When the Hiking Began
We are not sure the exact date the hiking began but hiking together on a regular basis began sometime in the late 1990’s.
Where We Came From
We came from all over North America either as snowbirds or full-timers who decided to pack up and take on new adventures in a different city or country.
Hikers Ages
Hikers range in age from 5 years old to over 80. Age has no bearing on hiking. It’s important to be able to traverse the pathway on your own two feet safely and have the endurance.
Ajijic Hiking Group History
Gerry Green, an avid hiker originally from the Ottawa, Canada area began exploring the local mountains above Lake Chapala in the late 1990’s and is widely credited as the founder of the Ajijic Hiking Group. His enthusiasm and desire to share his knowledge of the many trails weaving throughout the mountains led him to lead interested hikers into the mountains.
For many years, from the fall until the spring, Gerry would show up at Dona’s, on the Carretera in Ajijic, early on Tuesday mornings. By 9 a.m. a group of hikers would assemble and decide where to explore that day. Generally, there were hikers of varying abilities. Gerry would lead the novice hikers on shorter routes with less elevation gain, while the more advanced hikers would head off on their own to explore more challenging routes.
In addition to leading the hikes for many years, Gerry compiled the various routes he had mapped out into a pocket guide called “Hikes and Trails Around Ajijic”, which was printed and distributed in 2005. An updated version followed in 2008, including GPS waypoints.These guides enabled hikers to explore further on their own, with less fear of getting lost. Today there is typically a minimum of three different levels of hikes on Tuesdays- Beginner, Intermediate and, advanced- with a leader for each group.
Some more interseting facts About Us!
In the early days, there were a few female hikers in the group. However, some felt that an option to “stop and smell the roses” while enjoying the outdoors and each others company, might be preferable. Thus, a small female group formed in the Fall of 2005, with Friday hikes, leaving the option open to continue with Tuesday hikes.
The female hikes started out on trails like the mixed novice hikes, but at a more relaxed pace. They gradually explored further into the mountains, and one day found themselves challenging the Three Crosses trail, returning via the Sky Race down trail. In order to not discourage female hikers with a lower level of fitness and strength, the hikes varied weekly from a couple of hours to several hours.
Occasionally, a spouse joined in, and in 2007 it evolved to become a mixed group. In more recent years, it has mirrored the format of the Tuesday hikes to accommodate all levels of hiking ability.
Stop and smell the roses.
See you on the trail.
The Ajijic Hiking Group and it's members are Not Responsible for anything that happens while hiking.
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