Río Sumpul, Over The Top, Top, & Upper, El Salvador (click here for the El Salvador table of rivers)

river photo

Class: IV, V, V ; Flow: 100-600 cfs; Average Gradient: 21 m/km; Portages: yes; Length: 4.5, 6, 20 km; Time: 2.5, 2.5, 8 hours

Season: June to October ; rafts? no; Highlights: rapids and gorges; Crux move: Poza de Silencio

Put-In: Valle de Jesus (1098 m) or below; Take-Out: Petapa (404 m) or above

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

The Río Sumpul along the mountainous Honduras border offers El Salvador's premier advanced creeking. The upper sections are the most challenging ones, both on the river and in getting to it.

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

Descent History: I ran the Over the Top in September 2018 (with Tom van Rijs and 150 cfs), the Top in September 2005 (150 cfs), and the Upper in down deep in the Upper Río Sumpul October 2003 (250-400 cfs).