1 00:00:00,900 --> 00:00:01,500 I am Bear Grylls. 2 00:00:01,900 --> 00:00:04,033 I've served with the British Special Forces, 3 00:00:04,367 --> 00:00:06,066 I've climbed to the summit of Everest 4 00:00:06,233 --> 00:00:08,667 and crossed the frozen waters of the Arctic. 5 00:00:09,433 --> 00:00:11,333 Now, my challenge is to survive 6 00:00:11,367 --> 00:00:14,066 one of the world's largest canyon systems, 7 00:00:14,500 --> 00:00:16,200 Copper Canyon, Mexico. 8 00:00:16,834 --> 00:00:18,834 It's a Mecca for hikers and climbers 9 00:00:19,033 --> 00:00:21,033 but hundreds get lost every year. 10 00:00:21,734 --> 00:00:25,266 I am going to show you the skills needed to survive here. 11 00:00:33,734 --> 00:00:35,767 I am entering Mexico's Copper Canyon, 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,367 300 miles south of the US border. 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,233 There are hundreds of deep twisting canyons 14 00:00:41,367 --> 00:00:44,333 that cut through a desert the size of Massachusetts. 15 00:00:44,667 --> 00:00:48,400 It is four times larger and a 1,000 feet deeper 16 00:00:48,667 --> 00:00:49,800 than the Grand Canyon! 17 00:00:50,166 --> 00:00:52,200 This place is wild! 18 00:00:53,367 --> 00:00:56,634 The landscape has remained untouched for centuries. 19 00:00:56,867 --> 00:00:58,166 That is why people come here. 20 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,066 And it is fast becoming one of Mexico's hiking hotspots. 21 00:01:02,467 --> 00:01:05,333 Last year, half a million people visited. 22 00:01:06,166 --> 00:01:08,700 But parts of the canyons are so remote 23 00:01:08,900 --> 00:01:10,133 that they are still unmapped. 24 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,934 Without a guide, getting lost is almost guaranteed. 25 00:01:14,767 --> 00:01:18,300 I am going to put myself in the position of a lost tourist 26 00:01:18,533 --> 00:01:22,000 to show how to survive in a place like this. 27 00:01:23,033 --> 00:01:24,567 There is little sign of life here, 28 00:01:24,667 --> 00:01:29,033 making starvation and dehydration a big threat to anyone stranded. 29 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:31,200 There is no way I am going to be able to land 30 00:01:31,233 --> 00:01:32,600 in the valleys down there. 31 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:33,500 It is just too steep, 32 00:01:33,900 --> 00:01:37,467 the only place they can drop me is right at the top. 33 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,867 We are over nine and a half thousand feet up, 34 00:01:43,166 --> 00:01:46,033 almost at the limit of where this single-engined helicopter 35 00:01:46,066 --> 00:01:47,367 can hover safely. 36 00:01:48,233 --> 00:01:51,100 I am going to use a technique I learnt from the Special Forces 37 00:01:51,266 --> 00:01:53,066 and it is called the Dust Off. 38 00:01:53,634 --> 00:01:56,166 The pilot comes in fast and touches down 39 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,133 just for a second whilst hovering at full power. 40 00:02:01,133 --> 00:02:02,767 (INAUDIBLE) (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) 41 00:02:05,934 --> 00:02:07,300 (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE) 42 00:02:07,367 --> 00:02:09,700 All I have with me is a water bottle, 43 00:02:09,734 --> 00:02:11,300 a flint and my knife. 44 00:02:11,667 --> 00:02:13,500 A film crew will follow me. 45 00:02:13,767 --> 00:02:14,634 Okay, go! 46 00:02:37,700 --> 00:02:41,533 It just feels like, feels like top of the world. 47 00:02:41,967 --> 00:02:43,600 Just breathtaking. 48 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,900 But it is also, just huge 49 00:02:49,433 --> 00:02:53,266 and it makes, makes me feel pretty small here. 50 00:02:55,333 --> 00:02:58,934 And trying to work my way through this landscape, 51 00:02:59,467 --> 00:03:02,233 is going to be a massive challenge. 52 00:03:04,834 --> 00:03:09,200 I can see over 25 miles and there is no sign of human activity. 53 00:03:09,667 --> 00:03:13,433 I do have a plan but first I need to get my bearings. 54 00:03:14,266 --> 00:03:17,100 If you look over here you will see the contrast in the canyons, 55 00:03:17,266 --> 00:03:20,266 where a lot of these faces here have a lot more vegetation 56 00:03:20,500 --> 00:03:22,767 than down here where it is a lot dryer, 57 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:23,734 looks a lot more parched. 58 00:03:24,066 --> 00:03:27,567 And what it means, it means all of those faces are north facing. 59 00:03:27,767 --> 00:03:30,800 They receive less sun and therefore more moisture. 60 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,166 So north is this way. 61 00:03:34,734 --> 00:03:37,834 Now, I have got my bearings, I can put my plan into action. 62 00:03:38,467 --> 00:03:42,266 What I do know is that the Chihuahua al Pacifico rail line 63 00:03:42,700 --> 00:03:44,000 lies to the west of me 64 00:03:44,433 --> 00:03:47,033 and this runs all the way through the Copper Canyon, 65 00:03:47,300 --> 00:03:49,767 for about 400 miles from the north to the south 66 00:03:50,166 --> 00:03:51,867 and yeah it's a big tourist attraction. 67 00:03:52,066 --> 00:03:56,634 It is used everyday and if I head west I should come across it. 68 00:03:59,700 --> 00:04:01,467 It's 75 degrees right now 69 00:04:01,667 --> 00:04:05,066 but at nine and a half thousand feet as soon as the sun goes down 70 00:04:05,266 --> 00:04:06,934 it will get dramatically colder. 71 00:04:07,467 --> 00:04:11,367 The one thing about this environment here 72 00:04:11,967 --> 00:04:14,667 is that the days are really hot 73 00:04:15,233 --> 00:04:18,734 and that I know from experience at this altitude the nights are 74 00:04:18,767 --> 00:04:20,000 going to get very cold 75 00:04:20,367 --> 00:04:23,166 and it is that contrast that makes this place dangerous. 76 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,166 I need to descend fast. 77 00:04:25,533 --> 00:04:28,467 Up here temperatures will plummet to 15 degrees. 78 00:04:28,700 --> 00:04:31,800 At the bottom, though, it will be 40 degrees warmer 79 00:04:32,066 --> 00:04:34,266 but that's over a vertical mile away. 80 00:04:34,900 --> 00:04:39,367 Even If I found a direct route down it would still take hours to reach. 81 00:04:40,066 --> 00:04:43,567 But finding a route down just looks impossible. 82 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,333 Being this close to the edge is the only way 83 00:04:47,367 --> 00:04:48,900 I am going to be able to find a way down here, 84 00:04:49,467 --> 00:04:52,066 if there is one but it is dangerous. 85 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,600 I am looking for what climbers call a line of weakness, 86 00:04:55,767 --> 00:04:57,300 where the rocks been eroded. 