Join an expedition on Río Piaxtla as we charter a flight up to the rim, hike into the deepest canyon in North America, and then paddle all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This is one of the last free-flowing rivers in Mexico's Sierra Madre Occidental, but may be dammed soon, so enjoy it while you still can! We welcome everyone: kayakers, IKers, and raft passengers. Class V kayakers have the option of tackling the Puerta de Piaxtla. VERSIÓN ESPAÑOL

GENERAL TRIP INFORMATION:

Río Piaxtla flows through the deepest canyon in North America [over 2400 m (8000 ft) deep on either side] and is one of the few remaining undammed rivers of the Sierra Madre Occidental. As such, it is a very special river journey to experience, especially since a dam may be constructed soon. The trip will roughly be a source-to-sea expedition, with maximal experience of the varied ecological zones of the region. Anyone wanting to join is welcome: kayakers, rafters, and raft passengers/paddlers – bring your own boat or use one of ours. Our group size will be capped at 12, which will include 4 guides. Space is limited for raft passengers/paddlers (to 6). This trip is particularly suited to intermediate and novice kayakers, who can ride in the paddle raft through the tougher class III-IV upper sections and then enjoy kayaking several days of mostly class II water as we make our way to the ocean. Come join a historic second descent of the upper Río Piaxtla – a gem destined to be one of the most popular trips in Mexico. Continue the journey all the way to the ocean on a free-flowing river, something you may not be able to do for much longer.

TENTATIVE ITINERARY:
Sep 13 (Tue): rendezvous with participants in Mazatlán
Sep 14 (Wed): DAY 1: fly to put-in from San Ignacio (1 hr drive+1 hr flight); hike/camp on rim
Sep 15 (Thu): DAY 2: hike into canyon, burros carry boats; start paddling; class III-IV; ~10 km
Sep 16 (Fri): DAY 3: pass Guarisamey into Tayoltita Gorge; explore Tayoltita; class III-IV; ~30 km
Sep 17 (Sun): DAY 4: Main; class II-III; explore side canyon; ~40 km
Sep 18 (Mon): DAY 5: finish Main; play waves; camp downstream of San Ignacio; class II; ~50 km
Sep 19 (Tue): DAY 6: Lower; class II; play waves; diversion dam; end at mouth; ~50 km
Sep 20 (Wed): DAY 7: play in surf; drive back to Mazatlán; bicentennial celebrations!

DAYS 1-2: Flight and Canyon Hike: On DAY 1 we plan to take a chartered flight from San Ignacio to an airstrip between the rim and river (1800 m elevation). We’ll spend the rest of the afternoon exploring high pine forests and taking in the vistas of the "Barranca Gigante". On DAY 2, we will hike ~9 km down into the canyon (descending 1100 m), using mules/burros to carry the rafts/kayaks and food. We will arrive several kilometers upstream of where the canyon is its deepest, but several kilometers downstream of the class V Puerta de Piaxtla. You will have to carry your own camping gear, so don't make it too heavy! Once at the bottom, we’ll start paddling the class III-IV river down toward Tayoltita (~25 km downstream). It would be best to have 4-6 participants (+1 guide) that can fill the paddle raft that we intend to use in this initial upper section.

DAYS 3-5: Class III-IV: The rest of the class III-IV will be tackled on DAY 3 as we continue toward Tayoltita. We will still have time to explore some side canyons and caves in the area. This day will have one portage around a boulder-choked rapid (Huertas), before passing Guarisamey and then through the class III+ Tayoltita Gorge. We'll stop in Tayotita to explore the town a little, eat lunch, and pick up a few provisions. Our large gear cataraft will be waiting for us and ready to support us for the remaining 158 km journey to the ocean. As we leave the town, we will paddle through Tayoltita Rapids, the final class IV on the river (III+ at some flows). Soon we will pass the Goldcorp mine - the economic driving force of the town - and then find a suitable camp in the granite canyon downstream. On DAY 4, we'll paddle through class II-III rapids and stop to explore a side canyon.

