Huge Experiences Blog

I could not have imagined all the benefits of an international parent trip when Wilderness Tours and Ottawa Kayak School owner Joe Kowalski first suggested the ideal. after a highly successful China Parent Trip it was an easy decision to offer a Chile parent week. Joe stated referring to his and wife Sue Kowalski’s China experience, “David seeing our kids pitch in daily, play the rivers, value their education, and explore China is.. well its just priceless.”Beth and Matt West:  It is easy to see where Matt gets his looks.Below is a list of articles composed by both our parents and myself regarding the parent adventure in Southern Chile’s region known as “Los Lagos.”Beth Ruhle, “One Parent’s Perspective”Horace Holden, “Parent Trip Review”Steve Ruhle, “Parent Trip to Chile”  Jackson Kayak Article on Parent Horace HoldenBy David HughesThe Chile Parent Trip was packed full of adventure with parents Beth and Steve Ruhle of New Jersey (David’s parents, note Steve was a former US National Slalom Team member), Beth West of South Carolina (Matt’s mother), Paul Johnson of California (Sean’s father), and former slalom C-2 Olympian Horace Holden of Georgia (Isaac’s father).  Febrero 2The trip began with a short drive from the Temuco airport direct to the northern reaches of Patagonia’s region known as Los Lagos.  Our first lake was Lago Panguipulli in the lake and volcano town of Choshuenco.  Parents had a private dinner with their children prior to bedding down in their lakeside cabana.Febrero 3Huife Huife Laguna and the Lower FuyThe second day included the students showing their parents around Choshuenco prior to leaving for the Huife Huife Saltos and Lagunas.  Paul Johnson stated, “Those are the most spectacular swimming holes I have experienced.”  Most visitors gaze at the gorgeous aqua velva colors of the multiple waterfalls.  Our group instead pointed out class V lines of the 70- 80-foot waterfalls and where they would video if they had a friend run the drops.  The Lagunas below Salto La Puma, a 70’ cascade, offered a series of swimming holes with boulders and cliffs to jump off.  The water is crystal clear and blue with a backdrop of La Puma.  At the bottom of one pool we enjoyed beating the heat by sliding down a 4’ waterfall into the pool below.  The Lagunas were a perfect way to beat the summer 90 degree heat and experience the surreal feeling of “something straight out of Fantasy Island.”Steve Ruhle (father of David) is not outdone by the students as he jumps from over 20′ into the laguna below cascada La Puma.After swimming Paul and Steve joined the students for a paddle down the Lower Fuy.  The Lower Fuy is a class III-IV mellow section highlighted with a view of snowcapped mountains, warm majestic water, a play wave, and a gorgeous kilometer paddle across the lake.Febero 4The parents third day commenced with coffee and a drive to the remote establishment of Enco.  It was a gorgeous and bumpy ride through Patagonia’s countryside. Beth and Beth enjoyed taking photos of a nearby ski slope and oxen.  This drive was particularly interesting to Beth West.  Beth’s husband Howard had visited New River Academy last year with parent Parken Hunter.  They had drove 4 hours from the southern port of Puerto Montt to the road on the other side of Enco.  This road is only a shortline on the map indicating less than 20 kilometers from Choshuenco.  Howard and Parken still tell stories of how close they were before an unfinished road forced them on a 4-hour drive around the lake.  Now, Beth can share with Howard what is on the other side of what could not be more than a 2 km unfinished stretch of road.After our drive we departed for the highly anticipated Upper Fuy.As I drove the parents to the put-in Paul stated, “I don’t think I am going to run the Upper today.”  I replied, “OK, if you don’t want to then that is fine.  But if you do choose then you can walk every drop.  If nothing else it is worth it to see something that only kayakers have the luxury of experiencing.  And if you don’t want to run the hard rapids then we have plenty of time to walk them.”  Later, that day Paul would state with a crocodile smile and a red sun baked face, “That was the most awesome river I have ever ran.”The Upper Fuy is one of the most prestigious waterfall runs in Chile.  Unlike most rivers it drains from a lake versus feeding the lake.  This uniquely creates warm clear water below the towering snow covered peaks.  