87 00:04:57,734 --> 00:04:59,600 These often give you a route down. 88 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:01,800 But there is no way down here. 89 00:05:01,834 --> 00:05:02,200 (EAGLE SCREECHING SOUND) 90 00:05:02,700 --> 00:05:04,767 This jagged landscape is unforgiving. 91 00:05:05,300 --> 00:05:07,934 It is hard to imagine anything surviving up here 92 00:05:08,233 --> 00:05:10,634 but amazingly there are signs of life. 93 00:05:11,166 --> 00:05:13,066 Look, see this animal poo? 94 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:15,834 And look you can see what is in it there, 95 00:05:16,166 --> 00:05:16,567 bit of seed, 96 00:05:17,333 --> 00:05:20,467 lots of hair and even a bit of bone and that tells me 97 00:05:20,500 --> 00:05:23,400 it is an omnivore and actually these tapered ends 98 00:05:23,433 --> 00:05:27,133 also say this is more than likely going to be a coyote poo 99 00:05:27,567 --> 00:05:28,333 and the important thing 100 00:05:28,634 --> 00:05:31,333 about this is that these dogs can reach up here, 101 00:05:31,367 --> 00:05:32,166 they are not going to able to live up here 102 00:05:32,300 --> 00:05:33,200 because there is not enough food or water, 103 00:05:33,367 --> 00:05:37,000 which means they must have easy access up and down 104 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,100 and it is that access down that I want to find. 105 00:05:41,133 --> 00:05:43,734 The problem is it could be a long way away. 106 00:05:44,266 --> 00:05:47,433 Coyotes have a territory of over 10 square miles 107 00:05:47,567 --> 00:05:50,400 and can run at up to 40 miles an hour. 108 00:05:55,300 --> 00:05:56,700 This is really, I think, 109 00:05:57,266 --> 00:05:58,000 the first place I have found 110 00:05:58,433 --> 00:06:01,533 where actually it should be possible to get down here, 111 00:06:01,567 --> 00:06:05,133 there is like this series of one, two, three ledges 112 00:06:05,634 --> 00:06:11,667 and it is high and the risk is just not knowing what's, 113 00:06:12,100 --> 00:06:12,634 you know, further down 114 00:06:13,033 --> 00:06:14,900 but as long as I have got a way out always, 115 00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:18,734 it is a risk that is worth taking to get off here. 116 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:22,300 But I need to be careful. 117 00:06:23,500 --> 00:06:27,133 A climber recently fell here whilst down climbing a sheer face 118 00:06:27,166 --> 00:06:28,367 just like this one. 119 00:06:28,834 --> 00:06:31,233 He dropped 30 feet on to jagged rocks 120 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:34,300 and was left with a series of splintered vertebrae. 121 00:06:34,367 --> 00:06:34,834 (GROANS) 122 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,066 But he was lucky. He was rescued and survived. 123 00:06:38,667 --> 00:06:42,367 And this is why down climbing is always more dangerous 124 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,533 just because to see your way you have to lean out 125 00:06:45,967 --> 00:06:48,467 and try and find your foot holes, 126 00:06:50,967 --> 00:06:54,000 which on this face are pretty thin. 127 00:06:54,634 --> 00:06:57,867 From above, it is also much harder to plan your route 128 00:06:58,066 --> 00:06:59,667 and it is easy to get rim rocked, 129 00:06:59,767 --> 00:07:03,567 where you get stuck in a position where you can't go up or down. 130 00:07:04,166 --> 00:07:07,100 The key is to make sure you got an escape route back up, 131 00:07:07,367 --> 00:07:09,300 if you can't descend any further. 132 00:07:13,867 --> 00:07:15,266 I am down off this first ledge 133 00:07:15,734 --> 00:07:18,567 but I am getting quite committed down here now. 134 00:07:18,767 --> 00:07:23,033 That is where I have come from and that is where I am going. 135 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:32,066 Further down the overhang becomes more extreme. 136 00:07:32,567 --> 00:07:34,900 It is even harder now to see where I am going. 137 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:41,066 And this is never a nice position as a climber to find yourself 138 00:07:41,667 --> 00:07:44,533 lowering yourself on your stomach of a rock face 139 00:07:44,767 --> 00:07:47,567 when you do not really know what is down below. 140 00:07:49,967 --> 00:07:53,467 Bad place to sit on a cactus on this ledge. 141 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:00,333 Now, I am on bottom ledge, I can see it is steep, too steep. 142 00:08:00,767 --> 00:08:02,333 Yeah, look at that down there. 143 00:08:04,166 --> 00:08:08,367 There is no way, there is no way I can climb down that one. 144 00:08:08,734 --> 00:08:12,533 There is a 50 foot drop in front of me and there is no way down. 145 00:08:21,868 --> 00:08:25,434 I am nine and a half thousand feet up in Copper Canyon, Mexico. 146 00:08:26,368 --> 00:08:29,101 I am stuck on a ledge and there is no way down. 147 00:08:29,735 --> 00:08:31,835 My only option is to climb back up 148 00:08:32,267 --> 00:08:34,401 and face a freezing night at the top. 149 00:08:39,401 --> 00:08:42,967 Then on my right hand side I spot what could be another route down 150 00:08:43,534 --> 00:08:46,501 but to get to it l'll have to cross a deep gulley. 151 00:08:47,534 --> 00:08:51,501 I am going to see if I can make this leap across there. 152 00:08:52,967 --> 00:08:53,301 Okay. 153 00:08:54,034 --> 00:08:57,034 It is eight foot wide and I have got no run up. 154 00:09:09,301 --> 00:09:09,668 Okay. 155 00:09:10,001 --> 00:09:10,935 Well, I am off the top of that. 156 00:09:11,401 --> 00:09:16,635 I am across this gulley and look all of this now looks quite manageable. 157 00:09:27,935 --> 00:09:29,735 I am now at 7,000 feet. 158 00:09:29,935 --> 00:09:31,468 And for every thousand feet I drop, 159 00:09:31,768 --> 00:09:34,967 the temperature will rise three and a half degrees Fahrenheit. 160 00:09:35,301 --> 00:09:38,635 So it is tempting to go on but I am running out of time. 161 00:09:40,167 --> 00:09:40,901 There is a good tip that I know 162 00:09:41,234 --> 00:09:43,967 from working out just how much daylight is left. 163 00:09:44,067 --> 00:09:45,701 And what you do is you measure the distance 164 00:09:45,735 --> 00:09:47,368 from the sun down to the horizon. 165 00:09:47,401 --> 00:09:49,935 The technique for doing it is if you put your hand up, 166 00:09:50,434 --> 00:09:52,835 you put the sun just above your fingers 167 00:09:52,868 --> 00:09:55,868 and then each finger down to the horizon is 15 minutes. 168 00:09:55,901 --> 00:09:58,001 So a hand, four fingers, one hour. 169 00:09:58,034 --> 00:10:00,201 That down, two hours. 170 00:10:00,234 --> 00:10:02,001 So I have got about two hours of daylight left. 171 00:10:02,267 --> 00:10:05,001 So it is time to get a shelter found. 172 00:10:06,368 --> 00:10:09,267 40 million years ago masses of volcanic ash 173 00:10:09,301 --> 00:10:11,368 and lava were deposited here. 174 00:10:12,534 --> 00:10:16,768 The flowing lava cut deep fissures in the land to form the canyons. 