Front Range Kayaking: Ecuador- February 2009

I went to Ecuador in February for a week of creekboating with Small World Expeditions. As advertised, the county is beautiful and the whitewater is plentiful. I would highly recommend it. Coming from the desert that is Colorado, it is simply amazing how much water there is in Ecuador.

Typical scenery

The first day we paddled the Cosanga, which was nice Class IV, but really just a warm up for the week to come. The next day, we paddled the Oyacachi, which was a simply amazing river. 6 miles of pushy IV+ with great scenery.

The next day, we headed over the divide, through the cloud forest, to the famous Upper Hondachi.

Given the Jondachi's reputation for quickly getting too high with rain, it was a little concerning when it poured throughout the entire hike in. However, when we got to the put-in, the water was low, giving us plenty of leeway if the river rose. The hike to the put-in was easily the slipperiest walk I have ever done with a kayak. Actually, it was probably the hardest thing we did all week. And completely worth it.

Landslide portage early on.

People claim the Jondachi has over eighty distinct rapids. I'm not sure about that, but it is a long six miles, with a significant rapid every 30 yards or so the whole way.

The water level about doubled as we ate lunch and we finished out the run with a nice medium flow.

After the Hondachi, we went to Tena, where we paddled the Mishualli when it was flooding.

And then when it was not flooding.

We also paddled the Piatua, in the Tena area before we headed back to the Quijos. Our last day, we paddled various sections of the Quijos. The water was kinda highish. Some of us put on part way through the Cheesehouse section and experienced some powerful whitewater.