By Jack Neese

Photo credit: Kristen Neese.

Almost 25 years ago, on December 25, 1999, my parents Michael and Kristen Neese, along with their two best friends, Liz and David Boutry, embarked on a journey to Patagonia, Chile. They would proceed to spend over a week thriving in the heart of Chile, taking in the wonders that surrounded them. With no connection to the outside world, and with very few belongings, they ventured into the Chilean jungle with 13 others, who, over the next week, would be the only faces they saw and voices they heard. Being adventurous couples, both Liz and Dave and Mike and Kristen had been on many different hiking excursions, as well as different rafting and skiing trips, but nothing compared to this trip.

After Dave visited a convention in New York City with a variety of adventure travel programs, he was drawn to the “gorgeous crystal water,” and the “all around beauty” the Futaleufu River in the Andes Mountains had to offer. He soon proposed the idea to Liz, Kristen and Mike, who were all amazed with the dreamy destination and quickly came to a consensus. Living and working in New York City at the time, they were all used to cold and bleak winters. One of the main reasons they chose to go to Chile at this certain time was to “escape the harsh cold and enjoy warmer weather in the Southern Hemisphere,” stated Kristen.

On Christmas Day, the four left LaGuardia Airport for their journey to Santiago, Chile, where they took a separate flight into the smaller city of Puerto Montt. After only one day in Puerto Montt, they took a smaller prop plane into Patagonia, where their adventure began. A small bus greeted them at the runway, and their four hour journey on all-dirt roads soon took place. Although the three different flights and long drives were tedious, the “destination was well worth it” Mike stated.

Directly on the Futaleufu River, a team from Earth River Expeditions greeted the entire group and went over safety procedures, proper rafting etiquette, and how to stay alive in the rushing Class V rapids. For the next five days, the group rafted several rapids of a variety of classes, inducing one of the most challenging rapids in the world, Inferno Canyon. 

Photo credit: Jack Neese.

Concluding the trip, Mike, Kristen, Dave, and Liz vowed that they would some day take both of their families back and conquer the Futa once more. In December 2023, they upheld their pact and took myself and my siblings, as well as my four god-siblings, to Patagonia.

After 25 years, my parents, along with Liz and Dave, noticed some particular differences when comparing their two experiences on the Futaleufu. One prominent difference was the lodging and accommodations. On their first expedition, Kirsten explained that they tended to “sleep on the riverbanks or in caves right near the river in sleeping bags and tents.” As for food, they could only bring as much as they could carry in their packs, making searching for food a very important part of the day. This is no longer the case. This time, we were accommodated in beautiful lodges not too far off of the river, and we experienced exquisite local cuisine. Mike also loved how all of the Earth River employees were welcoming, and “everyone just made you feel like you were at home.” 

When comparing the other activities that were offered in the first expedition, Dave said that “other than rafting, it wasn’t much more than just eating and sleeping,” while the second trip was filled “with a variety of adventurous activities, from kayaking and hiking to mountain biking.” These activities were a “great secondary component to the rafting, as you could also see more scenery outside of the river,” Liz noted.

For myself, I have to agree with what Liz and Dave and my parents have said with regards to the overall experience the trip provided. I enjoyed the variety of activities that were offered and the amazing meals that were provided every day. The most amazing part of the entire trip was rafting down the Futa, being thrown around the boat while descending through the class V rapids. My brother Hudson (‘23) described the water as a “gem color” with the “clearness of a blue sky.” In addition, the surrounding green from the abundance of trees created a perfect contrast to the water, making a dreamy portrait. My sister Sarah Beth (‘23) was also shocked with how fresh and clean the water was: “I could practically drink it. I think I actually did.” 

Photo credit: Hudson Neese.

After Patagonia, our families traveled to Santiago, where we spent a few days touring the city, and “partaking in local activities such as visiting old historic local vineyards around the city,” Liz noted. There, we learned older techniques of how wine grapes were nurtured and processed. Mike said that “this was one of the best parts of the trip, secondary to the rafting.” Hudson also commented on “how modernized the city was,” speaking of the “variety of public spaces” and “cleanliness.” One down side of visiting a primarily Spanish-speaking country was not being able to fully comprehend and understand locals. Although this came with its difficulties, Hudson’s background in Spanish helped significantly, as he could decrypt parts of sentences and obtain the necessary information. 

Overall, the trip throughout Chile was beyond any destination I or my family have ever been to. With the abundance of activities and truly spectacular sites, Patagonia is for all who want a great adventure and want to travel and see the wonders around the world.