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

river photo

Class: IV-, IV+; Flow: 500-1,500 cfs; Average Gradient: 8 m/km Upper, 13 m/km Lower; Portages: yes; Length: 17.5+10(+11)km; Time: 2+2.5(+1.5)hours

Season: June to October; rafts? upper?; Highlights: unique river features; Crux move: Piedras Gordas

Put-In: El Escaño (720 m) or road bridge (584 m); Take-Out: Sulaco (412 m)

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

The Río Siale is a thoroughly enjoyable run through lovely tropical scenery, if you can catch a good flow. The river is a bit schizophrenic in both sections, ranging from creeky and narrow to extra wide and shallow. The hardest part about the Upper is the drive in, and the hardest part about the Lower is the Piedras Gordas ("Fat Rocks") passage.

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

Descent History: I ran the Río Siale in September 2017, with 800 cfs at the PI.