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| Rio Pescados Barranca Grande Rio Antigua Puente Nacional Rio Actopan Filo-Bobos Alto Filo Rio Misantla Rio Costa de Oro Atoyac Jamapa Tomata Whitewater Test |
VERACRUZ RIVERS
Veracruz is on the central east coast. The rivers drain the steep mountains rising up to the flanks of 18,000 foot Pico Orizaba. Covered with snow year round, it's a wild sight from the jungles of Veracruz to look at these towering snow-covered peaks. The rivers are the usual tropical storm drains: wide valley floors with shoal-like rapids at every twist and turn. The best season is durning August, September, October and November, when the water is high. The Antigua has five runs. All in the class IV or less range. Nearby, the Actopan is a beautiful class III stream. It is spring fed and remarkably clean! Gads of Mexican outfitters cater to the growing middle class of Mexico City, only five hours away. The shuttles are easy on paved roads for the most part. The food in Veracruz is some of the best in Mexico. The people are friendly and relatively well-off. Jalcomulco is an awesome little town for basing out of . It has a couple of little riverside resturants and cantinas. Some of them are quite good. The land grab by Mexican outfitters has sealed up most of the camping. Downstream local legend has it that the village of Apazapan is inhabited by Brujas -- witches. Other runs include the Misantla and the Tomate. More on these as time permits. Top
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RIO
PESCADOS The rapids start right at the put-in and continue all the way to the take-out. The stand outs are La Cueva, La Pared, La Bruja and La casa de biologio. The floods that came with hurricane paula changed some of the rapids at the lower end of the run. The rapids are exactly as they appear -- few hold hidden suprises. Most of the rapids are formed by shoals spilling steeply against cliffs. The toughest moves consist of cutting a diagonal line across the shoals before the current slams into the wall. The risk of being caught in one of the many rooms-of-doom keeps intermediate paddlers and raft guides on their toes.
BARRANCA GRANDE
DESCRIPTION: In the Antigua Valley, the Barranca Grande has the Name and the reputation.
The Barranca has a long and complex shuttle. It is extremely remote. The day is
long, especially if the water is low. It's worth it for the scernery. A deserted
jungle lines the banks for just about the whole run. Giant shoe-string waterfalls
spill down the canyon walls. Many of them tumbling right into the rapids.
The river starts as a sluce box of speed and undefined current cutting through a narrow tree lined channel -- the perfect set up for a blind strainer. I'm always glad I'm not a rafter in locations like this. There are a couple good rapids midway. The best rapids are near the runs end. The four IVIs. there is an alternate put-in Upstream from Puente Pescados that cuts out all the upper miles and adds a couple miles and the IVs to the Pescados run.
LA ANTIGUA
DESCRIPTION: The Antigua is a great day run full of rapids and great scenery.
The surfing is great at most levels. the run starts slow with a half-dozen small
rock gardens leading down to Apazapan. Apazapan should be considered a alternative
put-in to give more time for playing in the better rapids downstream.
The rapids are, in mixed order: La Bruja Blanca, Los Dados, La Licuadora and a dozen others without names. There are several good play spots along the river. An auto ender spot near a tufa outcropping on the left, where another channel rejoins the river from the right is worth a stop. A giant boulder right in the middle of the current, with an equally giant cushion wave makes a great surfing wave for the brave.
In spite of the single lane dirt road following the river (I didn't know it was there for nine years) and the small villages along the banks, the Antigua has the feeling of a wilderness run. Birds cover the banks. Iguanas bask on the rocks. The jungle is thick and lush along the river banks. Best of all is the warm springs pool near the take-out. There is a fee. It's worth it. Otherwise continue down to the ford and take out there. From Jalcomulco the shuttle road heads east along the river banks. Be sure to climb out of the canyon at Apazapan to avoid the old slow road on the river bank. The road rejoins the main road from Carizal to Banos Carizal just a little south of Carizal.
PUENTE NACIONAL
DESCRIPTION: Puente Nacional. is an easy run starting just downstream from Banos
Carizal and continueing all the way to the Puente Nacional. The rapids are gentle
for most of the run. Most are long rock gardens with wide open lines. There is
one tight class III that presents a challenge to novice kayakers and rafters.
It's a long day to make the entire run. Many people choose to make this an overnight. Another option is to take out at Riconada (or Rincon Grande) to make a short day run out of it or cut it in two. Midway down the run, pearched high on the left bank is an unusual round pyramid. Left over from the Toltenaca era, it currently has a palm palapa attatched to it's east side to provide shade for the cattle sharing the potrero. It's worth the hike up the bank for a visit.
ACTOPAN
DESCRIPTION: The Actopan is a whitewater tour through paradise. This is a splashy
class II-III ride through miles of mango orchards and choyote fields. The run
starts with a bang. A nice 15 foot waterfall into a champagne blue pool of warm
springwater. The toughest rapids are just around the bend. At most flows they
are easy class IIIs. That may be stretching it a bit. A couple hundred yards downstream
a giant falls spills into the river from the right bank. I've heard tales of super-highwater
boaters not being able to make it past the falls, because they fill the small
canyon from bank to bank! Another mile or so downstream brings you to el Tsetal,
a small river side hang out for Mexican families. You can sit and drink beer between
surf sessions in the small hole in front of the resturant. This can also be used
as an alternate put-in for novices looking to avoid the tougher rapids upstream.
The hole is gone. 11/99. Check the park and play hole near La Esperanza.
Be sure to plan your day to take advantage of the excellent resturant, La Carpa, at the take out.
FILO - BOBOS
DESCRIPTION: Filo bobos. The Filo-Bobos is a small river unless it's been raining
hard. It has some nice rapids and good surfing. The water cools considerably where
a tributary (Tomate?) joins it from the west about three-quarters of the way down
the run.
The ruins on the east side of the river a couple miles down from the put-in are extensive. They had just been "discovered" on my first trip down the FB (around '90). Plans are to excavate them and make them a tourist center.
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© 2001