Creel is one of the highest points in the trip at 7,700 feet. Population: 25,000. Creel makes its living from the
timber industry. Tourism is becoming a key industry as it is known as a gateway to the Copper Canyon.
Cal was up early to get good light roaming the streets of Creel.
The mission is tiny and was not
open the morning we were there.
The day began with a low fog and a threat of rain.
Fortunately the fog burned off and the rest of the
day was pleasant.
Creel is a very colorful town in the Sierra Tarahumara mountains. Most of the buildings on the main street were
colorfully painted. This one has a small Tarahumara Indian.
Another colorful building.
The Catholic Church is across from the Mission. Taken at sunrise, the church is beautiful.
I was attracted to the dragon or gargoyle-like light fixtures all over town.
This is on the bandstand
but they were many on the streetlights.
High over the town is a statue of Jesus reaching toward the sky.
This photograph was taken from the
train station while we waited for the Copper Canyon train.
Several members of the California hiking
group went up to the statue on an early morning hike.
Our first exposure to the Tarahumara people and their crafts was on the platform waiting for the train. This
little girl was picture-perfect and had her photo taken several times.
The Tarahumara people are the
native inhabitants of the Copper Canyon. They number over 50,000, are shy, and famous for their handicrafts and
dancing.
The Tarahumara are well known for their running ability. In their language they call
themselves Raramuri, which means 'those who run fast'. They can hunt down a deer by chasing it until the deer
collapses from exhaustion.
The train arrives. The Chihuahua al Pacfico Railroad, known as ChP or Chepe, is a major rail line in northwest
Mexico linking the city of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, to the town of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, near the Pacific coast. It
runs 400 miles, traversing the Copper Canyon
The railroad took 90 years for construction at a cost of
$90 million - completed in 1961.
The tracks pass over 37 bridges. This is the only route through the Copper Canyon. These rails are used by
freight and passenger trains.
We rode in a First Class car which was roomy. The cars were refurbished
in 1999.
And through 86 tunnels - this is one of the smaller ones. We actually went through only 82 (I was told this but
did not count them) tunnels on this trip.
Virginia Ann and Mary look down the tracks.
Mary enjoying the wind in her hair.
At one stop the local Tarahumara Indians offer to sell baskets to train passengers.
These baskets
would become the subject of much attention and jokes for at every stop we would have the opportunity to purchase
and everyone tried. At the end of the trip there were several travelers carrying large loads of baskets.
The state of Chihuahua is also known for apple production. The first apple trees were planted in Chihuahua at the
end of the 17th century by Catholic missionaries. Commercial orchards were planted in the Casas Grandes area in
the late 1800's by Mormon colonists from the United States, and in the Cuauht�moc area in the 1930's by
Mennonites from Canada.
Chihuahua has about 75,000 acres of orchards and produces about 60 percent of
the Mexican apple crop. Fresh apple production has averaged just under 16 million boxes over the past five years.
Cal bought one bag of these apples for 2 dollars.
The train passes just to the west of the Copper Canyon but still traverses grand mountains and waterfalls.
This is the town of Temoris and in this valley the train winds back and forth over three levels of
train track.
Cal spent the entire 8 hours of the train ride standing in the door taking pictures. Most of the other travelers
were more sane and enjoyed the First Class train car with large picture windows.
A closeup of one waterfall.
The train stopped at Divisadero, a popular lookout spot over the canyons.
The 25,000 square mile area
of the Sierra de Tarahumaras lies in the heart of the Serra Madre Mountains. The first major canyons are
collectively known as the Copper Canyon. Overall, the canyon is five times wider and one and a half times deeper
than the Grand Canyon.
Virginia Ann with the Copper Canyon in the background.