First Time Northern Trip for Mid Atlantic CBoaters

[Not Elvis]

Let's just talk in hypotheticals right now.

Let's just say that there's a crew of MD/DC/VA CBoaters who want to seek northern waters in late spring / summer 2008 for a change. Here are their problems:

1. Group, as a WHOLE, has a comfort limit of class IV (more like III+)
2. Group, as whole, has not done ANY northern rivers. A few of us have made it up to NY for Moose and Beaver.
3. Group might be considered sissies (beyond issue 1) in that they want to paddle in warm weather, if not warm weather AND warm water. "Warm" is defined as 75 degrees F, requiring minimal long-sleeve gear. This is actually the most important issue to the group as a whole.

Now for the questions:

When is black fly season, so we can avoid it?
When are there releases in New England (NY, VT, NH, MA, ME?)
If nobody knows right now, when/what website should we check later?
Who in New England is willing to help out with "guiding" this group on various runs? Upper end of the group paddlers have seen Upper Yough, Bottom Moose, three sections of Beaver, Upper Gauley. Lower end of group paddlers have seen Lower Yough, Nolichucky, Tohickon Creek in PA.

I posted this question on NE Paddler forum and got some information, but now I am reaching out to the extended C-Boat family for help. Feel free to PM me or email me at j.robbins at boatmanandmagnani dot com

[patterbear]

You might want to try Hudson River Gorge on Memorial Day Weekend - myself and my family have been going up there for 30+ years (yes, I did the Hudson in utero). You can check out the Gorge on any number of websites, it fits the difficulty level. Sacandaga and Schroon are nearby for a short play run. Water is usually warm enough that swimming is not a manhood-shrinking affair. Another plus - both rivers are dam controlled, so you'll always have enough water. I don't usually see too many (any) cboaters besides myself, though. Maybe the bunch of buttboaters I roll with scares them away

[LEW]

When free flowing rivers are up in the northeast, it usually means cold water, black flies or both!
The flies start to become a nuissance about the second week of May and peak around Memorial Day, lasting till nearly July. About the same time the weather and water begin to warm up.
We often get enough rain mid-June to bring things up.
We don't let the black flies keep us off the water, they aren't really a problem while you are on the river anyway. A head net can be pretty handy at the put-in/take-out though, otherwise you spend a lot of time doing the "Adirondack Wave".
For releases, the schedule posted on the Northeast Paddlers Message board is pretty thorough.
http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/wrap/wrap.php?10
Also Waterline has up to date info.
http://www.h2oline.com/default.htm
I would be happy to show you some of our rivers, I'm sure Sir Adam would also want to showcase our beautiful rivers.
LEW

[msims]

How about the ottawa river region? Plenty of water, Ottawa is CIII+ for the most part - the hairier sections can be avoided if that's not what you want.

As well there's the Madawaska River, the Petawawa, Gatineau River, The Rouge River, and a whole bunch more. Lots to choose from, IMO

Black Fly season ends around end of June here...The water's 75 F by then for sure.

Mike.

[rcgalwa]

As posted by another paddler the northeast paddlers message board has all the release info, there is always something running 7 days a week ie Kennebec gorge, west branch of the Penobscot, both seboomoc and lower, and a boatload of weekend releases on other rivers. The dead is a must do for the III-III+ boaters between 1800-3500cfs. The seboomoc section of the west branch, and Magalloway are also good for this level. The Rapid, Deerfield Dryway section, and Canada falls tend to be for CIII-IV boaters, and 3500cfs+ on the dead, the Kennebec gorge and lower West branch of the penobscot are CIV and above. A buddy and I would run anything in the CIII-IV levels with you, and we have a good club Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society with plenty of open boaters, that would welcome guests too. Hope this helps, Ryan-

[Not Elvis]

Thanks for all the information, particularly the Blackfly stuff. I will probably be doing some followup in the next few weeks or months, either publicly or through PM to those souls brave enough to respond.

Except for the Ottawa-pushing people.

For the record, I have nothing against Canadians and their affinity for extra vowels at the ends of sentences. However, I believe that with the present travel issues that exist between us and those threatening Canandian illegal immigrants, the idea of seeking passports to get to Canuckville, some of my crew might shy away. I have a Passport, and I love Canadians, particularly Molsens, but I am afraid that we might have to limit our travels to USA this year, until Passport shenanigans die down.

Perhaps next year I can lead group to Canada to strain diplomatic relations, eh? That actually sounds like a decent idea to float--

Coming Summer 2009. Action, drama, romance, car chases.

It's "They Came From South Of The Border"

Watch as these out-of-towners try assimilate into their northern neighbors culture while bringing their own style and heritage. Skirt-chasing, paddling, blowing ferries, penetrating holes, laying the smack down..these South(er) Americans shown that when you can't beat em, and you can't quite join em, you just make a scene to ensure that everybody knows you're not from around here...and heading home soon.

[jroneil]

2 other Groups are the AMC NH paddlers and the Merrimack Vally paddler they will start paddleing Jan 1 but the bulk will be done in March and April when the snow melts
http://www.nhamcpaddlers.org/
http://www.mvpclub.org/
MVP also has the releases on there site for VT, NH, MA and ME

[bigspencer07]

....that the blackflies in Maine aren't anything compared to Canada...but...oh well;-)
JUNE is blackfly month...that's why mid-May thru mid-June is often so nice...not many bugs at all and great water levels.., but the one predictable thing about NE weather...is that it's anything But predictible...There are quite a few streams/rivers to surf...but the Upper Kennebec and W.Br. Penobscot(several sections) guarantee good water somewhere...before end of June.
_____________________________
..for NewEngland...check out:
http://www.npmb.com/cms2/e107_plugins/wrap/wrap.php?10

http://www.americanwhitewater.org
___________________________________
WATER_TEMPS: ~50s ...down in the southern part of the state...a little warmer.

$.01

[Sir Adam]

I'll chime in now:)

It may appear you're getting conflicting reports a la black fly (not to be confused the Black Tie...that's a whole different problem)...really, you are not. In the "southern" (to make you feel at home) Adirondacks the peak of Black Fly Season is memorial day weekend. That's why you rarely see me on the river then...if if you do, I'm in a raft because the local raft manager begged big time. It takes a few more weeks for it to be warm enough to reach peak in places like northern NH or western / north-central Maine.

What would I do if I were you? Last week or second from last week of June for the following reason:
1) We ALWAYS get a heat wave then...right when the kids are taking their regents tests it's usually 90+ (or at least high 80's) for the first time of the year (3rd week in June)
2) Bugs have died down a bit
3) I'll be available until the end of June to guide you down the Hudson Gorge (class III-IVish that time of year, depending on who you talk to as usual), Sacandaga (booorrring, but dam release), or Schroon (if it's running a fun little run). If I know you are going to be around I'll even arrange to take time off if you're here mid-week (we'll have to check the hudson release schedule...I'm not sure when the official summer releases start), and may even be able to get us a shuttle for the Hudson.

Keep me posted...but remember...Fall can be nice too with the foliage and rains. It IS cooler temps, though.