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

river photo

Class: IV; Flow: 100-200 cfs; Average Gradient: 18 m/km; Portages: perhaps; Length: 1.3-2.5 km; Time: 1 hour

Season: June to October; rafts? no; Highlights: pretty creeky drops; Crux move: spotting the launch

Put-In: Río Lindo (115 m); Take-Out: Colonia La Química (70 m)

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

The Río Lindo is a beautiful steep creek that is famous for its Pulhapanzak waterfall, but now, the Río Blanco hydroelectric project mostly de-waters it. The 90-foot Pulhapanzak waterfall was left untouched, but all the (smaller) waterfalls below it and above the powerhouse, where the water re-enters and the Lower section starts, are usually dry. What is left for kayakers downstream is a very short but sweet section of class IV that you can lap. 134 Western Honduras

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

Descent History: Udo Witteman of Omega Tours first explored the Río Lindo in December 1992 with partners Andi Krause, Meike Haberer and Victor Klaus. Arriving before the Río Blanco dam was built, they were able to run all the big waterfalls below Pulhapanzak-- apparently quite a challenge. As far as I know, no one has repeated the feat.