The Rio Maipo lies to the south east of Santiago, a short drive from the bustling metropolis of Chile’s largest city. The river is high volume and continuously chocolate colored due to the arid landscape and sediment found in the water. The upper section of the river flows from the confluence with the Rio Yeso until the take-out at Cascadas de las Animas, the family owned tourism business that we were fortunate enough to stay with during our time in the region. The upper section of the run is characterized by continuous class III-IV+ boulder gardens and wave trains through a beautiful desert canyon.The road runs along the path of the river for the entire run, but because of the canyon walls, is not accessible and is out of sight for the majority of the time. La Curva Frances, the “French Curve” is the largest rapid (V) on the run, and is conveniently located just off the road shoulder. Below this is a long rapid that finishes with a constricted wave train in a narrow canyon, and was definitely the most fun we had on this section. The lower Maipo runs from the foot bridge at Cascadas de las Animas for several kilometers downstream to another bridge across the river. The lower section is fun class III, with a similar continuous feel as the upper section.Currently, The Maipo is under threat from yet another proposed hydroelectric project that would dam the river in the upper section and effectively dewater the entire section downstream. The project is not yet underway, but has been approved to move forward. If this dam is put in place, it would displace the many companies that use the river as a source of income from tourism and rafting trips, as well as disrupt the lives of the people who live along its shores. Many of the plants that thrive in the area are dependent on the river for their source of water, a it is otherwise an arid desert climate. The riparian zone along the river becomes quite apparent once you climb up onto the canyon walls.
For more information on the Rio Maipo, visit the Cascadas de las Animas website at www.cascada.net.
Classic "Disco" dish cooked up by the Astorga family.
View of the Maipo Valley from high on the canyon walls.
Beautiful scenery rounds out the amazing whitewater the Rio Maipo has to offer.
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