Ecuador Kayaking: Jan 16-24 Class III+

Arriving in style with room for a Kate's kayak underneath.

A photo of a bus seems like an odd way to start a post, but this one comes with a story.  We commonly do back-to-back trips. One trip returns to Quito on Saturday and the next group goes out on Sunday. We are with each group throughout the transition.  Well, when you find out on Saturday that transportation you had hoped to use on Sunday is no longer reliable, as we did, you get busy! I’d like to think that this is one of the many areas where experience and contacts come into play.  With just two phone calls to transportation companies we know, we were covered -in luxury. While the big bus was more vehicle than we needed, our group got a very comfy ride over Papallacta Pass to Borja and the Quijos Valley.

The group enjoying the ride in style. (L to R: Deb, Mary, Steve, Dane, Kate and Kristi.)

The highest flow of the season greeted us at the put-in of our “warm up” stretch. In comparison to any previous year’s flows, this still rated as high water. We were also greeted by our friend and fellow guide, Jaime Dalg0. He was finishing up a raft trip just as we arrived. We jumped at the chance to have his company and extra coverage on a normally easy stretch. We ran safely and quickly down routes that were bone dry the day before. Wave trains were Grand Canyon-esque! It was an exciting run without too much “novedad”!

Leaving the still-high flows behind, we headed to Tena a day early and had a fun paddle on the Jatunyacu. This too, fortuitously, had the highest water we’d seen this year. But on the Jatunyacu that’s a good thing! It’s wide open wave trains had everyone smiling.

Taking time out for a side hike along the Rio Jatunyacu.

The week featured two runs on the Jondachi/Hollin. Despite the mud hike in and the long day, the group loved this run and chose to do it a second time. The first run featured a torrential rainstorm that caused us to scurry into our boats after lunch. Side streams swelled quickly and waterfalls appeared out of nowhere!

Leaving lunch just as the rain starts to fall.

We were on the Jondachi River when the storm hit and were eager (dreading) to see the affects on the larger volume Hollin.  At the confluence we were met by sunny skies and clear, low water! The rain was so localized that only downstream of the confluence with the Hollin were the waterfalls booming. This brought the river to a friendly, medium flow.

A muddy sidestream gushes into the Lower Hollin.

Two days later, on our second run, both rivers were clear and low. This allowed our pace to be slower, we enjoyed seeing many blue morpho and other butterflies, and spotted many birds. The rapids were fun and everyone was smiling.

Some of the porters of Mundayacu, the people who really make the Lower Jondachi possible for all of us.

Kristi, Steve and Deb took a day off and went for a tour on the lower Napo in a motorized, 40 ft dug-out canoe. Along with them was a bilingual, naturalist guide. Their trip included a visit to the wildlife rehab center of Amazoonica, where they saw many exotic animals. They were cleansed by a local Shaman (think immune system booster), shot a bow, threw a spear and used the blow gun. This 10 foot long, iron wood weapon (yes, that’s very heavy) is difficult to manage, yet each of them hit the target! (How close were you guys?) Here’s Deb’s photos post from her trip. Kate and Dane preferred to paddle as much as they could.  They were eager to do some strokework and discuss strategies for running various types of water. It was a full day for both groups!

A surprise to all of us, Dane pulled out a stove to brew coffee during lunch!

By Friday we were back in Borja where the Quijos River had dropped dramatically. We started the day on a section above our warm-up run. We scouted the toughest rapid, El Toro. Those who chose to run it had great lines. Lower down, the warm-up stretch had a much friendlier look. Really, with the low, clear water, it was unrecognizable!

The group scouts "El Toro" rapid on the Quijos.

The last day was perfect! Ecuador saw us off with clear, sunny skies and clean, fluffy rapids! The stretch included the famous “Curvas Peligrosas” rapid, and again the lines were flawless. With mixed feelings we unloaded the boats for the last time and headed back to Quito. There was talk of returning next year.

Photos and content ©DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking all rights reserved.

Ecuador Kayaking: The Andean Cock Of The Rock

The brilliant coloring of the male Andean Cock of the Rock or Gallo de Peña. Author Jerry Tompson- Image licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license.