175 00:10:17,267 --> 00:10:20,768 This base of volcanic cliffs are often riddled with caves. 176 00:10:21,034 --> 00:10:24,034 And finding one is my best chance of shelter. 177 00:10:26,034 --> 00:10:28,301 But I need to be careful where I put my hands here. 178 00:10:28,701 --> 00:10:31,901 There is fallen rocks everywhere and this is exactly 179 00:10:31,935 --> 00:10:33,768 where scorpions and tarantulas live. 180 00:10:34,234 --> 00:10:37,501 Here is one, here we go, look at this, see this? 181 00:10:38,001 --> 00:10:42,768 Tiger scorpion and these are, these are quite common around here. 182 00:10:43,034 --> 00:10:44,601 Look he is pretty cheesed off 183 00:10:45,701 --> 00:10:49,735 but he is a predator he will live off like other bugs 184 00:10:49,768 --> 00:10:52,901 and insects and look as soon as I put a stick there, 185 00:10:53,034 --> 00:10:54,568 a strike look he is trying to get it, 186 00:10:55,234 --> 00:10:57,534 but actually these are good protein. 187 00:10:57,568 --> 00:10:58,468 You can eat these. 188 00:10:59,267 --> 00:11:00,201 They are not meant to taste very nice 189 00:11:00,468 --> 00:11:05,334 but what I want to do actually is just cut off his stinger, 190 00:11:05,635 --> 00:11:08,967 which is this bit here that ball like a ball of venom 191 00:11:09,201 --> 00:11:10,735 with a little stinger on the end of it. 192 00:11:11,568 --> 00:11:15,201 Pin him down and then just take that off, 193 00:11:15,701 --> 00:11:17,167 here you go you can see him there 194 00:11:18,201 --> 00:11:20,635 but that's all good to eat. 195 00:11:39,735 --> 00:11:43,234 Tastes like kind of cheese that is been sitting around 196 00:11:43,801 --> 00:11:44,967 for about three weeks. 197 00:11:48,368 --> 00:11:49,201 But worse. 198 00:11:51,935 --> 00:11:54,534 Five species of scorpions live in the canyons 199 00:11:54,668 --> 00:11:55,868 and all of them sting. 200 00:11:56,401 --> 00:11:59,801 The symptoms include numbness, a tightening of the throat 201 00:11:59,967 --> 00:12:01,034 and sharp pains. 202 00:12:01,401 --> 00:12:04,034 Without medication they can be deadly. 203 00:12:04,201 --> 00:12:04,735 Hey! 204 00:12:07,067 --> 00:12:09,935 Yeah! This is what I was hoping for. 205 00:12:10,434 --> 00:12:16,167 Look at this decent size cave and this is going to be perfect 206 00:12:16,201 --> 00:12:18,267 for me to spend the night in. 207 00:12:18,735 --> 00:12:20,201 I feel miles from anywhere 208 00:12:20,234 --> 00:12:22,835 but I can see that someone has been here before me. 209 00:12:23,034 --> 00:12:25,334 Just look at the roof of this covered in all of, 210 00:12:25,768 --> 00:12:32,167 all of this like soot from loads of fires and even a shelf, 211 00:12:33,234 --> 00:12:35,234 look you can see this like hole obviously, 212 00:12:35,267 --> 00:12:37,001 that is obviously man made. 213 00:12:38,167 --> 00:12:41,368 It is no surprise to find signs of human activity here. 214 00:12:41,668 --> 00:12:43,334 The Aztecs once used these caves 215 00:12:43,468 --> 00:12:47,668 but for the last 400 years they have been home to the Raramuri Indians. 216 00:12:48,067 --> 00:12:49,067 They still live here today. 217 00:12:49,468 --> 00:12:53,868 These nomadic people move from cave to cave as they travel the canyons. 218 00:12:54,368 --> 00:12:55,935 Someone has been here recently. 219 00:12:56,334 --> 00:12:59,267 They have moved on but they have left something behind. 220 00:12:59,835 --> 00:13:01,001 Look at that, a bit of wire 221 00:13:01,434 --> 00:13:02,267 and it might not look like much 222 00:13:02,768 --> 00:13:05,868 but actually there are loads of different things I can use that for, 223 00:13:06,301 --> 00:13:08,601 so that is good for me I am going to keep hold of this. 224 00:13:10,267 --> 00:13:13,167 The charcoal on the cave roof shows that many fires 225 00:13:13,201 --> 00:13:14,568 have been lit here before 226 00:13:14,735 --> 00:13:15,835 and that is what I need. 227 00:13:16,167 --> 00:13:18,101 It will keep out the freezing night air. 228 00:13:18,901 --> 00:13:21,601 You might not always be lucky enough to have a flint striker 229 00:13:21,635 --> 00:13:24,401 with you so what I am going to do is use this yucca 230 00:13:24,868 --> 00:13:28,835 to make a fire saw and a fire saw is just a friction fire 231 00:13:28,868 --> 00:13:31,835 and this yucca is really good for this because it is light 232 00:13:31,868 --> 00:13:37,167 and it is really dry wood and all I need to do is break it here. 233 00:13:38,267 --> 00:13:43,167 Then remove the base and start to split the wood into strips. 234 00:13:45,034 --> 00:13:48,034 Cut out two pieces about 12 inches long. 235 00:13:50,501 --> 00:13:53,067 The Sotol plant grows all over these slopes 236 00:13:53,334 --> 00:13:55,601 and the leaves make excellent cordage. 237 00:13:55,868 --> 00:13:57,868 And now I just get this little bit of tinder 238 00:13:57,901 --> 00:13:59,568 and little bit of dried grass 239 00:13:59,601 --> 00:14:02,267 and put it against one piece of the yucca, 240 00:14:03,201 --> 00:14:07,001 bit of stone on one side and the same on the other 241 00:14:07,267 --> 00:14:09,468 so there can be an air flow 242 00:14:10,635 --> 00:14:12,334 between the two bits of wood 243 00:14:13,434 --> 00:14:17,201 and press that against itself so it is like that 244 00:14:17,768 --> 00:14:19,134 and then just bind that. 245 00:14:19,334 --> 00:14:22,635 Wrap one end tight do the same thing at the other end 246 00:14:22,768 --> 00:14:23,835 and the job is done. 247 00:14:24,868 --> 00:14:29,701 And then that is the bottom bit of the fire saw built 248 00:14:30,334 --> 00:14:34,468 and then all I did with this was again just peel it away 249 00:14:34,501 --> 00:14:37,468 from the main branch and that then acts as a fire saw 250 00:14:37,501 --> 00:14:40,434 that I actually drive with to create the friction. 251 00:14:41,768 --> 00:14:43,668 Now, to put it to the test. 252 00:14:44,101 --> 00:14:47,501 It is really important to do this so the base of this 253 00:14:47,534 --> 00:14:51,001 isn't going to wobble and here we go. 254 00:14:51,034 --> 00:14:52,501 This is pretty solid there now, 255 00:14:52,967 --> 00:14:54,701 now just take the fire saw 256 00:14:56,735 --> 00:14:59,034 and start to move it along it. 257 00:15:03,234 --> 00:15:04,801 The great thing about using yucca, 258 00:15:05,201 --> 00:15:07,368 it has got the lowest ignition temperature 259 00:15:07,735 --> 00:15:09,067 of any of the woods around here, 260 00:15:09,334 --> 00:15:13,601 which makes it ideal for trying to make a bit of an ember 261 00:15:14,134 --> 00:15:17,167 and that is all I need just a little bit of an ember to drop 262 00:15:17,201 --> 00:15:22,668 between these two bits of wood into that timber. 263 00:15:23,401 --> 00:15:27,034 And I better shut up, stop talking and get a sawing. 