Kwakungowe-1979 noma ngo-1980 lapho u-Alfonso Paz, ilungu leCiudad Cuauhtémoc Speleology Group, ezwa amahemuhemu okuthi eSierra Tarahumara kunempophoma ephakeme kunaleyo yaseBasaseachi, ethathwa njengephakeme kunazo zonke eMexico enokwehla okungama-246 m.
Kodwa-ke, kwaze kwafika ngo-1986 lapho leli qembu lathola le mpophoma, ngemuva kokuba iBarranca de Candameña, enye yezindawo ezijule kakhulu kuleli, yahlolwa okokuqala ngqa. UCandameña uzalwa ngokunembile ngempophoma yaseBasaseachi, futhi ngemuva kosuku lokuhamba emhosheni, uzofinyelela emhosheni waseCajurichi, lapho kutholakala khona udonga olukhulu oluqondile lwePiedra Volada.
NgoMashi 1994 ngadabula iBarranca de Candameña enkampanini yeCiudad Cuauhtémoc Speleology Group futhi ngakwazi ukwazisa impophoma enkulu okokuqala ngqa, yize ngaleso sikhathi yayinamanzi amancane futhi asizange sizame ukufinyelela esikhungweni sayo. Kamuva, ngoFebhuwari 1995, uFernando Domínguez, ingcweti enkulu yeBasaseachi National Park, wangitholela umhlahlandlela omuhle kakhulu owayekwazi ukufika empophomeni evela phezulu. Kuleso senzakalo, mina noCuitláhuac Rodríguez, siholwa nguMnu. Reyes Méndez, sahamba amahora amabili ngaphakathi kwepaki, silandela umfula iPiedra Volada ibangana, saze safika esiqongweni sempophoma. Leyo ndawo yepaki yayicishe ibe yintombi, ngaphandle kokufa, futhi uReyes wasitshela ukuthi ngemuva kukaFernando Domínguez yithina kuphela esasivakashele isiza, esakuqinisekisa ngokwanele lapho sibona umhlambi wezingulube zasendle, inyoni ye-coa (enye yeziningi kakhulu I-bellas de la sierra ethathwa njengengozi yokuqothulwa), ama-cholugos ambalwa (uhlobo lwe-badger), kanye nezilwane eziningana ezivela esifundeni.
Ukusuka esiqongweni sempophoma akunakwenzeka ukubona impophoma, ngaphandle kokuthi ulengise amamitha ambalwa ngentambo, futhi yilokho esikwenzile. Ngisibheke isikhathi eside ngabala ukuthi kuzoba cishe ngama-300 m. Ukusuka kule mpophoma uyakwazi ukufinyelela komunye wemibono ehlaba umxhwele kakhulu kuyo yonke iSierra Tarahumara. Umbono weCandameña Canyon uyamangalisa ngempela futhi udlula kude lowo wombono waseBasaseachi.
Sihlatshwe umxhwele kakhulu kangangokuthi saqala ukwenza amacebo okuza lapho izulu lina (lapho impophoma isendaweni yayo ephezulu kakhulu), yehle, uyilinganise futhi wazi ubude bayo ncamashi.
Ekuqaleni besicabanga ukuthi ngokuzayo lapho 'sizodudula' * ukuphuma ngomfula iCandameña, kepha kube nezinkinga ezimbili: ngakolunye uhlangothi, uReyes, umqondisi wethu, wasitshela ukuthi akekho umuntu okwazile ukufika ezansi kwempophoma ngoba kwakukhona impophoma okungenani ama-20 m nobuso be-rock obuqondile obukhulu obuvimbele ukungena. Ngamanye amagama, ezansi kwempophoma kanye nomhosha omncane lapho iwela khona kwakuyindawo engathintwanga ngabantu kuze kube yileso sikhathi. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuzungeza iCandameña kungasho, ezimweni ezinhle kakhulu, usuku lonke lomzila, nokuthi ngaphandle kokubala ukuthi umfula uzobe uvuvukele. Ngakho-ke, sakhetha "ukukhumbula" futhi siphume namakheshi kukhebula elifanayo, sicabanga ukuthi ukuphuma kungasithatha okungenani amahora ambalwa; kahle, besicabanga kanjalo.
