The end of the 5125-year long cycle Mayan calendar on Dec.21 2012 is a major event that should be celebrated in the Maya world. What better way to do so than on the greatest waterway of the Maya: Río Usumacinta? Join our rafting/kayaking expedition as we make our way down its canyons and camp on giant pristine beaches, visit Mayan ruins at Yáxchilan and Piedras Negras, enjoy travertine falls at Busiljá and Chocoljá, and navigate the big-water rapids of Cañon San José. This trip is ideal for kayakers, IKers, and oarsmen. Our boats can also accommodate a handful of raft passengers/paddlers too. The first trip will occur immediately after the Lacanjá.

GENERAL TRIP INFORMATION:

The Usumacinta river trip is one of the classics in the world and not to be missed. Relax in the hot winter sunshine on giant beaches, swim in warm clean water, traipse through the tropical jungle to spot toucans and scarlet macaws, shreik from the horrifying gaspy calls of howler monkeys, visit two major Mayan arqueological sites, play on massive waves in canyons that squeeze the river to narrow widths, and demonstrate your whitewater skills by surfing waves, running the small falls on Río Chocoljá, and staying upright in giant whirlpools.  Everyone is welcome: kayakers, IKers, oarsmen, and raft passengers. We plan to have several rafts to support our group, so even beginners can take a shot at paddling a kayak. The pace is relaxed, with one layover day planned. Bring your own boat or use one of ours (planned availability). If you can spare more time, consider joining the Lacanjá trip beforehand for a 18-day jungle adventure!

Río Usumacinta is the most voluminous river in Mexico and forms part of the border with Guatemala. Draining a large chunk of Chiapas and Guatemala, it averages ~3000 cms (~100,000 cfs) in the rainy season and 800-1500 cms (30,000-50,000 cfs) in the drier winter months. Due to the reliable big water, canyons, Mayan ruins, and other interesting aspects along the river, it became one of the ultimate rafting journeys in the world, and a prime winter destination of many Grand Canyon guides starting in the 1970s. Unfortunately, in the 1990s the Guatemalan civil war led to a large number of displaced militants taking refuge in the jungles near the banks of the river. Without much of a future or source of income, many turned to robbery, sometimes assaulting rafting parties floating down the river. The problem intensified enough that all commercial operators stopped their trips by 1997. Since then, almost no paddle tourists have ventured down the river - those that have gone were on motorboats. Well, the war ended in the late 1990s, yet the paddle tourists haven't returned. In early 2010, Rocky solo kayaked a 330-mile journey down the Jatate through the Usumacinta to determine whether the region might be secure enough to start trips again. [Read an article he wrote about the Usumacinta here.] By all accounts of the folks he talked to on his trip, the dangers have subsided. The Guatemalan army stationed close to Piedras Negras pursued and nabbed the notorious bandits 10 years ago. Few or no assaults have taken place since then despite increasing tourist traffic. Two recent raft/kayak SierraRios trips confirmed that the river is safe for raft support again - see summary slideshows of these trips at: Usumacinta2011a and Usumacinta2011b. These trips were great successes. Read some comments from participants. [For an excellent book discussing all aspects of this river including the assaults, rapids, the Maya, trade routes, ruins, plans for damming, and wildlife, see Christopher Shaw's Sacred Monkey River. ]

TENTATIVE ITINERARY:
The itinerary below is for the first scheduled trip. The second trip will have a similar schedule, but start on Jan.8. Trip itinerary or dates may be modifiable, especially for the second trip, make your deposit early and/or have a larger group of folks. Please describe what you'd like to do and when.

Dec27: DAY 0: fly into Villahermosa; Rocky meets you; transport to Palenque (2hr); night in Hotel San Catarino
Dec28: DAY 1: drive to put-in at Frontera from Palenque; rig and paddle to first camp: 6-20 km
Dec29: DAY 2: explore Yaxchilán; paddle to big beach camp; class II+; 25-40 km
Dec30: DAY 3: hike to lago; paddle to Piedras Negras; camp at site; class II; ~27 km
Dec31: DAY 4: LAYOVER; explore Piedras Negras and just relax
Jan1: DAY 5: Busiljá; camp near Chocoljá confluence; class II; ~27 km
Jan2: DAY 6: hike/kayak Río Chocoljá; Cañon San José; surf waves; class IIIs; ~10 km
Jan3: DAY 7: through Cañon San Josecito; class IIIs; 19 km
Jan4: DAY 8: through Boca del Cerro to take-out; de-rig (3 hr); drive to Palenque; class I; 10 km
Jan5: DAY 9: visit Palenque, Cascadas Agua Azul, and/or run Río Shumuljá; Don Mucho live music
Jan6: DAY 10: ride back to Villahermosa; flights out