DAYS 5-7: On DAY 5, we will pass the Río Verde confluence and site of the proposed "Presa Las Juntas", which is expected to flood much of the Main Piaxtla. The fight is still ongoing to prevent the dam from being constructed. The added boost of water from Río Verde will move us quickly along to San Ignacio [average flow in September is 150 cms (4500 cfs)], where we will pick up some boogie boards and perhaps a few more provisions. We'll make camp ~20 km downstream of the town on a beach along the Lower section. On DAY 6 we will make a long haul paddle across the Lower Piaxtla to the ocean, still enjoying some low canyons and a few class II rapids. We will set camp by the mouth of the river and enjoy the warm Pacific ocean water and waves. On DAY 7, after enjoying the surf a bit more, we'll meet our vehicles in the estuary, and from there we will drive back to Mazatlán.

NOTE: Plans are tentative. Rocky will arrange the charter flight and canyon pakers beforehand. The airstrip on the rim must be assessed for potential use. The default plan is to fly into Tayoltita, get a truck to drive us 10 km upstream to Guarisamey, and set camp by the river. With this option, it may be possible to do a day run of the Tayoltita Gorge on DAY 1. The following day (DAY 2) we would hike upstream 6-15 km with boats (burro-assisted if possible) and paddle back to our camp. On DAY 3, we would be on the same schedule as the listed itinerary. The other tentative is making it to the ocean. If flows are low, this may not be possible with the amount of time we have. Instead, we would take-out at San Ignacio (79 km from the ocean) or a point between there and the ocean (such as Ixpalino, 33 km from the ocean). Also, if you intend to bring your own plastic hardshell kayaks, there may be a few complications. Large kayaks may not fit in the plane. The burros sometimes cannot carry plastic hardshell kayaks, in which case you may have to carry your empty boat some of the way down the trail (we may hire porters to help). In general, it would be better to bring a smaller playboat for the trip if you want to take it on the plane and hike it down to the river.

If things materialize as planned, the first part of this trip will not be the luxury raft-support journey like the Mulatos-Aros, because the amount of gear hiked into the canyon must be minimized. Rocky will drop off his cataraft in Tayoltita before the group rendezvous, so no matter what, the full raft support from Tayoltita down to the ocean will be possible. The rapids are class III-IV (one P) for the first several days but then mostly class II the final 3 days.


PRICE: $1200 [first trip special: $600-800]
The general price for this trip is $1100, minus discounts (see below). Because this is the first time the trip is being run, there is a special discount of $300 off the normal price.

Trip price includes:
-Transportation from Mazatlán to the river and back, including the chartered flight into the mountains
-All meals while on the river, including bowls, plates, and utensils
-Guides to show you the way and help provide a safe outing
-Rafts to carry you and your camping gear down the river
-All kitchen and group camp items, including a rain fly
-PFD, helmet, jacket, drybag
-Kayak or inflatable kayak (check with Rocky: limited selection and availability)

Price does not include:
-Hotel stays on either end of the trip (doubles run ~$35/night in Mazatlán)
-Mexican tourist visa [you will need a passport or photo ID/birth certificate (~$20)]
-Food during travel to/from the river and in Tayoltita (bring at least $40 for these meals and incidentals)
-Beer/wine (we can purchase and carry a certain amount for you, but you pay more)
-Personal camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, ground pad, headlamp)

Discounts: Subtract the following from the normal full price ($1100) of the trip:
$300: first trip special discount
$20: for bringing your own drybag, PFD, and helmet (they will probably fit better too!)
$30: for bringing your own boat
$50: if you do one of the other SierraRios week-long trips on either side
$50: each additional person in your party (i.e. $50 discount if you pay for 2; $100 for 3, etc.)
$100: if you publish a full print article about the trip in a major periodical (>5000 readers)
- additional discounts may apply to expert paddlers/guides for services rendered

PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. In general, they are low for the first guided descent of this river because the trip is not fine-tuned yet, the intended itinerary may not materialize fully, it is being run as part of the nonprofit, our guides are compensated below typical rates, and the available selection of kayaks is limited. All excess revenue will go to SierraRios and its goal of promoting conservation of rivers in Mexico (specifically, it will be applied to equipment purchases for future guided trips, training guides in Mexico, providing additional information about the rivers, and advertising). The prices for these first trips are about half of what other outfits typically charge for week-long trips (general prices are $1600 for 6 days of boating).

RESERVATIONS
If you are interested in this trip, FIRST send Rocky a note regarding yourself, your paddling experience, what boat you would want to use or bring, how you would arrive, and whether you would want to do another trip on either side. Once approved, you will need to provide a deposit of $400 to reserve your place on the trip. Full payment must be received 30 days before the trip or you may lose your spot. Payments may be made by sending a check (make out to Rocky Contos, 5071 Constitution Rd., San Diego, CA 92117), transferring money via PayPal (to rocky@sierrarios.org), or making a credit card payment online.

As of July 20, 2011, our group total stands at 5 (we can handle 12 total). You may make a deposit or pay a balance with the "donate" button below. ($400 deposit for each person; when paying remaining balances, specify discounts that apply); be sure to send Rocky a message with a little info about you and your group.

CANCELLATIONS

We reserve the right to cancel the trip at any time. In particular, the trip may not be feasible to run if there are too few paying individuals. If we cancel the trip, all deposits and payments will be refunded.

If you must cancel the trip, we reserve the right to keep a percentage of your deposit according to the following guidelines:
5% if you cancel >60 days before the trip
50% if you cancel 30-60 days before the trip
100% if you cancel <30 days before of the trip

YOUR GUIDES:
(1) Rocky Contos, the trip leader, has explored nearly every river in Mexico, including the entire class V-VI upper Piaxtla from the headwaters, the “Main” section from Tayoltita to San Ignacio (which he has run twice), and the “Lower” section from San Ignacio to the ocean. He likely has first descents of the entire river from his trips in 2000 and 2009. He wrote the guidebook to the northern Sierra Madre Occidental and is due to complete one to the southern area soon. He has paddled over 150 multi-day journeys on rivers, with dozens in the range of 5-22 days. In Mexico, he has ~120 probable first descents covering ~8,000 km of river and ~54,000 m of drop. Rocky worked as a kayak instructor and guide for UCSD's Outback adventures in 1993-1996 and gained valuable trip planning skills for large groups. Although primarily a kayaker, Rocky started rafting in the mid-1990s in order to introduce more people to the wonders of river travel. Since then, he has organized numerous large group raft and kayak expeditions, including five through Grand Canyon (18-22 days), two on the Salmon River (4-10 days each), and dozens on the Salt, Kern, Rogue, Deschutes, John Day, Thompson, Similkameen, and in Baja (2-6 days each). Rocky founded SierraRios with the goal of conserving the rivers of Mexico, and hopes that increased awareness and enjoyment of the resource will lead to protection. Rocky is organizing all aspects of the trip. He plans to guide a paddle raft for the upper section down to Tayoltita, and from there continue guiding the raft or row his cataraft. Lacking sufficient clientele on this initial trip, he may do the upper section in a normal kayak or a tandem inflatable kayak that can accommodate one client.

(2) Luis González. A native of Durango, Durango, Luis started rafting in the 1990s when attending college in Puebla. For several years, he served as raft guide for Aventurec on the Filo-Bobos, Jalcomulco, and various other rivers in the region. Luis was one of the first people the canyoneer down the entire upper Piaxtla. He currently lives in Durango and will either be guiding/rowing raft down the river or kayaking.

