T r a n c u r a

 Character

The Trancura is on of the rivers you can't get enough: blue water, powerful, open rapids, massive waves and a lot of play spots. The difficulties range from sporty to moderate.  

   On the Trancura you will find mainly smiling faces ! 

How to get there

From Santiago over Temuco to Pucon. Who wants to run Truful Truful and Alumine on the way down from Santiago may also come from the Argentinean side.
During summer there are also direct flights from Santiago to Pucon, if you are in a hurry and don't want to run the rivers further north.   

Put-In  / Take-Out

The Trancura is normally divided in two sections, the "Upper Trancura" and "Lower Trancura" but normally you make the run as a hole.

Upper Trancura:  Drive the 119in direction to Argentinean, approx. 10.5 km from the airport in Pucon (GPS 39°19'54.23"S,  71°49'13.55"W). There is a small parking ground beside the river.
Lower Trancura: Go in direction to Caburga, to the bridge which crosses the (approx 6.5 km from the airport in Pucon, GPS 39°16'47.30"S,  71°51'43.79"W). Possible output for the Upper Section.

Put-out: At the bridge in Pucon. At the end of the city, just before the airport, turn left into a gravelled road which leads to the bridge.

Distance

approx. 14 km  - Upper Trancura: approx. 8 km, lower Trancura ca. 6 km. 

Gauge              
LW  /  MW  /  HW

  
As auxiliary gauge you may use the big stone above the bridge at the put-out. If the water is passing over the stone, it is higher water, if it is slightly submerged it is middle water.

Difficulty

Upper Trancura:   WW III-IV (IV, IV-, VI, IV+)
Lower Trancura:   WW III, (IV-, III+)

Info related to MW, whereas the difficulties only vary in the key rapids. Beside the rapid behind the Saltos Mariman (portage) the river is very "fair". All difficult sections may be portaged.

  After approx. 2 km of flat water, a drop spans over the entire river (in the background of above picture). This is
  run usually in the middle, chicken line at the right side. After this rapid, the fun is begins !  

  Big waves, sometimes a big hole behind...

 This fotogenious rapid looks more difficult then it is. On the left, it is easy to run. 

   The Saltos Mariman have been run at low flows, mortals better portage them. If you are firm, you may run the
    entrance drop, but if you fail, it pushes you right into the falls. Portage on the left is much easier ;-)  

   The following 200 m after the Saltos are powerful WW, usually run on the very left of the river margin...

   ... or portage on a quiet good trail beside the river. From the eddy at the end of the rapid, the main current looks
   quiet impressive. From here joyful WW is following until the bridge, where the lower section begins. 

   The first major rapid of the lower section is the "Pescador". At high flows, the waves at the entrance may
   back flip you if you go too much left ! In this case, you must roll fast, or take a deep breath...  

  ... to pass (or dive through ;-) the famous hole at the end of the rapid.
  After another kilometre you reach the next highlight, the confluence with the Liucura: Some 200 m through up
  to 3 m high waves :-)            

  One more sporty section follows before the fun ends...