RICKA trip on Otter Brook - May 4, 2025

Awaiting to launch

Paul posted a couple of RICKA trips on the Whitewater Message Board this spring – both were old favorites. The first was the Knightville section of the Westfield, and the second was Otter Brook.

Otter Brook arises in the town of Stoddard and flows south for 13-miles to join Miniwawa Brook at Route 101 to form the Branch River. The Branch River flows into the Ashuelot River, which eventually flows into the Connecticut River. Jonathan and I did a tandem run down Otter Brook and the Branch River all the way to the Sawyers Crossing Covered Bridge on the Ashuelot River a couple of years ago.

Rapid below the put in

In 1958, the huge Otter Brook Flood Control Dam was completed to protect Keene and the other communities along the Ashuelot River. The flow on Otter Brook is now controlled by releases from the dam. The gage on Otter Brook is no longer active, but the historical releases were around 300 cfs.

I met Paul at McD’s for the drive up to the river. We met the crew at the put-in at the base of the dam. It was not a particularly busy day, but we did see groups from MOC and CTAMC. We unloaded our boats and ran the shuttle. The usual take out on Swanzey Factory Road was filled with construction equipment, so we used a new take out just downstream at the Cheshire Railroad Stone Arch Bridge on the Cheshire Rail Trail.

Running Otter Ledge

We were the first to launch and head downstream. The top of Otter Brook is narrow and rocky as it twists and turns through the woods down to Route 101. We worked our way downstream dodging rocks and running waves. We ran Otter Ledge through the slot on the right, and everyone made it through fine. With additional water from Miniwawa Brook, the river opens up and we bounced down the final section along Route 101.

Taking out at the rail trail bridge adds one more rapid to the trip. On the first run I wasn’t sure where to take out, so I had the crew take out too far upstream. We had to drag our boats across a grassy swamp to the cars. Paul went a little further downstream and found the actual take out on river right just above the bridge.

Down to the new take out

After a slightly confused shuttle we got all the cars, boats and people in the right places for our second run. It was a bomber run, and everyone did fine. This time we took our down by the bridge and ran one last shuttle back to pick up the cars.

On the way home, Paul and I stopped at the Troy Deli and Marketplace for a steak and cheese sub. I’ll bet there will be a RICKA Whitewater trip on the Fife Brook section of the Deerfield this summer.

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My Pictures

River Description from American Whitewater

Otter Brook - April 15, 2023

Heading out

I was planning to do the NHAMC Class III step-up trip on the Ammonoosuc River, but it was running high, I wasn’t comfortable with the class IV section below Pierce Bridge, and I needed to be in Topsfield in the early afternoon so the timing wasn't good. Instead, I decided run Lower Otter Brook with Paul and Pat.

This would be a repeat of the old RICKA Whitewater days. I was looking back and found a trip report from March 2012 RICKA trip with Paul, Andy and Jeff that described Pat as the “new guy". It has been a while since I’ve done this run with them.

Party wave

Otter Brook is a tributary of the Branch River (not our Branch River), which is a tributary of the Ashuelot River, which is a tributary of the Connecticut River. Otter Brook arises in the town of Stoddard and flows generally south for 13-miles to join Miniwawa Brook at Route 101 to form the Branch River.

In 1958, the huge Otter Brook Flood Control Dam was completed to protect Keene and the other communities along the Ashuelot River. The flow on Otter Brook is controlled by releases from the dam. The gage on Otter Brook is no longer active, but the historical releases were around 300 cfs.

Paul running Otter Ledge

I headed up to drop of my boat at the put-in before meeting Paul and Pat at the take out for the shuttle. There was a good crew gathering at the put-in with groups from the NHAMC, MVP and WTWA. We were the first to launch and head downstream.

The top of Otter Brook is narrow and rocky as it twists and turns through the woods down to Route 101. We headed down slowly being careful for strainers that couldn’t be seen from the street. As it turned out, the only strainers were the two that you could see from the street – the first in the shoot on the right side of Otter Ledge, and the second about half way down Route 101 with a small opening on the left.

Pat running Otter Ledge

We worked our way downstream catching eddies, dodging rocks and surfing waves. With the strainer blocking my usual route at the ledge my options were limited – portage or run the ledge to the left. I decided to run the ledge to the left, and made it through fine except for a loud cracking sound as I boofed the drop. Not a drop of water in the boat. We bounced along the final section along Route 101 before pulling out at the take-out below the bridge.

