Rich in Diversity

Ix is the Aztec word for the fibers of the maguey plant. A particular maguey was grown for the fibers, which were used to weave many useful things. Now, a different maguey is King Crop Oaxaca, but it's for the hearts which are used to make mezcal. In the Sierra Norte, there is almost no maguey grown, neither do you see nopales, the host plant for cochineal. But the people here grow a lot of wood. The thick forests covering this part of the Sierra Norte. The cut very little, and replant quickly, which keeps the forests alive with a wide range of both plants and animals. Orchids and bromeliads grow here, that don't grow any other place in the world. Ferns and mosses, too. And, all species of Mexican native cats (jaguar and mountain lion), spiker monkeys and tapirs live here. Many of these animals have disappeared from other places in Mexico. The diversity is so great that a group of experts with the World Wildlife Fund have rated the local forests as one of the world's 17 outstanding biodiverse systems.

Ixtlan is the capitol of its own governmental district. The village owns all the land, and gives the residents permission to use what they need. The money from the timber profits are shared, and pay for village services. Right now, the streets are being dug up to replace water lines for the entire village. The village also manages the ecotourism, providing guides and offering remote cabins for rent. Noel had to visit the office our first morning, before coming up to la trucha, to get permission to take us into the forest. I think he was not allowed to charge us, we just sort of deduced that when we declined payment the next day. We gave im a 'tip' instead!
We began by walking up the hill behind the restaurant, following his water lines from above. A little way up the hill, we came to a concrete building, with a huge water line coming into it...the water source for the town is the same spring he uses for his trout. There is electricity up here, and I think he could get a line down to his restaurant, if he wants it. A little further beyond the reservoir, we stepped into an ancient foot path and began seriously climbing. We're walking on the Camino Real, the old road the Aztecs, Apotec and Mixtec traders used between the Gulf Coast and the Valley of Oaxaca. I get a shiver from the thought that this trail has been in use for probably 1000 years.

The heavy rains last August have caused landslides all over this part of the world, we saw much damage in Guatemala. Here, we can see washes, but the forest has protected the soil. Still, there are a few small slides, with downed trees. Noel shows us a plate mushroom from under a specific kind of tree (oak, I think), that is used for carving when it's dry. He took a few photos, documenting the damage in a few places, for his use and the use of the forest management team.

Today is pretty special for us all. Noel's son, Christopher, is out of school, and this is the first time he's hiked this trail. Christopher is 8 years old, and grinned all day, taking photographs of everything in sight. Here, we're passing through a flat section of the trail. You can see a small wash in the middle of the ancient road.


Orchids and bromliads growing in every tree, it seems. At one point, we begin to see the bromeliads growing on the ground, too. They are everywhere! This one, on the ground, was blooming. Most of the orchids were not blooming, and while I took lots of photos, none are good representations. Noel stopped to point out many plants to us, and to Christopher. We stopped often, to let the gringos breathe, too. Ixtlan is about 9000 feet, and we're climbing higher with almost every step. Noel has mistakenly predicted it will take us about 2 - 2.5 hours La Pozuelos, the summit offering a spectacular vista. About 3 hours into the hike, we begin to question our fitness, but rest again and keep going.


This was a point of interest for Noel...his water lines are very close to this small slide. We talked about the possiblity of the trees coming down and damaging his lines. He was paying attention to every detail as we walked. Nothing escaped his notice! If you look closely, you can see a bromeliad growing about 5 feet off the ground, on the trunk of a small, broken tree.

We climbed through various zones, the plants and trees changing all day. We didn't see any animal life, but in the dried leaves, we made about as much noise as a marching band. Interestingly, Noel didn't know the word for moss. And, there is much moss of all kinds, growing in the trees and on the ground. He pointed out a plant, much like mistletoe, that is called muertogado (I think that's what he said!), which means killer. It sucks the life out of hardwoods, growing in the top branches.

Thankfully, there was a little cloud cover. We were working hard, and even in the cool fresh air, we were sweating.

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