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

From Pucon cross the Trancura over Puente Meterenehue and continue 8 KM and make the turn to Huife. From here it is 4.8 KM thru town of San Pedro to takeout bridge over Coilaco. To reach put in continue towards Huife 500 meters and take right turn towards Laguna San Jorge. Go approximately 2 km to where bridge crosses the creek.

It is 1 KM of meandering flatwater from here to “duck and huck” which is a 9-10 meter falls that requires you to duck at the lip under a tree growing out horizontally. The approach to the falls needs to be portaged due to log jam so best to seal launch in just above the lip.

Below the falls the river passes through a colihue thicket (bamboo) than begins a screaming 1 KM super continuous rapid with almost no possibilities of any eddy. Be very very careful in this section due to logs and by no means flip over in the razor sharp jumble of rocks.

an option instead of taking out at bridge is to continue another 2 plus km down to Liucura and run several km’s of nice class 3 whitewater to takeout at Puente Liucura.

I am going to call the creek class 5 but not sure if that is really the right call. Volume is low around 150-300 CFS and creek is usually running after intense periods of rain, in winter, or in peak spring run off (October-november and sometimes December)

Creek was found and first run by Robby Dastin on a scouting mission in 2004.

Nearby rivers include Desague, Carhuello, turbio, Palguin, Trancura, Liucura, Maichin

Other nearby rivers include the Curringue, Gol Gol, San Pedro, Rininahue and Petrohue

All fotos from “Demshitz”

Slightly Ghetto hot springs

Ian Garcia Looking into slot canyon

Approach to big falls

Evan Garcia Florin falls

Jared Seiler @ Double falls

Evan Garcia

The falls changed recently making the drop more runnable. 1st descented by LJ Groth and Trip Jennings before the geological change. Previous drop was a 50+ foot boof in a left channel(notice trickle of water in picture), only runnable at extremely high water, onto a boily shelf falling another 3o+ feet. Now, since the shelf fell out there is a line in the right channel(pictured sloping ramp) which is safer at low water. At higher water an undercut wall at the bottom on river left comes in to play. Falls has been run by putting in directly above in a small eddy on river right, peel out and fall.  Evan-Nilahuemichael-downstream view

“Feet first” foto by John Mattson

The Palguín never gets too low so apart from a period of high water in the winter/spring months it provides an attractive option for year round paddling.

Pete Iscaro final drop of Tres Huevones foto Chris Larsen

To get to the put in drive East from Pucon 7km and turn right on the international road towards Curarrehue From here continue for another 10 – 15km until you see a sign for the Termas Palguín then turn right. The gravel road (which might be paved in near future) heads up the drainage. From this point set the odometer on your vehicle to “0″.

At the lip of 70 footer foto by Eva Luna Luna Ramirez

The traditional upper put in is 6.9 KM up this road. The parking area is marginal and is just downstream of the 25 meter Salto Palguín which as of this date still has not been run. From here walk across the road and look for the small, steep trail that will lead you down to a small natural bridge spanning the river. Cross the arch bridge and seal launch in on the other side. There is an optional put in on the other side of the river thru Ben May’s property. Ben is the owner of Kayak Chile and his storefront can be found on the main street of O’Higgins in center of Pucon. Kayak Chile

There are four distinct drops on the run. The first is called “Tres Huevones” and consists of 3 drops with part three ending in a 3 meter falls. The second rapid, “Eva Luna” is a 5-6 meter falls at the end of a slot canyon. The third rapid is another falls called “Ecstasy” and has a 7 meter vertical drop with runs on on either the left or right of the center rock island. The fourth drop is called “feet first” and is run in the center slot which is a sloping 6 meter sluiceway whose width is slightly more than that of a kayak. Downstream is an almost never run, double-drop falls. Many choose to throw or lower their boats off the falls and jump the 15 meters into the deep pool below. Do not miss the eddy on river left above this falls.

Steve Melnick Ectasy Falls foto Chris Larsen

Following the large double drop the river continues through class 2-3 rapids for another kilometer until it passes under a small road bridge. The rapid leading into and under the bridge is known as squeezebox. This is a good takeout and has car access. It is slightly less than 2 KM by road to this point from Upper put in. From here one can continue on what was once called the Middle section if big waterfalls are on the menu.