DAY 0: If flying, you should arrive at Villahermosa airport this day. We will pick you up and take you to the first night lodging in Villahermosa or Palenque (double or triple rooms included in trip price). There are ATMs available to get pesos. Rocky can exchange some dollars for you.

DAY 1: We will make our way to Frontera Corozal (our put-in on the Mexican side of the Usumacinta). There is a possibility to visit the ruins of Bonampak for a few hours enroute. At the put-in, we will rig the rafts and launch, getting downstream 6-20 km, perhaps to Yaxchilán. If we don't launch (such as if we have some delays or visit Bonampak), we will stay in Escudo Jaguar cabañas by the launch site. You can leave valuables in the vehicles, which will be safe with our shuttle drivers in Frontera until the day we take-out.

DAY 2: We will paddle to and spend the morning at Yaxchilán ruins. In the afternoon we then paddle through the first class II-III rapids on our way to a large beach camp. We'll have a traditional Mayan feast this evening of tamales.

DAY 3: At Playa Grande we will explore trails to some pristine cenote-type lakes on the Guatemalan side. Then we'll make our way down to Piedras Negras, passing the village of Arroyo Jerusalén and negotiating more class II rapids in a scenic gorge. We'll set up camp at Piedras Negras.

DAY 4: LAYOVER. We'll check in with the military and spend the day at the ruins of Piedras Negras, playing in the water, practicing rolls and other paddling techniques, or simply relaxing in camp. [The layover day can be at another camp downstream with other day-trip options; we will decide as a group.]

DAY 5: After launching, we'll arrive at and explore the beauritul travertine waterfall of Busiljá that cascades directly into the Usumacinta. After a couple of hours exploring the side stream, we'll continue downstream and arrive near the Río Chocoljá confluence where we'll set up camp.

DAY 6: The morning will be spent exploring Río Chocoljá by hiking (possibly with kayaks) upstream and paddling back down the lower class III rapids/falls to the confluence. The hike is 0.5-1 km. After lunch, we'll make our way into Cañon San José and encounter one of the biggest rapids the river has to offer, La Linea, named for the border between Guatemala and Mexico on the river-right bank. We then paddle through more class II-III rapids in the main gorge before arriving at Whirlpool camp.

DAY 7: We will paddle Whirlpool Rapid (class III) with fine surfing opportunities, then two other big rapids: San José (III) and San Josecito (III), and the final rapid, White Wall (II+) before arriving at our final camp.

DAY 8: We will arrive at the take-out around lunchtime, de-rig, and drive back to Palenque where we'll stay at Hotel San Catarino or in cabañas at El Panchan. This night we eat in a hearty restaurant in Palenque. It is possible for participants to depart.

DAY 9: Depending on what the group wants to do, there are several options: visit the ruins of Palenque, Cascadas Agua Azul, and/or possibly raft/kayak Río Shumuljá, Chacamax, or Chocoljá. Return to hotel and go to dinner/live music/fire show at Don Mucho's in El Panchan.

DAY 10: We will help you get you back to the Villahermosa airport if you need to, either in our vehicle or another. It is a 2 hr drive. [A taxi is 800-1200p; buses are ~150p but also require a 100-200p taxi transfer.]

