Mexico Guide
The north
The Copper Canyon railway
The thirteen-hour train trip that starts on the sweaty Pacific coast at Los Mochis, fights its way up to cross the Continental Divide amidst the peaks of the Sierra Madre, then drifts down across the high plains of Chihuahua, is unquestionably one of the world's most extraordinary rail journeys. Breathtaking views come thick and fast as the line hangs over the vast canyons of the Río Urique. Chief of these is the awesome rift of the Barranca del Cobre, with a depth, from mountaintop to valley floor, of more than 2000m, and breadth to match – by comparison, the Grand Canyon is a midget. Scenically, however, there's no comparison with the great canyons of the southwestern US, and if you've visited them you may find the canyons here a little disappointing. Part of the difficulty is in getting a true sense of their size and beauty: there are none of the well-marked hiking tracks and official campsites that might tempt casual exploration north of the border, and serious hikers really need to devote the best part of a week to their endeavours.
Even when the bare mountain peaks here are snow-covered, the climate on the canyon floors is semitropical – a fact that the indigenous Rarámuri (also known as the Tarahumara), who were driven into these mountain fastnesses after the Spanish Conquest, depend on, migrating in winter to the warmth of the deep canyons. The Rarámuri, whose population totals some 50,000, live in isolated communities along the rail line and in the stretch of mountains known as the Sierra Tarahumara, eking out an existence from the sparse patches of cultivatable land. Although their isolation is increasingly encroached upon by commercial forestry interests, ranchers and growing numbers of travellers, they remain an independent people, close to their traditions. Despite centuries of missionary work, their religious life embraces only token aspects of Catholicism and otherwise remains true to its agrarian roots – their chief deities being the gods of the sun, moon and rain. Above all, the tribe is renowned as runners: a common feature of local festivals are the foot races between villages that last at least one day and sometimes several on end, with the runners kicking a wooden ball ahead of them as they go.
The first-class cosseting becomes less of a benefit as the line breaks into the mountains and you start climbing into ever-cooler air. It was this section of the route that defeated the original builders, and, from the passenger's point of view, the bit you've been waiting for. For six hours, the train zigzags dizzily upwards, clinging to the canyon wall, rocketing across bridges, plunging into tunnels, only to find itself constantly just a few metres above the track it covered twenty minutes earlier. Eventually, you arrive at Divisadero, where there's a halt of about fifteen minutes to marvel at the view. At first it seems a perverse choice for a stop, with nothing around but the mountaintops and crowds of Rarámuri hawking their crafts and food (including delicious gorditas). But walk a little way down the path and you're suddenly standing on the edge of space, on the lip of a vast chasm. Below you are the depths of the Barranca del Cobre and, adjoining it, the Barranca de Balojaque and the Barranca de Tararecua. There are a couple of absurdly expensive places to stay here and a few bare-bones cheaper ones as well, but for most people it's all too rapidly back on the train, which clanks on for an hour to Creel, just past the halfway stage and, at 2300m, close to the highest point of the line. This is the place to stop if you want seriously to explore the Sierra Tarahumara and the canyons; it gives easy access into some remarkable landscapes, and boasts the only reasonably priced hotel options en route (see "Accommodation" for staying in Creel and exploring the Sierra Tarahumara).
From Creel, the train takes a further six hours to reach Chihuahua – though beautiful, it's not a truly spectacular run. In fact, if the train timetable doesn't suit, there's no reason why you shouldn't take the bus from Creel to Chihuahua: it costs about the same as the second-class train fare, is quicker and covers much the same ground. East of Creel both bus and train begin to leave the Sierra Tarahumara behind as the route runs through gentle, verdant grazing land that wouldn't look out of place in some romantic Western film.