Copper Canyon Trek, March 2000

Ron sent me a number of very nice photographs, but after scanning them, I'm afraid that the quality is not nearly as good as the originals. I'm working on retouching and rescanning, but haven't yet included any of his photos here. ---- Click on any of the images below to view a larger version. --- Use the "back" button on your browser to return to the gallery of thumbnail images --- There's no order here... sorry, but I didn't want to delay this any longer.

I hope they're not talking about work.... Physician... rest thyself! At the falls above the Orange Grove. Carl says, "no comment" This "Assassin Bug" visited Jamie and Trudi's tent.

Girl from Wacahipare, at our "Puerto" lunch stop. Typical Bear Basin Ranch employee. Manuel and Gilo at the Orange Grove. Day One: bringing in the burros for packing. Looking north, from the trail to the hotsprings.

Carl's rock camp. Returning from the warm pools... very carefully! Some people always have to go to the very edge. Diane The "Eagle" guards the warm pools.

At the warm pools. Our first hour on the trail. Goats and young girl crossing the river. Returning from our visit to Lupe's house, through her orchard. Day 2 -- "exploring" the sandbar and swimming hole.

Descending to the river. Visiting our neighbors. Hotel Mansion Tarahumara Climbing the trail to the hotsprings. This is the steep canyon wall we climbed to reach the hotsprings. The trail goes right up the middle.

Jamie and Trudi, as we waited for news of the burro that fell shortly after we left the Orange Grove Camp. Deadman's Float Jamie Jilo Mancinas Jim braves the warm pool while Alan hunts for... scorpions?

Jim's idea of First Aid. The Copper Canyon Lodge's infamous 'Canyon Cruiser', in front of the Tarahumara Mission Store in Creel. Jim, in his element. Chicken salad and honeydew melon; lunch at the warm pools. Lupe brings her ailing baby to our river camp.

Manuel, our shy Tarahumara companion. The Mogollon cave from afar. If you can't quite spot the ruins, they are in the shadowed overhang, a little over an inch from the photo's right margin. Negro cools off at the Orange Grove as we hike back up to Wacahipare. Slumber party at the Orange Grove.

This ancient grove of oranges, avocado, mango, banana and lime trees is just below Lupe's house. In spite of a severe drought, the spring never seems to diminish. The Orange Grove from below. It takes about an hour to hike from the top of the grove to the point where this photo was taken. A warm and most-welcome jacuzzi at the Orange Grove. Bearded Pitahaya cactus. YES!

Looking more or less to the north, the Urique Canyon is below; the Barranca del Cobre would be in the upper right distance. View over the Urique Canyon from the Puerto, facing southwest. Our river camp, from downstream. Returning from the warm pools. Roger, looking well grizzled.

The source of water just above the Orange Grove. Roger: onward and upward! I call this spot the Puerto Knob -- the 'Puerto' ('port' or 'pass') is the ridge we explored late in the afternoon of the day we hiked back up to Wacahipare. Martha and Ron, on the edge.... Please... don't step back!

Steve carefully mulls over my offer to cauterize his wound. Steve Tarahumara cabin, just above the trail near Wacahipare. Our Tarahumara friends at the river. 'Towis' come to visit, and are served hot chocolate.

'Saint Teresa' prepares the beans! Breakfast in the Orange Grove. Our tents, scattered among the boulders at Wacahipare. This is the first time we've had to 'dry camp' here. Geronimo sent two men and a burro to bring water from a spring in a narrow gorge high above this camp. Tarahumara homesteads above Wacahipare, as we descend into the canyon on the first day. Wacahipare, as we return in late afternoon. The effects of the prolonged drought are obvious in this photo.

This page created on a Macintosh using PhotoPage by John A. Vink.

We're making plans now for our exploratory trek next year of the Oteros river and its neighboring canyons. Stand by for updates.


I hope they're not talking about work....	Physician... rest thyself!	At the falls above the Orange Grove.	Carl says, "no comment"	This "Assassin Bug" visited Jamie and Trudi's tent.

Girl from Wacahipare, at our "Puerto" lunch stop.	Typical Bear Basin Ranch employee.	Manuel and Gilo at the Orange Grove.	Day One: bringing in the burros for packing.	Looking north, from the trail to the hotsprings.

Carl's rock camp.	Returning from the warm pools... very carefully!	Some people always have to go to the very edge.	Diane	The "Eagle" guards the warm pools.

At the warm pools.	Our first hour on the trail.	Goats and young girl crossing the river.	Returning from our visit to Lupe's house, through her orchard.	Day 2 -- "exploring" the sandbar and swimming hole.

Descending to the river.	Visiting our neighbors.	Hotel Mansion Tarahumara	Climbing the trail to the hotsprings.	This is the steep canyon wall we climbed to reach the hotsprings. The trail goes right up the middle.

Jamie and Trudi, as we waited for news of the burro that fell shortly after we left the Orange Grove Camp.	Deadman's Float	Jamie	Jilo Mancinas	Jim braves the warm pool while Alan hunts for... scorpions?

Jim's idea of First Aid.	The Copper Canyon Lodge's infamous 'Canyon Cruiser', in front of the Tarahumara Mission Store in Creel.	Jim, in his element.	Chicken salad and honeydew melon; lunch at the warm pools.	Lupe brings her ailing baby to our river camp.

Manuel, our shy Tarahumara companion.	The Mogollon cave from afar. If you can't quite spot the ruins, they are in the shadowed overhang, a little over an inch from the photo's right margin.	Negro cools off at the Orange Grove as we hike back up to Wacahipare.		Slumber party at the Orange Grove.

This ancient grove of oranges, avocado, mango, banana and lime trees is just below Lupe's house. In spite of a severe drought, the spring never seems to diminish.	The Orange Grove from below. It takes about an hour to hike from the top of the grove to the point where this photo was taken.	A warm and most-welcome jacuzzi at the Orange Grove.	Bearded Pitahaya cactus.	YES!

Looking more or less to the north, the Urique Canyon is below; the Barranca del Cobre would be in the upper right distance.	View over the Urique Canyon from the Puerto, facing southwest.	Our river camp, from downstream.	Returning from the warm pools.	Roger, looking well grizzled.

The source of water just above the Orange Grove.	Roger: onward and upward!	I call this spot the Puerto Knob -- the 'Puerto' ('port' or 'pass') is the ridge we explored late in the afternoon of the day we hiked back up to Wacahipare.	Martha and Ron, on the edge....	Please... don't step back!

Steve carefully mulls over my offer to cauterize his wound.	Steve	Tarahumara cabin, just above the trail near Wacahipare.	Our Tarahumara friends at the river.	'Towis' come to visit, and are served hot chocolate.

'Saint Teresa' prepares the beans!	Breakfast in the Orange Grove.	Our tents, scattered among the boulders at Wacahipare. This is the first time we've had to 'dry camp' here. Geronimo sent two men and a burro to bring water from a spring in a narrow gorge high above this camp.	Tarahumara homesteads above Wacahipare, as we descend into the canyon on the first day.	Wacahipare, as we return in late afternoon. The effects of the prolonged drought are obvious in this photo.