Lower Mad (open for business)!
Tuesday Mar 10, 2020
Participants:
Kayak: Jamie Dolan, Chris Frost
Open Canoe: Tony Shaw
Organizer: Tony Shaw
Difficulty: nov-int WW
Level: medium
Gauge (ft): 4.05
Gauge (cfs): 789
USGS Gauge Name/Link: USGS 04288000 MAD RIVER NEAR MORETOWN, VT
Author: Tony Shaw
As the day began, the Mad R. USGS real-time online gauge was showing "ice", but the New Haven gauge was barely over 500 cfs, so we were surprised to find the Mad with, as Jamie put it: "a lot more water than I was expecting". The put-in trail was still snow-covered, but the river was open from top to bottom, and fun! We had sunshine and rain showers - sometimes simultaneously - during our run, and temps close to 50 degrees. Quite pleasant for March 10th. Chris had to pull his skirt and swim below the horseshoe (river left), after capsizing above the lip, but he was unfazed. The water where he is going later this month (Costa Rica) will be warmer, if he happens to have another swim!