@Allen Stanion has been on as recently as a week ago. Maybe he can update us.
Darien Gap Jungle Expedition (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Allen Stanion
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Guess no updates. Too bad. Kinda looks like he may have sold his Land Cruiser. Bad sign?
Why do you say he may have sold it? Did you see it in a for sale thread?
Cruiserdrew
On the way there
Predictable though. Take pictures of truck on East Coast trails. Get starz in eyes. Then plan to cross the Darien Gap where mortals fear to tread. He bit off WAY more than he could chew. Sorry to see the idea come to an end, but really, this was never a real thing. It's Frodo going to Mordor. It's John Snow going beyond the White Wall.
I'm thinking this is doable, but only with huge financing. Like government, road building, financing. Otherwise, it's another generation from reality. Eventually, with enough people, money, desire, someone will build a permanent road through the jungle. But until you have a billion dollars for this, it's not happening.
I'm thinking this is doable, but only with huge financing. Like government, road building, financing. Otherwise, it's another generation from reality. Eventually, with enough people, money, desire, someone will build a permanent road through the jungle. But until you have a billion dollars for this, it's not happening.
A quarter-million would get a team of Land Cruisers across. $50k would get a motorcycle through with a guide service, likely much less. People walk it daily...
I was wrong. I was searching for more info on the trip, and saw his ad for what I thought was his BJ74 marked "sold", when in fact it was for the winch only. My mistake. That said, I worry the trip has fizzled, but really hope not. Having been down there, I was pretty excited about it!
For Sale - BJ 70 Series Stock Toyota Electric Winch
I would have loved to see this expedition happen, and hope that it still may happen. However, there are numerous reasons why there is no road and probably won't every be a road in our lifetimes connecting Panama with Colombia. Panama use to be a province of Colombia and a road would make a re-take by Colombian much easier (a real fear in Panama). Panama has serious immigration issues from Colombian and Venezuela and a road would make those issues worse. Third there has always been worries of disease/vectors traveling from North to South and South to North America through the isthmus (tsetse fly, foot mouth, mad cow). To this day, the USA still funds the aerial dropping of sterilized flies across the Darien Gap. That would be my take away on why we will never see a paved or gravel road through the Gap after living in the country for 8 years.
Here is an old article discussing some of the issues:
De Yaviza a Palo de las Letras - La Prensa
Here is an old article discussing some of the issues:
De Yaviza a Palo de las Letras - La Prensa
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Jumping in on this thread as I had the thought of Darien a few weeks ago and spent some time looking at aerials and google earth for fun.
Quick question, It seems staying along the north/ east side of the landmass is passable. I see dirt roads running through the area although I assume just driving could be a challenge given it is likely "claimed" property.
Why is the discussion always going right through the gut of this place? Why not look at a route along the shoreline? There are a few towns along the way that are even described as resorts and have AirBnB listings.
I would also wonder if it would be safer to stick to the coastline for emergency pickup?
I am attaching my google pins for discussion. The last pin in the south is accesible. The north is where I got tired and there is a 2 or 3 mile gap where I could not find a way through due to low resolution aerials. I am new to even reading about this so maybe where I stopped is the hard part?
What about trying to do it with speed? Most of the roads I found were dirt roads through fields- go fast and possible safer?
If I were serious about joining the expedition one of the first things I would do is get a plane and fly over the path to eyeball it firsthand.
Any thoughts?
Quick question, It seems staying along the north/ east side of the landmass is passable. I see dirt roads running through the area although I assume just driving could be a challenge given it is likely "claimed" property.
Why is the discussion always going right through the gut of this place? Why not look at a route along the shoreline? There are a few towns along the way that are even described as resorts and have AirBnB listings.
I would also wonder if it would be safer to stick to the coastline for emergency pickup?
I am attaching my google pins for discussion. The last pin in the south is accesible. The north is where I got tired and there is a 2 or 3 mile gap where I could not find a way through due to low resolution aerials. I am new to even reading about this so maybe where I stopped is the hard part?
What about trying to do it with speed? Most of the roads I found were dirt roads through fields- go fast and possible safer?
If I were serious about joining the expedition one of the first things I would do is get a plane and fly over the path to eyeball it firsthand.
Any thoughts?
Rex, I guess most people like to go through the gut of the Darien because that's where the Inter-American Highway ends...but that is just a guess.
