Today was another expedition day in Mexico

Today was another one of those going into the unknown days. We started at the end of our trip yesterday, which was a 1st D, and were embarking on another 1st D. However, we hit another canyon after .25 miles that had vertical walls and started off about 30 feet wide and about 100 feet tall (with near vertical jungle that is another 200 feet above that). After Ben and Rafa probed the opening, it was clear that we were entering a no exit canyon unless each rapid was runnable and didn´t need scouting. Ben, Rafa, Darren, and I climbed up the river left bank after Nick, Thayer, and I tried unsuccessfully to climb the river right bank.

It took us an hour to get up 200 feet of vertical, overhanging, and near vertical jungle cliffs. We climbed holding onto to roots mostly, moving from tree to tree, but had one traverse that was friction climbing over a 100 foot drop and about an 80 degree incline. It was sketchy at best. Luckily when we reached the summit, we found a trail and a banana plantation. We were able to bushwack and scout the majority of the canyon and after two hours made it back down (thanks to a throw rope) and the vertical climb was 230 feet!

We ran the canyon, enjoying the class three and four rapids, and the flat section that was 10 feet wide and one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

We ended up at a water fall that is accessable from a ranch. Ben ran it tonight before dark, but the rest of us are running it in the morning since we left our boats there and hiked out and will do the rest of the first D in the morning. the waterfall has been run, but below it has not. The waterfall is about 40 feet tall but has nasty undercuts on the left, but run correctly can be done safely, so I believe.

Got to get sleep for another epic day.

🙂

EJ