Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary - March 27, 2022

I didn’t see a paddling trip, so I decided to join Papa Joe and the crew for what for me would be the last Papa Joe hike of the 2021-22 season at Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary.

Broadmoor is a 624-acre Mass Audubon property with 9-miles of trails through a nice mix of woodlands and marshland. We took the Marsh Trail to the Indian Brook Trail, to the Glacial Hill Trail/Loop, to the Charles River Loop, to the Mill Pond and then back on the boardwalks of the All Persons Trail – about 4.5 miles. I was home in time to do some yard work.

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My Pictures

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctury

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary Trail Map

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.

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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

Scantic – March 13, 2022

Heading out

My second class III step-up trip with the NHAMC got cancelled on Saturday due to a bomb-cyclone that brought high winds and blizzard conditions to NH. Fortunately, the CTAMC had a trip scheduled on the Scantic on Sunday. We had some crazy weather on Saturday too, and Sunday was forecast to be the coldest day of the week, but it was still great to get back out with the folks from CT.

The Scantic arises in Hampden, MA (southeast of Springfield) and flows general southwest for 40 miles to join the Connecticut River in South Windsor, CT. We would be running the section from Somers to Enfield – about 5 miles. This is the course of the annual Scantic Spring Splash whitewater race. We had 4 boats - 3 kayaks and one canoe (me). With yesterday’s rain the level came up a little – 1 foot, 50 cfs on the Broad Brook gage – a medium level.

Stokers

We met at 10:00 at the put-in at 27 Quality Avenue, Somers to gear up and drop off the boats. From there we ran the shuttle down to the take out at 32 South Maple Street, Enfield (The Powder Hollow Barn), stopping along the way to check out Staircase, Stokers and the Trestle Rapid.

When we got on the water at about 10:45 it was a balmy 28-degrees - I could have used another layer of insulation. The first 2.5 miles is quickwater/class I. The removal of the Springborn Dam eliminated the dreaded “Heart Attack Hill” portage at Broadbrook Road, and created the Trestle Rapids under the railroad bridge. The next 2.5 miles are class II with a couple of nice surf spots, and three class II+ (maybe class III) rapids – Stokers, Chimney and Staircase.

Chimney

Stokers is a 3-foot ledge that needs to be run about 10 feet off the left bank. You then move right to avoid the rock pile at the bottom. I went a little further right than the kayakers, but made it through fine. 

The next rapid is Chimney - an “S” turn through some rocky ledges that is generally run down the center (maybe center left). I went through first to get some pictures of the others coming through. 

Staircase

The final rapid is Staircase, which is exactly what you would expect - a series of ledges that look like a staircase with a large shoot at the bottom. I almost lost it at the top of the rapid. I don’t know if I leaned wrong or hit a rock, but it took a "bottom brace" to keep from going over. I stopped to empty my boat, and took a squirrely line through the drop at the bottom, but made it through fine. 

Another fun day on the water, and no swims - can't beat it!

Emptying my boat below Stokers

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My Pictures
Broad Brook Gage

First Swim of the Year – Piscat Step-up Paddle – March 6, 2022

Downstream from the put-in

With the COVID pandemic, I’ve done a lot less whitewater paddling over the past two years. When I saw that the NHAMC was doing a series of class III step-up trips aimed at class II paddlers, I registered right away. It seemed like a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone – ease back into some more challenging whitewater and paddle some rivers up in NH that I don’t get on very often.

I did my first whitewater training at the NHAMC Whitewater School back in 2005. Since then, I haven’t paddled with them as much as I would like, so this would also be a good opportunity to reconnect. The trips are limited to 6 student paddlers with a 1:1 coaching ratio on 8 different rivers in March and April. Some of the rivers that caught my attention were the Suncook - Suncook Dam to Center Barnstead, Souhegan - Greenville to Route 101, Ashuelot - Gilsum Gorge to Shaw's Corner, Croyden Brook - Newport, Swift - Bear Notch Road to Rocky Gorge, and the Ammonoosuc - Bretton Woods to Twin Mountain and Twin Mountain to Pierce Bridge.

Lots of ice on the banks

The first trip was originally schedule to be the Upper Souhegan, but it had to be moved due to ice and low water. Instead, we went to the Piscataquog River in Goffstown. This was the first trip that I did as a Whitewater School graduate in 2005, so it seemed appropriate. I have padded it many times since then at the annual Piscat Drawdown and BBQ.

We met at the Greggs Falls Dam at noon and ran the shuttle down to the parking lot for the Goffstown Railtrail at the Hillsborough County Offices. The day was warm but it was pouring rain as I drove up Route 3 to Goffstown. Fortunately, the rain cleared and the sun came out by the time we launched our boats.

Surf wave above the bridge

We had 10 boats – 9 kayaks and one canoe (guess who). The river was lower than the usual release level. The gage was 5’, 500 cfs when I left home, but dropped to 4.5’, 300 cfs by the middle of the day. It was boney in places but there were still surf spots to find.

We surfed the first rapid below the put-in before heading downstream. At this level, I was able to surf the wave below the powerlines. We had two swimmers at the ledge above the bridge – including me. In typical fashion, I got turned sideways and window-shaded. We had one more swimmer in the recirculating eddy downstream. We took out below the rapid behind the prison, and dragged our boats up the hill to the cars. It’s a class IV take-out, but it was definitely worth it.

The crew at the put-in

Links:

My Pictures
River Description from American Whitewater
Goffstown Gage

NH Rivers for Whitewater Paddling

The list of rivers for the NHAMC Class III Step-up Paddles.