Playing Hooky - Fife Brook Section of the Deerfield - March 18, 2022

Heading out

The forecast for Friday was sunny and in the 70’s. I had nothing on my calendar at work, so I decided to “play hooky” and join Norma and Conrad for a run on the Fife Brook section of the Deerfield.

Deerfield River arises in southern VT and flows for 76-miles through VT and MA to join with the Connecticut River in Greenfield below Turners Falls. With an 1,100-foot drop, hydroelectric development began in 1910 when the New England Power Company was formed to acquire water rights and build hydroelectric dams on the river. There are now 10 dams on the Deerfield owned by three different electric utilities. An innovative licensing agreement in 1994 increased the number of recreational releases on the class II/III Fife Brook section, and the class III/IV Dryway.

Hangover Helper

We would be paddling the Fife Brook section, which is named for the Fife Brook Dam that controls its flow. The Fife Brook Dam was the last dam built on the river in the early 1970s. It was built in conjunction with the Bear Swamp Pumped Storage Facility, which uses excess power during slack hours to pump water up to a reservoir on top of a mountain so it can be released during periods of peak demand.

As I left my house I saw golf bags in a neighbor’s driveway, so I knew I wasn’t the only one planning to enjoy the day. There was heavy fog as I drove up Route 91 through the Pioneer Valley, but it lifted as I headed up Route 2 to Charlemont. We met at the take out below Zoar Gap for the shuttle up to the put-in.

Above Pinball

The Fife Brook Dam was releasing at 1,400 cfs, and the gage in Charlemont was between 1,800 and 1,900 cfs. Two tributaries - the Chickley and the Cold - flow into the Deerfield below Zoar Gap, so the Fife Brook Dam gage is a better indicator of the flow on this section. This would be the highest level that I had run this section of the river.

We put in at around 11:30 and began working our way downstream. We ran Hangover Helper, did some surfing at Carbis Bend and the ledge below Freight Train, and played in Pinball before taking a break at Miami Beach. We then ran the Island Rapid before pulling over at the take-out above Zoar Gap.

Break at Miami Beach

We had scouted Zoar Gap on the way up, and decided that we were going to pass. With only three paddlers in the group, the higher water level and my mixed record running this rapid (7 for 15 with 6 swims and 2 walks), I was OK with that. The “Gap” is by far the most difficult rapid on this section of the river – class IIII at normal release levels (800 cfs to 1,000 cfs.), and class IV with big waves and nasty holes at 2,500 cfs.

Prior to 2011 there was a sneak route on the far right, but street repairs after Hurricane Irene left rocks blocking that route. There is an upper drop, with a tongue on river right, and a pour-over river left. The "beginner" line is to ride the tongue on river right and then punch through the holes below. Conrad explains it here:

Zoar Gap at 1,400 cfs from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

The "advanced" line is to catch the eddy below the pour-over and then go right into the eddy below the drop, or run the drop on the left. You can see Rick style the right line, and me swim the left line here:


Running Zoar Gap from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.

Temp’s hit 74 degrees, so it felt like spring even though there was still snow on the ground.

Links:

My Pictures

Fife Brook Dam Gage from Safe Waters

Charlemont Gage

River Description from American Whitewater

River Description from Zoar Outdoors

Fife Brook Release Schedule