TRANSPORTATION
The price includes getting you from Palenque to Frontera (the put-in) and back to Palenque from the take-out. Palenque is a small city with many hotels and restaurants and is the base for many travelers visiting the ruins of Palenque, Bonampak, Yaxchilán, and the Cascadas Agua Azul and Misol-Ha. If arriving by plane, the closest airport to fly to is Villahermosa (VSA), a 2.0 hr drive/bus ride from Palenque. VSA is serviced by United, Continental and American, and several Mexico-based carriers (also as partner airlines). If several of the group are arriving at VSA airport, we'll arrange to pick you up (a little extra fee). If you drive down, you can meet us in Palenque and get a significant discount for use of your vehicle in shuttle. If you would like to spend more time in the region, you can also consider flying to other airports:

Tuxtla Gutiérrez (TGZ), the capital of Chiapas, is approximately a 5 hr drive from Palenque. The route between Tuxtla and Palenque passes San Cristóbal de las Casas, a charming colonial city very popular with tourists, and the Cascadas Agua Azul, another of the major tourist destinations in the region.

Cancún (CUN) has international flights from just about everywhere, is serviced by most international US carriers, and often is the most inexpensive to fly to. Although it is pretty far away (~11 hr by bus to get to Palenque), you would get to see most of the attractions on the Yucatán peninsula, including it's famed beaches, cenotes, and various other Mayan sites (Chichén Itzá, Coba, and Tulum, for example) before or after the trip.

PRICE: $400-1200

Trip price includes:
-Transportation to the river from Palenque and back to Palenque afterward
-All meals while on the river (as much as you can eat!), including bowls, plates, and utensils
-Guides to arrange logistics, interact with locals, and help provide a safe outing
-Rafts that carry your camping gear (and maybe you) down the river
-All kitchen and group camp items
-Two nights hotel - one night before and one night after trip (shared double or triple room)
-PFD, helmet, jacket, and drybag
-Kayak, raft, or inflatable kayak (check with Rocky: currently planned availability)

Price does not include:
-Additional hotel stays on either end of the trip (only 1 night covered before and 1 night after)
-Transport from Villahermosa to Palenque and back (plan on $40-100 extra for this)
-Mexican tourist visa [you will need a passport (~$20)]
-Food during travel to/from the river (bring at least $50 for these meals and incidentals)
-Alcohol (we can purchase and carry a certain amount for you, but you pay more)
-Personal camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, ground pad, headlamp)
-Tips (if you like our service and think it is reasonably priced, consider some gratuity)

Discounts: Subtract the following from the full normal price ($1200) of the trip:
$100: for bringing your own kayak and gear ($20 off if you only bring drybag, PFD, helmet, skirt)
$200: if you join us on the Lacanjá trip beforehand
$100-300: if you supply your own large raft and row it, and/or competently haul some of the group gear/passengers
$100-300: if you have a vehicle and shuttle yourself and some of our group (we provide shuttle driver)
- additional discounts may apply for services rendered, advertising, or for large groups

THE COSTS ARE LOW because this trip is being run as part of the nonprofit SierraRios, our guides are compensated at Mexican rates, the available selection of kayaks is limited, and we expect many in our group to be experienced. Furthermore, although we do have legal status to operate in Mexico, the trip is officially a group of friends for liability purposes. 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 are about half of what other outfits typically charge for week-long trips (general prices are $2000-2400 for 8 days of boating).

RESERVATIONS
If you are interested in this trip, send Rocky a note regarding yourself, your paddling experience, what boat you would want to use or bring, and how you would arrive. Once approved, you should make your full payment in order to secure your spot on the trip. Payments may be made by transferring money via PayPal (as "gift" to rocky@sierrarios.org), by sending a check (make out to James Contos, 5071 Constitution Rd., San Diego, CA 92117), or by using a credit card (use "DONATE" button below and add 3% to the total for credit card fee)

As of April 2, our group total stands at 3 for the Mayan Calendar End trip (minimum 7; maximum 14). You may make your payment by credit card with the "donate" button below. (be sure to specify discounts that apply and add the 3% credit card fee); 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 contributing individuals (<5 for this trip). 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 >40 days before the trip
50% if you cancel 20-40 days before the trip
100% if you cancel <20 days before the trip

YOUR GUIDES:
(1) Rocky Contos, the trip leader, is fluent in Spanish, explored nearly every river in Mexico, solo kayaked the entire Jataté-Lacantún-Usumacinta in early 2010, successfully led two raft/kayak trips down the Usumacinta in Dec2011 and Jan2012, wrote the guidebook to the Sierra Madre Occidental, and is preparing guidebooks for the rest of Mexico. In Mexico, he has ~200 probable first descents covering ~8,000 km of river and ~55,000 m of drop. He has paddled over 150 multi-day journeys on rivers, with dozens in the range of 5-22 days. While attaining his Ph.D. in neuroscience, Rocky worked as a kayak instructor and guide for UCSD's Outback adventures from 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 and throughout his years as a postdoctoral research associate, he 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 to destinations such as the Salt, Kern, Rogue, Deschutes, John Day, Thompson, Similkameen, and 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. He is the primary organizer of this trip and plans to row a large cataraft or self-bailer raft with gear and passengers most of the time, but may hop in a kayak here and there for play or safety purposes.

