Here are some highlights for each season.

Spring- very dry and weather is easy to handle.

Summer- starting July 1 or so it rains often. This greens everything up and the water falls flow.

Fall- green and cool- some think this is the ideal season, but it can get stormy.

Winter- nice at lower elevations. We might get a snow at higher places.

Here is our 2012 calendar for Copper Canyon tours- including both New Years trips.

Here is what the La Cava website says:

La Cava (the cellar) has been in business since 1993. During these past years it has been our pleasure to welcome and provide hospitality to guests from across Mexico, the USA, and many foreign countries.

La Cava is located in the primary fruit growing region of Mexico. The area abounds with apple, peach, and cherry trees. Therefore, you can look forward to our menu of main course items and desserts prepared with fresh-from-the-orchard fruits. Our main course specialties are traditional Mexican meals of a variety of fish, beef, chicken, and pork dishes. Our menu changes daily, but we promise you will not be disappointed.

La Cava has a fully stocked bar and we will be pleased to make your favorite drink or one of our own.

We are open year round. The most beautiful months of the year in Ciudad Guerrero are March and April, when the fruit trees are in full bloom. Our rainy season is in the months of June and July. October and November are usually beautiful months, dry with crisp cool mornings at out elevation of 4,100 feet.

There is another place too- this one on the little plaza just to the east of the main one. Gabbys sits upstairs on the west side of this smaller plaza and has quite good meat dishes.

1. Copper Canyon is so huge.

It is hard to get your mind around how vast this place is...several canyons deeper and bigger than our Grand Canyon.

2. The Rarámuri or Tarahumara- the indigenous people.

My little friend "Once" from Carichic- one of the some 70,000 Raramuri in the Sierra Nevadas- truly a "people apart".

3. The train through Copper Canyon- CHEPE.

This amazing railway stretches across the rugged Copper Canyon and includes 37 bridges and 86 tunnels.

4. The little towns – the heart of rural Chihuahua.

The main dreg of the tiny village of Cuiteco- one that few tourists ever visit or even notice.

5. History and lore abound in Copper Canyon.

The old church in Cerocahui- the mission dates to the late 1500s.

6. Adventure travel options abound in Copper Canyon.

Copper Canyon has ziplines, rock climbing, horse riding, hiking...and some of the best remote swimming holes on the planet.

7. The food in Chihuahua is unique- very different from other parts of Mexico.

One of the great dishes of the Sierras- Agua Chile- more shrimp than you can finish!

8. The Mata Ortiz pottery…a true treasure of the Sierra Madres!

Juan Quezada with Dave Hensleigh in his studio at Mata Ortiz.

9. Oh the view from those ridges in Copper Canyon!

The views go on forever in this amazing place.

10. Our team of local Mexican guides there can give you the best in a Copper Canyon tour.

Alfredo Murillo...the fave of many of our Copper Canyon guests.

So join us soon in this majestic place!

Call Dave today at 217.369.9897 or email davehensleigh@gmail.com to get on board.

Kick off date is Dec 5, 2011 and the highlights are:

-Noritari Lodge high above San Juanito

-Batopilas at the bottom- incredible!

-Creel

-Areponapuchi

-Temoris

-Casas Grandes

Here is the complete itinerary:

Copper Canyon Trip for December, 2011

Dec 5- Arrive in El Paso. The airport is a good place to get pesos. Use the Travelex near the spot where you turn right to go to the baggage area. Meet our van and we head for Santa Teresa NM (20 minutes) to cross into Mexico. We are off toward the big apple- Chihuahua City. Dinner together and perhaps an evening view of the gigantic cathedral in the central plaza. We check into the historic boutique hotel, the San Felipe el Real. Stroll the historic district and the vast market.

The journey- We get and introduction to Norteño food as we travel south through the high elevation of the Chihuahua Desert. Burritos and other delicious street foods will be ours to choose from in the little towns north of Chihuahua.

