Cusárare waterfall
Early, the first rays of the sun penetrate the coolness of the morning.
A sign on a piece of wood in front of my room reads: “Cascada de Cusárare 3 km”; it invited me to walk downstream without thinking about breakfast.
My guide…. a girl who appeared as if from the morning mist itself.
A few steps away I crossed a stream over a wooden bridge. The path went through the middle of huge rocks in the shade of the pines. I walked among the murmur of the water and the singing of birds that made me happy and calmed me in silence, in word and in mind.
I heard the water falling before I saw it. I went there in the summer, in summer, the river was in full heat. Strong… tender. In an explosion of passion, the river plunged over the cliff without thought of life or death. It burst into the rocks below. Then the water, weary-faced, retreated quietly downstream, leaving the crags astonished and smoking a beacon.
I returned late to the dining room, Marta forgave me with some huevos rancheros with beans.
Duration: two hours.
Difficulty: light.
It is advisable to arrive before 9:00 AM or after 3:00 PM to enjoy the solitude.
Art or craft?
María Torres Ramírez was shy. With some effort, I managed to get some information out of her about the guari (basket) that called my attention. She spent an entire day going to and returning from the cliff where the palm that she uses grows. One color of the basket is made out of an acorn brew, the other one with dye for shoes. The basket is to be used daily at home and it took her 2 days to complete the double weave. The design? “Well, my fingers invent it.”
It is art then! I gave her 3 times what she asked me for the guari. Coming back to my room I felt as a man of great virtue.
Relaxing 4-hour hike. Medium difficulty.
VINO MEGACERO
Bubble White wine Maria Rose
An abandoned cave
Marcial was waiting for me on the porch at mid-morning. He is Rarámuri. He is my favorite guide because he is cheerful and very patient with my slow walking.
We started up the hill, through narrow paths, between pines and large rocks, we reached the first table, from where we could see the town of Cusárare in the distance. Further ahead, we find apple trees, apples of great flavor, Marcial comments, “You have to eat what the earth gives”. A little more than an hour later we arrive at the cave, which is in very good condition, it is impressive to see how they lived in the old days. A few steps away we find the same spring, where the families that inhabited the place for centuries used to drink water.
We continue down the hill until we come across the great Cusarare Waterfall. There, on the gray rocks, a splash of color catches the eye. The neighboring Rarámuri women selling their baskets, belts, and weavings that they make; all different, not a duplicate design.
WINE: ANXELIN SHIRAHZ
Very tasty and pleasant…100% shiraz. When you look for it, you will find it among the best Mexican reds…from Chihuahua, of course!
Breakfast or lunch?
Art or craft?
María Torres Ramírez was shy. With some effort, I managed to get some information out of her about the guari (basket) that called my attention. She spent an entire day going to and returning from the cliff where the palm that she uses grows. One color of the basket is made out of an acorn brew, the other one with dye for shoes. The basket is to be used daily at home and it took her 2 days to complete the double weave. The design? “Well, my fingers invent it.”
It is art then! I gave her 3 times what she asked me for the guari. Coming back to my room I felt as a man of great virtue.
Relaxing 4-hour hike. Medium difficulty.
Basirecota Hot Spring
You can do it in one day or spend the night there.
My wife, my daughter and I left when the sun was already warming the valley. We crossed the river and passed the already dry Rarámuri cornfields in Nawírachi el Valle del Canto. Then, how we sweated climbing up to the mesa! There at the top we stopped. The refreshing air hummed through the pines. On the mesa to the west we passed Rarámuri ranches. Our guide Calixto explained to us, that the Rarámuri home is considered all fenced in, including the corrals, and it is not good to take pictures of the house which serves mostly as a family dormitory. We felt like we were in another world.
We descended an unnamed ravine, sliding a lot, to the river where Calixto unloaded the donkey. We camped in front of a cave. My Señora Elsa went a short distance to look for a natural hot springs tub. The cook Paula took care of lighting the fire, leaving me alone in the cave where I laid out my blankets for the night. While Calixto was tending to the chicken on the disc, Paula was making tortillas by hand on the comal. I noticed the centuries-old smut on the cave ceiling.