(2) Other guides have yet to be determined. However, there is a high likelihood that German Arroyo will join the trip with a 14' raft. German lives in Mexico City, has been a raft guide for many years, and participated in one of the recent SierraRios Usumacinta trips. Other potential co-guides are Alejandro Quiroga, a rafting/climbing/general guide who lives in San Cristobal and joined one of the recent SierraRios Usumacinta trips, and Miyaya, a rafting guide in Palenque who has run the Usumacinta over a dozen times in the 1980s-1990s.

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. If Rocky plans the food, it will consist of the following:

Breakfast: usually there is a range of foods to choose from: coffee, tea, fruit, hot/cold cereals, milk, yogurt, and perhaps something special such as eggs/omelettes, pancakes, or french toast. General fruits available are oranges, pineapples, mangos, bananas, and/or papayas. If you have specific preferences, let Rocky know and he will accommodate.

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

Dinner: On this trip, we are limited to food available in Palenque/Villahermosa and will be relativly heavy Mexican. If you have preferences, let Rocky know. The meal plan will be sent out about a week before the trip. A nice meal we have done before is a pit-roasted turkey, ideal for Christmas or New Year's. If you love preparing food, make a suggestion and we'll try to accommodate. In general, Rocky’s dinner menu will include selections from the following types of foodDinner::
Mexican (tamales, chile rellenos, tacos along with beans/tortillas/guacamole/chips/salsa; maybe tortilla soup)
Italian (pasta with marinara, pesto, or alfredo sauce, salad; sauteed squash/chorizo/meat/parmesan cheese)
Indian (Tasty Bites, curried lentils, couscous or rice)
American (turkey, steak, and/or salmon; mashed potatos, sweet potatos, corn, gravy)
Asian (rice either stir-fry veggies/meats or curries; flavors: teriyaki, panang/red curry, or Schezuan)
Greek (pita/rice pilaf, falafel, dolmas, olives, feta, Greek salad, maybe dill salmon or gyros)
Meat will always be prepared separate. The meal plan will be sent out about a week before the trip.

Desserts: There will always be some form of sweet to eat – flan, cookies, chocolates, pie, Snickers/Twix, etc.

ALCOHOL
Do not expect any beer/wine/tequila to be included in the price of the trip. If you would like some, you can let Rocky know how much and he will buy and pack it ($2/beer or $10-15 per bottle wine; limits apply). You can bring your own and we’ll pack it, but a carriage donation of $1/beer and $5 per bottle of wine applies). There is a limit to the amount we will carry for you, which depends on the amount of space we have available on the rafts and the amount of alcohol requested. DO NOT pack beer cans in your drybag because the cans often burst! Wine and hard liquor should be packaged into plastic containers or lightweight metal bottles beforehand - for example, you can get a 1.5L water bottle from a supermarket, empty the water, and fill it with 2 bottles of wine. Don’t expect ice-cold beer all the time – we will have cold coolers only the first few days.

WATER
We will bring filters and treatment products and provide safe drinking water on the entire expedition. Although often relatively clear and seemingly clean, the river does have some pollutants so we will preferably purify water from more pristine side streams or collecting it in springs. Common methods we will use to treat water are with hypochlorite, iodine, filters, or boiling.

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, washing dishes, fire duties, and burning trash. 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 and rig/de-rig at the start/end of the trip. A few individuals may be designated to help with specific camp set-up chores. Two individuals will be assigned to help with food preparation and two others to 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. We will make sure the camp is left just as we found it or better. SierraRios trips practice leave-no-trace as much as possible. We do not leave ashes or trash at any camp and try to clean up trash we find. If you have no preference for chores, let Rocky know a few things about you so he can assign appropriate chores:

-Do you really enjoy preparing food or specific things like pancakes?
-Are you more of a night-owl or a morning person?
-Do you have pyromaniac tendencies?
-Are you willing to set-up/deal with a groover station?
-Do you prefer to wash dishes?

