Details

Written by Jordan Vickers

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 23 November 2015

Hits: 91

Organizer(s): Group

Date: 2015-11-20

Kayakers (K1): Jordan V, Mike M, Justin B

Predominantly: Advanced WW

Water Level: Low boatable

       We didn't get much rain in central VT but it was enough to bring the New Haven up for a few laps in the morning and luckily water held for an evening Middlebury Gorge.  The Middlebury had been out of play for a while now since wood was everywhere after last winter.  Several groups had gone in cleared the wood and word was it was good to go.  Mike, Justin and I met at 3:15 and made our way up to the put in shortly after.  The level was low but things channelize nicely .  Having not been in there in a year it was nice to have the Birth Canal at a less pushy level.  Above the North Branch confluence there were two large log jams we portaged around.  Unless these get blown out it will be nice having them catch wood floating from upstream and hopefully keep wood out of the Birth Canal.  The second one we were almost able to sneak on the right but we made quick work portaging, wanting to get down the Birth Canal with good light.  Mike led the charge in the chunky lead in rapid and then over Fallopian.  Everyone had good lines on Fallopian and we got out to scout Rebirth above Cunnilingus.  Seeing it was good to go Mike ran the drop and got out to get a better look at Rebirth and gave us the thumbs up.  Justin emphasized its important to leave at least one person above Cunnilingus until you see Rebirth has no wood.  You can rope them out if necessary on river left otherwise you are trapped.  Again Mike led the charge  running rebirth nicely as Justin and I followed.  Looking back upstream having just run the Birth Canal is in a word AWESOME!  Once out of the inner gorge the light opened up and Justin got out in front.  From their until Your Mom it was paddle hard and don't stop.  Your Mom is now a beaver dam more or less that Justin had a nice line on and I had an awesome boof although a bit in the wrong direction and landed mostly rock.  Still plenty of light down to the last rapid that has two large trees in it now.  We were able to work around them but beware they could be hazardous.  Finishing the run under the bridge everyone was grinning ear to ear.  After an hour after we put on we were back at the car, making plans for the Green the next day.  

Details

Written by Michael Mainer

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 14 November 2015

Hits: 91

Organizer(s): Castor Canadensis

Date: 2015-09-05

End Date: 2015-11-09

Kayakers (K1): Many

Canoers (OC1): Many

Deck Canoers (C1): Many

Predominantly: Int-adv WW

Water Level: Low boatable

Beaverfest is Labor Day Weekend, and you don't miss it.  You just don't.  I always warn friends and relatives that if they die in early September and their funeral is on Labor Day weekend, I won't be there, because there's paddling to be done.

You get four fairly good sections of whitewater in three days - the great Stone Valley section of Raquette, the very rare Moshier section of the Beaver, a sort of waterpark at Eagle Falls on the Beaver, and the perfect stepping-up-to-creeking-from-intermediate-rivers section of Taylorville.  The Hudson Gorge and Black River are convenient options to add in there if you want as well.  You're friends will probably be there.  You can also camp out by the river, drink more beer than you should and maybe cause a little bit of harmless mayhem if you really want to. 

There's not much over there if you're looking for gnar, mostly just class III-IV type stuff with a little IV+ or V- if you want.  I remember my first time here: I hadn't done much of anything beyond the standard class II-III stuff... Lower Lamoille, Lower Mad, Otter Creek.  I think my most adventurous run had been a low-water Lower New Haven lap.  Then I went to Beaverfest and learned that slides, waterfalls and boulder gardens are runnable and fun.  I also camped wherever I felt like, ate greasy campfire food, came home sunburned and filthy and generally felt like a real kayaker.  Combined with an Ottawa trip two weeks before, it changed the way I looked at the sport, and probably at life.

So I guess none of this is truly world-class whitewater, but class III boaters can try out some class IV, and class IV boaters can try out some class V, and I can sit in an eddy drinking beer and watching the resulting river festival chaos.  Beyond that I'm not sure what else to point out, other than that no matter how dry a summer is, you can always look forward to Beaverfest.

Details

Written by Michael Mainer

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 16 November 2015

Hits: 92

Organizer(s): Fulton Lakes

Date: 2015-10-17

End Date: 2015-10-18

Kayakers (K1): Lots of people

Predominantly: Advanced WW

Water Level: Medium

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Site: USGS Moose River at McKeever

Primary Realtime USGS Gauge Height (ft), e.g. '2.96': 3.5

One of the great things about the Moose is that you can make it as tough or easy as you want.  If you're looking for a fairly mellow, class IV- sort of day, you can scout and run sneak routes and maybe carry a few rapids, and still get plenty of quality boating in.  If you're looking for class V, you can run the hard lines or go for obscure moves.  Because of this, it's a great run for a mixed-ability group.