264 00:15:33,201 --> 00:15:36,534 And yeah look at that and once you've got to this stage, 265 00:15:37,701 --> 00:15:41,201 this ember is actually going to keep burning, 266 00:15:41,967 --> 00:15:44,635 so the time pressure comes off 267 00:15:45,101 --> 00:15:49,501 and now I am just poke it through the bottom there 268 00:15:50,201 --> 00:15:50,768 and tip it into there. 269 00:15:51,434 --> 00:15:54,401 Once the ember is surrounded by a good bundle of dried grass 270 00:15:54,901 --> 00:15:57,201 it literally goes up in flames. 271 00:16:00,368 --> 00:16:01,067 There we go. 272 00:16:02,601 --> 00:16:04,067 Okay, we have got fire. 273 00:16:09,434 --> 00:16:12,601 Now, I can sit back and watch the sun go down, 274 00:16:13,034 --> 00:16:15,701 knowing that tonight I should be warm. 275 00:16:16,468 --> 00:16:19,568 So much of this canyon land here is just so remote 276 00:16:19,801 --> 00:16:23,768 and for me just sitting here with a fire going and a view like this, 277 00:16:23,801 --> 00:16:27,801 really it just feels, just feels like a real privilege. 278 00:16:27,835 --> 00:16:28,601 You know? 279 00:16:31,101 --> 00:16:32,534 I am through my first day 280 00:16:33,067 --> 00:16:35,568 but I know things are going to get much tougher. 281 00:16:48,168 --> 00:16:50,168 I am in Copper Canyon, Mexico, 282 00:16:50,535 --> 00:16:53,268 heading west towards the El Chepe railway line. 283 00:16:54,202 --> 00:16:56,836 I want to get to the canyon bottom as soon as I can. 284 00:16:57,135 --> 00:17:00,002 I should find water there but first 285 00:17:00,035 --> 00:17:02,569 I am going to make a basic compass from a leaf 286 00:17:02,602 --> 00:17:04,702 and the piece of wire I found last night. 287 00:17:05,135 --> 00:17:09,602 And all I need to do is here is fill this up there 288 00:17:10,135 --> 00:17:12,002 with a little bit of water. 289 00:17:13,102 --> 00:17:14,369 Now, to prepare the wire. 290 00:17:14,569 --> 00:17:16,702 And I really want to do is rub it like this on my hair 291 00:17:16,736 --> 00:17:20,435 and the idea of this is it magnetises the bit of wire 292 00:17:20,469 --> 00:17:22,736 and then when I put it in it will swing around and point 293 00:17:22,769 --> 00:17:25,836 towards magnetic north giving me that north-south line. 294 00:17:26,335 --> 00:17:27,769 And that should be enough 295 00:17:28,102 --> 00:17:30,736 and then what I will do is put the leaf in 296 00:17:32,902 --> 00:17:34,769 and drop that on top. 297 00:17:35,202 --> 00:17:36,869 And, yeah look at that, there you go, 298 00:17:36,968 --> 00:17:38,535 it is beginning to swing around. 299 00:17:39,736 --> 00:17:43,702 Freely suspended metal that has been magnetised will always point 300 00:17:43,736 --> 00:17:44,869 to magnetic north. 301 00:17:45,102 --> 00:17:48,102 There we go and that has now come steady 302 00:17:48,569 --> 00:17:52,902 and that is given me a good reliable north-south line. 303 00:17:53,035 --> 00:17:55,602 Now, I know the sun rose some where over there 304 00:17:55,636 --> 00:17:56,569 because I did not see it. 305 00:17:56,702 --> 00:17:57,402 So that is east, 306 00:17:57,968 --> 00:18:00,968 so west is somewhere over there and this north-south line means 307 00:18:01,002 --> 00:18:04,369 I am definitely heading in the right direction for my westward track, 308 00:18:04,402 --> 00:18:08,335 so I am going to keep this little bit of wire get rid of the leaf, 309 00:18:08,602 --> 00:18:09,569 drink the water... 310 00:18:12,202 --> 00:18:13,335 And then I am out of here. 311 00:18:17,268 --> 00:18:21,402 The Raramuri originally fled here to escape the Spanish conquistadors. 312 00:18:21,869 --> 00:18:24,935 The difficult terrain made it the perfect place to hide. 313 00:18:25,535 --> 00:18:28,602 Over centuries they have learnt how to navigate their way through 314 00:18:28,636 --> 00:18:32,802 this twisting maze of canyons, their ancient trails are everywhere. 315 00:18:33,602 --> 00:18:36,369 I don't know if you can see on that scree slope over there, 316 00:18:36,902 --> 00:18:41,168 there is a little trail and it looks like it's snaking it's way round 317 00:18:41,502 --> 00:18:45,968 and then down into this gulley and I reckon if I can follow that, 318 00:18:46,268 --> 00:18:49,335 that might well then take me down to the canyon. 319 00:18:50,268 --> 00:18:52,669 There is no guarantee this will lead anywhere. 320 00:18:53,335 --> 00:18:56,168 Many of these trails have not been used for years. 321 00:18:57,335 --> 00:18:59,836 There was a school group actually out here recently 322 00:19:00,469 --> 00:19:02,902 who were following one of these trails down into the canyons 323 00:19:03,268 --> 00:19:05,736 and some of the girls got separated from the group, 324 00:19:05,902 --> 00:19:07,935 end up following the wrong trail down 325 00:19:08,302 --> 00:19:11,035 and by the time the teacher noticed they were missing, 326 00:19:11,469 --> 00:19:11,902 they were lost 327 00:19:12,602 --> 00:19:15,002 and the girls were dressed just shorts and a t-shirt 328 00:19:15,268 --> 00:19:18,102 and a night out here, you know, can get below freezing 329 00:19:18,669 --> 00:19:21,135 and they mounted a massive search and rescue operation 330 00:19:21,569 --> 00:19:24,302 and eventually a day later they did find them alive. 331 00:19:25,035 --> 00:19:27,168 Those school girls were lucky. 332 00:19:31,802 --> 00:19:32,102 Look. 333 00:19:32,968 --> 00:19:35,302 This trail has brought me down over half a vertical mile 334 00:19:35,636 --> 00:19:36,402 and has led me to a river 335 00:19:36,935 --> 00:19:41,135 but it then comes to an abrupt stop at the top of a sheer cliff. 336 00:19:41,769 --> 00:19:43,302 Let's have a little look down here. 337 00:19:44,736 --> 00:19:45,968 Yeah, I reckon I can get down this. 338 00:19:46,402 --> 00:19:48,602 It is going to be a bit, little bit tight. 339 00:19:57,268 --> 00:19:58,968 There is loose rock everywhere. 340 00:19:59,502 --> 00:20:03,235 It is vital to test every boulder before you go below them. 341 00:20:09,268 --> 00:20:11,669 That is why we have got to watch our footing, guys. 342 00:20:19,769 --> 00:20:22,402 The slope is steep, about 60 degrees. 343 00:20:22,602 --> 00:20:24,002 And it would be easy to slip. 344 00:20:32,602 --> 00:20:35,502 After a hundred foot scramble I am down. 345 00:20:36,902 --> 00:20:38,535 This is perfect, 346 00:20:39,235 --> 00:20:42,769 look at this, it is like a little slice of heaven 347 00:20:43,302 --> 00:20:44,902 and there is no getting away from it. 348 00:20:45,369 --> 00:20:48,068 That terrain up there is just tough. 349 00:20:48,435 --> 00:20:52,502 All that loose volcanic rock, it is also much colder, 350 00:20:52,535 --> 00:20:56,736 this is warm down here and I have got the sun and some water. 351 00:20:57,502 --> 00:21:01,068 And I am going to just take my socks off... 352 00:21:05,469 --> 00:21:06,935 And take five minutes. 