Rivers of Chile » Region IX

Rio Trafanpulli

kurt casey — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:29:16 +0000

A rumbling steep creek coming off the permanent snowfields of Nevados de Solipulli is the Rio Trafanpulli. In local Mapadungo language the meaning is “junction of the valleys”.

French kayaker Valentin Grollemund

I first started looking at this creek in 1995 but it was not until 2009 that I was able to get back to run it. Equipped with a good topo map, several days of rain, a good group and a newly constructed access road everything fell into place to add another class 4-5 steep creek to the countless options in the Pucon area.

In the canyon of the Trafanpulli

The river is a bit of a geological mystery as it comes within 400 meters of entering Lago Caburgua but then swings northwest and continues another 12 KM before entering Lago Colico. At very high flows some water spills into a flood channel and indeed enters Lago Carburgua. This unique feature means that one river can split and feed two distinct drainages that each runs its parallel course before once again joining each other 80 km downstream where the Allipen joins the Tolten.

To get to the river from Pucon there are two options. Both options take more than two hours although neither option is more than 140 KM. Option 1 is go west to Villarrica and cross over Tolten bridge on main road towards Temuco. Immediately turn right and follow newly constructed road to Pedregozo. From there continue north either on the Interlagos road or the road towards Los Laureles. At a T junction turn right towards Lago Colico and follow its north shore to Puerto Trafanpulli. Continue east and you will begin passing over bridges over the Rio Trfanpulli. Each has a sign with its own bridge number.

The other option is leave Pucon and go east to Curarrehue then north up the Machin valley thru Reigolil and westward down to the Trafanpulli.

Elevations of bridges 2-5 are as follows along with distance between them.

Bridge 2 is at 359 meters and it is 3 km to bridge 3 at 393 meters elevation. It is then 5 km to bridge 4 at 424 meters elevation and another 6.9 km to bridge # 5 at 481 meters elevation. Whitewater is minimal on the bridge to bridge sections but logistics are simple. For the real whitewater us bridge 5 as takeout and proceed east on main road for about 3 km. There will be a turn off to the left with a sign “Al Cercon”. Most likely this gate will be locked and you will need to park the vehicle, climb over the fence and begin hiking with all your gear. After hiking for 3 km (40 minutes) and climbing 200 vertical meters you will come to gravel road forking off to the left with a sign saying “El Zapato”. Follow this road for approximately ½ km as it descends down to a bridge over the river.

This section of river is 4 km down to bridge number 5. The put in is at around 685 meters. We chose to get off the river about 1 km prior to bridge # 5 where we could see the road and from there walked back to get our vehicle 1 KM upstream. The 3 km stretch we ran dropped 185 meters for average gradient of 62 MPK or 310 FPM. We had a estimated flow of 250 CFS which was scratchy and a bit disconcerting at the beginning but as the river quickly channelized in a mature bedrock canyon, the flow proved to be acceptable. Another 100 CFS would be optimal but anything over 500 CFS would be too high. There were 2 short portages that may have been runnable with a little extra juice otherwise the drops were continuous and clean with the largest being a 5 meter falls. For the intrepid boat hiker the maps indicate an additional 2 km stretch upstream with average gradient of 50 mpk but one 300 meter section where river drops 50 meters that must be peppered with waterfalls.

I have seen the river in late January and it had the same flow as when we did it on a rainy spring day on December 1st. For that reason I would guess the run is boatable thru the summer months as the main source of water is snowmelt and groundwater.

Note: Take food and beer and fill your vehicles tank as the nearest stores are at least an hour away.

Other nearby rivers include Blanco de Caburgua, Solipulli, and Truful Truful

Topo maps are very useful and 1:50,000 are available from the IGM Instituto Geographica Militar. The river spills onto two maps with titles being Nevados De Caburgua G-06 and Lago Caburgua 3900-7145

Río Bío-Bío (El Nacimiento)

kurt casey — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:38:00 +0000

The famed Bío-Bío, Chile’s second longest river, originates in the heart of Mapuche-Pehuenche territory. The nacimiento, or birthplace of the river, is primeval and unforgettable. Araucarias, one of the Earth’s three oldest surviving tree species, stand sentinel along a shore framed by distant peaks straddling the border between Chile and Argentina.

