Published September 3, 2026
By GRIFFIN STEELY
Carmel High science teacher Jason Maas-Baldwin recently returned from exploring a nearly 200-degree river deep in the Peruvian Amazon. Maas-Baldwin had many adventures during his time there such as the alternate route he and his team took to exit Peru, and he plans to teach lessons based on his journey.
Jason Maas-Baldwin with the Explorers Club Flag in front of the boiling river, deep within the Peruvian Amazon. Courtesy of JASON MAAS-BALDWIN
Along with a team of about 35 people, Maas-Baldwin was able to explore and help research a four-mile stretch of river, known as the Boiling River, and the surrounding ecosystem. He was able to do this via the Explorers Club, a members-only association reserved for the best adventurers in the world, including Theodore Roosevelt, U.S. president and avid nature-enjoyer; Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon; Sir Edmund Hillary, the first to summit Everest; and many other famous names. Maas-Baldwin is in progress to become a member of this exclusive association.
“I applied for the Explorers Club Teaching Fellowship last January,” says the soon-to-be member. “The fellowship is basically an opportunity to go on an expedition where all of your expenses are paid for, including lodging, food and flights.”
The expedition took place over two weeks with a goal to investigate the cause of the boiling in the river. The root of the water’s high temperatures is still unknown as there is no volcanic activity in the region.
During his trip, Jason Maas-Baldwin was put in charge of ant research after the original scientist was unable to come. Courtesy of JASON MAAS-BALDWIN
While the expedition was preparing to leave, Peru had internal turmoil, causing the roads into the town they were supposed to fly out of to be blocked and requiring them to find another solution.
“We were close to being stuck in the jungle for another week or two,” says the AP Environmental Science teacher. “We ended up taking a boat out instead. The risk was that there were—for lack of a better term—pirates on the river.”
Luckily, the troop made it out safely, but there were still other risks involved with the trip. The river, known as Shanay-timpishka in the local language, reaches temperatures above 90 degrees Celsius, or 194 Fahrenheit, causing serious burns to anyone who spends time in it.
“People have been living near it for a long time, but it hasn’t been known to the world until just recently because of a scientist named Andrés Ruzo,” says Maas-Baldwin. “He was granted rights by the shaman, who had the land rights to the area, to study this river back in 2011.”
Maas-Baldwin’s role on the expedition was initially to support the scientists and learn about the ecosystem so he could later include the region when writing lesson plans, but he ended up being more important than expected.
Standing in front of a sign warning of the boiling water, Jason Maas-Baldwin sets off on the expedition. Courtesy of JASON MAAS-BALDWIN
“The myrmecologist, or ant scientist, for the trip was unable to go at the last minute,” says the nature lover. “So I became the lead scientist for the ant team as well because of my research on ants from my undergraduate studies.”
This trip has opened up further opportunities for Jason Maas-Baldwin to do projects with the Explorers Club in the future.