First off, I didn’t take this photo. It takes a lot of patience, a big lens and a truckload of luck to get a shot of this bird in the wild. This one was photographed at the San Diego Zoo. We consider ourselves lucky if we get to see one of these birds a season. When you see it, you know it. Imagine a chicken-sized bird the color of an orange safety-cone, flying across a background of green foliage. Needless to say, they stand out! In our  experience, they are also extremely bashful and highly-skilled at evading being viewed once they have landed. As with many species, the females have what the males want, so there is no need to don such extravagant plumage.  Instead, the female’s coloring is a crisp rust, which makes her harder to spot.

Most frequently, the Cock of the Rocks have revealed themselves to us near the confluence of the Cosanga and Quijos Rivers. Our kayaks give us the advantage of being in a position to see them flying in the open as they cross from one side of the river to the other.  The Spanish name, Gallo de Peña (Cock of the Cliff Face) is a very appropriate name for these birds. At the confluence, the cliffs are densely laden with trees and vegetation, providing the birds with superb cover. A typical sighting usually occurs when the lead kayaker unknowingly flushes one out.  The solitary bird quickly sprints to the opposite shore, much like a dog might risk running across a street.  It is rare that everyone in the group sees it, and very common that the lead kayaker (who did the initial flushing) even knows what has occurred.  A sighting is often followed by a volley of “Did you see that!!?”

Perhaps it is because of the dryer-than-normal season that we have been experiencing, but between the various participants on our trips thus far this year, we have seen over 7 males and two females on several rivers in both drainages. To learn a bit more about these birds click here.

Dave R. does his best imitation of the "Cock of the Rock".

Photos and content ©DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking except where noted. All rights reserved.

Ecuador Kayaking Class IV: The Trip That Laughed

The gang.

If you’re a kayaker reading this post, you know how quickly this sport can bring a group of people together.  This week was a shining example of that positive synergy. Laughter, camaraderie and some friendly ribbing were common place, as well as some really interesting conversations. Guys and gals were equally represented and their boating skills were solid throughout.

Ann P. boofing in the third person (a little inside joke).

Compared to previous weeks, this one was wetter. That was good, the rivers could use it and the group could handle it. I think I’ll let the photos do the talking on this post. You can also check out a trip report from Geoff J. on his site for more about the trip and some of the exploring he did afterwards. Thanks to Merida, Ann, Annie, Arn, Dave and Geoff for a great week!

Taking a break on the Lower Cosanga.

Paddling out on the Rio Hollin.

Low water on the Upper Misahualli often finds local people looking for fish.

Annie B. gets her boof, Rio Jondachi.

Geoff J. cruising on the Rio Jondachi.

Yes, they're real. Photo courtesy Merida S.

It's a jungle out there.

Dave R. between a rock and a hard place on the Rio Piatua.

Heading home at the end of the day, Rio Piatua.

Photos and content ©DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking all rights reserved.

Ecuador Kayaking: Jan 2-10 Class IV-

Arn S. running one of the many great rapids on the lower Cosanga.

“Small and nimble” would be a good way to describe our week in early January.  Scott D. and his 17 year-old son James were down for their first time, while Arn was back for his third trip, doing a double-header this year. Unfortunately for us, Arn’s wife Deborah passed on Ecuador this season. She was busy preparing for their upcoming 6 week mountain-bike adventure in Patagonia (click here for their blog). Fortunately, she did send down a batch of her personally handcrafted truffles, complete in their elaborately decorated box, design specifically for us!  With orders not to conserve them but to relish them while fresh (as no perservatives were used in the making) I can hardly get my skirt on!

A continued, rare spell of clear skies meant that the rugged north face of Antisana was still visible during the drive from Quito.

Our group size and water levels, along with a gung-ho attitude of the boys, allowed us to step up the level of difficulty on some of the runs we did. After a couple of days of warm up on the Quijos, conditions were perfect for a trip down the lower Cosanga.

Boaters on the beach at Bombon, put-in for the lower Quijos.

For us, the lower Cosanga is the gem of the Quijos Valley. The run is very water level dependent, and this year it has been on the low side. Remote, technical and continuous, it’s not suitable for all skill levels. But when it is, the whitewater offers just the right combination of challenge and fun. Sporting many horizon lines, advanced eddy-hopping skill and boofs are required. We had a stellar run on a sunny day; the first run of it’s kind for James and Scott. They are hooked! Near the end of the canyon, we sometimes see the rare Andean Cock of the Rock, an amazing bird that this year has shown itself more frequently than we’ve ever seen before (more on that in another post).