353 00:21:11,769 --> 00:21:15,802 I may be at the bottom of the canyon but my journey is far from over. 354 00:21:16,168 --> 00:21:17,736 That is a water fall. 355 00:21:28,536 --> 00:21:31,770 I am in Mexico, heading for the El Chepe railway line. 356 00:21:32,036 --> 00:21:35,036 Which runs through Copper Canyon somewhere to the West. 357 00:21:35,603 --> 00:21:36,770 And now I have reached a river. 358 00:21:36,936 --> 00:21:38,703 I have endless supply of water. 359 00:21:40,136 --> 00:21:42,770 The only thing about these canyons is that 360 00:21:42,803 --> 00:21:44,303 I am completely just hemmed in 361 00:21:44,670 --> 00:21:46,403 by these walls on all sides 362 00:21:46,770 --> 00:21:49,936 and you know I just do not like this feeling of being completely 363 00:21:49,969 --> 00:21:51,902 at the mercy of nature 364 00:21:51,936 --> 00:21:54,236 and at the moment which ever way the canyon goes 365 00:21:54,536 --> 00:21:55,969 I have got to go as well. 366 00:21:56,770 --> 00:21:58,803 And at the moment, it's going west. 367 00:21:59,203 --> 00:22:01,470 Things are perfect, for now. 368 00:22:15,570 --> 00:22:17,169 That is a waterfall. 369 00:22:23,536 --> 00:22:26,436 There is no way I am going to be able to down climb, 370 00:22:26,803 --> 00:22:28,036 down climb that. 371 00:22:29,969 --> 00:22:32,103 Looks like it is going to be a long hike around. 372 00:22:36,069 --> 00:22:37,269 Unless actually, 373 00:22:38,436 --> 00:22:39,670 look you see those trees 374 00:22:40,703 --> 00:22:41,370 just there against the cliff, 375 00:22:42,069 --> 00:22:47,570 I might well be able to climb down the edge of those through the tree, 376 00:22:48,570 --> 00:22:49,303 let's have a look. 377 00:22:53,003 --> 00:22:55,837 I reckon this is, this is doable here. 378 00:22:56,203 --> 00:22:59,902 I can see where the tree runs all the way down the cliff. 379 00:23:00,269 --> 00:23:03,036 These Cyprus trees are great to climb in just 380 00:23:03,069 --> 00:23:06,069 because their root systems are really strong they grow out 381 00:23:06,103 --> 00:23:07,837 and they like cling into the rock face. 382 00:23:08,336 --> 00:23:09,603 So I am going to give this a go. 383 00:23:12,069 --> 00:23:12,436 I will tell you what, 384 00:23:13,036 --> 00:23:16,169 there is quite a healthy drop straight down. 385 00:23:16,770 --> 00:23:18,603 It's over 60 foot to the bottom. 386 00:23:18,870 --> 00:23:20,870 A fall here would be serious, 387 00:23:21,136 --> 00:23:22,902 so I must check each and every step 388 00:23:23,069 --> 00:23:25,136 before I put my full weight on the tree. 389 00:23:25,436 --> 00:23:28,603 And what I want to watch out for is dead branches. 390 00:23:28,936 --> 00:23:29,637 Look at this. 391 00:23:30,737 --> 00:23:34,336 Live cypress branches will have a healthy covering of bark 392 00:23:34,637 --> 00:23:36,169 and a glossy sheen to them. 393 00:23:39,236 --> 00:23:43,570 What's happening here is that this cave is like becoming overhanging 394 00:23:44,403 --> 00:23:49,003 and suddenly I am a bit more aware of the exposure beneath me. 395 00:23:49,503 --> 00:23:51,936 The sun can't get in here below the overhang 396 00:23:52,169 --> 00:23:53,003 and this could really help me. 397 00:23:53,403 --> 00:23:56,603 None of the branches are growing at the back against the cliff. 398 00:23:56,902 --> 00:23:58,870 They are all growing out towards the sun, 399 00:23:59,203 --> 00:24:02,403 which means I can climb down much easier. 400 00:24:03,570 --> 00:24:04,169 And as I descend, 401 00:24:04,737 --> 00:24:07,703 the branches become thicker and the tree more stable. 402 00:24:08,069 --> 00:24:09,536 Now, I can move fast. 403 00:24:17,370 --> 00:24:18,236 Well, I am down... 404 00:24:19,603 --> 00:24:20,603 And that was fun 405 00:24:21,603 --> 00:24:22,969 and look at that for a view. 406 00:24:31,269 --> 00:24:33,303 Beyond the waterfall the canyon walls 407 00:24:33,336 --> 00:24:36,003 become sheer and there is no way out. 408 00:24:36,570 --> 00:24:37,336 This is bad news. 409 00:24:37,603 --> 00:24:40,737 Almost 40 inches of rain can fall in a day here. 410 00:24:41,169 --> 00:24:44,902 Within minutes the steep canyon sides channel this mass of water 411 00:24:44,936 --> 00:24:45,936 straight into the rivers. 412 00:24:46,370 --> 00:24:49,036 So flash floods are a real threat. 413 00:24:53,403 --> 00:24:57,236 This bush here shows just how high the water level can reach, 414 00:24:57,269 --> 00:25:01,136 and I do not know if you can see that but all of this is bent over 415 00:25:01,169 --> 00:25:02,103 just by the force of the water. 416 00:25:02,236 --> 00:25:06,036 This must be 10, maybe 15 foot above where it is now. 417 00:25:06,336 --> 00:25:07,436 You can just imagine this canyon. 418 00:25:07,637 --> 00:25:10,837 If you look down there all of these rocks would be under water. 419 00:25:10,870 --> 00:25:14,503 This would just be a raging torrent, cliffs on either side 420 00:25:14,670 --> 00:25:17,670 and literally this place would be a death trap. 421 00:25:19,036 --> 00:25:20,403 Even if it is clear where you are, 422 00:25:20,737 --> 00:25:26,036 30 miles away the rain could be pouring down a 15 foot wall of water 423 00:25:26,069 --> 00:25:29,003 full of boulders and trees will thunder downstream 424 00:25:29,036 --> 00:25:32,969 at 60 miles an hour and will hit with little warning. 425 00:25:34,336 --> 00:25:36,703 And the first you gonna know about it, is you gonna hear 426 00:25:36,737 --> 00:25:41,036 a distant rumble like a jet engine and then it's gonna hit you 427 00:25:41,470 --> 00:25:44,003 and there was actually a guy, a couple of years ago, 428 00:25:44,436 --> 00:25:47,803 who was fishing near by here and he was with his son 429 00:25:48,236 --> 00:25:51,670 and with his niece and he knew this area really well 430 00:25:52,036 --> 00:25:55,169 but a flash flood came and hit and it took them. 431 00:25:55,670 --> 00:25:59,236 And he managed to turn and reach and grab his son and by time 432 00:25:59,269 --> 00:26:01,837 he turned round again, his niece was gone. 433 00:26:02,203 --> 00:26:03,169 And she was never seen again. 434 00:26:03,603 --> 00:26:08,336 And that is how dangerous these sort of canyons can be with flash floods. 435 00:26:09,269 --> 00:26:10,870 If you are travelling downstream 436 00:26:10,902 --> 00:26:12,870 you won't see the wall of water coming. 437 00:26:13,269 --> 00:26:15,236 You have to keep listening all the time 438 00:26:15,603 --> 00:26:18,236 and if you hear feel the earth start to tremble head 439 00:26:18,269 --> 00:26:20,503 for high ground as soon as possible. 440 00:26:27,703 --> 00:26:31,503 So many of these walls here of the canyons have just been completely 441 00:26:31,536 --> 00:26:33,837 sheer and un-climbable 442 00:26:34,203 --> 00:26:36,203 but I have just seen that gap in the ridge up there 443 00:26:36,703 --> 00:26:39,269 and I just want to go and see what is the other side of it. 444 00:26:39,303 --> 00:26:42,036 Just because the river that I have been following here has been great. 