Float this headwater run when the river is swollen from snowmelt. Below the confluence with the Río Rucanuco, the Bío-Bío opens up to broad vistas of the surrounding countryside. For the next 50-60 km, cattle graze in the adjacent fields while you float through occasional class II rapids. Approximately 10 km upstream from Lonquimay, a surprise series of angled ledge drops require precise maneuvering in a raft.

To find the headwater lakes, drive east from Victoria, 614 km south of Santiago, to Lonquimay. From Lonquimay, drive southeast approximately 75 km toward Laguna de Gualletué (Mapuche for “land where the oak trees grow”) and the Pehuenche town of Icalma. An alternate route to Icalma leads east from Temuco through Cunco and Melipeuco. Put in on Laguna de Icalma (Mapuche for “clean as a mirror”) out of which the Río Rucanuco flows, or turn off just before the lake at a sign pointing towards Laguna de Gualletué and the Bío-Bío. Numerous dirt tracks and a lack of signs can lead to confusion. Persistence will pay off by staying on the main two-wheel track and continuing north toward the distant hills approximately 10 km from the turnoff. The elevation at put in is 1145 meters.

The takeout is reached by returning to Lonquimay and driving north 20 km to the put-in at Balsadero Caracoles. This 100 KM class II•III run is best in spring or early summer but I have seen it in early February and it still looked boatable. Flows range from 1000 to 5000 CFS and average gradient is 4 mpk or 20 FPM making it suitable for multi-day family raft trip. The fishing is very good so bring a rod.

Nearby rivers include Llanquen and the Cautin. A gate on a private road prevents access from the lower Bio Bio and other tribuataries such as Queuco, Lomin, Ralco and Chalquivin.

Topo maps titled • Laguna de Icalma, Liucura, Laguna Marinanqui, Lonquimay

Río Bío-Bío (Lower)

kurt casey — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:27:58 +0000

Although the upper canyons now lay dormant under man made reservoirs, the lowest section of the Bío-Bío still offers intermittent whitewater, easy access, and pleasant scenery and a reminder of what was lost upstream. Its class II-III rapids will challenge, terrify, and delight the novice. During the mellow interludes, you will have plenty of time to gaze off into the distance at Cerro La Pepa (1853 m) and Volcán Calláqui (3050 m).

Narrow stretch of river visible from the road

The Bío-Bío valley was the southern terminus of the Spanish colonial empire. Excluding a few coastal settlements, the conquistadors never subdued the inland Mapuches, who held fast for nearly 300 years by fiercely defended their homeland. They were one of the few indigenous tribes in the Americas to withstand the Spanish onslaught, maintaining a traditional lifestyle long after Chilean independence in 1821.

Two of the six proposed dam sites in the Bío-Bío watershed, Huequecura and Aguas Blancas, are situated along this section of the river. If built, these dams would flood most of the run. Plans for the lowest hydroelectric site, Quitramen, include a four-dam complex that would inundate the floodplain between Santa Barbara and the Pan American Highway.

From Los Angeles, 517 km south of Santiago, drive 3 km south on the Pan American Highway, then turn east on the paved road to Santa Barbara. Continue upstream 42 km to the put-in at the confluence with the Río Queuco at elevation 330 meters. Take out at Puente Quilaco, 1 km upstream from Santa Barbara elevation 145 meters. To decrease the amount of flatwater, take out 16 km upstream from Santa Barbara immediately after passing under a concrete arch spanning the narrow canyon. You will have a short, strenuous climb to reach the highway.

This 40 km stretch is best run in high water spring runoff but is adequate for year round paddling. With average gradient of 5 mkm or 26 FPM the river provides plenty of puch and play oppourtunites with springtime flows exceeding 10,000 CFS.

