Curarrehue Madness (Rios Puesco y Remeco)

Just 50km outside of the quaint little town of Pucon lies the Mapuche headquarters, the city of Curarrehue. This is also the headwaters for many of Pucon's greatest rivers. The Trancura/Puesco, Panqui, Maichine, and Palguin are all with in a half hour drive. So this makes Curarrehue a frequent day trip for Demshitz... Take a look at two of the great creeks right outside of town.

Curarrehue is the center point of all native Mapuche culture here in the region. This old lady was on a walk from her small wood house in the mountains all the way to town to buy some living supplies.

Mike Garcia would say, "That water is gin clear"... Clean, clear, and drinkable rivers make dehydration a non-issue in this part of Chile.

Remeco:
The first creek is a small trib of the Maichine named the Rio Remeco. This is a low volume canyon with a very committing boxed in double falls. A small hike, and a complex trails leads you right to the put in above the double falls. From here you have to run a mank sliding entrance off a beautiful 20 foot boof, into a tight box canyon. Then the exit falls is a clean 25 footer, landing in a soft big pool. The rest of the run includes manky fun boofs and some log dodging back to the bridge...
The hike in to the Remeco is steep.

At the rivers edge after walking up to reach the small bamboo infested trail leading to the river.

We ran in group of two... Myself watching and "Parra" running the second (exit) falls of the box gorge.

Nothing but a bunch of dirty river hippies.

Eating some well deserved Nutela sandwhiches after the Remeco huck session.

P.S. If the water is high on the Remeco be careful on the first falls, there is a bad cave behind the curtain.

Puesco:
This is what kayaking is all about for me... Non-stop IV+/V kayaking for about 8 miles. Maybe the most bang for your buck in the entire Pucon area. Lay some treats out there and get stylie!

Lay some treats on um'...

Rush getting busy on the steeps of the Rio Puesco.

Aniol happy to be on the water, everyday these youngsters be husttlin'.

All the boys floating towards a bridge on the Puesco.

Nothing brings you together like some class V mad bombing.

So if you are coming to South America, put this little town on your list of hot kayaking spots. Thanks to Laura Mas Rispa for the photos of these few good days up there. Keep on kayaking weather it's hot or cold...

Later E.G.