Umbono we-HUAJUMAR
Ngenyanga elandelayo, uFernando Domínguez, mina nabangane abaningana saya endaweni yokubuka lapho kubonakala khona impophoma yePiedra Volada ngokuphelele. Lo mbono ubheke ngaphambi komhosha iCandameña futhi ufinyelelwa umphakathi omncane waseHuajumar. Kusuka kuyo, impophoma yaziswa ngokuphelele futhi umzila womfudlana iPiedra Volada ungalinganiselwa kusukela lapho uwe khona.
Ngemuva kwalokhu kuvakasha okubili ngikwazile ukuhlola inkinga yokwehla kwale mpophoma, futhi ngiphakamise abangani bami beCuauhtémoc City Speleology Group ukuthi senze lolu hambo. Bemukele ngentshiseko futhi saqala ukuzilungiselela, ngokomzimba nangokobuchwepheshe. Sihlela usuku lokwehla maphakathi no-Septhemba, okuyilapho imifula nemifudlana yase-sierra imvamisa ithwala ukugeleza kwayo okuphezulu.
UKUHAMBA
Kusasele inyanga ngaphambi kokwehla, uDkt Víctor Rodríguez Guajardo, oyilungu laleli qembu, wandizela phezu kwempophoma, eyayivele ithwele amanzi amaningi, futhi wathatha uchungechunge lwezithombe ezinhle esasizisebenzisa ukuqedela imininingwane ephathelene nokusebenza kwempahla. Sihlela lo mkhankaso kusuka ngoSepthemba 14 kuya ku-17. Singaba ngabantu abayisishiyagalombili: u-Óscar Cuán, uJosé Luis Chávez, u-Alfonso Paz, uCuitláhuac, uSalvador noVíctor Rodríguez, uRaúl Zárate neseva.
Ngomhlaka 14 uChava Rodríguez nami safika eBasaseachi, sinentambo engaphezu kwamamitha angama-700 nenani elikhulu lemishini. UFernando Domínguez wayesesitholile kakade ihhashi lokuthwala impahla, futhi uReyes nendodana yakhe babezoba ngabaqondisi bethu futhi. Sakha ikamu eliqinile emhumeni oseduze, cishe ibanga lokuhamba ngemizuzu engama-45 ukusuka empophomeni. Empeleni wawungafika lapho nehhashi, ngoba konke okunye kwakungahambeki ezilwaneni. Ntambama sahambisa zonke izintambo nemishini emaphethelweni empophoma. Ukuze ufike kuwo, kwakudingeka uwele umfula futhi uhambe ibanga elide osebeni lwawo, ucwiliswe emanzini. Cishe u-100 m ngaphambi kwempophoma, ukuwa kwamamitha ayi-8 kwaphoqa ukuthi senze ujikelezo oluncane olwalusikisela ukwehla cishe kwamamitha angama-30, ngoba kwakungenakwenzeka "ukukhumbuza" usanta ngoba kungamakhanoni ngokuphelele futhi kunechibi elikhulu kuvimbela ukufinyelela, ngaphandle kokuthi sibhukude amamitha ambalwa, kodwa lokho bekuzoba yinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, ikakhulukazi imishini yokuphatha. Usuku lonke imvula ina; kwase kuyizinsuku nobusuku obubili ingazange ime ezintabeni, futhi ngalobo busuku lana.
Usuku lwe-16 luqale libalele futhi ukugeleza kwamanzi emfuleni kwehle ngokwanele ukuthi sikwazi ukuwela. Namuhla abangani bethu basibambile futhi safaka ikhebula elingu-320 m ubude lokwehla kwempophoma enkulu. Sibeke umugqa kude ngangokunokwenzeka kusuka empophomeni ukuvimbela ikhebula ekungeneni emfuleni wamanzi, kepha ngenxa yesimo sendawo asikwazanga ukuyifeza, futhi engxenyeni yokugcina yempophoma intambo iwele indawo yomoya onamandla . Ngalesi sizathu, okwamanje besingazi ukuthi ngabe ikhebuli lifinyelele ezansi komhosha noma cha.
