When Ben Stookesberry and Silvio Gurrieri first paddled the Tunuyan together, few had heard of or seen the deep chasms hidden in the Andes. For Stookesberry, it was a trip that defined expedition kayaking: a logistic-ridden, hiking intensive, off the beaten path adventure; an extremely challenging, multi-day river passage only possible in a whitewater kayak. 14-years later, little had changed, other than the imminent reality that hydropower will likely soon submerge the river’s raw, powerful beauty. Motivated by Nouria Newman and Robert Derias to experience the river at least once more, it was time to return to the Tunuyan.
A flood of memories fills my mind as we make our way down from the near 15,000 foot-Andean mountain pass, our boats balanced precariously on the backs of donkeys. Nouria Newman,…
You're reading a preview of
Kayak Session (Digital) - 1 Issue, Fall 2019