Welcome to the Copper Canyon

BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN MEXICO

THE Copper Canyon is a natural wonder located in the northern Mexico mountain range known as the Sierra Madre Occidental, and it covers approximately 20,000 square miles [50,000 sq km], an area equal to about the size of Costa Rica.

The name, however, is somewhat misleading. The Copper Canyon is not a single canyon but a network of 20 interconnected ones. One of these is the Copper Canyon from which the entire system takes its name. According to explorer Richard Fisher, at least three of these canyons are deeper than the Grand Canyon in the United States. *

 Because of the extraordinary magnitude of the Copper Canyon, most tourists can visit only a few of its many natural vantage points. The most impressive views look toward the Copper, Sinforosa, and Urique canyons. However, some people feel that the most spectacular view is offered at Divisadero, which provides a panoramic view of the convergence of the Copper, Urique, and Tararecua canyons.

A Varied Climate

Abrupt changes in elevation affect the climate and vegetation of Copper Canyon. Miguel Gleason experienced this firsthand when he and a group descended Urique Canyon. In the magazine México Desconocido, he writes: “We began to feel warm, and the pine forests disappeared, giving way to tropical vegetation with bananas, avocados, and even oranges. We could not believe it. Suffice it to say that never in my life had I passed from cold forests to warm subtropics in such a short time and distance.”

The high plateaus of the canyons are covered with 15 species of pines and 25 species of oaks. There are also poplars and junipers in Copper Canyon. During the summer a great variety of flowers flourish throughout the sierra, some of which are used as food or natural medicine by the local inhabitants, who are known as the Tarahumara. At altitudes of over 5,900 feet [1,800 m] above sea level, the climate of the sierra fluctuates from temperate to cold for the greater part of the year. Winter brings light rains and even occasional snowfall.

As visitors descend, they notice that various kinds of trees and cacti begin to appear. Lower down a subtropical climate can be found that has pleasant winters in which the average temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit [17°C]. In contrast, the summers can get quite uncomfortable in this zone, as the temperature fluctuates between 95 [35°C] and 110 degrees Fahrenheit [45°C], with abundant rains that fill the rivers to the point of overflowing.

The beauty of the area is topped off by two majestic waterfalls. The Piedra  Volada, one of the highest waterfalls in the world, has a drop of 1,490 feet [453 m], and the Basaseachic has a drop of 810 feet [246 m].

A Wildlife Refuge

Copper Canyon plays host to a considerable variety of wildlife. It is said that 30 percent of the mammals registered in Mexico inhabit this area. These include the black bear, the puma, the otter, the sprocket deer, the Mexican wolf, the boar, the bobcat, the raccoon, the badger, and the striped skunk as well as bats, squirrels, and hare.

Some 400 species of birds have found a home in Copper Canyon, including the golden eagle and the peregrine falcon. The canyons are located at a strategic point between North and Central America, so migratory birds come here to pass the winter. Others just stop to rest before continuing their journey.

Copper Canyon certainly is a credit to the Creator of all natural wonders, Jehovah God. As King David once expressed it, “yours, O Jehovah, are the greatness and the mightiness and the beauty and the excellency and the dignity; for everything in the heavens and in the earth is yours.”—1 Chronicles 29:11.

[Footnote]

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A View From the Train

The Chihuahua-Pacific Railway stretches 583 miles [941 km] from Ojinaga on the U.S.-Mexico border to the port of Topolobampo on the Pacific Ocean—crossing Copper Canyon in the process. Because of the characteristics of the topography, this railway is considered a major engineering feat. In its travels the train crosses some 37 major bridges, the longest stretching 1,640 feet [500 m] across the Fuerte River. The highest bridge towers 300 feet [90 m] above the Chínipas River.

The train also passes through 99 tunnels. The longest is called El Descanso and measures 5,900 feet [1,810 m]. During this ride tourists can enjoy an impressive view of Copper Canyon.

[Maps on page 15]

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

MEXICO

CHIHUAHUA

Ojinaga

Chihuahua

COPPER CANYON AREA

La Junta

Creel

Divisadero

Topolobampo

[Picture on page 15]

Basaseachic Falls

[Credit Line]

© Tom Till

[Picture on page 16, 17]

 View at Divisadero

[Credit Line]

© Tom Till

[Picture on page 17]

The Tarahumara live throughout the canyon

[Credit Line]

George Hunter/H. Armstrong Roberts

[Picture on page 17]

Lake Arareco

[Picture Credit Line on page 15]

George Hunter/H. Armstrong Roberts