There is a 2km section of continuing busy boogie water with a couple of quality play spots we found prior to arriving to Las Leonas.Las Leonas- a Series of Perfectly Clean WaterfallsLas Leonas is the beginning of remarkable waterfalls ranging from 6’ to 30’ in height.  It is rare to find such perfectly clean waterfalls, warm clear water, a lack of normal creek dangers, and quality of drops.  The students illustrated their techniques off of each drop.  Then it was Paul and Steve’s turn.  Paul Johnson and Steve Ruhle Run Las LeonasUnfortunately, I cut Paul Johnson’s (Sean’s father) head off, but you can see he had a great boof here on the Upper Rio Fuy.Paul and Steve both used a “tuck and huck” technique.  This method protects the paddler well and offers the highest percentage for a perfect line.  First Steve graced the 30’ waterfall with a picture perfect line.  Paul ran next and after an equally great line experienced several seconds of down time. Each paddler popped up to loud cheers from our students and teachers.  Immediately after the 30’ drop was a sequel 12’ drop, then an 8’ cascade, and lastly there was another 18’ salto.  Beth and Beth were stationed at the 30 footer-taking photos of their children leading the group.We finished the run in perfect form.  And as always the Upper Fuy offered that fabulous natural high and an exciting afternoon of stories.  After loading our gear Beth and Beth led the parents to La Magica Montana.Beth Ruhle and Beth West Lead Us to La Magica MontanaLa Magica Montana is an eco-hotel that words simply can not describe, I will do my best.  The hotel is naturally cooled with large walkways through a series of buildings.  The main hotel building is a wood structure that has a spiral walk-way to the top of its 8 to 10 stories.  The round structure has views out of each side.  The best view is of the towering snow-capped snowboard park.  Everywhere we looked some intricate part of the hotel had been handcrafted with detail and precision.  There were numerous walkways to ongoing construction projects.  One of the most notable complete projects was a restaurant within a volcano shaped structure.  Out of the top of the volcanic building flowed water utilized to naturally cool the restaurant.  Beth and Beth illustrated each detail they had noticed during their previous private tour with teacher Eleanor Perry.Febrero 5Rio San PedroThe previous night after our tour of La Magica Montana the parents and I would drive to Hosteria Rinihue based at the put-in of the Rio San Pedro.  En route we picked up 1996 C-2 Olympian Horace Holden in Panguipulli.  The lodging in Chile is something to note and Hosteria Rinihue exemplifies this.  Rinihue is a gorgeous property based at the point where Lago Rinihue drains into the Rio San Pedro.  The courtyard like the rooms and restaurant are well kept and relaxing.After breakfast and coffee the students would arrive in their 17 passenger Mercedes Sprinter and the school’s kayak trailer.  I had driven the night prior to rent a raft for Beth, Beth, and myself.  We had a lunch and a group meeting sitting on the courtyard while Paul and Steve ran shuttle.The Rio San Pedro begins with 2-3 kilometers of calm class I-II moving water.  Tyson Rowley’s shoulder was sore so he was paddling raft with the Beth’s and I.  The San Pedro like the Fuy is the lake’s drain.  Again, the water is of the clearest blue quality to be found.  We were all amazed to look 3, 8, and 15 feet below and see the rocks, cliffs, logs, and every structure.  The deep blue sections indicated parts that were possibly 50’ or more in depth.Eventually, our four-person Aire raft would arrive to rapids.  Horace was joining the students in a kayak for the first time.  There are two significant play waves the students enjoy.  At the second play wave our raft stopped for photos and I fell asleep on the rocks to wake to a nice sunburn.Beth Ruhle and Beth West Get Dumped into the DrinkPrior to leaving the play spot Beth, Beth, Tyson, and I decide to surf our raft.  I was unsure if we could catch or even surf the seemingly small wave.  The girls were stronger than expected and charged the raft into the hole.  After a couple of moments of straight surfing we turned sideways and both Beth’s went into the drink.  Beth West popped up quickly while Beth Ruhle stayed out of sight.I soon realized Beth Ruhle was under the raft.  I looked over to the bank and saw husband and son Steve and David and thought, “hmm, they don’t seem too concerned.”  