Owokuqala owehlayo kuzoba yimina, futhi ngaso leso sikhathi uDkt Víctor Rodríguez Guajardo. Ngehle amamitha ambalwa ngentambo yokusiza futhi ngahlala kulayini omkhulu; Ngabe ngehle ngamamitha ayi-15 lapho ngibona ukuthi ikhebuli alifinyelelanga phansi. UVictor weza lapho ngangikhona nolayini osizayo futhi waqinisekisa ukubonga kwami. Sibuyele emuva sadonsa ikhebuli ndawonye, kwathi uVíctor noChava baya ekamu ngentambo eyi-170 m ebesiyishiye lapho. Kwikhebula elikhulu sengeza lo mugqa futhi siphinde sifake intambo. Simangele, siyakuqinisekisa ukuthi impophoma yePiedra Volada inkulu kakhulu kuneBasaseachi.
UKUHLEKA
Ngo-7 ekuseni. Ngomhla ka-17 sasuka enkambini ebheke empophomeni. Ngo-9 ekuseni. Ngaqala ukwehla kwami. Ngangingedwa ngaphambi kwalasha; ekuqaleni ukwehla kuyasinda ngoba ukungezwani kwekhebula ku-descender kukhulu kakhulu; empeleni kufanele udonsele ikhebuli phansi. Umbono wempophoma enkulu ewele eduze kwami nangemuva umhosha iCandameña owakhazimula ngomfula nezindonga zawo ezime mpo, wawumuhle ngempela. Cishe maphakathi nokwehla, amanzi avela empophomeni aqala ukuwa. Kuqala kwakungezikhawu, ngoba imithombo yemisinga yomoya ekhiqizwa emhosheni ifaka ukuchezukisa indiza yamanzi, kepha kungekudala imanzi yayihlala njalo. Ngakho ngehle maphakathi nesigaba, futhi lapho ngifika kwifindo elijoyine izintambo ezimbili ngangimanziswe ngokuphelele.
Angibanga nankinga yokweqa ifindo, yize bengikwenza ngemvula eqhubekayo futhi enamandla kakhulu. Ingxenye yokugcina yokwehla ibibucayi, njengoba ikhebula lingene ngokuphelele futhi amanzi angenza ngazizwa sengathi ngiphansi kweshawa yencindezi. Ngalesi sizathu, imitha lokugcina elingu-50 ngehle ngejubane elikhulu, kepha yingakho umbukwane wokuba ngaphakathi kwale mpophoma enkulu uyeke ukungihlaba umxhwele. Umoya onamandla washaya izindonga ezinamadwala, ngokushesha wenza imifula emikhulu nezimpophoma ezintsha ezafika ezansi. Kwangithatha ihora ukuthi ngehle.
INDAWO ENGALANDELWA
Ngifinyelele ezansi, ngimanziswe, amamitha ambalwa ubude lapho impophoma igcina khona. Kwakukhona uhlaka olunamandla kakhulu olwalungiphoqa ukuba ngisuke ngokushesha ukuze ngiphume lapho ngiyofuna ijazi. Ngezansi kwakungekho ndawo eyodwa eyomile, futhi zazimbalwa izindawo lapho umuntu angazivikela emanzini nasemoyeni. Ngazise ngomsakazo ngokufika kwami uVictor waqala ukwehla. Kungimangazile ukubona ukuthi kolayini ababili ebesibajoyinile, kwakusele cishe u-3 m, okungukuthi, ikhebuli lalingafinyelelwanga.