Topo maps of region Laguna de la Laja • Loncopangue, Rucalhue

Rio Dillo

kurt casey — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:12:01 +0000

To reach the put-in from Curracautín go west on the paved road towards Victoria and you will cross Puente Dillo in 4-1/2 kilometers (first you will pass over Puente Amantible). After crossing the bridge immediately turn right and drive up a private road until you reach a locked gate. We were given permission from landowner to leave our vehicle and access the river through a grassy trail. Because the banks are steep, slippery and nearly vertical there are few access points to the river. The elevation at this point is 500 meters and on November 19 first descent we had an estimated flow of 600 CFS. We were told the river has year round flow.

Dillo whitewater

The land owner’s name and phone number is Raul Coulon Lopez 89224878

To reach takeout from Puente Dillo continue west on paved road but after only 100 meters go straight onto the gravel road and follow it 8 km to Rari Ruca bridge on the Cautín at 420 meters elevation. There is a fluvial gauge on the north side of bridge. This 8 km stretch of class 3 and 4 whitewater drops 80 meters for average drop of 10 mkm or 50 FPM. After 2 km on the Dillo it joins with Rio Blanco doubling the flow then after another 4 km joins with Cautín. The takeout is 2 km downstream at Puente Rari Ruca. There is a fluvial gauge on the north west side of the bridge and on our mid November first descent it registered 7 (possibly .7 as it was hard to read).

A for sure radical class 5 adventure lies upstream. 22 additional km of as yet un-run river remain virgen. A potential put in for this stretch is on the major tributary at Puente Corcoludo which can be reached via the unpaved road to Termas Tolhuaca at an elevation of 1063 meters. Bed rock sluice boxes, heavy vegetation will makes this a time intensive venture. If someone gives it a go please let me know how it worked out.

Use topo map 1:50,000 scale of the area titled Curacautín G-063

Other nearby rivers include Cautín, Blanco del Sur, Blanco de Cautín, Captren, Truful Truful, Calbuco and Quepe

Rio Captren

kurt casey — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:53:28 +0000

The Captren flows off the snow-covered, north western flank of Volcan Llaima (3125 meters) and has it’s headwaters within The Parque Nacional Conguillio at Laguna Captren. The river, however, is not runnable in its upper reaches but instead provides the right combination of gradient and flow for it’s final 3 km descent to the confluence with Rio Cautín. Upon reaching the Cautín it is another 3 km of big water boating until the first takeout opportunity at the old Puente Cautín.

Approach to the falls

Roger and Emilio scouting the falls

To reach the put in from Temuco take ruta 5 north to Lautaro then to Curacautín. At the eastern edge of the town follow signs to RUTA INTERLAGOS or Parque Nacional Congillio. Follow the road until you reach Puente Blanco Del Sur. Immediately after the bridge turn right on a gravel road and follow it 400 meters until you reach the wooden bridge over Captren. Put in here by seal launching off the bank.

To reach the takeout continue approximately 5-6 km downstream and find a gravel road to the right that leads to the old bridge over the Cautín River.

On the 6 km run the first 2 km has swift moving clear water passing through a densely forested mini canyon. Some class 3 rapids quickly turn to the class 5+ Captren falls. At 7 meters in height these falls need just the right flow to safely make it to the lip with multiple holes, fallen trees and volcanic razor rocks guarding the approach.

After either running or portaging (a bit difficult but possible) the falls the river enters a 30 meter deep canyon and within a few meters enters the big water of the Cautín.

Other nearby rivers: Quepe, Truful Truful, Alpehue, Queupude, Calbuco, Blanco del Sur, Cautín.

I would recommend a 1:50,000 scale topo map of the area titled Curacautín G-063

Rio Blanco (Cautín)

kurt casey — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:38:56 +0000

The Rio Blanco is an easy access, class 3 run flowing off the snowfields on the southern flank of Volcan Tolhuaca.

Tolhuaca Volcano view from put in

The run is best done during peak spring runoff or after extended periods of heavy rain. The water is ice cold. It is perhaps the only run in Chile where I would suggest poggies or gloves.

Mellow rapids at put in

To reach the take out in from Curacautín go a few kilometers east towards the Argentine border and stop at Puente Blanco where the river passes underneath the bridge.

To reach put in go 200 meters towards the east and turn on road towards Laguna Blanca. Go 6 km then turn left into Fundo Los Prados. the road meanders around and reaches a wooden bridge over the river in another 1 km.

