By word of mouth and through this website, we hope to attract interested folks who want an education, not just a workout. Our clients will leave our trips not only having experienced an adventure, but also having gained valuable insight into the lives and cultures of the various peoples who inhabit the Sierra Tarahumara. Unlike the sterile environment of many U.S. National Parks, this area is a park in name only. It is a thriving area of diverse inhabitants who face exploitation by mining and lumber companies, drug cartels, and government and private tourist infrastructure, and yet are fighting with dignity for water rights, education, and basic health care.
We also are striving to keep our Mexican crew employed. Even though they are paid a better than average wage, they're only seasonally employed. Besides a wage, they are paid for the burros on a daily basis. But accidents occur. Burros get run over by the train, or rustled. Luckily, some Taraumarans also keep burros. The Mestizo/Serrano population is integrally connected with the Indians, and thankfully we have never had a trip without Tarahumaran arrieros. We learn about births and deaths and marriages, crop failures and landslides, and festivals. We've watched kids grow up, and parents grow old. We've seen some kids leave for the cities to be a part of the cash economy.
Cathy Waterman fell in love with the canyon country and the people who inhabit it when Mike took her there for the first time. On her second trip to the canyon as a Sierra Club co-leader, she met Carl Franz who inspired and encouraged her to become a guide. She promptly did so, and Cathy and Carl shared their wonder and enthusiasm with many fellow adventurers for years. Cathy is a voracious reader about the area, and an avid collector of local crafts. She recently started the annual "Warm and Fuzzy" coat drive.
The aim is to provide warm coats and jackets, especially for children, during the harsh winters without compromising the traditional clothing. The coats are packed into remote villages during trips. Donations of vitamins, first aid supplies, and used prescription glasses are also appreciated by the locals.
Cathy has years of backcounty experience in the Sierra Nevadas, and more recently in the Colorado Plateau. Her hobbies include canyoning, xeriscaping, and reading current novels by contemporary Spanish authors.
Mike Huckaby started hiking in the Alps with his Austrian grandfather as a child. He first visited the Copper Canyon area in 1993. Like Cathy, he immediately fell in love with the canyons. An avid orienteerer, he has explored many a Tarahumaran footpath and followed as many game trails by mistake. As a result, Mike has discovered many interesting routes in the region. Cathy's home is now in turmoil as Mike indulges in his hobbies including water harvesting, photography, and PV energy systems. They reside with their dog Remolino in Tucson, AZ. Contact us at hike@coppercanyontrails.org
The guides maintain current CPR, Wilderness First Responder, and First Aid certificates and have yearly training.
Web Design: © 2007 StarryEyedVisions, All Rights Reserved
| Burro Urique | Burro Oteros | Custom Trips | Specials | Volcanos | What to Bring | Departures | Contact Us |