We had two cars at the take out to run the shuttle for our second run. It would have been easy to shuttle boats up and back, but I insisted on putting all the boats on my car to head up in one trip. Unfortunately, both kayaks came off the rack as we were strapping them on, and I now have nice scratches on both sides of my car.

Erik running Otter Ledge

The second run was a bomber run since we knew where the strainers were. Pat and Paul snuck through the strainer to run the shoot at the ledge. I boofed the left side of the ledge again, this time hearing an even louder crack as I went over.

We pulled over at the take-out and ran one last shuttle back to pick up the cars. I flipped my boat over to empty out the water before loading it on my car and noticed a 3 inch crack in the bottom just under the pedestal, and a matching crack on the inside. Now I know what the loud cracks were. Except for the cracks in my boat and the scratches on my car, it was another great day.

Back to the take-out

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River Description from American Whitewater

Otter Brook and the Branch River – May 1, 2021

It is always nice to do a tandem run with Jonathan. This time we paddled the the class II section of Otter Brook with Conrad and the Boston AMC, and then continued downstream to the race take out at the Sawyers Crossing Covered Bridge on the Ashuelot River in Swanzey. The river was at it's usual release level of 300 cfs. There are a couple of nice rapids below the usual take out. We portaged the dam about a mile downstream on the right – there was at least one tree down in the channel on the right. The last 3 - 4 miles is flatwater. Nice trip.

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River Description for American Whitewater

Otter Brook - May 5, 2018

The May release at Otter Brook usually means the end of the spring whitewater season. If it is, it’s a nice way for it to end.

I hooked up with Paul and Brian for a couple of runs at Lower Otter Brook. The release was 300 cfs as advertised.  We did our first run with a group from the CTAMC – 14 boats, two canoes (me and Dave). That run took two hours. Paul and I did a bomber run for our second run – 40 minutes.  

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USACE Gage

River Description for American Whitewater

Otter Brook - April 29, 2017

It’s funny how trips come together. Usually by Thursday afternoon someone has posted a trip that I am interested in. This week, it didn’t happen, so I posted it myself – Otter Book in southern NH. And just to make sure it happened, I posted it at three places – Where’s the Whitewater at, Merrimack Valley Paddlers and a local email list. It worked. We ended up with about 20 people in three groups, including 6 canoes.

Otter Brook is an easy class II that runs through Keene, NH on it’s way to the Ashuelot River and ultimately the Connecticut River. From the Otter Brook Dam, the river twists and turns though the woods down to Otter Ledge – a 2-foot drop that is usually run through the shoot on the right. Shortly after that, Otter Brook merges with Miniwawa Brook, which adds to its flow and provides some nice wave trains for the remainder of the run along Route 101. The river was at its typical dam release level - 7.5 feet, 300 cfs.  Paul and I ended up doing two runs – great day.

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Trip Description from American Whitewater

Otter Brook Gage

Otter Brook - May 1, 2016

Heading out

There was a lot of activity as we arrived below the huge Otter Brook Dam. NECKRA was running their race, and a number of other groups had gathered to take advantage of the release. The RICKA crew included me, Paul Pat and Dan. 

After running the shuttle and waiting for the fist group of racers to head out, we put-in at around 10:30. The dam was releasing at 300 cfs – the usual release level.  The river is a nice continuous class II with the most difficult rapid being the Otter Ledge – a 3-foot ledge with the break on river right. I went through first, bouncing off the wave at the bottom and into the eddy to the left below the ledge.  Along Route 101 were more rocks to dodge and eddies to catch. 

After a quick break for lunch we did a second run, and we were still on the way home by 2:30. Great day!  

Pat running Otter Ledge

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Otter Brook Gage 

Description form American Whitewater 

Lower Otter Brook - October 3, 2015

Marlene

I was suppose to lead an overnight camping trip at Burlingame on Saturday, but the forecast didn’t look promising – cold, rainy and windy.  Of the 12 campers who originally signed up, I was down to 3 when I cancelled the trip on Friday night.  But how does that old saying go – “when one door closes another opens”.  While rain isn’t good for camping its great for whitewater paddling.

