Following the Water: El Chaco

After an amazing day on the Río Oyacachi. Big beautiful technical class IV+ water with some large holes and ferocious rapids! Paddled all afternoon until the sun set just as we arrived at take out.

This river (as yet) does not have very much human impact. However here, right where we put in, they are in the process of building a road bridge where, as you can see, there used to be only a simple footbridge. This road bridge is an interesting project because there is no road on the other side, no community with cars. An interesting example of development for development's sake.

Even when so far from home it was so cool to randomly run into a fellow Wet Planet Whitewater family member. I had a great few days paddling with Gynner. He also introduced me to government and conservation officials in El Chaco.

While in El Chaco I met Johns, the chief Fireman in the area, who introduced me to some of the hidden beauties of the area. We scrambled up the Rio Loco to see a series of beautiful cascades and then to the Cascada Magíca of the Río Malo.