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.

Ecuador- Season Wrap Up And A Little Time To Relax.

A different kind of surfing. Hammock view from our hotel in Tena.

The end of the season for us is usually a mixed bag of work in the form of closing out the season, preparing for the next season, visiting friends and putting our feet up for a bit.  This year our down time started with us heading back over the hill from Quito to Tena to hook up with Nelson Jr. and his friend Fabricio.  We’ve known Nelson for some time as he and his family own and operate the hotel we use there.  For a number of years now Nelson has expressed an interest in kayaking but our schedules never matched up until now.  We got in a couple of days on the Rio Tena before we all had to get down to the business of Carnival.

Nelson and Fabricio are all smiles on the Rio Tena. Yes, Nelson's paddle is backwards, it was after all, his first day.

Ecuador- Edmundo.

When in Ecuador our trips don’t go anywhere without Edmundo Franco.  He has been our driver for the last thirteen seasons and he literally holds our lives in his hands.  Jump on a bus or in a cab just about anywhere in Ecuador and within minutes you will have your heart in your throat.  To the uninitiated, the driving style seems somewhere between the running of the bulls, road warrior and a game of chicken.  With a plastic Jesus on the dash and a Dios es mi guia (god is my guide) sticker on the back window, many drivers plow down the road with a false confidence that can leave you considering an ox cart for your next trip. Not so with Edmundo.

At the heart of our team in Ecuador is our driver Edmundo Franco (center).

Ed’s driving style is in keeping with his persona, he has a quiet, gentle and patient nature.  Our boating time is sandwiched between his work, so he starts and finishes the day driving.  He knows the put-ins and take-outs like the back of his hand and on more than one ocassion we’ve double checked with him to remind us how long a particular run will take.  He sends us off with a thumbs up and “buenas suerte”, waits patiently while we’re on the water, worries like your grandmother and greets us at the take out with a smile as he collects everyone’s paddles. Then he drives, sometimes it’s just ten minutes to our lodging, other times it’s two and a half to three hours over the hill. Luckily for us we can nap knowing that Ed’s at the wheel. Thanks Edmundo!

Photos and content ©DeRiemer Adventure Kayaking, all rights reserved.

Ecuador- Feb. 7- 15 class IV- The trip that did (almost) everything.

This group was game to sample as much as they could of the areas where we travel , both on and off the river.

Kristy M., Doug N., Mary D., Chris E. and Steve F.

Manuel, the man behind the coldest beer in Ecuador.

Ecuador- Jan.31-Feb.8 Class IV+

First off- great week for kayaking, bad for pictures, so don’t  have your expectations set too high.

It’s not a secret in kayaking, or any other sport for that mater, the higher the skill level of the group, the more options available.  If you’re here for a week, the challenge is having weather and water levels work together.  Knowledge of the runs (we’ve got lots of that) let’s  you take full advantage of your time.  In a year that started off wet, we got a nice break with our class IV+ group.  Bob B., a C-1 paddler from Arkansas was back for his eighth time, Mike W. of Salt Lake was in for number four, and Tom S. of Florida, a fellow who has traveled to over fifty countries, was boating out-of-country for his first time.

I could write something cheesy like " choosing a run is like choosing a fine wine", or I could just be honest and tell you the gang is stocking up before heading out of Quito.

Mary and I had our eyes set on the lower Cosanga, a beautiful, intimate and technical tributary of the Rio Quijos. This would be our goal for the group for day two.  On our first day we balanced the group’s energy level with our desire to warm them up and test them a bit by taking them on a nice run from the bypass bridge to Borja bridge. Doing so also takes you past the confluence of the Cosanga so you can see what you’ve got at that moment.

The Rio Cosanga is a blend of technical rapids and stunning scenery.

Ecuador- Jan. 10-18 Class IV-

Bryon S. negotiates a rapid on the upper Misahualli.

Ecuador- January 3-11, Class III+

Frank L. stays focused on a boof while Mother Nature does her best to distract him. Upper Misahualli.