445 00:26:42,069 --> 00:26:42,603 It has been heading west 446 00:26:43,403 --> 00:26:46,637 but look it is suddenly now skirted round to the south which is not 447 00:26:46,670 --> 00:26:47,603 where I want to go. 448 00:26:47,936 --> 00:26:49,303 So let's see what's up here. 449 00:27:04,269 --> 00:27:08,336 This is, this is why this place is such a maze, 450 00:27:08,570 --> 00:27:11,403 look it's just suddenly a whole new canyon here 451 00:27:11,837 --> 00:27:14,902 and look you see the river there is actually skirting around 452 00:27:14,936 --> 00:27:16,036 and heading westerly. 453 00:27:16,303 --> 00:27:19,103 So this canyon is much better for me. 454 00:27:19,536 --> 00:27:21,470 Okay, we are going to go on this one. 455 00:27:22,703 --> 00:27:26,069 One of the most important elements of survival is staying alert 456 00:27:26,103 --> 00:27:28,036 and making the most of opportunities. 457 00:27:28,570 --> 00:27:32,003 Spotting that gap in the ridge has saved me days of walking 458 00:27:32,169 --> 00:27:34,203 and kept me on my westerly course. 459 00:27:37,403 --> 00:27:39,336 But there is still a long way to go. 460 00:27:39,637 --> 00:27:42,536 And there are dangers I can never have foreseen. 461 00:27:52,970 --> 00:27:54,671 I am in Copper Canyon, Mexico. 462 00:27:55,104 --> 00:27:58,070 I have dropped over a vertical mile into the canyon bottom. 463 00:27:58,571 --> 00:28:00,204 I have water now and it is warmer 464 00:28:00,604 --> 00:28:04,738 but the ground is strewn with huge boulders this is tough terrain. 465 00:28:04,870 --> 00:28:05,604 Hey, just wait. 466 00:28:08,104 --> 00:28:10,037 Okay, come here, there are a couple of fish. Keep low. 467 00:28:16,070 --> 00:28:16,671 Hey, look see if you can see them. 468 00:28:17,170 --> 00:28:19,604 There are a couple of fish just sitting in the sun, 469 00:28:20,037 --> 00:28:21,204 in the this tributary. 470 00:28:24,237 --> 00:28:25,671 Okay, come over the top you will be able to see 471 00:28:25,704 --> 00:28:27,604 just move nice and slowly. 472 00:28:29,838 --> 00:28:30,104 Okay. 473 00:28:30,704 --> 00:28:32,270 There you go see them, just down there. 474 00:28:32,870 --> 00:28:38,404 Okay, what I am going to do is just see if I can dam this little bit 475 00:28:38,437 --> 00:28:41,270 of stream lower down and that will send them upstream 476 00:28:41,738 --> 00:28:43,037 and see if I can get them. 477 00:28:44,070 --> 00:28:45,070 Okay, just stay here. 478 00:28:46,638 --> 00:28:48,270 The dams will stop the fish escaping 479 00:28:48,471 --> 00:28:50,638 but always build the lower one first. 480 00:28:50,870 --> 00:28:52,604 They will find it harder to spot you. 481 00:28:52,937 --> 00:28:55,371 And it needs to span right across the water flow. 482 00:28:55,937 --> 00:28:58,337 Now, let's go and do the same upstream 483 00:28:58,937 --> 00:29:00,170 and then see if I will get them. 484 00:29:00,771 --> 00:29:02,804 Stay out of sight as you move upstream 485 00:29:02,838 --> 00:29:06,404 and once your next dam is built you are ready to go fishing. 486 00:29:11,137 --> 00:29:14,738 What I want to try and do here is come directly downstream 487 00:29:14,771 --> 00:29:16,137 of where they are which is just there 488 00:29:16,371 --> 00:29:18,337 and they have a blind spot just behind them 489 00:29:18,704 --> 00:29:21,638 and then come up and try and get them with a stick. 490 00:29:22,170 --> 00:29:24,704 And the good thing about doing it like this is that even 491 00:29:24,738 --> 00:29:29,404 if I miss the shock waves of the impact will concuss them. 492 00:29:30,471 --> 00:29:31,304 Here they are. 493 00:29:52,337 --> 00:29:53,070 Okay. 494 00:30:00,170 --> 00:30:01,104 One trout. 495 00:30:01,903 --> 00:30:02,870 Awesome. 496 00:30:04,838 --> 00:30:06,671 Some salt water fish are poisonous 497 00:30:06,838 --> 00:30:09,070 but all freshwater fish are safe to eat. 498 00:30:09,537 --> 00:30:12,137 Anything over three inches should be gutted 499 00:30:12,404 --> 00:30:15,604 because they will spoil the fish and make it taste horrid. 500 00:30:17,638 --> 00:30:21,037 Finally once the head and tail are removed wash the fish 501 00:30:21,237 --> 00:30:22,838 to clean out the stomach cavity. 502 00:30:23,170 --> 00:30:26,771 And that is good to eat, just like this. 503 00:30:26,804 --> 00:30:28,037 Straight out of the river. 504 00:30:29,903 --> 00:30:34,070 Fish contains high levels of protein which helps repair muscle tissue 505 00:30:34,304 --> 00:30:36,604 and it also boosts the immune system. 506 00:30:39,004 --> 00:30:41,237 I love sushi! 507 00:30:47,671 --> 00:30:49,104 I don't like bones. 508 00:30:55,070 --> 00:30:58,504 So far, I have managed to keep heading on my westerly course 509 00:30:58,604 --> 00:30:59,870 along the canyon floor. 510 00:31:00,337 --> 00:31:02,671 I am hoping to reach the El Chepe railway line, 511 00:31:02,903 --> 00:31:05,037 which runs north to south through Copper Canyon 512 00:31:05,437 --> 00:31:09,037 but up to now I haven't seen or heard any sign of it. 513 00:31:09,404 --> 00:31:13,937 There is just another of these caves and look at the roof up here, 514 00:31:13,970 --> 00:31:16,104 you can just see it caked with charcoal 515 00:31:16,471 --> 00:31:18,270 and look over here there is a drawing. 516 00:31:22,704 --> 00:31:23,571 Look see this. 517 00:31:24,937 --> 00:31:28,237 It looks like, looks like probably a railway line, 518 00:31:28,771 --> 00:31:31,604 like a mule or donkey look even a person, 519 00:31:31,804 --> 00:31:33,104 as if they are working on it 520 00:31:33,304 --> 00:31:35,204 and this more likely going to be referring 521 00:31:35,237 --> 00:31:36,771 to the Old Chepe railway line 522 00:31:37,337 --> 00:31:41,137 and hopefully that means I might be getting closer. 523 00:31:42,537 --> 00:31:44,937 To build a railway line through these canyons 524 00:31:44,970 --> 00:31:47,070 was a remarkable feat of engineering. 525 00:31:47,404 --> 00:31:52,937 It runs for 400 miles, crosses 36 bridges and 87 tunnels. 526 00:31:53,404 --> 00:31:57,970 Opened in 1961, it had taken over 100 years to build. 527 00:31:58,970 --> 00:32:00,237 Hey, can you see that drop off? 528 00:32:00,771 --> 00:32:02,704 There is a series of waterfalls ahead. 529 00:32:02,738 --> 00:32:04,671 And a lot of white water. 530 00:32:06,070 --> 00:32:09,838 And really, water falls in the wilds just can be killers 531 00:32:09,870 --> 00:32:12,371 and you want to avoid them really at all costs. 532 00:32:13,104 --> 00:32:15,304 The danger, though, is just hidden rocks. 533 00:32:15,404 --> 00:32:17,937 Not seeing what is in all that white water. 534 00:32:17,970 --> 00:32:18,970 All that turbulence. 535 00:32:19,170 --> 00:32:20,838 And not knowing how deep it is. 536 00:32:21,371 --> 00:32:23,504 I could climb my way around this waterfall 537 00:32:23,738 --> 00:32:26,870 but I am going jump straight off the top to show you 538 00:32:26,903 --> 00:32:28,137 the safest technique. 