Mountain Buzz banner

Best time to go to Chile ?

Tags
chile
5K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  Ture 
#1 ·
Thinking about the Futaleufu this winter.

Looks like the Season is from December to April.

In general, what is the best month to go to Chile?

Is the run-off Snowmelt, or rain? I am assuming snowmelt.
 
#4 ·
Fu season

If you are heading all the way down to the Fu you may want to wait until mid February. The levels can be too high if you go earlier. I was there the third week in Feb. and had good a level with great weather.

The Fu is still BIG water no matter when you go!

Ken
 
#5 ·
I gave Chile Expediciones a ring. They had spots available the week I wanted to go. It sounded as if the FU was really big in January, and February. March should be statistically my best bet.

Anyone who has been want to chime in on things to do and not do feel free. It looks like there are three rivers to tackle. Chile Expediciones looks like a pretty tight outfit, so there shouldn’t be to many logistical worries..

Thanks for your comments...
:lol:
 
#6 ·
I've been there in both early and late Feb on two separate years
It was huge in early feb of 2001,'mearly Big water' (8,000 to 12,000 cfs)
in late Feb. The Azul is a fun run that feeds into the Fu right at Spe's campground. There are a couple of runs right across the Argentina
border also
 
#7 ·
Futa

I lived down there near the Futa on the Rio Azul. From November to Early March. December can be rainy and difficult camping. Jan is very nice as a whole but if you are not ready for big class V than I would suggest early to mid February as the weather gets a whole lot better, i.e. warmer and not nearly as rainy with temps in the low 90's not unheard of. We had a heat wave at the end of Feb. where the temps were over 100 degrees for a week so we booked it over to Bariloche and did an awesome trip on the Manso for 5 day self support. Futa is great big water, although not as much play as you might think. The magic carpet should be in by early Feb. and usually stays around until it starts raining again in March. May I suggest instead of using expediciones Chile that you call on the services of Aren and Sara Rane who happen to have the best access to a play wave, only a mile from the put-in for the Terminator stretch and Aren is the best kayak guide on the Futa. He's got a great camp way sunnier than Spe's camp a real house to cook in and hot showers on demand and a homemade stone hot tub that absoulutely rocks!

If you are interested in the Futa these are the locals to call upon. Aren and Sarah have been down there for 7 seasons and know the area and if the Futa is too big they will find another river to paddle like the Michamuida or the Azul which is in their front yard.
projectfuta2@hotmail.com
Cheers Matey!
Wish you the best
If you have more questions just reply
 
#9 ·
Futa =Huge now

Hey I´m in Futa now and it hasn´t stopped raining in 5 days and may not for twenty more which means the Futaleufu is huge. So big most people are staying away and just running the Azul and Espolon. Mid February seems like a good time to ensure big water with less risk of getting blown off, assuming of course it does stop raining. So watch the weather here and see what happens. I too reccomend the Aran and Sara hook up because of access and the fact that they´re super cool. Aside form that everyone should come because it´s so sexxy down here.
 
#10 ·
If you have time for the beach I would check out Pichilemu in the south. Punta Lobos, about 10K south of town is a perfect left point break that, when big, has tough currents that keep it empty of board surfers when the tide is coming in. It would be a dream to have it to yourself in a kayak. In town there is a left point break that will be crowded with surfers when it is small but when it is big it breaks for about a mile so there is no such thing as a crowd then.

Nov-Feb it is good small-medium summertime surf. In their winter, Pichilemu does't have that many surfable days...mostly enormous out of control antarctic storm surf. I board surf when I'm there, but I have seen playboaters out in town and they were getting awesome rides. If it is small and everthing is crowded, check out the short left point break at the beach immediately south of the main point in town. It has a thumping take-off and lots of rocks so not many surfers are on it. You could probably have it to yourself.

If you go there, the Hotel Chile Espana is the only place you want to stay: phone 72-841270. You will probably have to speak Spanish to make a phone reservation. A reservation isn't necessary...but I always make one when I go because the rest of the places in town are cold, musty dumps. I forget how much it costs, but it wasn't much. It is usually about 1/2 full of travelling surfers and the rest civilians and it is a fun place.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top