When we arrived in country at the end of 2008, we heard that the rain and water levels up to that point had been low. The beginning of 2009 marked the start of the rains as well as the return of three long-time guests and good friends, Henry L., Pete P. and Paul H.. Paul headed up a strong Southeastern contingent including his son, Ken, who put his class V ambitions on hold to paddle with his dad.  Other Southerners were Chuck C., Frank L. and Chris R. Chuck had paddled with us for the first time this past summer on the Middle Fork and will be with us again later this year on the Grand Canyon. New to us were Frank and Chris who had arrived in Quito a few days early (always recommended if you can take the extra time) and set about trying to make a name for themselves in the capital city.

Frank L. makes good use of his extra days in Quito before the start of the trip.

Ecuador- We’re Here Preparing For Our ‘09 Season

Mary approaches a horizon line rapid on the Rio Piatua.

Returning home in early December from our fall season in Bhutan, we did some quick visiting with friends and family before departing for Quito, Ecuador on Christmas day. Not long after our arrival, we traveled over the mountains to the east and the Quijos drainage, the starting point for our whitewater kayaking trips.

Matt Terry busting a move on the Rio Piatua.

Ecuador- Feb 2- 10 class IV- That’s all folks (for now).

I’m kicking off this entry with what I think is a really fun group shot that captures the feel of Ecuador; equatorial sunlight filtering through the trees of a lush, vegetated side-canyon.

Our Feb 2-10 group in Slot Canyon, tributary to the Jatunyacu.

This side-hike is accessed from the river and if you didn’t know where to look, you could float right past it. There must be many of these little canyons that snake their way into the rivers we run. You could spend a life time looking for, and exploring them. Impossible to get them all, but how fun it would be to try.

View of the Upper Amazon Basin from the pass over the Guacamayo Range.

While our paddling began in the Quijos valley, the real story begins on the other side of the Guacamayo Mountains in the Tena area. Once upon our time, many years ago, the upper reaches of the Rio Misahualli experienced a slide that dammed the river, cutting off all flow downstream! When it finally gave way, the resulting wall of water damaged bridges, flooded roads, and greatly rearranged the river’s rapids. Fortunately, no people were killed and the damage to homes and property was minimal. In the river channel itself, classic boofs were robbed of their abrupt gradient, rocky labyrinths were straighten, eddies were silted in and wood was left high and dry, with the occasional piece choking off a drop. Thankfully over time, the river began returning to it’s classic character. It has been a reliable friend, providing many with their first taste of continuous, technical creekin’. The Upper Mis invariably ends up ranking quite high on everyone’s List Of Favorite Rivers.

Ecuador Jan 26-Feb 3 Class IV; They’re Back!

We’re not surprised by people’s desire to return to Ecuador, we’ve been coming back since 1995! This place is amazing. And our Jan 26th trip was dominated by Ecuador alumni, some from previous years and two from the prior week (you’re allowed to do that you know).

Mike W. and Mark B. staying on for week #2.

Mike W. and Mark B. used the afternoon between trips to relax and site-see in the Quijos Valley. They ventured, sans kayaks, to San Rafael falls. At 435 feet, it is the tallest waterfall in the country.

Joining us from our neck of the woods in California were Scott B. and Nini R. This was Nini’s second trip to Ecuador and she brought her husband Mike P. along. They celebrated a double birthday with a warm water run on the Quijos! Here for his seventh time, Bob B., a C-1er from Arkansas, was accompanied by his partner Jonna, yet another Ecuador alum! Last minute additions, Matt C. (alum) and Arianne M. rounded out the group.

Bob B. back for more, in this case lucky #7.

Four guides and two vehicles allowed each member of the group the flexibility to choose the river option that was best for their daily energy level and mood. Team DAK was supported by guide/instructors Matt Terry and Jaime Dalgo. Lucky us!

Weather-wise, it was starting to feel as if the “dry” season had really arrived. Water levels registered at friendly flows and choices abounded. Our warm-up run was part of Chaco Canyon of the Quijos River. The following day we all had fun on the warm-up section of the Cosanga. Part of the group continued downstream through the Cosanga Gorge with Jaime Dalgo and Phil, while Mary and the rest of the gang headed back to finish off and play our way down Chaco Canyon. The full day left everyone feeling tired and super satisfied.