Details

Written by Jim Zamecnik

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 04 April 2004

Hits: 12937

Organizer(s): Jim Z (K1)

Date: 2004-04-03

Kayakers (K1): Mike Petronic

Predominantly: Int-adv WW

Water Level: Low boatable

Painted Gauge Height (ft) e.g. '3.3': 5.25 block

Low broachable, I mean boatable level. The narrow steeper drops had plenty of water, but the wide easy parts were too low. The bridge "gauge" was showing either 5.25 or 6.25 blocks....I'm never sure whether to count the big top block. A challenging run at any level.

Details

Written by Tony Shaw

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 06 March 2004

Hits: 7087

Organizer(s): Tony Shaw

Date: 2003-11-01

Kayakers (K1): James Andrus, Damon Bungard, Chad Chamberlain, Jay Goss, Mike Henry, Matt Holmes, Linda Weiss

Canoers (OC1): Eric Bishop, Tony Shaw

Predominantly: Int-adv WW

Water Level: Low boatable

Painted Gauge Height (ft) e.g. '3.3': 1.8-1.7

We are learning the hard way that the outflow from the Joe's Pond dam is feast or famine. Whenever rain begins to swell Joe's Pond, GMP is permitted to keep the dam bladder inflated unless the pond level hits 2.0 feet, at which point the state requires them to deflate it fully to curtail shoreline flooding on the pond. This inevitably creates dangerously high flows in the small steep creek below on its 10 mile tumble to the Passumpsic R.

Once things start drying out and the pond recedes to 1.9 feet, GMP gradually reinflates to bladder over the course of several hours, effectively dewatering the run. The 2 turbines turn out at most 124 cfs, so this contribution is never terribly significant.

There is no online gauge, but you can read the pond level by leaning over the railing at the wayside parking area in W. Danville or by calling GMP dispatch in Colchester. A level between 1.8 and 2.0 feet (rising) or 2.1 to 1.9 feet (falling) is most likely ideal, but these windows of opportunity can be brief.

The morning of Nov. 1 the Joe's Pond level was falling toward 1.8 feet, GMP was reinflating the bladder, and we endured a very scratchy run. There were roughly a dozen of us that arrived in 2 parties (a Joe's Brook record, I'm sure). The weather was pleasant, the setting idyllic, and everyone seemed happy to be out paddling. The covered bridge rapid in South Danville proved runnable at this level; likewise the short flume beneath the take-out bridge on Joe's Brook Hill Rd. This flume, however, IS undercut, so make sure you're not swimming!

Details

Written by James Raboin

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 04 April 2004

Hits: 117

Organizer(s): James Raboin (K1)

Date: 2004-04-04

Kayakers (K1): David Diederich, Scott Cummings, Ryan Young, Scott ?

Predominantly: Advanced WW

Water Level: Medium

An uneasy feeling driving to the river anticipating high water was quickly turned to joy when driving up 100C and seeing the last drop, Sunset. It looked beautiful from the road, a perfect medium level was seen on the flat rock gauge we use looking up powerhouse rapid from the covered bridge. After some good info from local resident boater Jim Andrus, we got to know the names of all the lower rapids and where to avoid trees. Everyone agreed to the idea of snow trudging while scouting and portaging, and we loaded up. The upper proved to be very challenging, the first drop with a six foot boof drop is my favorite drop on the river. The second is a solid 15 - 20 foot total drop with conseqences when hitting the fold, as Dave found out and went over head first. After seeing 3 other sucessfull runs of it I braved it for the first time and it went perfectly, unlike the rest of my day. We all portaged the big one on the upper, Mustang, it could be in a video.

On the lower, 3 tried the first drop, Bedhead, all 3 doing mystery moves and showing up at the bottom upside down. After scouting the second drop myself I tried to show the line, missed it and hit the hole of Eldorado, flipped and proceeded to poorly try to roll, and swam. I got to shore and watched my boat go over the next double drop, luckily it caught the eddy next to the old power house. We all reunited and went down to pin cushion, where Dave found his boat had broken and his day was over. The four of us continued down powerhouse rapid, where Scott C. said that was one of his favorite rapids. The Sunset drop gave me a vertical stern squirt, a fun way to end the day.

The Gihon offers a lot of action in doing both upper and lower. A good time was had by all.

Details

Written by Alden Bird

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 01 January 2004

Hits: 53

Organizer(s): Alden Bird

Date: 2003-12-27

Kayakers (K1): Doug Piatt

Deck Canoers (C1): Alden Bird

Predominantly: Advanced WW

Water Level: Low boatable

Painted Gauge Height (ft) e.g. '3.3': 1

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Site: Walloomsac River

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Flow (cfs), e.g. '797': 520

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Height (ft), e.g. '2.96': 3.2

This is the longest section of good rapids I've done in the state. It's 3.5 miles, all good action. I think of the run in four stages:

First, the top section, from Readsboro Falls to where the river crosses under the road. About a mile. There is a cl V drop at the top, a IV right after it, and then a long section of awesome cl III+ boogie water, total non-stop fun.

From the bridge down are about four or five cl IV New Haven Ledges-type drops. Then a section of easier water.

The Tunnel Trio is three drops right before the river goes under the road again. Two class IVs, and Tunnel Vision, a monster cl V. There is a cool rapid in the tunnel too, paddling in there is very strange!

From the Tunnel to the take out is the best section. It's pedal-to-the-metal small class IV drops the whole way. You bang right down into Readsboro, where two larger cl IV drops, High Chair and Low Chair await. These are just above and just below the gauge, right behind Readsboro General Store. Low Chair is one of my favorite rapids ever. More class III+ boogie to the end.

Great stuff. My new favorite river in the state. Definitely worth the drive.