Gray and windy day on the otherwise attractive Baker River. Winds made the 6-mile bike shuttle back to the put-in very easy but faced a few gusty headwinds traveling downriver, temps 47F-50F. Medium-low water levels, 302 cfs and 1.55 ft on the Rumney gauge. This trip was a little tougher than it first looked. Put-in just below the beautiful swimming hole in Wentworth under the covered bridge. Immediately ran aground my first sand/gravel bar, the first of several but managed to push through. Had to constantly be alert to water levels and the next rapid, mostly class I, shifting from one side of the river to the other for much of the trip. The water was beautifully clear, the sandy and rocky nature of the river was gorgeous. Saw several fish (trout?) at the beginning of the trip, a couple painted turtles, a hawk, and a single loon (black head, white body) towards the end of the trip. 1 portage due to a river-wide tree down. Then one pinning experience late in the trip at the base of a class II rapid. Made it through the rapid but couldn't quite clear the log, kayak got stuck sideways and could not shift off of it, then when I leaned to step out of the kayak water flooded into my boat. Luckily it was only 2-3 feet deep here so with some effort I dragged the super heavy water-laden kayak to a nearby sandbar to empty it out. Took a pause here after seeing the power of moving water in action. You definitely get wet on this trip, would love to come back on a sunny 80F day with slightly higher water levels, to clear some of the gravel bars and enjoy some beautiful swimming holes.
Start: Riverside Park, Wentworth, NH
End: Old Rest Area NH-25, West Rumney, NH
Trip time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Trip distance: 7.25 miles
Wentworth Covered Bridge and swimming hole below
The put-in below the swimming hole...
...goes immediately under the NH-25 bridge
Only river-wide tree blowdown that required portage
Many gravel islands along the way
Saunders Hill Road bridge
When I passed under these I thought of "War of the Worlds". Ironically on my drive home, I heard a story on the 1938 radio reading of H.G. Wells story that caused panic in NJ and again in 1948 in Buffalo NY
Crossing back under NH-25
Beautiful sand cliffs... Grand Canyon of Rumney
Got stuck on this log. it wasn't big but the channel was narrow and quick
The South Branch of the Baker River enters river right, beneath this post-apocalyptic looking rail bridge
Nice view. Active lumber yard and the smell of fresh cut wood on the left
Sand Hill Road bridge - in the home stretch
Granite state saddle?
At the take-out
Convenient steps up to old abandoned rest stop on NH-25 aka Mount Moosilauke Highway
Cape Wind North?
