Chile, a continent 2700 miles long and never more than 109 miles wide, is a quintessential mecca for kayaking.  Most dream of making a pilgrimage to this whitewater wonderland just as the red and yellow leaves begin to fall in the US, and in late October, a couple of days before snow flurries hit West Virginia, we, the New River Academy kayak team, were lucky enough to hop on a flight to Santiago for our whitewater packed Chile quarter.

We set down in the Andes-surrounded Santiago airport after an overnight flight and immediately loaded all of our kayaks and gear onto a big bus to head to Cascada de las Animas, an eco-tourism resort on the mighty Maipo River that is only forty minutes outside of the city.

Cascadas de las Animas, or “Waterfall of the Spirits,” is our base for the first week and a half.  It is nestled in a narrow valley of beautiful, tall desert mountains, and includes magnificent camping, a gourmet restaurant, waterfalls to hike to, a zipline, horseback riding, and, most importantly, is the takeout to the upper section of the Maipo River and the put-in to the lower section of the Maipo River.

The lower section of the Maipo is a Class 2/ 3 run, perfect for practicing boofs, eddy turns, punching holes, and racing.  The same skills can be practiced for the more advanced boaters on the upper section, which is a Class 3 /4 stretch with one easily portaged Class 5 rapid, called Frenchman’s Curve.  Throughout the week, all of the New River Academy team improved immensely, and, after great assessment and a strong safety set-up, some ran Frenchman’s Curve!

After the Maipo, the team cruised to Pucon, the creeking capital of Chile.  With its Jurassic Park-like mountains, countless waterfalls, and majestic volcano, Pucon is one of the most well-known summer destinations for Chileans.  For kayakers, it is known for the insanely high concentration of rivers within its near radius.

New River Academy’s kayak school base is located on the Trancura River.  Similar to our location on the Maipo, our Pucon base is situated at the take-out to the more challenging Class 3/ 4 upper section of the Trancura and at the put-in of the Class 2/ 3 lower section of the Maipo.  While we have certainly been enjoying putting in and taking off of the river immediately out our back doors, the team has also enjoyed runs on the Palguin (a perfect intermediate waterfall run) and the Nevados (a more challenging steep creek run).

In addition to kayaking, the team has enjoyed Chilean-led dance morning workouts, natural mountain hot springs, delicious Chilean meals (so much fresh bread!) at communal tables in front of warm fires, and classes that often incorporate the daily experiences of our surroundings.  We are all taken with the culture, the beauty, and the boating of Chile and we can’t wait for the next four weeks!