Class II Contoocook - November 5, 2023

A selfie from Jonathan

Jonathan and I joined the NHAMC for a tandem run on the class II section of the Contoocook in the morning, followed by their Pot Luck/Annual Meeting in the afternoon. The first time I paddled this section of the "Took" was was during the NHAMC Whitewater School back in 2005.

The Contoocook River arises at Poole Pond in Rindge, NH and flows generally north for 71-miles to Concord, NH where it empties into the Merrimack River. With a large drainage basin and a total drop of over 700 feet, the Contoocook is one on the best-known whitewater rivers in New England with the class III “Freight Train” section from Hillsboro to Henniker, and class II section in Henniker ending at the Ramsdell Bridge.

That's me in the stern

We met at 10:00 at the take-out (Ramsdell Road Bridge in Henniker, NH) to scout the final rapid. The level was low but runnable – 6.5 feet, 500 cfs. We ran the shuttle and put-in at the railroad bridge piers on Western Avenue at around 11:00. At this level, the top was quickwater until we got past Bridge Street in downtown Henniker. From there it was mostly class II rock dodging down to the Broken Dam Rapid at the Ramsdell Bridge.

After the run we headed off to the Pot Luck/Annual Meeting for the NHAMC Paddlers. The food was great, and we heard about the China Lake River Restoration project. It was nice to see the club so active.

 Running the Broken Dam Rapid below Ramsdell Bridge

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My Pictures

Henniker Gage

Class II Section description from American Whitewater

Class III “Freight Train” Section description from American Whitewater