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Monterrey
Incredible as it may sound, the second largest city in Mexico is included inside "Parque Nacional Cumbres de Monterrey" (PNCM). According to an official document from 1937, this national park surrounds the city and is supposed to be a protected area with conservation purposes.
PNCM exists only in paper. Inside this area there are agricultural districts, industrial parks and residential areas as well as virgin forest land. There is no management plan for the park.
Inside PNCM there is an area known as Potrero Redondo. A couple of years ago, some ranchers killed the last puma that was roaming around free. They argued that it was eating their cattle.
In an effort to provide these poor farmers with means of living that do not disturb the ecosystem, we have introduced an adventure travel program in the area that generates income for the locals. This program is a canyoning expedition known as Matacanes. Below I describe the experience:
We arrive close to noon and have a delicious regional lunch. In the afternoon our guides teach us how to use harness and ropes to descend down a cliff using rappel techniques. We feel prepared for next day's adventure after we control our fear of height. We have dinner by the fire and go to bed early.
In the morning we start with a light trek down the canyon. The scenery is spectacular. We reach the first waterfall and our adrenaline starts flowing when we see the 25 meter fall. Our guide tells us it is time to gear up in wetsuit, helmet and rappel equipment. One by one we follow him down the rope. From this point on we enter in deep communion with nature as few people have done before.
We continue our descent down the canyon walking and swimming, encountering waterfalls where we have to jump into the cold water. Finally we reach the first cave and do a 15 meter rappel to get inside it. Once inside we turn on our lamps and swim along the river into the deep cave. We encounter a spot where we need to jump from a 3 meter height into the water. We reach the end of the tunnel and sit to rest in the warm sun while we have a light snack. We continue our journey down the river jumping into turquoise water holes.
After 6 hours of journey we reach the second cave. We jump into it from an 8 meter height by a waterfall. We continue though the 30 meter tunnel. Inside the cave we find the "matacanes", which are porous stones through which the water is filtering like a shower making it feel like it is raining inside the cave. We drift floating in the light current through the tunnel. The light coming in at the other end makes the water take on a beautiful brilliant blue shade. We exit the canyon with a deep conscience of the need to preserve these beautiful undisturbed places.
It would be absurd to change the use of areas inside PNCM form residential or industrial into ecological reserve. Yet we can plan to preserve areas that are still undisturbed inside the park. In the same line of reasoning we can't pretend to let people in rural areas starve to death so pumas can roam free. But it is worthwhile to device alternative income sources for these people, that can include adventure travel, that can provide these people with a way of living that doesn't destroy the ecosystem.
The way to reach Potrero Redondo is to take "Carretera Nacional" out of Monterrey and take the detour to "Cola de Caballo". Continue on that road until you reach a place called "Puerto Genovevo." The journey to this point takes about one hour. From here on you need to take a dirt road, it is important you have a 4x4 vehicle. By this dirt road you reach "Las Adjuntas", here you must cross the river and continue the journey up to "Potrero Redondo". The dirt road journey takes about one hour and a half. The roads are no signaled but you can ask any local and they will give you directions at any given point.
Sonia Ortiz runs Aven-tur, Ave. San Pedro sur 102-A Col. Del Valle, 66220 Garza Garcia, N.L; Phone: 52(8)335-6119; Fax: 52(8)335-1435, and can be reached via email at sortiz@teledinamica.com.mx; Web: http://www.netra.net/aventur
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