It held off for more than 9,000 years, but when southern Chile’s Chait茅n Volcano erupted in May, it showered ash clear to the Atlantic Ocean. If you followed the news, you know that the town of Chait茅n, five miles away, was virtually leveled by ash-swollen rivers. You might have heard that the Futaleuf煤 Valley, that river-rat playground 45 miles southeast of Chait茅n, suffered a similar fate. Which isn’t true. The town of Futaleuf煤 was briefly evacuated, but that was seven months ago, and cleanup crews have been hard at work ever since. As for the Class V Futaleuf煤 River itself, raft guides report essentially no change. The season begins in late November, and those who are smart enough to book a last-minute trip will do more than support the valley with tourism dollars聴they’ll also float the Fu in near solitude, since some outfitters are reporting 20 percent downturns in bookings. With the regular gateway of Chait茅n closed, Expediciones Chile (eight-day trips, $3,000; ) will send clients through Bariloche and Esquel, in Argentina, while Earth River Expeditions (eight days, $3,300; ) flies to Balmaceda, farther south in Chile. Tip: Take the Bariloche route and stop in town at El Patacon for a life-changing steak and a bottle of malbec.