My trip down south to the jungle was the most amazing thing i've ever done in my life. I flew out of DC airport into the capital of Ecuador Quito. Our group of 6 (Julie, Brad & Katie, Bill, Tod, and I) met up in Quito and took a bus from there to Baeza, a small town on the other side of the Andies with great boating. We stayed at Hostal La Casa De Rodrigo, a boaters paradice.
Baeza is right in the middle of the Quijos Valley. Its a small quite town on the edge of the Andies. The frist day we got to run the Cosanga, a fun class 4 creek that dumpes into the Quijos. It rained alot that first day and into the next wich flooded everything for a few days. Day 2 was a HUGE water day on the Quijos with about 20,000cfs of water. That water level redefined boils and whirlpool eddy lines. The next day we ran the Oyacachi and in the following days ran 6 different sections of the Quijos. Baeza was sweet but it was time to move on to Tena.
Day 6 put us on the upper Jondachi just outside of Tena. The Jondachi river is in my top 5 favorit rivers ever run, it has the most amazing secenery i've ever seen. This was one of the portages you had to be like spiderman to get around.
Day 7 started with a run down the Lower Jondachi which dumps into the Hollin. The first 4 miles are alot like the upper section, class 4 bolder garders through the beautefull romote jungle of Ecuador.
We ran 6 different section of river durning our time in Tena. This cristal clear river was the Misahualli.
After a week in Tena we dicided to take a bus to Banos and try to get on the Rio Topo.
The Topo is a river that is in danger of being damed up someday. Less than 50 people a year get to see this amazing river. This is a must do if your ever in Ecuador. The topo remindes me alot of a cross between the lower meadows size and Manns creek steep boldergarden nature.
Banos was right next to an ative volcano. The first day in Banos we hicked up a mnt. next to the volcano to check it out. Every few min. the grouud would rumble and smoke would come out the top.
After spending 12 days paddling we went on a 11 hr. bus ride to the beach. Stayed in this crazy town called Montanita, a surfing town with a party problem. Went surfing for the first time and got beat down a few times but had fun in the process.
All in all, it was an amazing trip that will never be forgotten. Words can't explain a trip like this. Its only something that can be experienced, and i'm glad I did.
I've posted more photos on my MySpace page.
Live from TN, John McConville