After hiking into the lower Jondachi you really feel like you are "out there".

Off to Tena and the lower Jondachi/Hollin. Nearing the take-out after a great day, we got some much needed, albiet short-lived rain. Tropical rain often comes in huge, fat, warm drops that can drench you in a second. These rains can roll in with little warning, and leave as quickly as they come. Listen carefully and you can hear the storm racing across the top of the jungle canopy as it approaches.

We were greeted at the take out of the Hollin by rain.

We offered up another technical day of boating, this time on the Piatua, located an hour from Tena This river reminds me of California boating, but with jungle blanketing the shores. The water-worn, metamorphic rocks, clean water and great lines make me feel at home.

Scott at Piatua put in trail.

Depending on water levels, I’d give the upper stretches of this run a Class IV or higher rating.  When the water is low as it was this day, the group small and you take your time to scout (and are open to walking the occasional drop) you can take some of the edge off.  For us it was a perfect day of creeking. Young James totally styled one of the more difficult drops, Scott surprised himself a time or two while looking back at some of the drops he had just run and Arn was just plain grinning ear to ear about the quality of rapids.

James making the move at "Gorillas in the Mist"

Mary leads the way on another quality drop on the Rio Piatua.

The last two days we were back on the Borja side of the mountains.  Arn took the last day off to rest up for his upcoming second week, while Scott and James enjoyed one last fun run on the Quijos before returning to the cold of Pennsylvania.

Volcan Sumaco (12,000+ ft) part of the Guacamayo Mountains, the range that separates the Quijos Valley from Tena.

Photos and content ©DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking all rights reserved.

Ecuador Kayaking: New Year’s trip Class IV-

Getting into the New Year spirit with a not-so-traditional muneca.

We kicked off our first trip of the season with a group over the New Year.  I’ve written before about the Ecuadorian tradition of creating an effigy that represents the old year.  These “año viejos” are often intended to poke fun at politicians, family members, friends or enemies.  The idea is that you burn it on New Year’s eve and these negative traits will go up in flames.  If only it were that simple.  After explaining this to our group, everyone was into participating.  We stuffed some paddling gear with newspaper, put on a life vest and had a helmet ready to go, all we needed was a head. Paper mache heads and masks can often be purchased from roadside vendors as you drive out of Quito.  Seeing the variety of masks available often gives you insight into world events as viewed through the eyes of Ecuadorians.  It took awhile to find a suitable candidate, but one of the group ran across a rather warped attempt at the head of Bart Simpson.  Always looking for a humorous twist, we attached the head and helmet and mounted the torso figure on the front of our stack of boats. Our van could be seen traveling the roads with Bart proudly on display.  It wasn’t until later that we found that Bart was actually being used to make a political statement.  Seems the current government had censored the show here in Ecuador- oops!

Gayne catching a surf somewhere on the Rio Quijos downstream of Borja.

Enough of politics, we were here to boat.  Gayne, Chuck, Toby, Jean Marie and Debbie made up our group.  We had paddled with all but Debbie before on other trips from the Grand Canyon and Middle Fork to here, in Ecuador. Ecuadorian kayaker and Tena local, Jaime Dalgo, rounded out our guide staff.

Deb approaching the Bom Bon bridge near the end of the day.

Sunny weather and friendly flows made for a great week of fun and challenges. On Day 2 we headed to the lowest and most remote of the run on the lower Quijos.  At the always interesting “Gringos Revueltos” (Scrambled Gringos) Jaime demonstrated a line that left most folks thinking that the alternate line might be a better choice.  Adrenaline junkie, Toby, thought differently and tried to followed Jaime’s line. The video that Gayne shot of Toby’s run clocked him at 42 seconds worth of astronaut training in the hole at the bottom of the rapid- further convincing everyone else they had made the right choice to run the creek sneak.

Toby S. demonstrates a more controlled surf on the Rio Quijos.

For our third day we paddled another stretch of the Quijos then drove over to the Tena side of the Guacamayo mountains.