Duty list:
Kitchen set-up (including oar tri-pod set-up):
Kitchen pack-up:
Oar tri-pod set-up (for lantern):
Groover set-up/take-down (find suitable locale, dig latrine, place TP, wash station, paddle nearby, bury in a.m.):
DIshes: 2 individuals each: Day 1b; 2a; 2b; 3a; 3b; 4a; 4b; 5a; 5b; 6a; 6b; 7a; 7b; 8a; 8b
Food prep: 2 individuals each: Day 1b; 2a; 2b; 3a; 3b; 4a; 4b; 5a; 5b; 6a; 6b; 7a; 7b; 8a; 8b
Fire and Trash/TP burn

TOILET AND BATHING
The river and side streams will be quite warm on the trip. You can bath directly in the river using biodegradable soap. We may also have a solar shower, which may be preferable as the soap goes into the dirt and decomposes there instead of in the river. Please wash and bath with a minimal amount of soap/shampoo and try not to leave foamy residues for others in the camp to find.

Toilet: Urinating should be done directly into the river or away from camp and out of sight of others. We generally will bring a toilet system to carry solid human waste out of the canyon. With this method, at each camp we will set up a groover box with a toilet seat and lid. Someone in charge of this will set up, take down, and clean up if need be. There will be a washing station by the toilet to wash and sterilize your hands after use. Please clean your hands before handling any food!

Alternate toilet method: On rivers with few or no visitors, we may use an alternate toilet method. A designated latrine will be excavated away from the camp. A paddle across the path will indicate the spot is occupied; an upright paddle indicates it is not. TP and a TP bag will be by the latrine. TP should be placed in the bag for later burning. A wash station will be nearby - always wash your hands afterward. The latrine will be covered with dirt in the morning before we take off on the river.

If you find a latrine disgusting, you may also find your own place to away from camp to somewhere above the high-water line, dig a hole 4-6” deep, and cover your feces. A kayak paddle can come in handy in this regard. Carry your TP back and put in the TP trash bag or burn it at the spot and bury the ashes with the feces.

SAFETY
The Usumacinta is a pretty safe river to travel nowadays, as confirmed by Rocky in his three recent successful trips. On each of these trips, he all residents spoken to along the river assured him that the area is secure now. Aiding in the safety is the fact that the Guatemalan military is now stationed by Piedras Negras. They routed all vagrant bandidos over a decade ago.

Altough our trip is not likely to have any problems with assault, we cannot guarantee against it. 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 participants and ourselves. You must acknowledge the possibility and agree not to hold us liable for consequent personal injury/damage/loss you sustain on this outing.

You might be concerned about the violence in Mexico surrounding the drug war that 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. 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.

Another 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 SPOT device for emergency communicaton and/or a satellite phone for emergencies and changes of plan.

WATER LEVELS AND WEATHER
The dates of this trip coincide with generally medium levels on the Usumacinta, which expose more of its wonderful beaches, leads to a clearer flow, and allows some nice surf waves to develop in the main canyon. Although this river can fluctuate, the average flow in late December in the past has been 1600 cms (55,000 cfs). In general late December is a semi-dry time of the year with some possibility of storms and mild temperatures. Expect highs of 24-31oC (76-88oF) and lows of 17-21oC (62-70oF).

WHAT TO PACK:
You will need to pack appropriately for spending 8 days out in the Mexican wilderness. Although it will generally be quite hot, it can get cool at nights and during thunderstorms. Come prepared for both. Your camp gear will be transported down the river in one large drybag. You should bring an additional small one for your kayak or (if a rafter) on the raft. We can provide these, but it is probably better to get your own and see how all your gear packs into it beforehand. The best size for your one large drybag is about 3800-4600 cu.in (such as Bill's 2.2 DryBag or the NRS Duffel). There are larger drybags out there (e.g., 3.8 cu.ft/6000+cu.in/100+L) but if you bring one this size, you should expect it not not be full – rather, it should be very easy to close and your additional small drybag should fit inside. Do not pack excessively. These sizes are large enough to fit a 2-person tent, Therm-a-rest chair, light sleeping bag, 2 changes clothes, dry shoes, toiletries, headlamp, reading material, with a little extra space. There are larger drybags out there (3.8 cu.ft/6000+cu.in/100+L) but if you bring one this size, you should expect it not not be full – rather, it should be very easy to close and your additional small drybag should fit inside. It is in your best interest not to overpack your drybag because it often causes lack of proper sealing and consequent leaking if dunked.

