Baker River - Wentworth to West Rumney

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?

 

Cocheco River

First ever February kayak trip. Exciting run down the upper Cocheco River.  Temps 37F and water levels were high: 4.4 ft, 250 cfs on the Rochester gauge.  Clear water showed a sandy river bottom. Cool ice shelves formed along the banks showed the higher water levels from the night before.  A couple of abandoned boats were seen along the riverside: a power boat, jetski as well as a two junked rusted out cars.  About 1/2 mile after the start was the most challenging rapid (class 2 maybe), the river was squeezed to the left due to several fallen trees.  An overhanging log left only about 5 feet of safe clearance in turbulent waters between it and a rocky wall on the left. I made it through unscathed and took on just a little water.  Another 1/2 mile down was a snow-mobile bridge over two large round culverts.  Both were blocked by wood, portaged left.  The rest of the way was quickwater through woods and then a marsh near the end.  2 more river-wide blowdowns required portage and several others required quick moves or limbos to get through.  A fun river but definitely need to stay alert on this one! 

 

Start:  Cocheco Road, Farmington, NH

End:  Little Falls Bridge Road, Rochester, NH

Trip time:  2 hours 20 min. 

Trip distance:  approx 6 miles

Looking upriver from the put-in

A three hour tour...

Wreck on the river

Tight squeeze on the left

Pretty ice shelves

Snowmobile bridge over 2 culverts required portage left

River flowing fast out the other side

 

Ice halo

 

Final portage in the marsh

A very new blowdown based on color of trunk, snuck by on the right

 

A long way from Aruba...

 

Little Falls Bridge

 

Takeout on the right

 

Float plan

Assabet River - Acton Canoe Launch to Lowell Road

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