539 00:32:29,537 --> 00:32:31,504 The drop is over 25 foot high. 540 00:32:32,004 --> 00:32:34,504 I have got to make sure the waters deeper than 12 foot 541 00:32:34,738 --> 00:32:36,004 or I will hit the bottom. 542 00:32:38,070 --> 00:32:39,204 I need a depth gauge. 543 00:32:39,537 --> 00:32:42,571 I do not have string but nature has the answer. 544 00:32:42,903 --> 00:32:44,137 Yucca leaves. 545 00:32:45,004 --> 00:32:46,870 All I do is bite into it. 546 00:32:48,437 --> 00:32:49,104 One. 547 00:32:51,104 --> 00:32:51,604 Two. 548 00:32:53,204 --> 00:32:54,671 Grab thin end to thin end, 549 00:32:55,070 --> 00:32:56,437 right over left, 550 00:32:57,671 --> 00:32:58,903 left over right. 551 00:33:00,070 --> 00:33:01,404 This process is fast. 552 00:33:01,638 --> 00:33:05,137 And in just five minutes I have got almost 50 foot of rope. 553 00:33:06,537 --> 00:33:09,170 The next step is to smooth the edges of the rock 554 00:33:09,204 --> 00:33:10,838 so it does not cut the yucca leaf, 555 00:33:11,304 --> 00:33:13,170 then secure it with a hitch knot. 556 00:33:13,270 --> 00:33:17,204 And that then is ready to go. 557 00:33:17,870 --> 00:33:20,337 I've got the rock and this length of chord. 558 00:33:20,604 --> 00:33:22,937 If I drop this in, when it is on the bottom 559 00:33:22,970 --> 00:33:24,571 I will know how deep it is here. 560 00:33:27,571 --> 00:33:28,804 Okay, it is on the bottom now. 561 00:33:29,104 --> 00:33:32,671 And every arm length I pull back will be about three feet. 562 00:33:33,037 --> 00:33:33,671 It will tell me how deep it is. 563 00:33:34,104 --> 00:33:36,471 When I see the rock I will know that is the depth. 564 00:33:37,337 --> 00:33:38,070 One, 565 00:33:40,070 --> 00:33:40,671 two, 566 00:33:42,237 --> 00:33:43,004 three, 567 00:33:43,771 --> 00:33:44,437 four, 568 00:33:46,437 --> 00:33:48,870 five. Okay, that is five arm lengths, 569 00:33:49,070 --> 00:33:53,004 so about 15 foot, which is fine to jump. 570 00:33:54,671 --> 00:33:57,571 You know, I've made the mistake before doing a big sea cliff jump 571 00:33:57,870 --> 00:34:01,604 and really injuring myself, bruising all the way down my legs. 572 00:34:01,870 --> 00:34:04,070 And it's a mistake I will only make once. 573 00:34:04,304 --> 00:34:05,738 So I want to get this right. 574 00:34:06,004 --> 00:34:07,771 I am going to jump with my feet together 575 00:34:08,037 --> 00:34:09,638 and beyond that white stuff. 576 00:34:10,371 --> 00:34:11,371 So here goes. 577 00:34:15,537 --> 00:34:18,604 This water is close to freezing and the current is raging. 578 00:34:18,903 --> 00:34:20,903 But the way out is to corkscrew. 579 00:34:21,270 --> 00:34:24,270 It is the best technique of getting out of strong currents. 580 00:34:28,838 --> 00:34:29,937 That was quite bracing 581 00:34:30,337 --> 00:34:32,970 but it worked and I didn't hit the bottom! 582 00:34:40,638 --> 00:34:43,571 But I am drenched and I am cold. 583 00:34:51,471 --> 00:34:55,037 I need to find some tinder now and get a fire going. 584 00:34:58,004 --> 00:35:00,638 It's gonna take me hours to dry my clothes completely 585 00:35:00,870 --> 00:35:03,337 but that's going to give me time to set up camp. 586 00:35:04,638 --> 00:35:08,504 When there are no caves around the Raramuri use smoke blankets 587 00:35:08,537 --> 00:35:09,337 to keep warm. 588 00:35:09,738 --> 00:35:10,337 That is what I need. 589 00:35:10,937 --> 00:35:15,771 What I am going to do here is build a second fire over here 590 00:35:16,304 --> 00:35:19,004 from the embers of this one. 591 00:35:21,638 --> 00:35:26,037 And the idea is I'm going to then sleep in between these fires. 592 00:35:26,337 --> 00:35:28,804 These cypress branches will be comfy to lie on. 593 00:35:29,471 --> 00:35:31,671 Dig a trench between the fires to put them in. 594 00:35:32,037 --> 00:35:34,671 This will stop you rolling out into the flames. 595 00:35:36,571 --> 00:35:37,704 And then into that. 596 00:35:38,671 --> 00:35:41,671 (INAUDIBLE) You have to put all of this cypress 597 00:35:42,638 --> 00:35:46,337 and it is going to be nice and insulated to lie on. 598 00:35:47,304 --> 00:35:51,371 Then surround them with stones to stop the cypress catching fire. 599 00:35:51,838 --> 00:35:53,571 Okay, give it a test. 600 00:35:58,870 --> 00:36:01,704 I never thought I would be in that river 601 00:36:02,104 --> 00:36:05,070 and then within 20 minutes be really warm. 602 00:36:06,337 --> 00:36:07,170 This is heaven. 603 00:36:19,105 --> 00:36:20,805 It's my third day in Mexico 604 00:36:20,904 --> 00:36:23,238 and I am now deep into the Copper Canyon. 605 00:36:27,705 --> 00:36:31,938 I feel a bit like I slept on a funeral pyre all night, 606 00:36:31,971 --> 00:36:34,305 you know, wedged between these two fires. 607 00:36:34,338 --> 00:36:37,305 And I can see why the Raramuri call it a smoke blanket. 608 00:36:37,605 --> 00:36:40,372 I have breathed in an unhealthy amount of smoke 609 00:36:40,904 --> 00:36:43,438 but it did work and did keep me warm at least. 610 00:36:45,605 --> 00:36:49,038 Today I am going to continue west towards the El Chepe railway line. 611 00:36:49,338 --> 00:36:51,572 But first I want to get my bearings. 612 00:36:52,071 --> 00:36:54,639 One way of working out your direction in these canyons 613 00:36:54,672 --> 00:36:57,005 is just to use the sun and its shadow. 614 00:36:57,171 --> 00:36:59,238 And in the vast majority of the Northern hemisphere the sun 615 00:36:59,271 --> 00:37:02,071 will always travel across the Southern sky 616 00:37:02,105 --> 00:37:04,538 which means that shadows will never face south. 617 00:37:04,705 --> 00:37:06,672 So if I look at that face, over there, 618 00:37:06,772 --> 00:37:08,405 you see all of that is in shade, 619 00:37:08,672 --> 00:37:12,305 which means that the north must be somewhere in this sky here, 620 00:37:12,605 --> 00:37:16,838 which means also the west must be somewhere in this direction. 621 00:37:17,105 --> 00:37:18,538 And that's the way I am heading. 622 00:37:20,105 --> 00:37:23,238 I am on my westerly course towards the El Chepe railway line 623 00:37:23,639 --> 00:37:27,472 but gradually the canyon bends to the north, the wrong way. 624 00:37:28,238 --> 00:37:31,005 To keep going west I'll have to get out of this canyon 625 00:37:31,138 --> 00:37:33,605 and to do that I've got to get up there. 626 00:37:34,838 --> 00:37:36,971 But those walls are vertical. 627 00:37:37,871 --> 00:37:39,838 A family recently got stuck in a canyon. 628 00:37:40,105 --> 00:37:40,705 And on their second day, 629 00:37:41,271 --> 00:37:44,038 they spotted a small village just over the canyon rim. 630 00:37:44,639 --> 00:37:47,772 But they couldn't reach it because none of them could climb. 631 00:37:48,438 --> 00:37:51,705 Eventually they stumbled across an animal trail and got out. 632 00:37:52,205 --> 00:37:54,271 They had been in there for five days. 633 00:37:55,205 --> 00:37:57,405 That could well be my way out of this canyon. 