Futa update - A few pics from Inferno Canyon

High water and limited eddies only allowed for a few shots in Inferno, but here are some pics.

Entrada Rapid

Looks small, but its 40,000cfs

Salida rapid

Parkito thowing cartwheels in a pit of destruction

Espero no mas repressas en Chile.

Yesterday, after a beautiful run on the Enferno Canyon section of the Futa, instead of being filled with joy, I was filled with distraught.  This beautiful river that has filled my soul and many other river users with such delight is being threatend by a multi damn project.  I hope that the people that want this to happen realize that they will forever be thieves to future generations that will never be able to experiece the power and the natural beauty of this place. I hope the people of Chile can learn from the mistakes of the United States in our conquest of damn building that has destroyed Salmon populations, flooded land that people once called home, and filled wonderful natural wonders with sediment and water.

There are better ways of making energy to make our lives easier.  Wind and solar for example are much more respectful and will leave natural places for many generations to enjoy.

Sincerely,

Matt Parker

Pictures

Leaving the ferry

The town on Chaitin

Our home on the Futa

X-mass morning

The night before x-mass

Hacky-sac on a boat

Rio Futaleufu

After a long night on the ferry we arrived at the Rio Futaleufu. Upon arrival in town we decieded to put on the class 3-4 puenta to puenta section. After a few scouts and alot of bombing down the river we had a fantastic time. The Futa definatly lives up to its reputation and holds some of the more exciting whitewater we have paddled.

While running shuttle we were picked up by local kayaker Eva Luna. She reccomened that we stay at Cara De Indio a beautiful farm with cabanas. We settled in and enjoyed the luxuery of indoor sleeping and plumbing. The next day we headed to the class 4-5 terminator section of the Futa. The run turned out to be great and we continued on to the puenta to puenta section. Today the owner of Cara De Indio asked us to safety kayak for a commerical trip and we obliged.

The Futa has some of the biggest waves and holes we have ever seen. It is extermly easy to get lost in rapids and have a scary surprise at the other side of the huge wave you are trying to paddle over. All in all we love it and plan to stay untill we get our pass to Argentina. The butterflies persist though, because tomorrow we plan to head into the inferno canyon, the most commiting part of the Futa.

Downstream on Rio Azul

Wolf looking small in Terminator

Pillow Rapid

John finding the exlposion in Mundaka

X-Mass in Chile

After an awesome dinner of pizza we are going to get on a ferry for the next 12 hours and head down to the Futalafu. With three bottles of Chilean liquor and a box of wine we are hoping to survive, ready for the big water on the Rio Futalafu. Merry Christmas to our parents, family and friends. Don´t worry Mrs. Parker we are taking good care of Matt.

Rios Petruhue through Blanco

Photo Update From Camera of Pelo Loco

MERRY CHRISTMAS!



Empenadas Con Volcan Osorno

Rio Petrohue

LVM 1st D falls on Petrohue.  We wanted to run falls on far left of photo, but couldn´t get clearence from park rangers.

Downstream view of Petrohue

Foamie Boater getting burley on upper Petrohue

Holy Giant Mountain...

John somewhere in the waves of Lower Petrohue

Wolf enjoying 3 mile hike out of lower Petrohue

Bomb dinner made on multi-use cutting board

Ranchers hooked us up with a kayak shuttle up the 4km road to Rio Blanco put in.

Put In on Rio Blanco.  Words and Camera cannot describe.

Rio Blanco

Lobo setting saftey downstream

Warm sunny day on Rio Blanco...

Alejandra charging the Blanco

Parkito styling Blanco

International superstar J Swizlo

All Smiles on rio Blanco

Parkito