I have driven the route to the end of the highway and would never think of trying it beyond Yaviza. I have driven up to Palenque as well, along the Caribbean Coast and the road just sort of ends around Palenque. I have also driven across the center of Guna Yala land when it was a gravel road (it is now paved) and ended up in Porvenir via boat. There are zero roads going east to Colombia from there. There was talk a few years back when Martin was president about building Wind Turbine Farms along the Atlantic Coast and building a road to Turbo or Apartado, Colombia as you hinted at. Definitely more doable IMHO if a road was going to be built. I've flown at low level over Darien numerous times and the swamp on the Colombia side of the border makes the Everglades in FL look small in comparison.
I have driven the route to the end of the highway and would never think of trying it beyond Yaviza. I have driven up to Palenque as well, along the Caribbean Coast and the road just sort of ends around Palenque. I have also driven across the center of Guna Yala land when it was a gravel road (it is now paved) and ended up in Porvenir via boat. There are zero roads going east to Colombia from there. There was talk a few years back when Martin was president about building Wind Turbine Farms along the Atlantic Coast and building a road to Turbo or Apartado, Colombia as you hinted at. Definitely more doable IMHO if a road was going to be built. I've flown at low level over Darien numerous times and the swamp on the Colombia side of the border makes the Everglades in FL look small in comparison.
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If you are lucky and it isn't raining, you just cross small rivers with rocky bottoms. If it is rainy, you ain't getting across most of them. As you go along the beach, you get to very isolated towns where everything is brought in by boat. Jungle is everywhere. Some sandy beaches, but sooner or later you run into a rock cliff you ain't getting around. Any clay trails you see on Google Earth are deeply rutted and may be 4-5 feet deep... basically for a horse to walk down.
Sorry- forgot the map.
Love the other pictures. The beach look
Love the other pictures. The beach look
We also drove to the end of the road in Yaviza. Not the spot I would want to get started. Must be a better way.
That is what I am thinking.
That being said, I knew nothing about this area before last month except "you can't cross it".
The partial path I have mapped out could be swamp for all I know. I am expecting someone to come back and say it is.
I am hoping @Allen Stanion will come back and share some of his insight since he is in the area (sounds like somewhat regularly).
From what I am reading everyone tries from the north, heading south. It sounds like this is general protocol because it is what was done in the past. But I think I read somewhere Panama has turned some guys back at checkpoints. Why not attack from the south? Columbia does not seem to care and once you get into Panama your U.S. Passport should allow you to continue into the country (after a few detailed vehicle searches and goodwill).
If I didn't have 3 kids (under 5 years old) just out of curiosity I would use my vacation time to fly down and try to charter a flight over the area to determine. It has me that bugged!!!!
Actually, if I were serious about this (check back in a few years), I would charter a helicopter and attempt to initiate contact with a few of the farmers along the route to get an idea of the land. I guarantee they know a way through.
(*anyone have an ultralight and looking for adventure?)
Rex, yes, you can stay in Panama for 179 days as a gringo, but only after you "stamp in." Both Colombia and Panama are sticklers with regards to stamping in. If you are feeling adventurous, just take the bus to Yavitza and hike to "Palo de las Letras". It is the border between the two countries and it will give you a real taste of life in the jungle. Take lots of pics!
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- #198
The trip has fizzled for a myriad of reasons. I'll post to the bottom of the thread. And yes, that was just for my winch. It was replaced with the 19,000 lb military Warn when I was still in the throes of preparing for the Gap.
Thanks for the update. I am sorry to hear this Allen, but suspected the same. I was very intrigued by your trip plan. Heck....I was very tempted! Please keep us posted on any future plans, and message me if you're looking for participants.
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- #200
The trip to the Darien Gap has not panned out. Some of the issues were related to crew dropping out, logistical issues with our vehicles being impounded on the Colombian side had we made it that far, along with smaller issues regarding funding and reality TV producers wanting all rights to everything produced by the trip, while investing nothing into the trip. The first hit the adventure took was most of the crew wanting to push the Gap trip out a year for planning and sponsor work to be done. It was exciting setting up the ground work and prepping Godzilla for the trip. My little BJ, for which I paid $14,000, has become just short of a $40,000 investment, and a formidable machine (thanks to Marshall Shepherd at Troll Hole) to say the least. I wish this adventure had panned out, but for now it wasn't meant to be. Willing to answer questions and support others with data or information if they are considering the run.
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