634 00:37:57,639 --> 00:37:58,305 I don't know if you can see that, 635 00:37:58,772 --> 00:38:01,305 there is like a crack in the rock where the shadow is. 636 00:38:01,538 --> 00:38:05,171 If I can get inside that and work my way up that might well lead me out. 637 00:38:05,538 --> 00:38:08,005 It's kinda hard to tell to tell from down here. 638 00:38:08,038 --> 00:38:10,238 But my dad always used to say, when we were climbing, 639 00:38:10,271 --> 00:38:12,739 you can never tell how steep something is until 640 00:38:12,772 --> 00:38:14,271 you actually rub noses with it. 641 00:38:14,572 --> 00:38:15,838 So that's what I am going to do. 642 00:38:17,271 --> 00:38:21,372 This deep cut is the result of thousands of years of water erosion. 643 00:38:21,772 --> 00:38:23,405 It's a weak point in the rock. 644 00:38:23,871 --> 00:38:25,205 Climbers often look for these, 645 00:38:25,472 --> 00:38:29,171 as they can be a way up in otherwise impenetrable face. 646 00:38:31,672 --> 00:38:35,438 Yeah, it looks like a little bit of a chimney climb up. 647 00:38:35,472 --> 00:38:39,605 I just need to get past this first big boulder here. 648 00:38:43,005 --> 00:38:46,505 Chimney climbs are where a rock face has two opposing walls. 649 00:38:46,971 --> 00:38:50,005 And to climb them takes a lot of practise. 650 00:38:54,238 --> 00:38:57,739 Wedge yourself in and then place one foot on each wall 651 00:38:58,171 --> 00:39:00,871 and use those to push yourself up. 652 00:39:06,171 --> 00:39:09,705 Climbing like this is all about balance 653 00:39:10,005 --> 00:39:12,505 and just using opposing forces. 654 00:39:12,705 --> 00:39:13,405 So... 655 00:39:15,105 --> 00:39:17,605 One foot on one wall and one on the other. 656 00:39:17,871 --> 00:39:20,605 And then use my leg strength to lift me up 657 00:39:21,171 --> 00:39:22,904 and my arms just to balance. 658 00:39:28,672 --> 00:39:30,105 I am getting quite higher with... 659 00:39:32,772 --> 00:39:34,472 From about three quarters of the way. 660 00:39:34,938 --> 00:39:36,739 And I am just going to take a second to rest. 661 00:39:37,038 --> 00:39:37,971 But I am in a good position here. 662 00:39:38,238 --> 00:39:42,171 I have got my legs taking all of my weight and actually, 663 00:39:42,205 --> 00:39:43,904 I do not even needs my hands. 664 00:39:44,904 --> 00:39:46,739 It just gives me a chance to get the blood back, 665 00:39:46,971 --> 00:39:51,005 get my breath back and then do this last little bit. 666 00:40:00,038 --> 00:40:03,438 And also up here it is now getting really wet and slippy. 667 00:40:03,938 --> 00:40:06,805 So I just need to watch where I am putting my feet. 668 00:40:07,171 --> 00:40:08,838 I can see daylight at the top. 669 00:40:09,038 --> 00:40:09,705 There is a small gap. 670 00:40:10,205 --> 00:40:14,205 It's my only way out, but it's gonna be a tight squeeze. 671 00:40:20,938 --> 00:40:21,971 I am through. 672 00:40:27,472 --> 00:40:29,405 I am out of that hole 673 00:40:31,338 --> 00:40:32,605 and out of this canyon. 674 00:40:33,904 --> 00:40:36,639 And look at that, that is just spectacular. 675 00:40:38,639 --> 00:40:39,739 I am just going to take two minutes 676 00:40:40,271 --> 00:40:43,572 to get my breath back and enjoy this. 677 00:40:47,071 --> 00:40:50,605 I have come down steep mountains and through treacherous canyons 678 00:40:51,071 --> 00:40:55,005 and now I find myself in the middle of lush pine forest. 679 00:40:55,672 --> 00:40:57,238 I can really start to move fast now 680 00:40:57,705 --> 00:41:01,105 but even my pace is nothing compared to the Raramuri. 681 00:41:01,572 --> 00:41:03,005 They are known as the running people 682 00:41:03,105 --> 00:41:05,038 and they can travel over 100 miles 683 00:41:05,071 --> 00:41:06,605 without stopping and journeys 684 00:41:06,639 --> 00:41:10,005 that take them hours will take anybody else days. 685 00:41:10,871 --> 00:41:13,971 One of the ways that the Raramuri hunt is just 686 00:41:14,005 --> 00:41:16,505 to chase animals over vast distances. 687 00:41:16,772 --> 00:41:18,205 And this even works with deer. 688 00:41:18,238 --> 00:41:20,871 They just run and they run until eventually 689 00:41:20,904 --> 00:41:23,071 the animal would tire and would slow down 690 00:41:23,505 --> 00:41:26,305 and the Raramuri would be close enough to be able to stone it 691 00:41:26,605 --> 00:41:26,971 and kill it. 692 00:41:27,805 --> 00:41:31,505 And just imagine the sort of stamina involved to do that. 693 00:41:31,838 --> 00:41:33,938 I stand no chance of outrunning a deer, 694 00:41:34,238 --> 00:41:36,472 so if I want to eat I will need to find something 695 00:41:36,505 --> 00:41:39,639 that may not be as tasty but is easier to catch. 696 00:41:40,772 --> 00:41:42,238 I found this little beetle larva, 697 00:41:42,639 --> 00:41:45,405 around here and this is just the sort of place that they like, 698 00:41:45,572 --> 00:41:46,971 underneath these little oak scrubs. 699 00:41:47,171 --> 00:41:48,971 And what happens, all the leaves fall off 700 00:41:49,138 --> 00:41:52,739 and this provides good insulation for these larva. 701 00:41:53,071 --> 00:41:55,071 But I can tell this is a beetle larva, 702 00:41:55,438 --> 00:41:56,405 just because the shape of its head. 703 00:41:56,438 --> 00:41:58,672 It will have the same head when it is an adult. 704 00:41:58,838 --> 00:42:00,405 And also its pincers you can see there 705 00:42:00,605 --> 00:42:03,238 and that's what it will use to eat the leaves. 706 00:42:03,271 --> 00:42:06,838 But you can see here all this brown gunk as well 707 00:42:07,071 --> 00:42:08,739 and this is what it has been eating. 708 00:42:09,171 --> 00:42:13,238 But this is absolutely edible, good protein. 709 00:42:13,538 --> 00:42:17,105 Looks pretty horrible will probably tastes pretty horrible 710 00:42:17,538 --> 00:42:18,538 but it is worth having. 711 00:42:21,705 --> 00:42:23,971 God, like an explosion of goo in my mouth. 712 00:42:25,538 --> 00:42:29,971 But actually tastes of like dirt and also a bit oaky, 713 00:42:30,005 --> 00:42:32,639 which is no surprise from what it has been feeding off. 714 00:42:35,605 --> 00:42:36,639 It's getting dark now. 715 00:42:37,138 --> 00:42:39,938 And it's looking like I might be here for another night. 716 00:42:42,805 --> 00:42:45,171 Then up ahead I see movement! 717 00:42:46,672 --> 00:42:48,038 The side of the hill there. 718 00:42:48,271 --> 00:42:49,205 Some people. 719 00:42:50,805 --> 00:42:52,904 And those are Raramuri. 720 00:42:53,171 --> 00:42:55,338 I can tell that from their brightly coloured clothing. 721 00:42:55,538 --> 00:42:59,271 And it might not be a railway track but it is good enough for me. 722 00:42:59,705 --> 00:43:01,005 Copper Canyon is a vast 723 00:43:01,038 --> 00:43:03,238 and intimidating wilderness to be lost in. 724 00:43:03,472 --> 00:43:06,305 And it leaves me with a sense of awe of the people 725 00:43:06,338 --> 00:43:09,605 who have learnt to live and survive here and call it their home. 726 00:43:09,805 --> 00:43:12,105 Subtitle Caption by ZestCorp