Hello Colin,
Below is a description of El Fuerte and a disclaimer to explain (perhaps
even excuse) our actions.
See you in a few weeks.
Cordially,
Jorge
El Fuerte:
First, a disclaimer:
As mentioned before, our training group did not stop in El Fuerte. The decision to bypass El Fuerte was a group decision and no individual should be held responsible. This decision was in no way an oblique effort to undermine you as you've been more than generous with us; rather, the following reasons:
1) We decided there would be little we could investigate between 10PM and 7AM as we arrived in Los Mochis around 9PM and would have set off first thing the next morning.
2) Personal funds, if not already spent, were very low. Paying for our own accommodations was not an option, and finding an unlikely campground at night wasn't much of a consideration either.
3) Several tour leaders were already faced with minimal start-up time upon arrival in LA, so every hour we could spare saved us the unnecessary stress of rushing into our first trip. I still feel this was a sound decision.
EL FUERTE:
Having been there twice myself, I can safely say that El Fuerte is definitely a better gateway to the Copper Canyon than Los Mochis for several reasons. First, the train departs about two hours later (8:00 AM) and arrives two hours on the way back. Second, it makes up in lack of Los Mochis chaos in typical colonial charm. As former capital of the state of Sinaloa, El Fuerte was a hub for the Spanish silver mining industry, which is reflected in the centro's colonial architecture, as it is one of the northernmost cities of Mexico's "Camino Real;" and the Spanish fort from
which the town gets its name. The fort is now an inexpensive museum that provides nice sunset views of the town and the surrounding flat sub-tropic topography along the Rio Fuerte that cradles the city. Thirdly, it's easily navigated by foot and there are inexpensive hostels like "Casa Pascola" among others.
The one drawback is the train station is 7km outside of town, so a taxi or shuttle must be taken. This creates a bit of a challenge for a tour leader, for he/she would have to find a place to safely park the van. A resourceful tour leader should have no problem securing a fair taxi rate and a safe place to park the van. NOTE: Taxis have a bit of a monopoly on this small transit, so it would be wise to arrange the shuttle through the hostel/hotel.
ANOTHER NOTE: This city, just like the rest along this coast, is super HOT and HUMID in July and August. Hostels/hotels with air-conditioning (or very strong fans) would be recommendable. Lonely Planet recommends several places to sleep and several places to eat.
A quick history to indulge the trip-note reader: El Fuerte was founded in 1564 by the Spanish conquistador Don Francisco de Ibarra, the first explorer of the western Sierra Madre mountains. In 1610 a fort was built to ward off the fierce Zuaque and Tehueco Indians who were later subdued as the city flourished from the silver mines upstream. It is said that El Fuerte was the most important commercial and agricultural center of northern Mexico for some three hundred years. Later, El Fuerte became a major trading post for silver miners and gold seekers from the Urique, Batopilas and Rain of Gold mines in the nearby Sierra Madre.
In 1824, El Fuerte became the capital of what are now the states of Sonora, Sinaloa and the southern part of Arizona. Now the town sustains itself on agriculture and tourism. An afternoon among its 30,000 residents is rewarding enough.
I hope may be of some use helpful, though I'm sure tour leaders who've been
there have more pertinent information. -gm
