Chile Intinerary March 20th to April 7th

CRMS Spring Break: March 20^th – April 7^th  2013

Chile (March 20 – April 7)

Over Spring Break, CRMS students will travel from Denver to Chile for a two and a half week kayaking and cultural exchange.  Upon arrival, students will explore Santiago, meet with local NGOs and Chilean energy experts, and investigate renewable energy projects in the city.  From Santiago, the students will travel to Cochrane where they will be greeted by host families and embark on a short kayak day trip on the Río Cochrane.  Along with a group Chilean student kayakers, CRMS students will depart on multiday Baker River trip from Chochrane to the Pacific Ocean.  Along the way, they will meet with local ranchers and visit the proposed dam sites. 

Wednesday March 20^th - Travel from CRMS to DIA. Flight at 4:30pm to Dallas or Atlanta connect to overnight flight to Santiago.

Thursday March 21^st - Arrive in Santiago, travel to center to stay in a hostel.

Friday March 22^nd  Meet with Juan Pablo Orrego, president of Chilean NGO EcoSistemas, and international coordinator for the Council for the Defense of Patagonia. Explore Santiago. 

Saturday March 23^rd Visit energy experts Roberto Román and Stephen Hall and their students at the Centro de Formacion Tecnica del MedioAmbiente in Santiago.

Possible activities to be done Román and Hall:

a) A visit to the energy lab in our Faculty.

b) A visit to IDMA (www.idma.cl) where they'll see a technical school in renewables with some off grid PV. In Santiago.

c) A visit to our installations here in El Cajón del Maipo where we can show them some fine stuff in solar water heating, solar drying, cooking and concentrators.

d) A visit to Combarbalá where they can see social housing with solar water heating and a grid tied PV system.

Sunday March 24^th Fly from Santiago to Balmaceda, travel by bus to Cochrane, welcome by host families in Cochrane. (Host families orginized by Roberto Haro Contreas & Claudia Altamirano

Monday March 25^th Asado and welcome in Cochrane, short kayak day trip on the Río Cochrane.

Tuesday March 26^th  Trip preparations for multiday Baker River Trip

Wednesday March 27^th Put in on the Río Baker, stay with the Monsilla family.

Thursday March 28^th Short river day, portage El Saltón, stay with the Muñoz family.

Friday March 29^th Rest day, explore Ventisquero valley.

Saturday March 30^th Travel to Río Vargas, stay with the Sandoval family at the confluence of the Río Vargas.

Sunday March 31^st  Morning arrival in Caleta Tortel on the Pacific Ocean, explore Caleta Tortel, stay with host families in Tortel.

Monday April 1^st  Travel to launch site to travel by ferry and motor boat to Hernán Guelet’s estancia at the mouth of the Río Pascua.

(Hernán Guelet's property is key place where HidroAysén would stage construction of dams on the Pascua. Hernán has refused to sell his property to HA. His geographical disconnection from the rest of the world makes his lifestyle similar to a frontiers man living in the 1800s.

Tuesday April 2^nd  Spend time with Hernán Guelet and explore and hike around the delta of the Río Pascua.

Wednesday April 3^rd  Return to boat ramp and drive to Cochrane.

Thursday April 4^th  Celebration and good byes in Cochrane.

Friday April 5^th - Travel to Coyhaique, stay night in Coyhaique.

Saturday April 6^th - Fly in morning from Balmaceda to Santiago, 9:55pm flight from Santiago.

Sunday April 7^th - Arrive DIA in AM, meet CRMS spring break bus headed to Carbondale.