Soon she popped up next to the raft and held on as we drifted downstream I tried to pull her in.  She said, “I am ok I can hang out.”  I responded, “No, get in the raft there is a rock coming up right behind you!”  Beth hopped in the raft and downstream we went.Our next series of rapids were the two biggest on the river.  The first rapid seemed smaller than the first and the girls were anxious to paddle.  I lined the raft in order to best take the blow of the third and largest 6-foot wave downstream.  As we drifted with a slight angle into what seemed like a small wave I was not concerned with I realized it’s power as I climbed and watched one by one Beth Ruhle sucked out the low side, Beth West thrown out of the high side, and Tyson and I climb the raft to be tossed further away from the raft as it flipped.Instructors Eleanor, Kyle Dinnel, and Andrew Hiss had set safety in their kayaks and were quickly towing the girls to the bank.  Meanwhile, I was climbing the raft and flipping it.  It was a long swim and unlike the more playful surf swim this rapid had worn us out.  The Beth’s would opt to walk the second and even bigger rapid while Tyson and I paddled the raft.  The day ended with a drive from the San Pedro to our new lodging at Hotel Metrenihue based on the Rio Trancura outside of Pucon.  Febrero 6Pucon:  Volcanos, Hotsprings, Lakes, Shopping and RiversOur long day on the San Pedro and the extra drive gave us a deep sleep in our new cabanas.  The Metrenihue is German owned and worth mention because of its location and the fact that I have been negotiating buying a school base with owners Peter and Ursula.The parent cabanas are strategically located at the takeout for the Upper Trancura and the put-in for the Lower Trancura.  Upstream there are slalom gates and adjoining the property is a play hole.Olympian Horace Holden Teaches Students Strokes DrillsEveryone enjoyed Horace Holden’s (father of Isaac) videos of each adventure.Horace had offered to instruct the students and help with any Chile logistics prior to the parent trip.  I was excited to have Horace join the group, but I had little ideal of his travel knowledge and Spanish expertise he would extend.  The parents, students, teachers, and I enjoyed Horace’s presence.  Horace spoke to the students regarding the value of posture and power potential, blade placement, rotation, and planting.  The lesson will be utilized for years to come.  After the instruction students and parents were excited to practice their forward strokes in the Rio Trancura Bridge Hole.  Horace hit a loop while his son Isaac would hang with the school’s big boys hitting loops and cartwheels.Febrero 7Hiking Volcan VilliarricaWe chose to immediately hike the volcano in the case later days of the trip might be overcast.  Horace, Paul, and Steve would wake at 6:00 am with students to drive to the base of Volcan Villiarrica that towers over nearby mountain ranges and speckled cities below.  Beth, Beth, and I would spend the day relaxing, emailing, and shopping in Pucon.  The group would return from the volcano gabbing with stories and exhausted from the 2,800 m hike.  Once again the group had reason to sleep well.Febrero 8Parents Evaluate Teachers, Address Students, and Run the Upper TrancuraI asked the parents if they would sit in on classes and complete an evaluation form of the teachers.  I was impressed by how eager they were to both observe the classes and offer their expertise that would ultimately benefit the school. We drove to our nearby Pucon school base on the Rio Liucura.  Casa Blanca is a giant old Chilean farmhouse based on the Liucura.  Each student has plenty of space, each teacher has a variety of tables and rooms to choose class locations, there are chickens, a large garden, dogs, cows, and horses.  The rooms stay cool during what is described as a dry hot southern Chile year.Each parent would sit in on two periods of classes and observe:  Eleanor Perry (AP Biology and Spanish IV), Kyle Dinnel (World Literature), Andrew Hiss (Student Leadership), Ian Buckley (Pre-calculus), and Tino Specht (Video Media).  Later, parents would meet with me to describe what they had observed, offer constructive feedback, and praise strong instructional qualities.  After lunch the parents met in a group circle with students.  They asked the students about their concerns with the school, listened to their views and goals, and led an important discussion offering attentive ears to a vocal student body.  