Event History

A Growing Relationship with the Borderlands

Ruta del Jefe takes its name from El Jefe, the legendary jaguar that roamed the Santa Rita Mountains in southern Arizona from 2011 to 2015. The original long route of Ruta del Jefe circumnavigated the Santa Rita Mountains, tracing the landscape that once served as El Jefe's habitat. Ruta del Jefe translates to "Route of the Boss," a nod to both the jaguar and the challenge of the event's most demanding route.

In 2015, El Jefe was believed to have either died or migrated south into Mexico in search of a mate. Then, in 2022, a wildlife camera in Sonora captured an image of the famous jaguar alive, healthy, and one of the oldest known jaguars in the region. The photograph confirmed that El Jefe had crossed the international border and survived, becoming a powerful symbol of wildlife connectivity and the importance of protecting habitat throughout the borderlands.

Like the jaguar that inspired its name, Ruta del Jefe has evolved beyond a single landscape and grown into an event that explores the interconnected nature of the borderlands themselves.

The first editions of Ruta del Jefe in 2019, 2020, and 2022 were hosted at Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch in Elgin, Arizona, where participants gathered among the grasslands and oak woodlands of the Sonoita Valley for weekend experiences centered on adventure cycling, conservation, and community.

In 2024, Ruta del Jefe expanded internationally and was hosted at Cuenca Los Ojos in Sonora, Mexico. This milestone allowed participants to experience the borderlands through a more transboundary lens while deepening the event's connection to ecological restoration, wildlife conservation, and cross-border collaboration.

For 2027, Ruta del Jefe moves to Borderlands Restoration Network in Patagonia, Arizona. Located in the heart of the Sky Islands region, Borderlands Restoration Network's work in ecological restoration, native seed conservation, habitat resilience, and community engagement closely reflects the values and mission of the event.

While the locations have changed over the years, the purpose of Ruta del Jefe remains the same: to use adventure cycling, education, fundraising, and community to foster a deeper understanding of the landscapes, cultures, wildlife, and communities that make the borderlands such a remarkable and important place.