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Written by Richard Larsen

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 09 May 2004

Hits: 49

Organizer(s): Richard Larsen

Date: 2004-04-17

Kayakers (K1): Nelson Morgan, Craig Carline

Canoers (OC1): Richard Larsen, Sheri Larsen, Len Carpenter, Ed Amidon

Predominantly: Nov-int WW

Water Level: Medium low

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Site: West Hartford

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Flow (cfs), e.g. '797': 2200

The day was unexpectedly warm, with a lot of hazy sunshine. The river was relatively low, reading 2200cfs downstream at West Hartford, compared to 3100cfs as typical for this time of year. We had a 3.5 hour paddle, including lunch at the Gaysville ledges, from the Tweed River put-in to the take-out along the road (Vt 107) a few miles below Gaysville. The only incident of note was that a large tree was across the tight channel as the Tweed emptied into the White, and the tree 'grabbed' and rolled one of the canoes. We had a wet paddler, but the air temperature made this a non-problem. All continued on the trip. It is interesting to note that the river has completed re-routing itself where Stony Brook enters, as it as fully eroded the left bank by perhaps 10 feet, and all the flow is now down that side of the old concrete trestle pilings. There are a lot of trees in the water along the left shore in this area, and further downstream, making a minor risk of strainers.

Details

Written by Ricky Battistoni

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 08 May 2004

Hits: 57

Organizer(s): Ricky Battistoni

Date: 2004-05-01

Kayakers (K1): Ricky Battistoni, John Pandolfo

Tandem Canoers (OC2): Michael Malley & Peter Malley

Predominantly: Nov-int WW

Water Level: Low boatable

Painted Gauge Height (ft) e.g. '3.3': 1.5 on Low

Assumed to be a little scratchy... and it was. But all agreed to take on the Browns and tack on the lower lamoille after that. No regrets.

It was a beautiful day, and the three boats made the most of it. Only the first drop at the broken dam forced a carry due to low water.

It was here that we picked up another paddler (of the doggy paddle kind). Better than most of us at the ferry, and definately excelled at cleaning up sticks out of the river (his part for green up day, I suppose). He paddled with us for over 1/2 mi.

The couple of ledges were run by all and the double ledge drop after catching Ricky for a moment... posed no problems for anyone, and enjoyment for all.

It is a long trip, and it never felt longer than with a headwind on the lower lamoille. But as the rapids approached all was forgotten, and the boats began playing once more.

We left exhausted (except for Marathon Kayaker Mike Malley, who was using this as a rest day from his normal training routine), but were glad to be on the water on such a day. Trip time approx. 4 hrs.

Details

Written by Richard Larsen

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 09 May 2004

Hits: 53

Organizer(s): Richard Larsen

Date: 2004-05-02

Kayakers (K1): Julie Prior, John Pandolfo, Frank Wells

Canoers (OC1): Richard Larsen, Sheri Larsen, Len Carpenter

Predominantly: Intermediate WW

Water Level: Medium low

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Site: North Creek

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Height (ft), e.g. '2.96': 4.0

The trip was scheduled for the Ammo, but moved to the lower Hudson because of low water in the Ammo. (Except, of course, once the trip was moved, the Ammo came up with snowmelt - but we stayed with the Hudson.) The water was relatively low for this time of year, at 4.0' at the North Creek gauge. When we got to North Creek, we learned it was Hudson River Downriver Derby Day - so we raced to get on the river first, then pulled over a ways downriver to let the racers pass. The wind was remarkably strong, and blowing upriver, to the point that the canoes could hardly made progress in the 2 miles above and below Riparius. In Spruce Mountain rapid, boats were literally being stopped and slipped sideways unexpectedly by gusts, in the middle of class II-III drops. One canoe took out at Riparius because of the wind, and allegedly the paddler hitch-hiked to the takeout with some turkey hunters, if the story is to be believed. The winds did abate before the major rapids below Mill Brook were reached. Other than the wind, there were no problems. We saw the usual collection of birds - osprey, mergansers, mallards, and finished at the Glen Bridge after about 5.5 hours on the river. The wind slowed us up by at least an hour.

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Written by Richard Larsen

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 07 May 2004

Hits: 104

Organizer(s): Richard Larsen

Date: 2004-04-11

Kayakers (K1): John Pandolfo, Dan Beideck

Canoers (OC1): Richard Larsen, Sheri Larsen, Michael Fullerton

Predominantly: Nov-int WW

Water Level: Medium low

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Site: East Georgia

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Flow (cfs), e.g. '797': 1600

We shuttled cars with the assistance of Frank Wells, who was on call and could not paddle. We put in below the dam at Fairfax, and had a 2.5 hour paddle down to the normal takeout between the bridges. The weather was a mixture of sun and clouds, and seasonably cool, with temperatures in the high 40s. The water flow of 1600cfs was low to the normal of 2400 cfs on the date. It was a pleasant early-season paddle, with a lot of mergansers on the river.