First trip of 2023! With water levels way up due to recent rain storms, no ice on the main river and decent weather for January, 43F and sunny, decided to do a one-way trip from Acton Canoe Launch to Lowell Road in Concord. Uber'ed back to the start. The river was cooking, Maynard gauge (4.64 ft, 950 cfs). At the start, it was too strong to paddle upriver to Powdermill dam, so I pointed downstream and went with the fast flow. No river-wide obstructions anywhere, or if there were any they were fully submerged. Damonmill looked a little choppy but was a smooth ride through. Paddled up to the Haywards Pond outlet, usually not reachable at lower water levels. The Pine Street bridge was low clearance but made it under the right side without having to do a full limbo. Towards the end of the trip took a short trek up Spencer Brook to the road, usually too brushy to get that far. The Egg Rock inscription was completely submerged! A few birds spotted: red-tailed hawk, blue jay, plus the usual mallards and canadian geese. Too early for turtles.
Start: Acton Canoe Launch, Acton, MA
End: Lowell Road Boat Ramp, Concord, MA
Trip distance: 6.25 miles,
Trip time: 2 hours
At the put-in
Footpath to Powdermill dam under Rt 62 bridge is underwater...
Approaching Damonmill
View scouting from Damonmill mill parking lot, the old dam remnant to the right
Looking towards Haywards Pond outlet
Ice and low bridge blocked access to Damonmill race mill
Very low clearance at Pine St Bridge
MBTA Commuter rail bridge
No waiting on that bench today
Egg Rock submerged
At the takeout
