Río Asuchillo, Guatemala (area: Pacific Escuintla; click here for the Guatemala table of rivers)

river photo

Class: II; Ave. Gradient: 3 m/km; Portages: none; Length: 8 km; Time: 1:15 hours

Season: June to October; rafts? no; Highlights: great beginner run ; Crux move: keep calm and paddle

Water Quality: average; Water Temperature: medium

PI: Puente Las Iguanas (66 m); TO: CA-2 bridge (41 m)

Description: (click here for general notes about my descriptions)

The Río Asuchillo is the perfect beginner run. It contains a fair number of class II rapids that increase in difficulty as you go along. The riverbed never gets too constricted and the side brush is kept to a minimum. I can’t guarantee that a downed tree won’t ruin your tranquilo mood though.

Descent History: I first ran this in July 2011, with 450 cfs at the TO.

Flow Notes: The Río Asuchillo always has some water, but recent rains are needed for a nice boatable flow.

Nearby Tourist Attractions: Autosafari Chapín.