The Vermont Paddlers Club

June 2013 - Rain Rain and more Rain....

The North Branch Winooski seemed to run just about every day in June and early July.  This was the first of 3 fantastic NBW runs over the next month.  This particular Justin and I introduced Chan to the North Branch Winooski.

At the put in the water was murky and high - always a good sign.  The first few ledges are always a tell-tail of how the run is going to feel.  The ledges were forming holes.... WHoot Whoot!

Warming up nicely down to Broken Falls, we gave verbal cues to Chan.  He was right on line and cleaned his first NBW drop.  As we worked our way down through the 3 sisters (Notch, Crunch and turtleback)  Notch was sketchy because there is a log in the main flow/line.  We got great boofs off of turtle back.  Next was pinch gorge.  Nothing major - the hole in the middle was pulsing some, but a good stroke and you were bopping through. 

On occasion, I would look back to check in on Chan - the kid was ear to ear grins!

Next up was our first substantial drop...Fine-line.  Down the green water to the boof.  I demo'd it for the boys.  Justin styled it.  Chan got knocked off line and went toward the pothole.  He managed to get his nose up and clean it, but was close.  I think that was a wake up call for him. 

Manky-mank was next.  I hate this drop!  Especially the right line on Manky.  My first swim of 2015 took place as I was stuffed under the wall of the rock island!  What the heck!  Smashed though and bruised ego.  Back up I went to clean it.  No problem.  The guys were waiting for me at the bottom...  Next up BIG BOUNCY.

All three of us got out to get a look.  T'was fluid and G2G with enough flow and no wood.  I went first snagging a couple of micro eddys on the way down.  I also grabbed a good paddle full on the final boof onto the slide.  Next up was Justin - he smoothed the line the whole way through.  Chan nutted up and did the same.  BTW - he was doing this in a leaky totally beat Embudo.  The kid is a stud.

Wood blocked the entrance to the tunnel, so we needed to portage to the other side.  Flat falls also has a massive log in it so boofing the right side is a must.  But the Boof isn't enough, there is one hell of a nasty piton rock in there that will snag you if you are too far right!  We all got it to a varying degree.

Up next - Sliding board.  Such a fun blind drop but with out a doubt the nastiest hole on the river.  There is one line and not hitting that line results in one thing - a swim above a 35' waterfall.  The line - hang on the river left wall.....PERIOD.  I led and eddied out to set saftey and take pictures.  Next was Justin, he was far left as well.  Chan came around with no speed and was too far right.  I heard the sucking noise even before the nose of his Embudo touched down in the back-toe.  He held on for a roll for a good while before he swam and was body recirc'd a few times.  I hit him with a rope and we reeled him out.  His paddle went by and over the falls,  His boat was still in there.  Justin was out of his boat and on the other side of the river.  I hit him with my rope and we reeled in Chan's boat.  We also got Chan's paddle for him. 

Now we were set for Double Drop.   Best drop on the river.  Boof the initial 10ft and then hang on for the "pillow fight" final few hits into a meltdown drop.  SO DAMN AWESOME!!!  The bigger the boof of the top the better the drop goes!  I think we all styled it nicely

Next is Cave Hole.  There are two lines here, the slide to auto boof and the rolling lip over the hole in front of the cave.  Justin and I fired up the boof off the lip.  My first one went sloppy and I had to roll.  Second go went cleanly for me.  Chan went off the slide a little to the left and actually fell in next to the hole. 

We headed down to the Last Drop.  It was closed out with Wood on the left line and none of us were feeling like anything off the middle or right was good to go, so that was the end of the run.

Beers at the take out - and off we went.  It was fun to introduce a newbie to the the Church of the NBW.