Aug 16, 2006
Mexico's Copper Canyon is a Golden Adventure
Story and photos by Mike Calabro
Over 70 years ago in a primitive area near Copper Canyon, Mexico, a young girl wandered into a tunnel. She discovered a distorted skeleton of a small being. The skull is now in the hands of scientists who believe it to be a "Starchild," or a human-alien hybrid. The Starchild skull is estimated to be about 900 years old and is unlike any other human-like skull ever seen before.
The Chupacabra is another alien humanoid that has been spotted roaming the Copper Canyon area. The name, which translates literally from Spanish as "goat-sucker," comes from its habit of attacking and sucking the blood of livestock.
I saw E.T. five times; therefore, I am an expert of all alien studies. My theory is that most aliens are smart and adventurous, so they know all the good spots for fun vacations. Every 5,000 years or so, an alien family probably has a bit too much "fun" and leaves someone behind on earth to fend for themselves-hence the Starchild and Chupacabra. I left a pair of sunglasses while on vacation once, but never a loved one. Stupid aliens.
One person who I promised not to leave behind on my trip to Copper Canyon was Brian McCulloch. Brian, the associate editor who acts as my assistant during trips, has never been to Mexico. He shrieked like a happy little schoolgirl when I asked him if he wanted to go to Chihuahua, Mexico, to ride quads for a week.
I contacted Pete Sheppard through his Web site, www.atvmexico.com. Since 1997, ATV Mexico has provided all-inclusive quad tours to the majestic Copper Canyon in old Mexico.
Copper Canyon is located in the middle of the legendary Sierra Madre Mountains of the northwestern Mexico state of Chihuahua, an area four times bigger than the Grand Canyon that covers over 25,000 square miles of rugged territory. It's actually made up of six connected gorges so isolated that there are villages where gringos have barely set foot in, much less ridden quads.
Day 1: 36 miles around Creel- San Isidro
At approximately 7,200 feet, Creel is a small lumber town located in the High Sierras, close to Copper Canyon. We drove from El Paso, Texas, to stay the night in Creel before starting our adventure. (Actually, the adventure started when we got off the plane-read "This One Time" on page TK.) The tourist-friendly town, surrounded by beautiful limestone spires, was a great place to start.
Pete told us while we were gearing up that the best time to visit the area is during the fall, after the summer rains have revived the area's vegetation and the rivers and waterfalls are running full. Even though we took the trip during the off-season, we were greeted with unclouded views and colorful culture along the way. The scenery was staggering. The earth just opens up; it seems like it sucks all the lush green vegetation down to the bottom of the canyons. The plunging gorges sprout wild rivers, towering waterfalls and subtropical forests. The first part of the ride from Creel to San Isidro is mostly in the mountains, which are home to snow-covered peaks, sparkling lakes, and enormous stands of old-growth Ponderosa pine and oak.
Part of our ride was on cement roads. The scent of fresh alpine air wafting through my body made me feel alive as I leaned into tight turns on the smooth black asphalt. My eyes wanted to wander around to take in the lofty views, but my brain forced them to stay on the road to prevent me zigging when I should be zagging on the winding road. As we gained elevation, the temperature dropped. I zipped up my jacket while worrying that my smile would freeze into a perma-grin.
By the end of the day, it was great to get some rest. We stayed at the Margarita hotel in San Isidro, which is placed on the edge of an incredible scenic cliff that sat right outside our door. Watching the sunset from my room with the fireplace gently crackling in the background made me wish that I was with a hot chick instead of Brian (I've gotta at least remember to bring a wig along for him on our next trip).
Day 2: 50 miles exploring around San Isidro
After a big breakfast, we headed out and descended over 6,000 feet to the floor of Urique Canyon. At one point we were invited into a one-room adobe house, where a whole family lived in the small space. The house had a tin roof held up by wood branches, and when it rains, the family ends up living in a house with a floor that turns to mud. They had a million-dollar view with no neighbors in sight, though. The problem with such a nice view is that the house was near the top of the canyon, where it snows in the winter. Staring at large gaps in their walls, I wondered how tough life was in the winter.
We stopped at a local restaurant for lunch at the bottom of the canyon, where a bird took a liking to Brian. The bright-blue-feathered warrior pecked at Brian's worm-like arms. Brian must have thought the bird had razorblades for teeth, because he screamed like a little girl, again. Luckily for Brian, Pete grabbed the five-ounce offender from him and choked the chicken. After he was done, Pete gave me the bird.
After lunch, Brian got a little bath. I had him stop in the middle of a river crossing to get a good photo, and Pete came roaring by Brian, soaking him. I still can't believe he fell for it.
