• Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. Christopher McDougall. Knopf, May 2009.

External links

• Chihuahua al Pacífico Railroad - El Chepe

Coordinates: 27°30′58″N 107°45′57″W / 27.51611°N 107.76583°W / 27.51611; -107.76583

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