Professional kayakers Tino Specht, Lorenzo Andrade Astorga, Pangal Andrade headed out to Chile to shred some of the best and funniest whitewater, the Yeso River. The river is an excellent whitewater destination with some very steep sections full of gravel bars, boulders and narrow chutes that make it no easy. Although it's reached within an hour’s drive of Santiago, the capital and largest city in the country, the river is hard to get to; it runs for about 4 km at Class V and drops 25 m/km to the bridge. Yeso, that begins in the high peaks of Andes Mountains is not that known and maybe that's why we have discovered it just now. Check it out.
The Yeso River is a small tributary that flows out of the Chilean Andes toward the 7 million-person metropolis of Santiago. It may be narrow but at certain times of the year it becomes a whitewater paradise that cuts through a beautiful alpine landscape. Patagonia is fantastic, but it's hard to argue with world class rapids just half a hour from Chile's capital! All the comforts of an amazing city and great whitewater to boot - you've really got to check out Santiago.
The Yeso River Facts
- Begins: Nevado Cordillera
- Class: IV/V+
- Distance: 4 miles
- Temperature: 10C (50 F)
- Difficulty: only for extreme kayakers