Some of the white water of the Upper Misahualli

Kayakers still draw the ocassional crowd at a put in.

A nice little pulse in the flow allowed us to paddle the Upper Misahualli.  This technical river has been very low this year and this was the first time we saw it boatable.  We often use some of the more straight-forward sections as an introduction to creeking.  Folks love it’s continuous nature and forgiving boofs.

Kayakers aren't the only ones who enjoy a sunny day at the river.

Our second day in the Tena area we decided to take the group into the lower Jondachi/Hollin, home of the infamous “mud walk” put-in trail.  I had never seen conditions dryer.  Our porters still put us to shame by completing the hike downhill in a fraction of the time we did.

This run is awesome in terms of overall adventure; the walk in, boating down the lower Jondachi in it’s small, intimate canyon with waterfalls cascading all around, the confluence with the Lower Hollin and the change in character of the run. The lush vegetation always leaves me glad that I am sitting on my butt in a kayak floating through it, rather than trying to bushwhack.

A quiet moment on the Lower Hollin after paddling down the Rio Jondachi.

Back to the Quijos Valley to finish up our last days of paddling and to take in the New Year’s celebration in Borja.  Tuckered from our days of paddling, we weren’t able to stay awake until midnight to get the full effect.  We did manage to wander down to the plaza. On the way, we were intercepted by Tanya, who invited us into her home and, in her heavily accented English, laughingly assured us it was safe and she would not “keeel” us.  Inside, we met all of her New Year’s guests, saw the hind-quarter of a pig, complete with intact hoof, protruding from a serving dish on the dining table, toasted the group and said our good-byes. At the plaza we watched Toby attempt to win a bottle of whiskey while playing bingo and we danced with some of the youngsters dressed as widows or “viudas”.  This is another Ecuadorian tradition; the Viejo (Old Year) is dying, leaving the widow to raise the baby New Year all alone. This is accompanied by wailing and pleas for support, in the form of money, which when given to the adult male viudas, often goes toward the purchase of homemade moonshine (aguardiente).

These "widows" knew how to move.

We got in one last great day of paddling before driving back to Quito.  On the way we were treated to a spectacular display by the normally bashful volcano Antisana, the fourth largest peak in the country. This week was a great end to 2009 and begining to 2010!

The group makes room for Antisana on the way back to Quito.

Photos and content ©DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking all rights reserved.

Ecuador- Check, Check, Check.

Rickie Alzamora on the Rio Piatua.

We are now in Ecuador ready and waiting to start our season with our first trip on December 25th.  Phil had a marathon 8 days of paddling this past week in the Quijos and Tena areas checking for changes on all of the various runs with our good friend Rickie Alzamora. They even dragged Ecuadorian River Institute director Matt Terry out of his office for a few days. Mary focused on lining up logistics so things are ready to go.

Matt Terry and Rickie Alzamora between rapids on the Middle Jondachi.

Water levels are currently low, but rain is always just around the corner.  Despite the low flows, the rivers remain remarkably runnable and fun!

Matt Terry in a long boat ready for a retro day on the Rio Misahualli.

Hope to see you down here, enjoy the holidays and the New Year.

Phil and Mary.

Photos and content ©DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking all rights reserved.

Guest Post- Idaho Whitewater First Timer

Here’s a guest post written by our young friend Connor Dixon.  We first met Connor and his family on a Rogue River trip a number of years ago.  On that trip he was too small to kayak but just the right size to pick up by the back of his life vest and throw out into the pool in front of camp. Being a kid he would sputter back to shore and ask to do it again and again.  Connor has come a long way from his watery beginnings.  This summer was a busy one for he and his twin sister, Savannah. They paddled the Middle Fork Salmon, Grand Canyon, took a river rescue class from our friends at Sierra Rescue and, although too young to receive their full certification, took an ACA instructor course from Mary- all  at the ripe old age of 16!

Connor "helps" out with the drive from Boise to the Payette River.

My trip started with excitement, daring, and luck (getting my boat and paddle passed the luggage handler before she thought to call over her supervisor). In Boise, I was picked up by Phil and we drove to a friend’s house who was very kind and let us “crash” there. Everyday, it was from here that we would begin our drive to the diverse whitewater Mecca known as the Payettes.