We had a big group on Saturday.  The normal folks were there, but I was also pleased to see many folks who hadn't been here before, some of whom might consider the run something of a step up.  The weather was chilly, but we otherwise had a great, relaxing run.  The level was just about perfect - somewhere between 3.5 and 4.0, and there wasn't a whole lot of real carnage.  With the exception of a few minor incidents, everyone had good lines.  A few of us even went back up for a second lap on the second half.

Typically, a Saturday evening at Moosefest is spent camping near the put-in, participating in various shenanigans.  Everyone but myself decided to head for the party Old Forge, meaning that I spent the evening drinking freezing Mountain Brew in the dark.  Jordan, much to my chagrin, on the other hand, won a brand new Sweet Protection drysuit in Old Forge.

The good news was Sunday morning was sunny and the temperature warmed up a bit. We cruised down to the first rapid, Fowlersville Falls, and a few of us ran it down the normal line on the left, sliding around the middle hole.  There's a middle line, which is a tough ferry across the top, above the horrifying maw of that awful middle recirculation.  I've never even really looked at it seriously.  Anyways, a few of us were on a bit of schedule and decided to keep cruising downstream.  Just as I was leaving, I took one last look upstream to see Jordan and Ben scouting the middle line.

This caused me great distress.  How could I let Jordan out-do me like that?  Running a line I had never even seriously considered?  Jordan, a homeowner, devoted husband, collegiate basketball player, respected teacher, active member of the community, accomplished sportsman, responsible driver, soon to be father and my New Haven Race nemesis was going to resoundingly prove that he is a better paddler than myself.  I felt as though I was on the brink of an abyss even Mountain Brew could not fill.  I mean, for God's sake, the guy even has a rock on the New Haven named after him.

But it was not to be.  I was not going to let Jordan Vickers steal kayaking from me.  It was too late for Fowlersville, but I would step it up too.  Heading downstream, I went for every boof, ferry or surf I could.  I caught the tricky and nearly non-existing hero eddy in Funnel, routed the left line at Sureform blind and then sent the Alpine Line at Crystal.  

The last rapid is Magilla, which has two lines, the easier (but still fun) right line, and the more intimidating one on the left, which I had scouted many, many times, but never run, until today.  Mostly by chance, I had a great line.  At the take-out, I was so elated I almost forgot why I ran it.  All those times I scouted it and walked away, even after watching less experienced boaters run it and be fine!  Done!  Checked off the list!  Heck yeah!

20 minutes later the rest of the group showed up.  As it turned out everyone had enjoyed another nice mellow day and hadn't really looked at anything but the normal lines in most rapids.  So I guess I'm safe for another year, and conveniently I actually had to do some real kayaking for a change.  We even went up for a second lap, where Ben pinned at the brink of Magilla after making fun of me for running it only at a lowish level... but that was pretty harmless and he claims he was laughing the whole time.  

Like I said, you can make the Moose into any kind of day you want.

Details

Written by John Atherton

Category: Trip Reports

Published: 21 October 2015

Hits: 93

Organizer(s): John Atherton

Date: 2015-07-24

End Date: 2015-07-25

Kayakers (K1): Jamie Dolan, John Atherton

Predominantly: Int-adv WW

Water Level: Medium

 My wife and I traveled to South Arm Campground on the Lower Richardson on Friday the 24th and Tina and Jamie showed up a little later in the afternoon.  I had inquired about the logging road gate near by and found out that it was locked.  The camp director was surprised that they locked it for the weekend. We would have had a short 8 mile drive to the put in if the gate was open. Instead we had a 72 mile round trip to set shuttle, a boat ride,  a short paddle down the section from Lower Richardson to Pond in the river, a long paddle across the Pond in the River( wrong direction into the wind).We get to the Rapid and all is well. good medium level. Jamie and I had paddled this a few years ago so there were no real surprises. We were both paddling our play boats in hopes of trying our skills out at Smooth ledge.  The first three rapids are just how AW describes them big waves and as long as you stay away from the few holes that form you are in great shape. Paddle hard, stay forward and up right. Swims are not recommended - the rapids are long with few eddies to catch.

 Smooth Ledge came up quickly and there were several groups playing in the wave. Jamie and I decided to watch as some young boaters made it look friendly. Then out of the woods two boaters a dog and a boom box arrived. Once they were all set we were in for a real show of how it is supposed to be done. Numerous tricks were perform for our viewing. Sure is fun to watch.  After this performance Jamie and I decided to head down.  The longest and probably the hardest rapid on the river.   We spent as much time as we could taking time to enjoy the rapids knowing we were close to the finish.  Since this was only my second time a I had forgotten about the last  two rapids,  that was a pleasant surprise.  I waited for the last rock pour over that you could possibly find on the river to prove to myself that I do actually have a roll.  Jamie and I laughed about it and paddled to the take out.  This river is well worth the trip if you turn it into a camping adventure also.  Always a joy to be with Jamie and Tina.

 John A