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, in camp, and hiking)
-PFD (if you don't have one, we will provide)
-Kayak gear (only if kayaking: helmet, skirt; we can provide)
-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 one individual or a couple)
-Sleeping bag (45oF bags are fine; 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 dry 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 (e.g. anti-fungal cream; epi if allergic to bees; immodium/Rolex if prone to diarrhea)
-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 but these are not as nice for tea/coffee)
-Reading material
-Bug repellent (bugs are generally not bad, but there are a few around))

KAYAKS, IKs, and RAFTS AVAILABLE FOR THIS TRIP

Availability may change; if you want a certain boat, reserve your place early:
Prijon Rockit [big comfy pillarless creekboat]
Necky Jive [playboat great for surf]
Jackson Mega Rocker [big comfy creekboat]
Liquid Logic Gus [medium-sized river-runner/creekboat]
Wavesport Diesel 65 [medium-sized river runner/creekboat]
Perception Corsica [older style river-runner but big and comfy]
possibly Dagger Freefall
possibly Perception Method Air
possibly Dagger Infrared
possibly Dagger Midevil

NRS Bandit II (Inflatable Kayak - 1 or 2 person)
NRS Bandit II (Inflatable Kayak - 1 or 2 person)
Tributary Tomcat (Inflatable Kayak - 1 or 2 person)

16' NRS cataraft - [can be rowed by competent oarsman with approval]
14' Sotar (with frame) - German Arroyo's
14-15' additional self-bailer [can be rowed by competent oarsman with approval]

If you are an oarsman/oarswoman, you might be at the helm most or all of the time, but depending on who is on the trip and would like to row, you may be restricted to rowing only half the time to share. For the time out of the helm, you should expect to be in an IK, kayak, or a passenger.

.A FEW COMMENTS FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS:

"Hi Rocky, Thanks again for a sensational and unforgettable trip. You did such an amazing job organizing. I especially am psyched to have met you and to have another kayak friend/guide to work with. You guiding me off the waterfall was a big highlight... Erik." [2011b Usumacinta trip]
Erik Weihenmayer, blind mountaineer/author and budding kayaker (see www.TouchTheTop.com )

"You led one of the best trips I've ever been on... and I've been on a lot. " [2011b Usumacinta trip]
Chris Wiegand, former olympic runner and C1 paddler, founder of Sportainability and guide for Erik Weihenmayer

"Thanks for everything man, it was a trip of a lifetime ... We´ll be in touch and I look forward to conquering new rivers in the future. Salud, Eric" [2011b Usumacinta trip]
Eric Bach, Modern Gypsy (see www.TheModernGypsies.com)

"Hey Rocky, Thanks for the great trip... Looking forward to another trip down the road. John" [2011b Usumacinta trip]
John Post, Modern Gypsy (see www.TheModernGypsies.com)

"Great synopsis of a fabulous trip. Expect to hear more from Team Weihenmayer in the future... Cheers, Rob. " [2011b Usumacinta trip]
Rob Raker, climber extraordinaire and guide for Erik Weihenmayer (also see here)

"Thanks again for the great tour and the late-night excitement, Greg" [2011a Usumacinta trip]
Greg Scwhendinger, kayak explorer of Chiapas and Central America (see www.MayanWhitewater.com)

"Thanks for everything, Rocky! What a blast that all was.  When's our next trip?!! -Suzy" [2011b Usumacinta trip]
Suzy Garren (Oakland, CA), former Grand Canyon trip participant.

"THE TRIP KICKED MAJOR ASS! mike" [2011 Mulatos-Aros trip]
Mike Doktor (Portland, OR), former raft guide for Ken Warren Expeditions