“I am in the room of the indigenous people. How many people lived here. This is how they lived and this is how they live.” It was the moment when I lost touch with my daily life. As if at a very great distance, I was able to consider my civilization, my culture and my place in it. Of the rest of the excursion, of the night in the cave, of the very difficult walk back to Bosques along the river, I remember very little. I was more living than thinking. My camera was locked in its case. I stored all the images in my heart.
Well that said, we have to recognize that reality is shaped by our filters and my 19 year old daughter, who is not a hiker had a very different experience. “We went to the curse canyon. I was worried about taking care of some rattlesnakes that might jump out at me during the hike, we went up a path only suitable for goats, I didn’t sleep from worrying that a rattlesnake might have decided to accompany me in my sleeping bag.” Well, instead of joining us on the next hike, she says she’s going to enjoy a day of luxury by the fireplace, with some special drinks from the Encinillas house, some snacks prepared by Maria, and a good book by Isabel Allende.
This hike can be done in one or two days, spending the night in front of the cave, next to the hot springs.
Difficulty: Ch****dera.
VINO HACIENDA ENCINILLAS
Copper Canyon´s Adventure Park
For something different in contrast to nature I wanted to see how nature can be combined with the modern. It is possible. I’m going to see.
Gustavo is now my companion, Here my feeling is very different, because apart from the wonderful view, in El Divisadero, the modernity is evident in the Barrancas Adventure Park. modernity is evident in the Barrancas Adventure Park in the cable car ride, we arrived at the station of the Mesa de Bacajípare, I had the impressive panoramic view of the union of 3 Barrancas; Urique, Tararecua and the one of El Cobre. We took a 20 minute break to appreciate this beauty, this tour takes approximately 10 minutes, in only two hours, I had time to do the longest zip line in the world, ZipRider style; and a Circuit of seven zip lines of almost 5 km of travel.
About that, you have to report…. Hijole! Hijole! Hijole! Hoooooliiiiii S**t! To be frank, after the zip line, I rested my nerves and didn’t go on the Via Ferrata, which includes rappelling, rock climbing and a small hanging bridge. suspension bridge. Instead, I opted to eat some delicious enchiladas at the Barranco Restaurant where there is a spectacular glass floor.
Duration: 8 hours
VINO LA CASONA.
Of the young wines, I must say that La Casona is considered friendly. I mean, it goes with everything… chicken, meat, pasta, and of course, Mexican food! With the typical mountain dish, machaca and potatoes, it goes very well with this friendly fruit from the Encinillas Valley vineyard.
Arareko Lake, Valleys of the frogs, mushrooms and monks. (motor tour)
VINO GRAN RESERVA 3V UN CABERNET SAUVIGNON-MERLOT-TEMPRANILLO.
From the house of Madero. Established since 1580, the first formal vineyard established in the new world, they sure know their business! Their knowledge is evident in this bottle containing a blend of 3 grapes with a minimum of 3 summers in barrel and another 2 in bottle.
Petroglyphs & Cusarare waterfall
Antonio is my guide, a few steps from Bosques is the painted cave. It is adorned with Rarámuris cave paintings in good condition. The landscape is completed by some goats in the corral. We continue uphill until we reach another cave, which was used as a house with kitchen area, bedroom, fireplace, and area to store grains, it is also adorned with Rarámuris paintings, here there are different spaces such as: bedroom with fireplace, kitchen and a small corral, for me it is the most impressive I have seen. We continue our steps to another cave of smaller size, but great beauty, a little further on, we reach a small valley where we take a short break. We cross the river by a suspension bridge, to continue upstream through the forest to the Cusárare waterfall with its curtain of water. Here luckily it was a day when the locals came to sell their Rarámuri handicrafts, we resumed our way to Bosques where a good wine and cheeses were very gratifying to my palate.
- Duration: 5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
VINO GRAN RESERVA, UN CABERNET SAUVIGNON
It is not for everybody. It spent a lot of time in the barrel, what has this lady learned or can she be a sir? (The wines are male or female… I will be interested in knowing your opinion when drinking it)
Well, most likely, if she is a lady, her time in intimate contact with wood has not taught her to be submissive. She is rather strong. It is grippy on the palate. She says, “Here I am. Deal with it!”
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