The 6 km stretch of river passes 2 bridges on route and numerous islands. The river is basically one continuous class 3 rapid but the best concentration of whitewater is in the first 2 km.

We ran the river in mid November with flow estimated at 600 CFS. The river drops 150 meters over 6 km with average gradient of 25 mpk or 125 FPM.

Note: you can turn the trip into a longer run by continuing to alternative takeouts downstream. 5 KM downstream you pass optional takeout at Puente Trahuico which is on the Interlagos road. 9 more km downstream one can takeout at Puente Rariruca (see description for Rio Dillo for directions to here) on the Cautín. running this complete stretch would make for a 20 km run. Along this additional stretch the river would grow in volume with additional flow of tributaries Negro, Amantible, Dillo and eventually Cautín.

I would recommend a 1:50,000 scale topo map of the area titled Curacautín G-063

Other nearby rivers: Quepe, Truful Truful, Dillo, Captren, Blanco del Sur, Calbuco and Cautín.

Rio Calbuco

kurt casey — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:41:09 +0000

Draining the South Western flank of Volcan Llaima (3125 meters) is the deceivingly innocent Rio Calbuco. After meandering thru braided debris flows coming off the flanks of the volcano, the river tightens up at Puente Calbuco for it’s thundering 8 km descent to the confluence with Rio Quepe below town of Cherquenco.

Fields Marshall at confluence of Rio Tigre

I camped along the upper stretches of this river with my family in December 2004 but it was not until November 2009 that the river was run by a group of Pennsylvania kayakers Emilio Ledonne, Ken Craig, Roger Pyle, Fields Marshall, Keith Schloss and Kurt Casey.

To reach the take out go east on paved road S-31 from Temuco to Vilcun then on to Cherquenco. Upon entering Cherquenco turn right upon reaching the plaza and follow the road about 2 km down to steel and concrete bridge over the Quepe River. Continue 200 hundred kilometers and turn left. Go 200 meters and park in the town cemetery, which has access to the Calbuco River (note this point is 100 meters above the confluence with Rio Quepe with an elevation of approximately 500 meters.

To reach the put in return to the plaza in Cherquenco and turn right and proceed over the swinging bridge high above the Quepe river (See description for Quepe if this marginally runnable river is of interest) Continue 2 kilometers on this paved road then turn right on the unpaved RUTA INTERLAGOS. Continue 6 km to Puente Calbuco (elevation 640 meters).

On the downstream side of the bridge is a gauge. We ran the river on November 20, 2009 with a gauge reading of 1.4. I would guess the flow at the bridge was 400 CFS. The first hundred meters was a bit scratchy but the river quickly turned to bedrock with a continuous, channelized character. Class 3-4 rapids continue for 1-1/2 kilometers where the Estero El Tigre cascades in from the left and bumps up the flow another 200 CFS.

The whitewater is continuous and reasonable for next 600 meters but then quickly enters a class 5+ slot canyon that culminates in an awe inspiring 30 meters falls. Do not blunder blindly into this canyon as there is no eddy before the big falls.

30 meter high Calbuco Falls

The portage around the falls is an adventure in itself. After great views from the top a fisherman’s trail needs to be located several hundred meters downstream to reach the base. Cliffs and dense foliage make locating the trail a formidable task. Multiple logging trails criss-cross the forest making for a very confusing journey.

Scouting the Calbuco Falls

To our surprise we found the Interlagos road while trying to find the trail down to the river and realized it is possible to visit the falls without a kayak. If you driver from Cherquenco and turn onto the Ruta Inerlagos road (same as for put-in), proceed 3.8 KM then park car and climb through a fence on the right. Walk several hundred meters into the forest and you will eventually reach the cliffs above the river. Follow the cliffs upstream until you reach the falls.

Overall this class 3-4 stretch drops 140 meters in 8 km. 40 of those meters are lost within the 1 km stretch of the falls, and the remaining 100 meters of gradient is consistently spaced out over 7 km of river making for an average gradient of 15 m/km or 75 FPM (excluding the falls). The river is best run in the high water spring runoff or after prolonged periods of heavy rain.

Other nearby rivers: Quepe, Truful Truful, Alpehue, Queupude, Captren, Blanco del Sur, Cautín.

I would highly recommend a 1:50,000 scale topo map of the area titled Laguna Quepe G-074

Río Machín (Upper)

John Foss (posthumously) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:31:05 +0000

The best stretch of boating on the upper Maichín consists of a section of a class III-IV rapids above Puente Basas. Approximately 1 km below the put-in, the river flows through a 1.5 km long-columnar basalt gorge. The drops are straightforward and boat scoutable from eddies. The cold, clear river flows through a bucolic countryside of small farms, well-grazed hillsides, and araucaria trees standing sentinel over the valley floor. Most of the river can be seen from the road while driving up.

From Curarrehue, 32 km east of Pucón, drive upstream past the lower run 36 km to Puente Basas Chico, the put-in at 745 meters elevation. Walk upstream 25 m from the bridge on river left to access the river. Beware of a dangerous strainer directly below the bridge. Take out 6.5 km down the road at Puente Maichín elevation 645 meters

Topo map is Reigolil. Nearby rivers include Lower Machin, Solipulli, Rio Blanco de Caburgua, and the Puesco section of Trancura. River can be run in winter and spring months with flows approaching 1000 CFS or early summer when flows drop to 400 CFS minimum before getting to low. Average drop is 80 FPM.

Rio Chalquilvin

John Foss (posthumously) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:11:57 +0000

Very similar in character to the nearby Río Ralco, the Chalquilvin is the Lomín’s other major tributary. Its sustained gradient creates many boat-scoutable, pool-drop rapids in a tight, shallow gorge. Unfortunately, when the bridge collapsed over the Lomín, easy access to the Chaquilvin was lost. Now only die-hard boat hikers or horses make the journey to the put-in. If you make the effort, you will be rewarded with an excellent class IV run in a beautiful setting.
Refer to the Ralco description to find the take-out elevation 670 meters. From the collapsed bridge now serving as a ferry crossing, walk or hire horses to carry your boat 11 km upstream to an unnamed bridge that crosses the Chalquilvin at 870 meters elevation

This class IV•IV+ run has average gradient of 18 mpk or 96 FPM and best run in spring with flows of 250 to 500 CFS

Topo maps are Curacautín • Lolco

Nearby Rivers include Ralco, Queuco. Lower Bio Bio, Laja, and Nuble

Rio Cautin

kurt casey — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:58:13 +0000

This is a 9 km run with a drop of 124 meters or average of 16 m/km (80 FPM). Best run in spring or early summer when flows exceed 700 CFS but can also be run well into summer at lower flows. The river originates from the snowfields on Volcan Lonquimay 2865 meters so the water is always cold.

The emerald waters of the Cautín (Mapuche for “very green”) make for an interesting day of kayaking. Densely forested canyon walls obscure the challenging whitewater found below the rim.

To reach the takeout from Victoria, 614 km south of Santiago, drive east toward Curacautín. The standard takeout is at Puente Manchuria 651 meters above sea level which is at km marker 68.5. On the other side of this swinging bridge is a campground and a hospedaje owned by a German kayaker that does occasional raft trips starting at Puente Manchuria. The hospedaje is called Andenrose with website www.andenrose.com and the owners name is Hans Schondorfer. They have a very nice restaurant and if you are stuck without a shuttle driver you might be able to work something out with owner so your vehicle is waiting at takeout when you get there.

The standard put-in is at Puente Salto de La Princess elevation 775 meters. Exit the main paved road at KM marker 77.7 and follow it 800 meters down a gravel road to the bridge over the Cautin.. Here there is also some rustic camping and restaurant and cabins along the river. The 20 meter falls “Salto de la Princessa” enters from side stream. It looks tempting and has been scouted and comtemplated by many a waterfall huck but to date has yet been run. Put in here and start the 9 km trip. On the descent the whitewater is mostly class 2-3 in this section with the notable exception of one class 3-4 basalt walled canyon. 3.5 KM into the trip you will pass the Termas de Manzanar which feature some okay large pools in a commercial setting. 4.2 km below you will pass under a swinging bridge with a hosteria on the other side that can serve as takeout or alternative put-in. At 7 km you pass the Salto del Indio which cascades in from river right.

