Copper Canyon, Mexico March / April 07

[cruiser guy]

On my return to Guatemala this year I'm considering a trip through the Copper Canyon. This would be a start date of about July 20 from ElPaso area. I realize that the summer is not the best time of the year but it's the only time I can do it since I'm in Central America the rest of the year. If you are interested let me know via posting here or PM.
I will not be risking it solo due to river crossings etc. so without a partner truck or two this will not happen and we'll simply bypass Copper Canyon for this year.
I'm also going to post in the "Partners wanted" section of the forum too.
Note the revised date.

[Hltoppr]

I'd have no qualms doing it solo, FYI.... If you want to go to Batopilas, just take the main road from Creel in and out, and avoid the Rio Urique crossing and extra 50 miles of dirt.

Well worth the trip. If your rig is up to driving from Guatemala, then the side trip through CC shouldn't be an issue.

-H-

[cruiser guy]

I'll review my GuiaRoji once I get it back from the guy that has it right now and see what I think about it. I've done crazier things here but Mexico is not exactly a hotbed of diesel LandCruiser parts support. On a trip as far as Guatemala you need to expect something to fail and so far I have not been let down :(

The first trip I had tranny issues and was able to make it home without further incident using ONLY 3rd and 4th from Mazatlan north to Vancouver, B.C., I've had a cross member fail due to rust (frame replacement last December should cure those issues for the next 20 years) and I've had a wheel shear off at the studs due to severe overloading (my bad) and poor roads near Arriaga, Chiapas but I was mobile again in an hour thanks to the local guys who were coming with a jack and my runaway wheel before I even got out of the truck! The trouble is all these issues are the sort that you can't really plan for. I tend to fix ANYTHING on the truck BEFORE it's an issue 'cause I hate being Found On Road Dead!!

I don't need these to happen 50 miles from the nearest "one horse" town when I'm on my own!

[Hltoppr]

You could just buy my Cruiser...it'd make it no problemo....;) (Shameless pimpin' of my ride, I know...:D ).

The road to Batopilas isn't bad (a Subaru could make it), just long...but no, you don't want to have to pay for a tow out of there....

-H-

[Hltoppr]

BTW, if your journey brings you through Flagstaff, AZ....I'll buy the beers...

-H- :beer:

[cruiser guy]

Send me your contact info on a PM! We usually enter Mexico through Nogales. We passed through Flagstaff last year on our way down. No plans for this year but that can change at a moments notice.

Of the few problems we encountered the only one that could have left us stranded was the sheared wheel and I'll be carrying a set of spare studs and nuts from now on.

[Hltoppr]

PMs seem to be out of order at the moment...when they clear up I'll hit you with my info.

:beer:

-H-

[LexusAllTerrain]

Are you guys ready for this... Temoris.

[cruiser guy]

I'm ready!!




Are you??

[LexusAllTerrain]

Oh! here it is the picture for Temoris a great looking small village next to the old railroad station!

[Hltoppr]

Take the back roads!!! :jumping:

http://hltoppr.smugmug.com/photos/68686673-M.jpg

-H-

[underdog]

BTW, if your journey brings you through Flagstaff, AZ....I'll buy the beers...

-H- :beer:

If there are beers happening in Flagstaff, keep me in the loop. I'll buy a round:)

[Hltoppr]

Sounds like a plan!

-H- :ylsmoke:

[cruiser guy]

Take the back roads!!! :jumping:

-H-

That's the game plan! For me though since I have to be somewhere in Guatemala at the end of July I cannot go alone just in case I run into trouble.

So who's all coming??

[cruiser guy]

Given the close election results in Mexico and the determination of both front runners not to concede, I've decided to postpone the trip to Copper Canyon till December (I think I've convinced my daughter and her boyfriend to drive down for Christmas and we can meet them 1/2 way which is Copper Canyon!). I'll still be heading through Mexico but I would like to have a little extra time in case of demonstrations or protests along the way.