Isamba esilula singitshele ukuthi impophoma ibingaphezu kwamamitha angama-400, kodwa ibiningi kakhulu kimina futhi bengicabanga ukuthi besingazilinganisanga kahle izintambo. Ngaleso sikhathi, ngalinganisa ukuthi impophoma yePiedra Volada izoba nokwehla okungama-340 kuya kuma-350 m, okungukuthi, cishe ngamamitha ayi-100 ngaphezu kweBasaseachi.
Kusuka ngezansi ungabona kangcono ukuthi i-cannon yempophoma ingangena kanjani emzileni omkhulu obumbeke u- "U". Bengiqala ukuyibona kusuka ogwini lwayo kuya ezansi. Eqinisweni, ngangisendaweni engakaze inyathelwe ngabantu. Engxenyeni yawo yokugcina, amanzi eza njengenkungu enobudlova kunejet; kwakubukeka njengezibani ezinkulu ezisenyakatho ezinesimo sokuvunguza okukhulu. Impophoma ifinyelela echibini elincane futhi ukusuka lapho umfudlana wePiedra Volada uphinde uvuke, futhi ukweqa phakathi kwezinye izimpophoma ezincane kungabonakala kuze kube kulahleka. Ngangazi ukuthi ayiyi kude kakhulu nokuthi ngokugxuma yajoyina umfudlana waseCajurichi; kodwa-ke, ukuze ngiqhubeke lapho ngangikhona, kwakudingeka ezinye izindophi futhi okungenani kubhukuda ezimbalwa.
Ngezansi ngangibuka ukwehla kukaVictor. Uthe uma efika efindo wema isikhashana; Bengicabanga ukuthi unenkinga yokuyidlulisa, futhi kubonakala sengathi lokho kungenxa yokuthi uqale ukukhuphukela phezulu.
Emahoreni amabili waphinde wafika ogwini. Lapho uVictor esehambile, ngaqala ukukhuphuka. Imitha yokuqala engama-50. Bangibiza umsebenzi omningi ngenxa yamandla lapho amanzi ewela khona; Ngizwe sengathi bengikhuphuka phakathi kwesiphepho noma isiphepho esishisayo. Ngiqede lesi sigaba sikhathele, kepha ngemuva kwalokho kwaba lula, yize ngangisakhuphuka nge-150 m ngaphezulu ngamanzi ngaphezulu. Cishe maphakathi nokukhuphuka isibhakabhaka sasula futhi ilanga lakhanyisa impophoma, eyakhanya ngokumangazayo, futhi kusukela kulowo mzuzu kuqhubeke ngangihambisana nothingo lwenkosazana oluyisiyingi ngokuphelele, cishe u-50 m ububanzi, olunye ngaphakathi kolunye. Ngihambe sekwedlule isikhathi, ngemuva kwamahora amathathu enyukile.
EPILOGUE
Ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva, uVíctor walinganisa ubude bezintambo eziseCiudad Cuauhtémoc kusuka kumamaki esasisele nawo, nokuphakama okungakholeki kwamamitha angama-453 kwatholakala, into eyedlula kude konke ebesikulindele. Ukumangala kwami kwakunjengabo, njengabo bonke abanye abantu, ukuthi ngiye eCuauhtémoc ikakhulukazi ukuyolinganisa isilinganiso, futhi yanginika ama-459 m. Sinqume ukuthatha isilinganiso esifushane, okungu-453 m. Kube isimanga esimnandi kakhulu kithina, ngoba izobeka iPiedra Volada phakathi kwezimpophoma zokuqala emhlabeni (yize kusazobonwa ukuthi kuzobhekwa kanjani njengezikhathi ezithile). Icishe yaphindeka kabili iBasaseachi ngokujula (inombolo 26 emhlabeni). Kimi, lokhu bekungukuphakama okukhulu engake ngakwenza: cishe isigamu sekhilomitha. Phambilini, okukhulu ayekwenzile kwakuwukudutshulwa kweSótano del Barro, kwehle u-410 m. Ngiyazibuza: ngizotholani kamuva kule Mexico engaziwa?