Juanito Ugarte Upper Palguín Foto by Chris Larsen

This section is not to be taken lightly and should be scouted before proceeding. The first rapid is a long twisting micro gorge that in the recent years has been clogged with wood and is therefore portaged. Below are the large signature waterfalls of the Palguín. First up is a powerful 8 meter falls landing in a large hole. A moving pool then leads into the heart of the run. Until 2006 three linked waterfalls ranging in height from 3m, 13 meters and 17 meters were stacked directly on top of one another. A mystical geological phenomenon occurred that caused the second two drops to fuse into on massive 24 meter falls. The new falls was first probed in February 2007 by Ian
Garcia, Chris Korbulic and Rodrigo Tuschner of Kayak Pucon. From here the river continues dropping at a class four rate until meeting up with the road/takeout point another Kilometer downstream.

Evan Garcia huckin’ the MP

Note: 4 KM up the Palguín road one comes to a future tea room on river left. This is an access point for spectators wanting to see the big falls. If the land owner is there expect to get charged for entrance.

Ian Garcia

For more fotos of the falls and other rivers click on this link Ian Garcia’s Blog

Chris Larsen going big on the Panqui

To reach the river drive 34 KM east on paved road to Curarrehue. I KM before reaching town turn left and cross over the Trancura river on a bridge. To reach the normal takeout turn left and follow the road downstream along the Trancura for approximately 3 KM until you come to a bridge over the Panqui. Usually this is the end of the road as the gate is locked on other side of bridge. This is the takeout point.

Christie Glissmire Rio Panqui foto by Mike Deacon

To reach the put in return the 3 KM on same road you just followed and then turn left and follow signs towards Termas de Panqui. It is 15 KM on a gravel road to the Termas which are a highly reccomended addition to the river trip. there is an upper streatch of river that starts just below the Termas which I have not done. If this top section is running the bottoms ection will likely be too high. All I know of this approx 8 KM upper stretch is that Josh Lowry lost a kayak on their first descent.

The lower stretch can be reach from two access points both of which are 2 KM apart. I would suggest the lower access which avoids almost 2 KM of flatwater. To reach this point you make a turn to the left after climbing for about 6 KM. I recall the road immediately drops down hill and winds its way to the river. There is a bridge at the river which collapsed in 2005 and last time I was there a truck which had falled from the bridge was still in the river. From this point the river immediately enters a mini canyon. Laying not too far ahead is a 25-30 meter falls. To the best of knowledge this has not yet been run but it is only a matter of time so take note all waterfall junkies. the falls can be portaged on the left on an excelent trail that wraps around and back down to the river to the base of a second 15 plus meter cascade that follows the big falls.

Panqui drops foto by Chris Larsen

A few class five falls/drops can be run that bring you to a runnable 10 meter falls that can be scouted on the right. Be careful with this falls as the current at the base pushes boats into an undercut wall. After the falls the river is in a box canyon but with no significant drops. The river mellows as it passes some homes in Reliacura Bajo and it feels like the action is done. This is not the case. The river changes character and enters boulder garden rapids including an easy class five called Araña.

There are two ways to reach the takeout. The first and quickest is to follow the paved road from Carburgua. About 1 KM after passing the entrance to Ojos De Carburgua you turn left at El Cristo bus stop. You will cross a bridge over the Deague and and go about two km on gravel road then turn right and drive approx 1 KM and pass a cementary. The road starts climbing uphill and you will come to a sign for Salto Copihue. Continue for about another 2 KM and along the way you will pass signs for Salton Bellavista. You will pass an old pickup truck perched in the trees on the right and about 200 meters later you will have first glimpse of the river about 15 meters below. At this point you want to park. There is barely space to park and allow other occasional cars to pass as they head to theirs homes upstream. You can run the creek when it looks to be barely floatable at levels I estimate to be as low as 75 CFS.

To reach the takeout return downstream 3 km to the T intersection. Go right about 1-1/2 KM until you come to the bridge over the Carhuello. An optional way to reach

Juanito Ugarte Part 1 Salto Javali

The takeout from Pucon is to take the Pasarela quelhue bridge over the Trancura and travel all the way up the Liucura on the road to Carburgua. This is a popular bike trip and pretty but somewhat slower.