[cpg]

Does anyone have recent last 5 years or so of town center Batopilas?
I am curious if it has changed much since 1989.

[Hltoppr]

Here are a couple of pics of Batopilas from February 06.

-H-

http://hltoppr.smugmug.com/photos/100218803-M.jpg

http://hltoppr.smugmug.com/photos/100218805-M.jpg

http://hltoppr.smugmug.com/photos/100218807-M.jpg

[cpg]

Thank you very much! That is what I was looking for. I really enjoyed are visit there. Did you spend the night there?
Rode a 1988 XR 600 down there it was a wonderfull trip.

[BajaTaco]

Thank you very much! That is what I was looking for. I really enjoyed are visit there. Did you spend the night there?
Rode a 1988 XR 600 down there it was a wonderfull trip.

Andrew did a great article for Expedition Portal on that trip. Check it out HERE (http://www.expeditionportal.com/reports/2006/BMW_Copper_Canyon/index.php). :victory:

[cpg]

Thank you!
Great report

[cruiser guy]

This is planning for a revised date of the last week of March or first week of April of this year. Anyone interested?

[Hltoppr]

I'll be in the area around March 15-25...give or take....with several other bikes...maybe we'll run into you.

-H-

[cruiser guy]

I'll be in the area around March 15-25...give or take....with several other bikes...maybe we'll run into you.

-H-

That'll be a week ahead of us. I'll be in El Golfo area on the March 25th weekend.

[Hltoppr]

:mad:

-H-

[cruiser guy]

Nobody is interested in Copper Canyon during the week of Semana Santa?!?

[LexusAllTerrain]

I am surprise there are no takers on this great trip!:ylsmoke:

[ShearPin]

Damn, I shoveled 4 inches of snow last night - this winters getting long. I hope this trip works out ... post pictures. I'll be really needing some sunny photos by late March early April.....


Henry
www.4x4freedom.com

[cruiser guy]

Unfortunately I don't see Copper Canyon as being part of our itinerary at this time. I won't risk creek crossings with one vehicle and no one has committed yet. I'll still post pics of the rest of the trip once we're down in Guatemala.

I hear you about winter and snow. It was snowing here in Cranbrook, B.C. yesterday and it might be snowing when we set out tomorrow! I'm sure it won't be snowing when we arrive!:sunny:

[ShearPin]

Cruiser Guy - out of curiosity, what creek crossings are you concerned about? I am no expert on the area but have found the time to get down to Copper Canyon 3 times since my first trip in 1997 - my last trip was 3 weeks leaving San Diego solo with my now wife, 2003 I think.

There is no shortage of places to go and things to see without crossing a lot of water. On the Batopilas side the road into the canyon is bridged at every major crossing. On the Creel side you can get right into the town at the bottom of the canyon without any big water. If you wish to drive out past the town there is a River that I have been through in the old petrol Land Rover that was deep and quick with soft sand banks on either side. Your a short walk from town if the worst happens. We camped 3 nights on the other side and hiked.

The worst water I found was the road out to Alamos on the Batopilas side (may be the one you are thinking of). Did this route on the solo with wife trip. When I crossed it was wide, fast, and the bottom was soft gravel. Again, the old Rover crossed no problem and you are within site of the town. I had trouble clearly finding the crossing and approached a Police pick-up in town. They showed us where to cross and stayed until we reached the other side - granted they were all laughing when I drove in......

Short of coming into the area on the heels of a big rain I wouldn't miss the area due to water crossing concerns.

Henry
www.4x4freedom.com
(Copper Canyon section is two trips behind)

[Hltoppr]

I'm surprised that you don't have any takers....I've had to keep our numbers down for our moto trip.....

The Rio Urique is the one "major" river crossing on the way from Batopilas to Choix.

Now...our way down from the ruins of Paquime to Creel will involve about 5 river crossings....

Time to snorkel the motorbikes!

-H- :sombrero: