I first heard about the rio Blanco ten years ago, a legend of an incredible river hidden deep inside the cordillera of the Austral Andes. For years, I studied maps, gathered videos, and talked with many who had flown around the area. Everyone had the same opinion: It was the wildest and most beautiful place they had ever seen, but it would be impossible to actually run any of the whitewater or to even hike up there with kayaks.
There’s no trail, and you must hike through some very thick and muddy forests. The difficult access and fear of getting into a river that was too much had kept us from trying for many years. Then, this season I got to watch video footage from a helicopter, and what I saw got me thinking that it was actually possible. I decided it was finally time to attempt the first descent of the Blanco. I made some calls, and quickly put together a team including Nouria Newman, one of the greatest all-around kayakers in the world, with lots of expedition and rope experience; David Sodomka from Czech Republic, one of the best photographers in the kayaking world; Jaime Sandoval, born and raised in Futaleufu, one the most humble and talented paddler to come out of Chile; and Pedro Astorga, the Chilean powerhouse from Cajón del Maipo.
"WE FELT LIKE THE LUCKIEST KAYAKERS IN THE WORLD, KNOWING THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING ONE OF THE BEST FIRST DESCENTS OF THE LAST 10 YEARS."
We gathered in Hornopiren in early December 2021. Hornopirén National Park is part of the Biosphere Reserve rainforests of Southern Andes. Located 120 km south of Puerto Montt, in the Comuna
