Cambios

==Season 2023/24==

Rio Ibáñez was a moderately fast flowing and enjoyable ride. A welcomed change of scenery, we paddled down reddish-brown canyons with the glacier view of Cerro Castillo behind us. It was a remote and beautiful little stretch.

Shortly before Puerto Ingenerio Ibáñez, winds got too strong and we were not able to paddle the last U-turn as it pushed us against the riverbanks. We got out at -46.28599, -71.96618, deflated, crossed the airstrip and made our way to town.

I think this section deserves definitely more emphasis! The landscape changes dramatically here after Section 32. The green forests are gone and give rise to an impressive red-brown canyon landscape with little oasis in between. On a good day the views back to cerro Castillo are just magnificent. Also the river speed was swift and you can easily make it in one day to Puerto Ibanez. The sandbanks can be avoided if you stick to the slightly more turquoise waters. I did not deflated the packraft at the portage and just carried it on my back. Keep care of the thorny Calafate bushes when you ascend the sandy dune at the beginning of the portage. The sand can be somehow wearisome here.

==Season 2022/23==

==Season 2017/18==

Walk out of Villa Cerro Castillo along a dirt road to the put-in for Río Ibañez located at a rocky beach. At the time of our hike, there was construction going on in this area so don’t be surprised if the put-in changes. The river is wide, slow moving, and at lower flows there are many sandbars hidden just below the surface that will beach even packrafts. After about 20.5 km, packrafters must take out to portage around a Class V+ waterfall at a sandy beach surrounded by steep gravel slopes. The portage is a short cross-country route through farmland which ends at a gate. Just past the gate is Highway X-735. The put-in for the second part of the Río Ibañez float is at a sandy beach. This section of the river to Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez is also very slow moving. Strong winds may make packrafting impractical.

Town: Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez is a small town with a few food options and a small grocery store. The docks for the ferry to Chile Chico across Lago General Carrera is located on the southeast edge of town.

=Resupply and Accommodation=