TRANSPORTATION
We will have a vehicle to pick you up in Mazatlán and transport you to the river and back. Depending on the number of paying participants, this vehicle might be a large pickup (5-person capacity), Suburban (7- or 9-person capacity), or combination of the two. We plan to charter a flight from San Ignacio up to Tayoltita or a point on the rim and make our way back to San Ignacio and then all the way to the ocean. The planes can handle 6 passengers each. If you can drive down the week prior and don't mind doing reconnaisance with Rocky for the logistics of the main trip or you want to paddle the class V Puerta de Piaxtla section, you may be able to drive down with him starting September 12 ($50-100 fee).

FOOD
We will organize the food and bring the kitchen (tables, pots, plates, bowls, utensils, and stoves). You can expect to eat to your tummy’s content. If you have specific food restrictions/preferences let us know and we will try to accommodate you. There will always be vegetarian options. Rocky’s menu typically consists of the following:

Breakfast: usually there is a range of foods to choose from: coffee, tea, fruit, cereals, milk, tortillas, and perhaps something special such as eggs/omelettes, pancakes, or french toast. If you have specific preferences, let Rocky know and he will accommodate.

Lunch: Items typically available are trail mix, dried fruits, energy bars, chips, cookies, and sandwiches. Sandwiches can vary: early in trip maybe ham/turkey, cheese, avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, mustard, mayo; later maybe tunafish; always PB&J). There may be wraps or pita/hummus type food one day.

Dinner: Rocky’s dinner menu will include selections from the following types of food: Italian (pasta/salad/cheese), Mexican (tamales, burritos, and/or tacos), Indian (Tasty Bites), American (turkey, steak, and/or salmon), and maybe Greek/Asian.

Desserts: There will always be some form of sweet to eat – cookies, chocolates, etc.

ALCOHOL
No beer/wine is included in the price of the trip. Beer can be purchased in Tayoltita or San Ignacio as we progress down the river. We will carry it for you on the raft subject to a small additional donation ($2/beer). Do not pack beer cans in your drybag because the cans often burst! There is a limit to the amount we will carry for you (max: 18 beers or equivalent weight).

WATER
We will bring filters and provide drinking water on the entire expedition. The river generally runs with a lot of silt and takes more effort to convert to clear drinking water than many of the clear side arroyos. The arroyos with little or no habitation contain pristine water that is usually safe to drink straight from the creekbed. To be safe, we will be pumping/filtering it for maximal protection from water-borne pathogens and storing in two 5-gallon containers.

CHORES
SierraRios trips are designed to be participatory in nature, and therefore participants are expected to help with camp duties including loading/unloading rafts, camp set-up, food preparation, and washing dishes. We generally have a rotating schedule. Duties can be swapped with others, as long as someone is there and you end up contributing equally in the end. Everyone is expected to help load/unload the rafts each day. A few individuals may be designated to help with camp set-up. Two individuals will be assigned to help with food preparation and wash dishes each morning and evening. After washing and rinsing, dishes are sterilized in a dilute bleach solution. If you are assigned to help with the food, please make sure you wash your hands and keep them clean.

TOILET AND BATHING
Urinating should be done directly into the river or away from camp and out of sight of others. To defecate, you should walk away from camp to somewhere above the high-water line, dig a hole 4-6” deep, and cover your feces. Carry your TP back and put in the “TP trash” or burn your TP and bury the ashes in the hole. Bathing can be done in the river. We may carry a solar shower.

SAFETY
The violence in Mexico surrounding the drug was has been in the news a lot in the past three years. The violence is generally restricted to drug traffickers (narcos) and those associated with them, including law enforcement. In addition, the river we will be journeying down did not have any marijuana cultivation visible near it. As such, we are not likely to be harassed or molested in any way related to the drug war. For further discussion of the drug war and safety concerns, click here.