Chihuahua City- This bustling hub for commerce has its roots as a mining and ranching center. Several fascinating museums (including the Pancho Villa home) gather around the towering 1700s cathedral. The food here is a bit eclectic and reflects the melting pot that Chihuahua has become.

Dec 6- time for breakfast and look around town- then off to San Juanito by van through Mennonite country. (Early train is an option). Winding our way into the Sierra Madre, we drop into several little villages and then arrive at the relaxing wooded Noritari near San Juanito- a unique cabin style solar hotel with a gourmet cook. A great night to enjoy dinner, chat with the chef, and take a stroll along the stream through the mountains.

Noritari- This unique 80 hectare site is dotted with cabins with fireplaces, private baths, solar lighting- the nearby stream flows and the pines whisper. Enjoy.

Dec 7 – We are up early and this is our big day to van to Batopilas. This trip will take most of the day and will include some of the world’s greatest canyon views. Evening in the quiet and remote mining town.

Batopilas has so much to see and experience…it is a step back 300 years to the silver mining boom in Chihuahua- fascinating history and culture.

Dec 8- All day in Bato- lots to explore- we have many options and Gustavo will be our expert to get us there.

Dec 9- Plenty of time to finish up our experience in Batopilas then return to Creel- evening to relax.

Creel is a bustling little village with lots of restaurants and shops. There is also a great little museum and shop which gives loads of info on Tarahumara culture

Dec 10- Train late morning to Temoris through the heart of Copper Canyon…have your camera ready! Evening in this little mining town.

Temoris- An old mining town which has seen a recent renewal of mining activity. The town sits 3000 ft above the train and is near some of the most spectacular parts of the railway. The “pines grow near the limes” in this unusual Sierra climate….great air! Aside from the few miners, very few gringos visit this place.

Dec 11- Optional hike down to train and on to El Fuerte- evening at Rio Vista. Evening to stroll the square and relax.

El Fuerte- A small town with a quaint (and delicious!) market and lots of colonial architecture. History, Indian culture, bird watching, and a palm lined plaza make this place a favorite.

Dec 12- Petroglyphs, river trip. Perhaps evening meal with Evangelina at hacienda.

Evangelina- This lovely lady with her brother and extended family live in one of the historic mansions off the square in El Fuerte. We often dine with them and get a full taste of some genuine Copper Canyon hospitality.

Dec 13 – Board the train in the morning headed northeast for Areponapuchi (Posada Barrancas station). We arrive at this tiny town and a local lodge- above the canyon- Mansion Tarahumara. Dinner, relax as well as perhaps watch the sunset over the vast reaches of Copper Canyon. “Arepo”as we call it, is officially “nowhere Mexico”. The area around Arepo gives us a good long look at Copper Canyon, and we have plenty of time to look around.

Areponapuchi- Just call it Arepo and don’t expect the big city. This tiny place sits near the rim of some of the best views of Copper Canyon. The new gondola and ziplines are a scenic thrill, and you can walk or ride horses in and around the great canyon. Also a good place to pick up local souvenirs.

Dec 14 – All day to enjoy ziplines, gondola, hiking, etc….and relax!

Dec 15 – Sunrise at the edge of Copper anyone? Breakfast and a walk down through a Tarahumara cave dwelling. Some last views of the canyon, then we catch our van to head for Casas Grandes As the evening cools a walk through the ancient Indian ruins at Paquime. Our home this evening is the lovely hacienda, Casa de Nopal.

Casas Grandes- Right on the edge of Casas are the Paquime Indian archaeological ruins- a UNESCO World Heritage site- and nearby is the tiny village of Mata Ortiz. The pottery from this area is very special and known around the world for its intricacy and character.

Food in the Casas area- This is the high desert area and truly ranch country. We will eat at an historic hacienda and savor the local restaurants.

Dec 16 – Plenty of time to explore Paquime ruins, Mata Ortiz pottery, etc. Dinner at hacienda.

