What a magical place! Perhaps loved too much--we encountered a lot of
trash and TP daisys around the camp areas. Entering the river was entering another world. The
river cuts a canyon 300 feet or more into the dark gray limestone. Bushes, trees, and flowers
cling on where they can. The trouble is finding a place where you can get your boat and
yourself down to the water. Our first day we went on a long,
sweaty hike with all of our gear, in search of the 22 Tazos. We found an easy put in, but we
feared we were too far
up. Here the river dissappeared into a slot canyon 3 feet wide after a 15 foot waterfall that
dumped you right next to a wall. We went back down a ways and found another entrance. It
involved
throwing our boats 20 feet down into a 6 foot deep pool, then jumping in after them. Tired,
thirsty, and unsure of the put in, we reluctantly hiked out. That evening we met Jan
(pronounced "yan") from Bariloche, Argentina, his Ford Falcon wagon, and his three kayak
touring buddies from France: Dod, Stephan, and David. The 7 of us, from Chile, Argentina,
France, and the USA could all communicate in spanish! We got to know eachother that night
by a campfire drinking Rio Loco (crazy river), fine Chilean red wine in a box. We went together
for the
7 Tazos the next day. To avoid an $8 park entrance fee we found a put in above the park.
After a couple of fun drops, the river narrowed and a 10 foot waterfall went directly at a wall
and then the channel narrowed to the width of a kayak, perhaps an inch or two less. The hike
out was difficult and dangerous involving 5th class rock and shrub climbing and shuttling our
boats up on 3 ropes. 3 hours later we were out. David was so disgusted he hiked back to the
car. The rest of us were treated to a fairy tale run through the 7 Tazos. Back to camp for
lunch and more Rio Loco by the campfire that night. The next day we would go for the 22 Tazos.
We'd read about it, and talked to a group that had done it the night we arrived. The 6 of us
hiked up in 90 degree heat under a cloudless sky. Jan found a put in just upstream from the
20 foot jump were we could climb down, rope the boats down, and help eachother into our boats
in 2 feet of water. The first move was a 12 foot drop! What a fantastic trip, ploping over
over falls up to 30 feet high! We paddled out of the canyon right to camp.
A lazy afternoon. Nathan and I played a game of frisbee
(the other toy we brought down with us) across the river. Several kids were interested and I
gave them a lesson on the fundamentals of frisbee throwing. They did great! Another campfire
with wine that night. Back the next morning for another run down the 22 Tazos. I broke my
paddle in a narrow creeky section. I was thrown off balance in the entrance and didn't
get my paddle streightened out before the really skinny part. It stuck in the rocks and snapped
in half! I put half in my boat and paddled the rest C-1 style. Luckily there we were past
the biggest drops, though I still had to drop a couple 10 footers! Back at camp we packed up
and we were out...on to the Rio Lontue.
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