For a longer trip with more difficult whitewater and one distinct long class 5 drop put in ½ km upstream of the bridge at km 81 or elevation 860 meters. This additional 3 plus kilometers is steeper with average drop of 26 m/km or 130 FPM. This upper stretch
begins slowly with occasional class III rapids interspersed with meandering flatwater. About 1 km in, the drops become more numerous and increase in difficulty. When a maze of rocks appears approximately 500 m above Puente Salto de la Princesa, the bottom drops out. At high water, portage the log and boulder-choked maelstrom on a narrow terrace 10 m above the river on the right.

Nearby rivers include Traful-Traful, Quepe and the Queuco. This area is on the way to those traveling to/from Argentina through the international pass called Pino Hachado” and is also en route to the still free flowing headwaters of the now dammed Bio Bio River. An interesting sidetrip is a drive up to the Lonquimay Volcano or to the town of Lonquimay through the old road climbing among Araucaria trees on paso “Los Arenales”.

It is also only 2 hours to Pucon by paved roads from the takeout. Although very commercial the “Termas de Malalcahuello

Rio Llancalil.

kurt casey — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:55:05 +0000

This river, although interesting, is not worth going out of your way for. If you are in the Pucon area and more specifically up near the headwaters of the Liucura near the “Los Posones” or Termas de Huife hot springs you might want to check it out.

Polk Deters on Llancalil portage

To get to this stretch first find the takeout which can be reached by driving past the Termas De Huife for another 2 KM until you cross a bridge over the small Llancalil creek. This is the takeout and is at approx 640 meters elevation.

To reach put in back track road about 1/2 km past Termas de Huife and turn left. You will climb a steep road and pass Lago Huife. Continue another 2 km or so until you find a farmers road peeling off to the river. We got lucky and found one that took us almost to the river. We asked permission of farmer to leave our vehicle and we walked our boats down to the trickle of a river. Here it is about 750 meters elevation and you begin to scrape your way down about 2 km to where the discharge of Lago Huife significantly bumps up the flow. From here in the final KM the river drops close to 70 meters of 350 FPM to the takeout.

There are several portages none of which are very difficult. Again this creeky run is more of a novelty that quality whitewater and is best left to those that have time and like to explore….

Rio Sollipulli

kurt casey — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:27:14 +0000

Flowing off of the permanent snow fields of Sollipulli is an ice cold tributary of the upper Maichin. It is short, not very difficult but incredibly beautiful. I ran this with Zack “Del Sapo” Cowen in early December 2004

I would not go out of way to run this river but given its simple logistics if you are in the area it is worth putting in.

From Reigolil it is 5.3 km west to the wooden takeout bridge over the river. Here the elevation is 921 meters.

To reach the put in continue west 2.2 KM to small tributary. Put in here at 961 meters and scrape your way past an Aruacaria tree to confluence with main branch. Here you enter a canyon and float thru crystal clear water to the takeout. GPS coordinates are 39 degree 4.035 minutes latitude and 71 degrees 30.91 minutes longitude.

Easy shuttle to walk or run or bike. It is about 2-1/4 hours from Pucon and good to mix in with runs on Maichin. Follow international road from Pucon to Curarrehue then up past Reigolil.

Rio Blanco (de Caburgua)

kurt casey — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:10:44 +0000

This novelty run is only for those curious folks who are in the Pucon area and have already done every river imaginable. It is one of dozens of rivers named Rio Blanco in Chile.

I first looked at this river in 1994 but it was almost impossible to scout. Although there is a road above the runnable section is in a deep tight gorge with lots of vegetation making it hard to see the river.

The boys on a Blanco portage

In 2004 I was back in the area with the LMV crew and took another look at it. Since it was not possible to scout, the decision was made to drop into the canyon and give it a go. We put in using a steep and very faint fisherman’s trail that dropped to base of some falls at the confluence of two drainages. One drainage is the Rio Quililche and the other is the Rio Blanco 4-5 KM below the Termas de Rio Blanco. It is also about 6 km up from where the river enters the eastern end of Lago Caburgua.

