Río Guince, Upper & Lower, Honduras (click here for the Honduras table of rivers)

river photo

Class: V; Flow: 200-500 cfs; Average Gradient: 20 m/km; Portages: yes, more in the Upper; Length: 11 + 11 km; Time: 5.5 + 3.5 hrs

Season: June to October; rafts? no; Highlights: continuous creeky rapids; Crux move: being stout like the bridge

Put-In: San Antonio de Malera (643 m) or Molo (402 m); Take-Out: Molo or San Francisco de Ojuera bridge (248 m)

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

The Río Guince is a tight, technical, and continuous creek that expert paddlers will love, all set among lush tropical foliage. Both the Upper and Lower have challenging canyons and drops, but the Upper is a longer mission due to more portaging. The mid-way bridge is a work of art made by Salvadorean engineers. It has recently been widened, but its base-- stones set together without cement--has survived some big hurricane floods.

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

Descent History: I ran the Lower in August 2006, with 450 cfs at the PI. I ran the Upper, with Jorge Salaverri, in October 2021, with 70 cfs at the PI and 450 cfs at the TO.