I got an email that a group would be running Lower Otter Brook on Saturday, and now I was free to join in.  Lower Otter Brook is a small class II run in Roxbury, NH (outside of Keene).  The level is controlled by the huge Otter Brook Dam built by the Army Corps of Engineers.  We had six boats– 2 canoes and 4 kayaks.

Eric

The morning was cold and windy when I arrived at the put-in. I was glad that I brought my drysuit and gloves.  The level was around 350 cfs, which was slightly more that the typical spring release of 300 cfs.  We worked our way downstream dodging rocks, catching eddies and just having fun. 

I went through the Otter Ledge first, bouncing off the wave at the bottom and into the eddy below the ledge - prefect.  I was in great position to get some pictures, but couldn’t get the water drops off the lens in time.  Oh well…

Heading to the take-out

There was good flow coming out of Minnewawa Brook where Otter Brook joins to form the Branch producing long wave trains along Route 101.  We arrived at the take-out around 1:30, and debated a second run.  For me the answer was easy, I needed to be home around 3:00.  Looking at the gage, it looks like they shut the water off at around 1:30 anyway.

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Otter Brook Gage

Description from American Whitewater

Otter Brook - March 24, 2012

Pat - the new guy

After a warm, snowless winter, it's turning out to be a warm, dry spring. Not much natural flow, so I think we will be chasing dam releases this spring - along with everyone else. This weekend was Otter Brook in Keene, NH.

When we arrived at the put-in, a large group had already gathered. NHAMC was running a trip, and there was also a group of open boaters from NE Riverrunners. The RICKA contingent included the usual suspects - me, Jeff, Paul and Andy - along with a new guy Pat. Pat had paddled with us last week on the Branch.

Running Otter Ledge

After running the shuttle, we put-in at around 11:00. The dam released at 300 cfs as advertised. At this level, the lower section is a nice class II with lots of rocks to dodge, plenty of eddies to catch and some easy surf waves. We worked out way downstream catching eddies and surfing waves.

After a short break for lunch, everyone ran the Otter Ledge without incident. Andy eddied out behind the rock on the right, and then ran the drop. Jeff, Paul and Pat bounced over the rocks going right. I bounced over the big wave going left.

Andy does some surfing

No swims to report, but Pat did have one close call near the bottom. He pulled off a nice save, but broke his paddle in the process. We arrived at the take out around 2:00. First group on, last group off - great day.


Links:
My Video - Jeff, Paul and Pat Run Otter Ledge
Otter Brook Gage

Lower Otter Brook – March 27th

My original plan for today was to paddle the Middle Saco with the NHAMC, but that trip got cancelled. Fortunately, some folks from NE River Runners were doing a trip at Otter Brook, so I hooked up with them.  Six open boats - Rod, Deb, Emily, Barbara and Dan. The release was about 300 cfs which was a nice class II.  It was a little cold at the put in, but it was nice on the river.

Emily running Otter Ledge

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My Pictures
Lower Otter Brook from American Whitewater
Otter Brook Gage

Lower Otter Brook - May 1st

Hooked up with Brian P. and Andy yesterday for a run on the lower section of Otter Brook in Keene, NH. Brian brought along Al, Tommy T. hooked us up with Barbara, and another Eric just showed up at the put-in. Turned out to be a nice group – 2 OC1s and 4 yaks.

When we arrived at the put-in, the black flies were terrible, and bug spray didn’t deter them in the least. Fortunately they didn’t bite, so the swarms were just an annoyance, and they disappeared as the sun came out and the day warmed up. It turned out to be a beautiful day – sunny and in the 80’s.

The dam released at 300 cfs as advertised. At this level, the lower section is a nice class II with lots of rocks to dodge, plenty of eddies to catch and some nice surf waves. I understand that at higher levels (+600 cfs) some of the rapids approach class III.

We spent the day catching every eddy and surfing every wave we could find. We let at least two groups pass through and never saw them again. If the last group on the river wins, I’d say that we were the victors.

I think I spent most of the day pointed up stream. The rocks were easy to see, and waves were easy to catch on the fly. By the time we got to the take-out, my neck was sore from turning around to look downstream. It doesn’t feel much better this morning – thank goodness for vitamin I (Ibuprofen).

Only two swims to report – both in the shallow rocky water below the Otter Ledge, and both open boaters. Enough said about that.

Took us 3 ½ hours to run the 3 miles down the take-out. I think we were all pretty tired at the end - I know I was. Another great day.

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My Pictures
River description from American Whitewater