WhenBenStookesberryandSilvioGurrierifirstpaddledtheTunuyantogether,fewhadheardof orseenthedeepchasmshiddenin the
Andes.ForStookesberry,it wasa tripthatdefinedexpeditionkayaking:a logistic-ridden,hikingintensive,offthebeatenpathadventure;
anextremelychallenging,multi-dayriverpassageonlypossibleina whitewaterkayak.14-yearslater,littlehadchanged,otherthan
theimminentrealitythathydropowerwilllikelysoonsubmergetheriver’sraw,powerfulbeauty. Motivated by Nouria Newman and
RobertDeriastoexperiencetheriveratleast once more, it was time to return to the Tunuyan.
Words and photography: Ben Stookesberry
NouriaNewmandescends
"UpperBridgeRapid"onthe
afternoonofday8,shortly
aftersheandBensplitfrom
the rest of the team.