Independent of the drug war, there has always been potential danger for assault in Mexico by armed bandits (bandidos). This is the same now as it was 5 , 10, or 20 years ago. Such risk is common in any third world country where citizens are very poor. In the event of assault, we will do all we can to protect our clients and ourselves, but may have to sacrifice our possessions. Because we can never guarantee against such assault, you must agree not to hold us liable for consequent personal injury/damage/loss you sustain on this outing.

The other aspect of safety is prevention of accidents. It is of utmost importance that you take all precautions necessary to avert injury, sickness, and complications while on the trip. As guides, we are there to help get you safely to the river, down it, and back out, but cannot guarantee against accidents. You must accept the responsibility for what happens on the river if you are in control of your craft. If you are concerned about the whitewater or other aspects, it is your responsibility to make appropriate decisions whether to run the rapid or not and to stay close to someone who can watch and oversee you (if you desire that level of protection). If an accident occurs, we will do all in our power to help you, see that proper care is rendered, or evacuate you if need be. Rocky is trained as Wilderness First Responder and will administer appropriate emergency medical care if needed. We will have two basic first aid kits available. We will also carry a satellite phone for emergencies and changes of plan.

WATER LEVELS
We have timed this trip to coincide with highest probability of encountering good river flows in the Piaxtla. In September, flows average ~50 cms (1700 cfs) at Tayoltita. It is very likely (~80% chance) that we will have 10-150 cms (350-4500 cfs) during our trip, but there are slim chances it will be higher (10%) or lower (10%). Water levels can fluctuate rapidly due to spotty intense thunderstorms that are characteristic of the monsoon season in the region. At low water the river may not seem as difficult. At high water, the water moves faster and big hydraulics develop. It is important that rafts be tied up well so they don’t drift away in a rising tide on the river. Equally important, the camp must be set at a high enough location so it will not be flooded. We may encounter rapidly rising river that reaches camp (usually in the evening). If this happens and you are the first to notice, please wake the guides first, and we will assess the situation. It may be necessary to move camp higher.

WHAT TO PACK:
You will need to pack appropriately for spending 8 days/nights out in the Mexican wilderness. Although it will generally be quite warm on the trip, our first night out on the rim is expected to be cold. Even at the bottom of the canyon, it can get chilly at any time due to thunderstorm activity. Come prepared. Your personal camp gear will be transported down the river in one large drybag. We will provide one if you need it. It is best to have one with straps that can be worn as a backpack due to the potential hike involved into the canyon initially. Do not pack excessively. It is in your best interest not to overpack your drybag because it often causes lack of proper sealing and consequent leaking if dunked, and you will likely be hiking it ~10 km down into the canyon.

River items to bring:
-Shorts, shirt
-Paddle jacket (we may be able to provide one if you don’t have)
-Water shoes (preferably multipurpose for wear on the river and hiking)
-PFD (if you don't have one, we will provide)
-Kayak gear (only if kayaking: helmet, skirt)
-Hat and sunglasses (with retainer)
-Small drybag for your kayak or on raft (for passengers)
-Large drybag for camp gear (if it is a very large bag (>3 ft3), your small drybag must fit within)
-Water bottle (preferably with a carabiner to clip onto a raft)
-Sunscreen

Camp items to bring:
-Tent (a 2-person tent can be used by an individual)
-Sleeping bag (consider using your fleece or other item as a pillow)
-Therm-a-rest (chair and bed; we may have a few chairs for the camp)
-Basic clothing (t-shirt, shorts, light pants, light long-sleeve shirt, fleece, underwear)
-Camp shoes (these can be the same as your river shoes or a different dry shoe)
-Headlamp (plus extra set of batteries)
-Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, lotions, etc)
-Special medicines/lotions (anti-fungal cream, bug repellent)
-Lighter/matches (remember to check it if flying)
-Pocket-knife (remember to check it if flying)
-Mug (for your hot beverages; we'll have plastic cups for water/wine/etc)
-Reading material
-Bug repellent (very important for comfortable hanging-out in camp)