Gearing up for a high speed seal launch into the South Payette.

The first few days were spent warming up on the South Fork with runs on the staircase section and the canyon section. From fun boofs on Little Falls to the slide on the Staircase section, the South Fork of the Payette is pure fun.

Checking out the "lower five" on the North Fork Payette from the road.

On the fourth day, it was time to scare myself a bit. Every time we had driven up to the South Fork, I craned my neck to take a look at the famous North Fork. Definitely the hardest run I had seriously considered doing, after a conversation with Phil about it and a quick call to my mother (also a kayaker), we had the green light to do the lower 5. After about an hour of scouting, I came to three conclusions. The first, road side scouting is great! The second, construction of the road on one side and a railroad on the other had blasted sharp rocks into the river causing me to think being upside down would be a really bad idea. The third and final conclusion was that I had to run it (a very unpopular decision on the rational side of my brain).

Connor in Juicer rapid, North Fork Payette, Idaho.

The attribute about the North Fork that most concerned me is the amazing length of the rapids. Swimming would be disastrous. A “rapid” seemed to just be a period of higher gradient change between some class III. At the put we ended up joining forces with a local paddler, Mike Copeland and a few of his friends- it never hurts to have the extra company on the North Fork. Favoring a warm up instead of a beat up, we decided to put in below Hounds Tooth, a class V drop. After some North Fork boogie water, the first big rapid, Otters slide was run successfully (and successfully got my heart rate up). A short distance afterward, Juicer appeared on the horizon, or lack there of. On our scout, Phil and I had decided to go left (punching through a weird v wave/boil/hole) and drive right afterward to avoid the nasty Juicer Hole waiting for us below. I was feeling really confident… until I flipped in the entrance. All I could think was “there is a really ^@#$%*& big hole below me”.

Connor and Phil in Crunch Rapid, North Fork Payette, Idaho.

Rolling up (which seemed to take forever, like rolling in molasses) and getting some idea of where I was pointed, I drove right, avoiding the sure swim that is Juicer Hole.
After a creek line in Cruncher where I hugged the right side a little tight, my first run on the North Fork of the Payette was complete. My personal comfort had yet again been challenged and pushed to a larger scale. After a final day boating the Staircase section, Phil and I parted company to meet a week later on the Middle Fork of the Salmon. One thing was for sure, I definitely had to come back and boat on Payettes again.

DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking

Join Us For Kayaking In Bhutan, Fall 2010.

We are planning two trips in Bhutan in the Fall of 2010; a Class II-III and a Class III-IV+. Because resources for tourists are limited, we need to confirm our lodging reservations for these trips well in advance. The minimum number of paddlers for each skill level is eight. If you are interested,  email us for reservation information . Click here for more details.

Ecuador- Good News From The Road(s)

Super hombre doing roadwork the hard way.

We recently got some good news from our friends in Ecuador.  After years of broken promises from the Ecuadorian government, false starts, and a pinch of corruption, the final stretches of road improvements between Quito and Tena, to the east, have been completed.  This ties in nicely with paved stretches from Baeza down along the Quijos river valley, up the Cosanga and over the Guacamayo mountain range.  In theory this means that all of our driving for this upcoming season, with the exception of short put-in and take-out segments, will be on pavement.  Driving times will be greatly reduced leaving us more time to enjoy the rivers and feeling less like a freshly mixed can of paint.

We leave in less than two weeks to begin preparing for our season. Yahoo!

An Ecuadorian road crew at work.

Edmundo, our driver in Ecuador is going to love the completed road.

Even the cows are taking advantage of the news.

Photos and content ©DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking all rights reserved.

Bhutan – Late post, Class III-IV+ Nov. 7-19th, 2008

It was around this time last year that we were in Bhutan finishing up a 2 month stay.  We spent that time traveling with a Buddhist study group, scouting rivers for upcoming kayak groups, running our Class II-III trip, catching what we could of the fifth king’s coronation and capping it all off with our Class III-IV+ trip.  What follows is an account from that final kayaking trip.  You can follow the links to these Bhutan posts to read about our other adventures there.  If these trips sound interesting to you, consider joining us in the Fall of 2010 when we’ll return again to kayak Bhutan!