The put in GPS coordinates are 39 degrees 4.776 minutes south lattititude and 71 degrees 37.961 minutes west longitude. The altitude at put in is 610 meters. The takeout is 2.5 KM away at confluence of rio Miraflores 510 meters elevation. the 2.5 KM run drops 100 meter or average gradient of 40 m/km or 200 FPM. It is low volume boulder garden type rapids with several portages due to log jams.

We ran river in December and even though it was small we figured it was probably a relatively high water level. I returned in low water month of Feb. 2009 and was surprised to see it had the same level as years earlier in the peak summer run off. In summary the river seems to have a runnable flow throughout spring, summer and into fall.

The class 4 rapids offered some excitement but it was more of a canyoneering experience down in a deep slot. I would highly recomend the nearby Termas de Rio Blanco hot springs or the hike from there up thru Huerquehue National Park to the other side of the lake.

To reach the river from Pucon you can go east to Currarehue then up past Regolil or you can go west to Villarica then north and eventually turn east and follow the north shore of Lago Colico.

Rios Queupude & Alpehue

kurt casey — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:13:32 +0000

The Queupude along with adjacent river the Alpehue both flow off Northern side of Volcan Solipulli and along with Rio Truful-Truful eventually merge into the Allípen. In early January 1995 I drove up this drainage with John Foss, Clay Wright and Josh Lowry. What we found was a pair of the strangest kayak runs imaginable that had also never been run before (and to my knowledge have not been paddled since).

The Alpehue and Queupude are both glacial creeks that come together to form the lower Rio Alpehue. Just before their confluence each creek passes thru a subterranean world. More specifically each creek enters a canyon approx 200 meters long which is actually more of a tunnel as the walls touch above and the daylight is choked out. Plants and bushes grow on top of each canyon to make them feel even more foreboding.

Josh Lowry in one of the approach drops to tunnel on Queupude River

Scouting the tunnels was really difficult as there was no way to easily see what was inside the enshrouded walls. None of us wanted to go first but after much nail biting Josh charged in and found an eddy where we could see him and he could see downstream. At the exit of the Queupude tunnel there is a 4 meter falls before joining the Alpehue We named the falls Salto de Renacimiento (rebirth) as coming out of the tunnel felt like coming out of the womb. We started by running the Queupude tunnel and then repeated the process with the Alpehue branch.

Each creek had about 150-200 CFS and although they both looked terrifying they were in fact both class 4 with only one or two portages.
From Melipueco cross Puente Truful-Truful heading east and continue a few hundred meters. Take gravel road to the right and continue up the Alpehue drainage for approximately 7 KM until the confluence of the two drainages. You will loose site of either branch of the river but you will hear them. Leave your car at this point and stumble around until you find both creeks. They will actually be directly beneath you passing thru the tunnels. Scout both the entrance and exits to each tunnel before committing to run them.

Then continue upstream to start on both branches. The Queupude can be reached by walking up road another ¾ KM to the yellow house. From here a trail leads down to the river and it is a ¾ KM creek run thru narrow slots and canyons until you come to the tunnel.

The Alpehue has same logistics to reach its put-in. Shoulder your boat and head upstream. This put in for this tributary has a wild section of basalt S turns before reaching its tunnel.

Below both tunnels the river is worth paddling another 4-1/2 KM to an arbitrary takeout thru some cow fields. Although the final 4-1/2 KM has flat water you will encounter one very unexpected class 5 screamer.

The average gradient of both creeks is 158 FPM (30 m/km). The water is ice cold and gray from glacial sediment. These two creeks are a good compliment to nearby Truful Truful.

Rio Truful Truful

kurt casey — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 23:26:39 +0000

Flowing off the southern side of Volcan Llaima (3125 m) is one of the best class 3 runs in Chile. The crystal clear waters cascade through lava fields at a breakneck pace while the surrouning snow peaks are fringed with Aruacaria trees making for an exciting and beautiful trip. The river name is derived from a Mapuche word and translates as Waterfall-Waterfall. Sandwiched between two National Parks Conguillio and China Muerte, the river traverses through some impressive terrain before joining the AllipÃ©n for its westward journey to thePacific Ocean.