Day 3: 90 miles San Isidro-Batopilas
Each day, the views, the hotel, and the food exceeded the last. The ride from San Isidro to Batopilas was a Mexican buffet for the eyes-mountains, rivers, towns, children, and a copper mine, which I mistakenly thought was a gold mine. I pocketed a piece of Pyrite in hopes of selling it when I got back home so I could retire...oh wait, I get to ride quads for a living. I already am retired.
There were many small villages along the way that we stopped at to hand out candy to the local kids, which they accepted with a quiet graciousness. The kids love to watch the "gringos" come into town. You can liken our quad run through town to the Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York-everyone came out to see us. We stayed long enough to give candy, and then we were back on the road. The sun was setting as we cruised into Batopilas.
The Batopilas River was so calm that the Hacienda San Miguel ruins reflected brightly in the water. The Gothic mansion was built by Alexander Shepard (no relation to our guide, Pete Shepard) in 1880, which served as the family residence and business office for his major silver mining operation.
Day 4: 45 miles Batopilas - In and Around Town
A few miles downstream from Batopilas lay the town of Satevo, which is host to an architectural mystery-the Jesuit mission of San Miguel de SatevĒ. The church is known as the "Lost Cathedral," as nearly all of its records were destroyed in a couple of fires. No one knows for sure when the Satevo Mission was built or by whom, but historians think it was built by Jesuits in the 1700s. One thing is for sure: the huge place was not built near any towns. Why would any humans want to erect such a large place in an uninhabited area? My common sense led me to believe that the mission was built by the same aliens that erected the pyramids. It is still a mystery as to how the aliens can build such great wonders and still forget their children and pets on our planet.
As we entered the town of Satevo, a crew of excited kids came running to the church where we parked. Everyone was saying hi to Pete and asked where Ana, his wife, was. It turned out Pete and Ana have been coming to this town for years and have many friends here. Since our guide was such a celebrity, he was able to get a local man to unlock the church for us so we could get a peep inside.
While we toured the church, we handed out more candy and gave away hats. Pete gave dolls and toy motorcycles to a few of the younger kids. He said that he liked giving these rare treats to the kids for two reasons. One, he loves to see them smile, and two, they will remember us and other travelers when they get older and will be waiting with open arms.
Pete and his wife not only hand out candy and toys, but they have been providing sick children with necessary medicine and supplies in this area for years. A girl in a blue-and-white-striped shirt really had an impact on me. She had a friendly smile, but her deep eyes told a story of heartbreak. She handed us a handwritten note in English, explaining that she has been battling with epilepsy. In the letter, the girl talked about how difficult it was to find or afford prescription drugs to treat her illness, and it made me realize how much I take for granted. Pete handed her a package in a brown paper bag and told her that he would bring more meds on his next trip in a few months. A few tears welled up in Pete's eyes. He and his wife have been trying, unsuccessfully, to get pregnant for a long time. After seeing what I saw today, I am sure Pete will end up being an incredible dad.
At dinner that night back at the hotel, we were treated to the sounds of a local mariachi band. Brian decided to celebrate the day's events by having a few drinks. I don't think Brian has ever been drunk or even drank before-I must be a good influence on him. The tasty margaritas that we consumed made Brian an excellent singer, or so he thought. He got up with the rest of the band and sang a few songs in Spanish with them. The funny thing is that Brian doesn't know any Spanish. Nada.
The night ended with Pete and Brian lighting some aerial fireworks. Brian later apologized to Pete for torching the top layer of his epidermis and learned a good lesson: don't place fireworks upside down while trying to shoot them out of a mortar.
Day 5: Batopilas-Creel 90 miles
One of the best parts about this loop ride is that you never have to see the same area twice. The ride out of Batopilas and back to Creel has a 6,000 feet elevation gain. We ascended our way out of the canyon through a multitude of steep switchbacks that were a blast to slide through. It was exciting to navigate the 11-foot-wide road with a 6,000-foot drop off. We stopped for a break halfway up the canyon. As I took a swig of much-needed water, an eagle soared overhead. Its screech echoed off the canyon walls. The entire trip just came into focus for me. The view across the expanse made me feel a little lightheaded.
We did the final 30 miles on pavement, and along the way we saw a man working his half-acre field with a wooden plow and horse. It seemed like we had truly stepped back in time. The entire trip was too much to take on the senses all at once. It took me a week back home to put everything together. The human mind can't comprehend the greatness, the culture, and the scenery of Copper Canyon in one week. I now understand why the aliens love this place.