The parents would express why they and other parents had chose New River Academy and the values they had to see within a program in order to first send their child.  The parent’s leadership of this discussion proved to be an asset to the group moral and further offered feedback to both teachers and students.Upper TrancuraThe Upper Trancura is the bread and butter rafting and kayaking run of the area.  There are two class IV+- V rapids we would walk.  This included a 14-foot cascade rapid known as Merimon.  We watched rafting customers walk Merimon while their guides solely drifted the rafts over a side sneak route.  There are several play spots on this 12 km run.  One highlight is a section of river with a class IV rapid with Volcan Villiarrica towering above the river.  This photogenic spot is seen throughout Chilean tourism publications.  We would paddle the parent’s cabana base property and takeout while the kids took turns playing in the bridge hole.Febrero 9Canopy Tour and Upper PalguinBeth Ruhle on the canopy tour five minutes near Pucon, ChileOur last day of trip began with a late morning canopy tour.  The canopy tour was a series of 11 cable line rides from tree top to tree top.  I was most impressed with how fast and smoothly the guides kept our group zip-lining from tree to tree.  We requested that the school finish an hour early in order that we had enough time for the Upper Palguin and a parent/teacher trip to what I explained as an hour and a half drive to “Las Termas Geometricas.”  I had built up Las Termas Geometricas as some of the best hot springs in the world as they were described to me by parents John Miller and Dede Christopher two years ago.After lunch we departed for the Upper Palguin.  The Upper Palguin like the Fuy is one of Chile’s most renowned and a world famous waterfall creek runs.  The Upper Palguin’s put-in makes my top 5 put-in list.  After hiking and handing boats down a steep bank we first notice a cascading 70’ waterfall upstream.  Then students took out their cameras to shoot each other walking across a land bridge.  Across the land bridge students seal launch 12’ into a clear and deep cold pool.  While, the air just ten minutes earlier might have been 93 degrees we are now seeing our breath in our new temperature zone.The Upper Palguin was full of wood, but locals previously assured me the dangers had been cleared.  Our first drop was an excellent practice line for those wanting to learn and run class V in the future.  I would rank this rapid class IV based on its continuous yet non consequential nature.  The water swiftly flows and banks from side to side through a series of three drops.  The second drop has a hole at the bottom with a slick high and dry ride to be had for the experts on a tight left line.  Whether you take surf in the hole or catch the butter line on the left you have an 8’ waterfall awaiting just 20’ downstream.  Again it is the high left line that offers the pros the high and dry boof.  We saw the full range of runs from pencil in, to surf the hole, to high and dry.Downstream there are three significant drops including a 20’ clean waterfall, a 12’ clean waterfall, and a unique 14’ crack in the rock drop.  Horace would shoot video of the group of each drop.  And Steve would use his past US National Slalom Team skills to glide him through each challenge of a waterfall.After an afternoon of waterfalls the parents took the school’s Mercedes Sprinter and the teachers to a treat of Las Termas de Geometricas.  Unfortunately, I had miscalculated needed time and the hot springs were closing upon their arrival.  Each parent and teacher expressed it was a remarkable drive and enjoyable bonding experience.  A great group of people had successfully alleviated what could have been stressful and made the trip productive.Febrero 10Leaving on a Jet Plane (Chile Time)Parents would sleep in after a previous day of meetings, paddling, and late night of driving.  During breakfast parents returned kayaks, said their goodbyes, and prepped for their flights.  Before we knew it everyone was on their planes and the trip in Chile was complete.  I drove back to Pucon with a proud feeling that was possibly best exuded as a remarkable bonding experience.Thank you parents for allowing me the opportunity to share with you a country I have grown to love.“And that has made all the difference.”David HughesThe New River Academy is now accepting applications for the 2008-09 school year.

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