Río Guaimas, Honduras (click here for the Honduras table of rivers)

river photo

Class: IV ; Flow: 300-1,200 cfs; Average Gradient: 10 m/km; Portages: ~2; Length: 21 km; Time: 4 hours

Season: June to February; rafts? portages; Highlights: nice gorges and whitewater; Crux move: the gorges

Put-In: Agua Blanca (255 m); Take-Out: Puente Guaymon (50 m)

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

The Río Guaimas is a fabulous creek flowing out of the western end of the Cordillero de Dios (north coast range) that is, unfortunately, pretty hard to catch. I do not remember many details but it has a lot of good rapids, and two nice bedrock gorges. I portaged once in each gorge. It has fine mountain scenery, though there is more and more cultivation these days. The Hibbard guidebook notes that the rock is predominantly igneous and metamorphic.

A full description is in the Mayan Whitewater El Salvador, Honduras, & Nicaragua guidebook.

Descent History: Likely first run by the Ríos Honduras crew in the 90s.