The put in elevation here is 600 meters. The takeout is approx. 4 KM downstream at 300 meters.

The beginning of the kayak run has a few hundred meters of boulder gardens and some channelized rapids. When the foot bridge comes into view you need to get out some 30 meters upstream and portage a nasty 20 meter falls (that lands on a rock) on a well defined trail. you will walk over a small side stream and through a gate. Continue walking uphill. The first turn to the left will take you to the base of the falls which provides a good view but not a good place to get back in your boat. To reach a good put in spot walk along the tree line and look for a trail down to the river. When you get there put in wherever you are comfortable. There are lots of steep boulder choked rapids so some may choose to continue walking downstream an additional 200 meters.
Once on the water you will soon come to Salto Javali which consists of two 5 meter falls. After a few more rapids comes the monster 4 part 25 meter drop that until our trip on November 30, 2005 had always been portaged. Gigo Castillo missed the last eddy and disappeared over the first drop backwards. By some miracle he survived the ensuing carnage without a scrap. the first drop is a two meter falls into a robust hole that immediately feeds into an almost vertical seies of slides. At the base of the slides you have time for 1-2 strokes before the big 6-7 meter falls which you need to enter on the left for fear of decapitation on the bottom right. The base of the falls are ina cauldron which exits to the left with another 3 meter drop. The faint of heart can portage parts 1-3 and seal launch into the Cauldron for part 4.

Rio Carhuello

After seeing Gigo had survived the drop Juanito Ugarte lined up and ran the drop. Word immediately spread around town that this drop was open for business and within days hardcore boaters were testing their limits on this drop. Below this are a few more good drops then one comes to the entrance to Salto Copihue. To the best of my knowledge this has not yet been run. It is best portaged from above on river left by climbing up to a house and the road itself before returning to the river for an addition 3/4 km runout to the car.

Scouting Salto Copihue

Carhuello Falls

Lower part of 7 meter falls

The river can only be run in late spring and early summer after significant rain or snowmelt. Ideal time is usually late november and December. The run is approximately 2 KM long and drops from 600 meters to 475 for an average of 62.5 m/km or 315 FPM.

Daniel on approach to waterfall that can not be portaged

The river has a low volume steep-creek feel with a little bit of everything including a classic Califonia style slide, waterfalls, and dozens of steep technical drops. The river can be run at low and medium flows but would be suicidal at high flows.

Catching air on the “California slide”

To reach the put in leave Pucon and head east towards Argentina. After you cross the bridge over the Turbio stay straight and do not take turn on the international road to Argentina. You will be on the road to Lago Caburgua. After 7 KM turn right on the now paved road towards Huife. In approximately 13 KM you twill signs for a turn to left to Parque Huerquehue or Tres Saltos. Do not turn here but continue 1 KM more to huife and take the next left following signs to Lefincul (if you reach termas de Quimey-Co you have gone to far so return and make the next turn). You will cross a bridge over the Lefuncul/Liucura river. Stay straight and you wills tart up the Nevado drainage. Park just before the road starts to get real steep. you will not see the river at this point but when you climb out later you will find your vehicle.

Peruvian Juanito Ugarte
From the way to the put in is obvious. Go up the incredibly steep dirt road approx 2 km until it crosses the the bridge over the Nevado. You can park a 100 meters on the other side of the bridge as it begins its first switchback. The put in is just upstream of the bridge and offers an adrenaline packed jump start to the intimidating canyon below. The run is full contact class 5+ boating so bring your elbow pads, your rope and your A game.

The first canyon has about 6 difficult rapids including one difficult portage. After the frist canyon there are some boulder drops which eventually lead into the california style slide which feeds into a 6 meter falls. The base of the falls is a narrow canyon that feeds into another rapid which I recall can not be scouted? Be careful is this section as I have seen a hole force people to swim when the creek had water. After this it is a blur of rapids including a mandatory 7 meter falls.

Entrance to the 22 teacups

takes 2 hours to hike in
Class 3 / 4 waterfalls

Ethan Green 22 saltos

Black and white on 22 Saltos

Sometimes you leave your boat behind and do a gainer