World’s 18th Highest Waterfall is near Alamos……
In 1993, Carlos Acosta, Steve Parker (Dolore’s son), Max Shriver and myself made a trek through the Copper Canyon by 4×4 (540 miles worth). One stop on our return trip was to see Mexico’s famous Basaseachic waterfall which has a single vertical drop of 311 meters. If you check the internet most sources list this as the highest in Mexico. As we learned from a knowledgeable guide on our Hacienda de los Santos Copper Canyon tour last summer, Basaseachic waterfall is no longer the highest in Mexico. In 1994 another waterfall, “Piedra Volada”, was discovered which has a vertical drop of 453 meters. One wonders how such a high waterfall could remain “undiscovered” for so many years. Why could it not be seen from various vantage points on the plateau by early travelers, or even from an occasional airplane flying the region? Even explores walking up or downstream would have discovered this hidden waterfall.
Today we obtained those answers. Flying with Ron Miller and Beto Estrada we followed the Mayo River upstream about 70 miles, as the crow flies, and found Basaseachic in all of its glory. A beautiful waterfall which can be seen on the internet on various websites. The guide had told me that downstream from Basaseachic the Piedra Volada was discovered, however we did not see it on the Mayo prior to reaching Basaseachic. After my cameraman, Ron, finished making a Hi-Def video of Basaseachic we then flew the area downstream. Nearly missing the waterfall I saw a narrow slit in solid rock on the east side of the Mayo River which went to a high plateau. Sure enough, like a giant fold in the earth we were looking at “Piedra Volada” and the water dropping nearly 1/3 of a mile. Easy to miss since the fall is in a dark canyon, very narrow, and without direct sunlight. Sheer walls in places it would have been extremely difficult for someone to walk up or downstream in this area of the Mayo River. Probably the very few who did were the Tarahumara to the east and Yaqui to the west. Possibly in the summer a good photo could be taken showing this beautiful work of mother nature when the sun is overhead.
To put it into perspective with North America’s highest waterfalls “Yosemite”. Yosemite falls has multiple drops, as do many others, and their ranking in the world is based upon total drop distance. Piedra Volada’s drop is greater than the single greatest drop of Yosemite Falls (436m vs 453m). If ranked by a single vertical drop it’s ranking would be much higher worldwide.
We are fortunate to live so close to the most remote region of Mexico, La Barranca de Cobre.
Pilot Jim Swickard
owner of Hacienda de los Santos Resort & Spa. Alamos, Sonora)
Source: Copper Canyon Trails
World’s 18th Highest Waterfall is near Alamos……
In 1993, Carlos Acosta, Steve Parker (Dolore’s son), Max Shriver and myself made a trek through the Copper Canyon by 4×4 (540 miles worth). One stop on our return trip was to see Mexico’s famous Basaseachic waterfall which has a single vertical drop of 311 meters. If you check the internet most sources list this as the highest in Mexico. As we learned from a knowledgeable guide on our Hacienda de los Santos Copper Canyon tour last summer, Basaseachic waterfall is no longer the highest in Mexico. In 1994 another waterfall, “Piedra Volada”, was discovered which has a vertical drop of 453 meters. One wonders how such a high waterfall could remain “undiscovered” for so many years. Why could it not be seen from various vantage points on the plateau by early travelers, or even from an occasional airplane flying the region? Even explores walking up or downstream would have discovered this hidden waterfall.
Today we obtained those answers. Flying with Ron Miller and Beto Estrada we followed the Mayo River upstream about 70 miles, as the crow flies, and found Basaseachic in all of its glory. A beautiful waterfall which can be seen on the internet on various websites. The guide had told me that downstream from Basaseachic the Piedra Volada was discovered, however we did not see it on the Mayo prior to reaching Basaseachic. After my cameraman, Ron, finished making a Hi-Def video of Basaseachic we then flew the area downstream. Nearly missing the waterfall I saw a narrow slit in solid rock on the east side of the Mayo River which went to a high plateau. Sure enough, like a giant fold in the earth we were looking at “Piedra Volada” and the water dropping nearly 1/3 of a mile. Easy to miss since the fall is in a dark canyon, very narrow, and without direct sunlight. Sheer walls in places it would have been extremely difficult for someone to walk up or downstream in this area of the Mayo River. Probably the very few who did were the Tarahumara to the east and Yaqui to the west. Possibly in the summer a good photo could be taken showing this beautiful work of mother nature when the sun is overhead.
To put it into perspective with North America’s highest waterfalls “Yosemite”. Yosemite falls has multiple drops, as do many others, and their ranking in the world is based upon total drop distance. Piedra Volada’s drop is greater than the single greatest drop of Yosemite Falls (436m vs 453m). If ranked by a single vertical drop it’s ranking would be much higher worldwide.
We are fortunate to live so close to the most remote region of Mexico, La Barranca de Cobre.
**********
Written by: Pilot Jim Swickard (See the MBH Pilot Perk program inspired by Jim by clicking HERE)
Owner, Hacienda de los Santos Resort & Spa, Alamos, Sonora
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