Mexico is Magic! And in the Copper Canyon, the people and the landscape are truly the legendary treasure of the Sierra Madre. But like any real treasure, it is hidden. Hidden in the convoluted terrain and in the Mestizo and Tarahumara cultures.
Santiago is uniquely qualified to help you achieve your goals and enjoy your adventure in this exotic, spectacular, and fascinating part of the world. He has more than 30 years of experience in the Canyons, having guided and explored their most remote mesas and arroyos, giving him an unrivaled knowledge of the region. His passion for the landscape, his quiet competence, and his respect for the people who work with him as well as for those he meets along the way have earned him the confidence, respect, and long-term friendship of both Tarahumara and Mestizo people throughout the area.
Meet some of the travellers who have worked with Santiago:
Film maker Kathryn Ferguson, director of "The Unholy Tarahumara" from Tucson, Arizona hired Santiago to contract with Tarahumara farmers and negotiate a film set near Norogachi. Because of this success, Kathryn began another Canyon project and recently made good progress in piecing together a story because, once again, Santiago made the right introductions.
Photographer Richard Speedy, from Hopewell, New Jersey, has made numerous trips with Santiago. Richard and Santiago spent two weeks in the back country (summer 2000) photographing in a traditional Tarahumara area. Santiago enlisted the aid of a local muleteer to transport the large format cameras and helped Richard gain the acceptance needed to do his very best work.
Retired from the banking industry, Robert Fife of Hempstead, Texas has taken several trips with Santiago. After falling in love with the area while on the Batopilas to Urique hike, Robert joined the 12 day hike into the high sierra from Norogachi, Treking along the upper Urique. His latest trip was, as Robert refers to it, an "ass-kicking" adventure exploring the little known Oteros canyon, and his first taste of canyoneering. Robert is planning a return trip to complete a section of the Oteros.
Kay and Paul Cox of Martinez, California hired Santiago to design and guide a camping trip for their family, including their nine-month-old granddaughter, Sequoia! The group walked out of Batopilas and spent 5 nights camping and hiking with the support of local donkey packers. Everyone was charmed by the youngest member of the group who did very well. Paul later wrote to say that the trip had been a wonderful bonding experience for the six adult family members. Click on photo to enlarge!
Anthropologist Christopher McLaverty of London, England joined the "Semana Santa with the Tarahumara" trip based in Norogachi. The Easter dances in Norogachi are the most traditional in the area and are the chief tourism attraction for this remote high sierra village. There are no hotels or restaurants, but the President of the village, Martha Garcia, has opened her home for visitors. This trip is an unparalled opportunity to get close to both the Mestizo and Tarahumara cultures. Christopher was grateful to Santiago for helping him meet traditional artisans in the area, as Santiago shares his enthusiasm and eye for quality craft work.
World traveller Joan Barbour writes of her cross canyon trip, "You showed just the right amount of caring and concern for our welfare, yet leaving us to fend for ourselves as much as we could. You gave us a lot of space, yet confidence that I could make it. You gave us the information we needed, yet you let us each have our own experience. You're a great guide, Jim. Your knowledge and love for the area is infectious. It is indeed a special area of the world and I feel very fortunate not just to have experienced it, but to have experienced it with you."