Perhaps go up to Rancho Uno- Nature Conservancy reserve for evening.

…..and yes it is safe to travel in Mexico!

Dec 17- Up and off to El Paso to catch flights…or relax (if our flights are Dec 18) and drop into Janos on the way and get a warm welcome and tour with Celso and Emma at Don Cuco sotol. Sotol is THE drink of Chihuahua and is somewhat like tequila- but better…bring some home!

Sotol- This stop at Don Cuco will give you a full introduction (including a few sips) to this fine spirit from the enchanting Chihuahua area.

Price for this trip with 5 min is $1980 USD per person. Single room, add $300.

This includes all guides, transport, food, and hotels in Mexico except your visa, 4 meals, gondola and zipline, and alcohol. I will supply an overview of expected personal expenses.

I will anchor this trip with the deposit of 5 guests. Deposit is $500 per person.

Payable to TopTrips, 514 South Edwin, Champaign, Il 61821.

Jesinia comes to the door. The pure beauty of this little girl flows. She and her sister Daniela live here with there parents. Daniela is actually in school now in Chihuahua- I have no clue how they pay for this.

Little Jesinia says her dad is out working. Fifteen minutes later I am running along the only road in “town” and I flag down Jilo. We set a time in two hours to take a ride. I tell him no group- just me- and he looks a bit downcast. He needs the money from a big group.

Jilo shows up with two gaunt, but sure footed horses and we head up through the pines. Over rock inclines we climb past verdant fields of corn, beans, squash, and potatoes in the Tarahumara ejido.

Heading south from Arepo along the rim.

2011 was a good rain season and the fields are green. Note the goats in the pen at the bottom of the pic.

Then up to incredible vistas…the far green fields of the Pomochi plateau.

There are no views like these Copper ones- take your soul away!

Two hours goes fast and we are back at Mansion Tarahumara.

I pull out 500 pesos (typically a ride is 250)…about $35 USD. To me this is a shy tank of gas, a night out, 1/30th of a mortgage, a low water bill, 10 bottles of Charles Shaw.

But Jilo’s response communicates it is much more to him. He offers change and I say no, kepp it all.

He stares.

Off comes his hat and up go several “Gracias Adios” and he crosses himself over and over.

His eyes are wet.

To Jilo and his family it is food.

Jilo Mancinas at the first communion of his niece at the little church in Areponapuchi.

There are some 80,000 Mennonites in Mexico, most of them in Chihuahua. The largest concentration is around Cuauhtemoc. This area is right along the CHEPE train to Copper Canyon and also is traversed by a very serviceable road.

History

The immigration of these folks mainly from Canada began in 1922 whena deal was made by President Obregon. The details of this and sunsequent developments are well documented in a Wiki article “Mennonites in Mexico”.

Our tours to the area

I always enjoy rolling out of Chihuahua City on the train early in the morning headed for Copper Canyon. One crisp fall morning I remember particularly because the early sun was so warm, and as we climbed up into the Cuauhtemoc basin (it takes about 2 hours from Chi City) the air cooled a bit and made that sun feel so good.

Before us out the windows of the rocking CHEPE were miles and miles of apple trees (recently harvested) and maturing oats with their gray green color flowing as far as we could see. The apple orchards were full of workers weeding, pruning and bundling up the huge nets used for hail protection.

One May morning not long ago

Smudge fires above Cuauhtemoc in the apple fields.

I was out of Cuauhtemoc early one morning to catch up with a group and the temperature on the car dash read 1 degree…then zero, then minus one. All across the vast basin. smudge fires were flaring and the wind circulators made a roar like some giant fly in. It was quite a site and made the usually bucolic farms seem to bustle with warming activity.

Early morning smudge fires above Cuauhtemoc.

These are planned trips from Authentic Copper Canyon for 2011…we can plan your individualized experience for you on almost any date…small group trips for families, travel clubs, etc. are our specialty! 

September 1-8 - The Blue Corn Express – Our delicious culinary trip through the reaches of Copper and the incredible railway… with an emphasis on food!

September 9-17 – Classic train trip- This is such a beautiful time of year to experience Copper because it cames at the end of the rainy season. The whole environment is green, apples are on the trees, the pines glisten, and the waterfalls flow.

NOTE: Servive trip to Casas Grandes to work with an important project putting cement floors into dirt floor homes- Date is Oct 24 to 30 and cost is just $695. Has a possible Copper Canyon add on from Oct 29-Nov 2. Call Dave at 217.369.9897 right away for details.

October 28-Nov 4 – Classic train trip…and this is a wonderful season to be in the Sierras- some think it the best.

November 14-21 – Classic train trip

December 21-28 – 8 days in Copper during the special Christmas season.

December 28- Jan 4 – New Years in Copper Canyon…it’s a train trip and it’s a party Mexico style!

January 16-23, 2012 – Classic train trip

February 20-27- Classic train trip

Other trips can be scheduled at almost any time in the year and personalized for individual trips or small groups. Call Dave at 217.369.9897 or email davehensleigh@gmail.com for info.

A full list of excursions will be posted soon for each month in 2012.

Our vision is that each one of our guests will have an enriching experience in this grand place called “Barrancas del Cobre” or Copper Canyon. We arrange things so that people can be fully immersed in the culture- the history, the environment, the people, the food, and of course the incredible railway.

We Take the Simple Approach:

We take the simple approach to traveling the Copper Canyon train…just go there. Our excursions include a full dose of the train (called CHEPE). Most tour companies minimize train time. This saves them money and allows for less days- its a way to increase profit. Quite to the contrary, we try to maximize train time and arrange the days so that the cool parts of the train line can be seem in good light.

We get you there:

Maybe it is the sunrise over Copper Canyon. Or a local festival or party. Or a meal in a local hacienda or out of the way restaurant- where they cook on a wood stove and there is not a speck of English. You will see the world from a new perspective and be fully immersed in the vibrant culture, the refreshing hospitality, the great cuisine of old Chihuahua and the enchanting Sierra Madres.

Dave with Gus Lozano at Noritari on a recent "Blue Corn Express" culinary trip.

I met this skilled guide on the train one day as it rolled up through Copper Canyon. I saw him at a distance talking with some guests. Perhaps I have an aversion to guides who talk all the time and try to tell people all they know about everything in the Sierra Madres. I liked the way this guy dealt with people and that day I introduced myself. Today we are good friends and Gustavo is an essential part of our team.

Years ago I heard Bill Hybels at Willow Creek in Chicago say that he looked for three qualities in a potential hire: Character, Competency, and Chemistry.

I use this approach to adding to my team…and Gustavo has these qualities in spades.

The foods in Copper Canyon- including the infamous "Agua Chile" in Urique, drawing a gasp from one of our guests in this pic- are fantastic.

The food scene in the Sierra Madres is varied and unique. There are several cultures shoulder to shoulder in the Sierra Madres- the Mexican population, the Tarahumara Indians, the Mennonites- and this makes for variety of delicious options there.

Pepper production north of the canyons makes for close by sources for this vital ingredient

Central northern Mexico- this “Norteño” area-  is largely undeveloped by most standards and still has the flavor of old cowboy days. The pace is slow, the people are friendly and the rugged nature of the desert and mountain areas is reflected in the culture- especially in the food.

One of the August and September time is fresh mushrooms from the pine woods.

The slow food approach to cooking is the way it is along the train in Copper Canyon. Most of the places we use raise their food or buy it locally.

Armando Diaz in Arepo with blue corn from his fields...soon to be tortillas!

Our approach with The Blue Corn Express is to take you to the places where the food is real, the people are involved, and your memory will be vivid! 

The premier culinary trip to the majestic Copper Canyon...coming next in April, 2011!