Scouting for a way to the Truful Put in

To reach the put in you have two options. The fastest is to travel west up the AllipÃ©n Valley to Melipeuco. From here it is only a few KM east to the turn to Parque Nacional Conguillio and afew KM up to the park gate. The other option is to come in from the North and pass up and around Volcan Llaima thru the national Park. It is a breathtaking drive and well worth the time if you are in the area. You can leave your vehicle at a parking area on the south side of the National Park and walk across the street to a foot path high above the river. You will need to walk a few hundred yards downstream until you reach a point where you can downclimb down to the river. The river is fed mostly through subterrenian sources percolating up through the lava so remember that even though you will see no tributaries the river will continue to grow as you move downstream. The first rapid might be considered class 4 but thereafter it is several KM’s of continuous wave train class 3. The takeout for most mortals is at the lip of the “El Trufulizer”. Woe to those who miss this eddy. What follows is a long class 5+ rapid culminating in a 8-10 meter falls with no chance of eddies in between. The rapid has been run but usually at minimal flows during late summer. No matter what the level is the drop is class 5+/6 so scout before an attempt. Otherwise this is a good takeout point.

Scouting the Trufulizer

To reach the takeout a vehicle should be driven from the park entrance back down the road to Melipeuco. Instead of turning right turn left (east) and cross the river on a bridge. You could take out here but a preferred takeout is reached by continuing a few hundred more meters on the road and turning left. This road goes up and in less than 1 KM you will come to a parking area for Salto Truful also known within the kayaking community as “El Trufulizer”. The shuttle is 10 KM and the kayak (also good in raft/shredder) run is just under 9 KM. The season is pretty much year round with optimal flows of 700 to 1500 CFS found in December-February.

Other rivers in the area are the Cautin, Queupude, Quepe and Alpehue. It is also only a two and a half hour drive to Pucon and not far to cross the border to reach the Alumine. Camping in the area is excelent.

Rio Quepe

kurt casey — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 02:00:22 +0000

How to describe the the Rio Quepe is a paradox. One description is terrifying class 3 but because of the committing nature and one 5+ canyon I would say it is better described as class four difficulty with long portage. The source of the river is a high lake on the western flank of Volcan Llaima (3125 meters). The run is more interesting than it is enjoyable. The people and geography make it an interesting option if in the area. The whole is in a recessed basalt mini canyon that itself lies innocuously within rolling fields with cows. In general the rapids are not big but the lack of eddies and steep slippery walls combined with significant log jams make the run a bit more nerve wracking than it is enjoyable. I did the first exploratory run in early December of 2005 with the Canadian brothers Ian and David Collings.

Class 5+ section of Quepe-note mini cave upstream you need to navigate

Deceivingly calm waters of the Quepe

To reach the takeout drive east from Temuco on paved road S-31 to Vilcun and then onwards to Cherquenco. On the east side of Cherquenco you first see the river from a high suspension bridge. A takeout here is impossible but head south thru the town plaza and you will find a road that drops down the river with a good takeout just below the cementery. I did not go downstream but it looked like lots of fun below this point without the gnarl found above.

Scoting in the Colihue infested canyon

To reach the put in cross the bridge over the river near Cherquenco and head due east. In several miles you will come to a sharp left turn. This road descends down and crosses the river. We put in just upstream of the bridge and ran the first drop. Due to lattice design of bridge we had to get out of our boats and climb thru the bridge. The irridescent waters meander thru basalt mini canyons as the current gradually gets faster. Soon the river takes on a feel of the Palguin with lots of 1 meter drops. The danger is that many have trees in them and there are almost no eddies. If you do find a good eddy it is hard or impossible to get out of your boat and climb the steep/slippery walls. We found it best for one person to run along the rim for a few hundred meters and shout instructions to those on the river then return to their boat and catch up.

At one point the river drops into some 5+ insanity. We had a wipe out here that resulted in a pinned boat and an early departure.

The best time to run the river is in December. Overall I would not rate this river highly but if you are in the area it is a challenge.