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

river photo

Class: IV+; Flow: 250-600 cfs; Average Gradient: 13 m/km; Portages: yes, and a long one; Length: 14 km; Time: 5 hours

Season: June to October; rafts? no; Highlights: gnarly-looking gorge; Crux move: portaging it

Put-In: Rancho Grande (500 m); Take-Out: highway bridge (320 m)

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

The Río Rancho Grande is a test of mettle near the new Canal Seco highway. In a region filled with crazy river features, this river showcases spectacular pink granite slot canyons, including an especially long and gnarly one. Unfortunately, this gnarly one is not very runnable and demands a strenuous portage.

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

Descent History: I ran this solo in October 2008, with 500 cfs at the PI.