Flying Out of Salt Lake
January 15th, Eric Parker and I arrived at the SLC international airport with nothing more than our bills bags and boarding passes, after passing through security and customs we were on our way to Santiago where our Chilean tour would begin. We met with the eight other students and four teachers and were off to our first destination, the Rio Maipo.
The Yaso, a tributary to the Maipo
The Maipo's dark muddy waters, big water, and scatterd play made it a perfect way to start our semester in Chile. We lodged in a small mountain town called Banos Morales, nestled need in the heat of the Ande's and paddled scattered sections of the Maipo every evening for nearly two weeks. After those long weeks in the hot Chilean sun we were all ready for a change in scenery. Packing up the van once again we were headed south to the Rio Claro. 
Eric Parker lining it up.
photo: Ben Kinsella
WCKA Cabaneros.
Photo: Ben Kinsella
photo: Ben Kinsella
The Claro is home to the world renown Siete Taza's section (RIP) and the Veintedos Tazas sections of whitewater. Although Veintedos was too low to be run, our crew was eager to fire up the classic waterfalls. The Seite Taza's section contains three real drops all of which are between 15 and 20 feet. The low water made for some green landings that had peoples backs aching, but the run was everything it was made up to be.
Moving further south from the Claro we headed to one of the most anticipated destinations of the trip, Pucon. The quaint ski town feel of Pucon combined with the world class kayaking, beautiful women and the breathtaking landscapes make it a must visit destination. We roosted at a campsite just outside of town for two weeks; happily enjoying our time. Our bread and butter section in Pucon was undoubtedly the Upper Palguin. The upper section is a classic pool drop style waterfall run that never gets old. Along with the upper we also ventured to the Lower Palguin (a more creek style run), the Rio Trancura, and the Rio Maichin. Low flows prevented us from running other nearby classics like the Turbio, Ojos de Cubergo, and many other of the close options but, with the Palguin flowing strong we were satisfied beyond belief.
Myself sending the second drop on the upper.
photo: Eric Parker
Volcan Villarica
Olin Wimburg Boofing Huge
Seal launching into the Upper Palguin
After two of the most enjoyable weeks of our trip so far, the group was sad to leave Pucon. We cleaned up camp and headed out to the Fuy. I had heard allot about the Fuy before i had come to Chile, and now it was finally my time to get on the waters i had been told so much about. On the Upper Fuy for the first time i was hestiant on what to expect. The run started off with fun class IV- creeking with some larger drops and plenty of boofs. Two thirds of the way down you come upon Salto De La Leona this is where the run really starts to pick up.
Ben at the bottom of the Falls
Myself spotting my landing
photo: Conner Jackson
Salto De La Leona is a clean 20-25 foot drop with multiple lines that can beat you down if you hit it wrong. After the falls lies what I can easily say is the most fun stretch of white water i have run to this day. The next 3 rapids are all signifigantly larger. The first is a must hit boof turn off a 5 foot ledge, then you move to a very steep slide rapid that leads into a riverwide pourover that would send you to china if you were unlucky enough to get caught in the center of it. The final drop is a small chunky rapid leading straight into a 15 foot boof. All combined these drops make the Fuy a run to come back to.
Seth Stoenner boofing the corner of the pourover.
photo: Evan Garcia
Once we got our fill on the Fuy, we boarded a ferry and left the rainy town of Puerto Fuy to continue our pilgrimage south to the Futaleufu. After 36 hours of travel and two boarder crossings we arrived at Cara del Indio, the classic kayakers campground on the banks of the Futa.
Our van boarding the ferry
Every student got their own ewok cabin.
The Cara Del Indo (Face of the Indian)
Since the start of my kayaking career I have known the name of the Futaleufu. Countless paddlers recite their personal memories of the crystalline blue water and the behemoth waves that compose the Futa. The puente a puente section (bridge to bridge) is the most run section of the Futa, a fun and forgiving class III-IV big water run with world class play spots scattered throughout.
Seth throwing down on Pistola
photo: Conner Jackson
Along with the bridge to bridge section the A-Team got to run the todo futa. From Inferno Canyon to Casa De Piedra the 50 kilometer trek has contains everything the Futa has to offer. Inferno Canyon was the stretch of white water I had looked forward to most coming into the trip. The steep canyon walls and high gradient create a daunting and rewarding section of textbook class V big water.
The water at the put in for Inferno Canyon
Entrada, the first rapid of inferno
Taking a break before the stouts
Coming out of Inferno only a few kilometers of flatwater takes you to Zeta and Throne Room, the two most anticipated rapids on the river. As we arrive to Zeta we quickly saw why it is generally a portage. The swiss cheese rock, large boils, undercut ledges, and pushy eddylines make the consequence of Zeta overwhelming. Although the line through the rapid is not much harder than class IV the risk of being caught in an undercut and drowning make it a V+ and clear portage to nearly everyone.
Todd, Olin and Myself Scouting Zeta.
photo: Ben Kinsella
Five minuets away from Zeta lies Throne Room, a huge class V that will intimidate even the most seasoned paddlers. Starting river right of the monster rapid you must push left while punching two pushy lateral holes, assuming you stay upright you then must catch the pillow and surf it river left, ferrying around the end hole. If you mess up on any of these moves you run the risk of being shot into the toaster, a pour over seam hole on the river right of the throne that will send you 20,000 leagues under the sea.
Jorge Taking the Lead
Seth working to keep it together on the pillow.
After Throne room yet spirits were high as we paddled the Wild Mile, a class "fun" series of rapids and wave trains that take you to the Terminator section. Terminator, if run in the center, is the hardest rapid on the Futa, the sheer length and magnitude of the rapid will disorientate you, while the scattered pourovers, ledge holes, and waveholes, make missing your line a mistake that you don't want to make. We decided to take the far left line in which you run a small slot on the river bank then thread two large pourovers to make it into the bottom eddy river left.
The whole group compition at the bottom of Terminator
photo: Eric Parker
After our Todo Futa day, the group was riled up and ready for Futa Fest, the annual kayak festival on the Futaleufu. In the boater cross WCKA dominated with two students (myself and Todd Wells) making it into the final. Todd Wells took gold in the final heat bringing in a win for World Class. Day two of Futa Fest was the Downriver race on the bridge to bridge section. In the play boat division our very own Eric Parker took home third place in a photo finish fighting for second.
Futafest 2010
photo: Eric Parker
Rather than staying for the Rodeo in Futafest the group took a vote and decided to travel north to Picculamu to help with earthquake and tsunami relief. Unfortunately on our drive up we were notified that the entire Chilean coast was being evacuated due to tsunami warnings and we could no longer go to help. Instead we headed back to the Maipo and relaxed poolside for the last two days of the trip, dreaming of the West Coast adventures we are sure to have.
- RISTO
The crew snaggin some rays.
A Pucon Segment edited by yours truly and a Futa Segment edited by Conner Jackson and Josh Larson
