Souhegan - April 12, 2015

Pat

We drove by two rivers to get there (the Quinapoxet and the Upper Millers), but it still was nice try something new. Dan, Pat, Paul and I ran the upper Souhegan from the class III put-in in Greenville to the Route 101 Bridge in Wilton.  

The Souhegan River is a popular spring run that flows through Greenville and Wilton on its way to the Merrimack River. The river is small, only about 30' wide on average, with lots of blind corners, rocks and strainers to avoid.

Paul

The level was OK (5.75 ft, 800 cfs on the Milford gage) - a little low but still fluid. The first mile is steep and creek-like with class II+/III rapids - like an easier version of the middle section of New Boston.  The most difficult rapid is the Ledges – a boulder garden followed by a series of two 1-foot ledges.  Somehow, I got turned around and ran the second ledge backwards. 

Once you reach the Route 31 Bridge (also the put-in for a class II run), the river mellows and runs through a pretty valley covered in Hemlock trees. There are still plenty of rocks and strainers to keep you occupied.

Dan

We had one swimmer – me. I hit a rock (Bang Rock?) coming down a drop in the class II section and took a swim.  Still, it’s a beautiful river, and I was surprised to see so much snow still on the ground.

Tommy said that we took out too early.   He says that Trash Dump and Horseshoe Falls on the lower section are well worth running, and that the pizza in Wilton is worth the trip all by itself - next time.

Links:

My Pictures
Upper Souhegan from American Whitewater
Lower Souhegan from American Whitewater

Souhegan Gage - Milford