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

river photo

Class: IV+; Ave. Gradient: 7 m/km; Portages: maybe wood, and El Salto?; Length: 9 km; Time: 2 hours

Season: June to October; rafts? no; Highlights: El Salto ; Crux move: El Salto

Water Quality: poor; Water Temperature: not noted

PI: Finca San Juan de Utapa (935 m); TO: La Fabrica dam (875 m)

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

The Río La Plata drains an especially verdant backside nook of the coastal mountains. It contains a short stretch of pretty rapids, and a big surprise named El Salto (“The Falls”).

A full description is in the Mayan Whitewater Guatemala guidebook.

Descent History: I got on this in June 2011.

Flow Notes: It is tough to catch a boatable flow on this creek. If the Río Aguacapa has enough water to boat, this one might too. The Guatemala City rain gauges may give a hint to the level.

Nearby Tourist Attractions: Guatemala City sights.