The Vermont Paddlers Club

The NWS recorded nearly 2 inches of rain Monday in Burlington, and a few of us

with flexible schedules took the opportunity to take advantage of the runoff Tuesday.

We had wanted to go to Danville to run Joe's Brook, but almost a foot of water

was spilling over the dam according to GMP dispatch Tues. morning -- too juicy

for everyone's taste. We picked instead the North Branch of the Winooski in Worcester,

because it drains a small basin south of Lake Elmore, and thus requires this kind

of daylong heavy rain just to be navigable. The level was perfect. Aside from

its stunning natural beauty, pool-drop is the attraction on the "other" North

Branch, sporting a high class V falls every 1/4 mile for 2 1/4 miles - all of

which can be run! We took 3 hours to complete the run - scouting carefully, soaking

up the sunshine, taking photos, and grinning ear to ear! Everyone paddled deftly,

rising to the occasion. Alden turned in two memorable performances beyond the

comfort level of the others -first cleanly running the last twisting drop above

the culvert on the far right, and finally richoting effortlessly down the final

falls drop from-left-to-center (where everyone else kept right).

I would have been satisfied to call it a day at 3:30, but youthful exuberance

prevailed and we took Alden and Mike to Johnson for a "race run" on the Gihon.

The level here had dropped 2+ feet since midnight from the appearance, but was

still more pushy than I have seen it. The hole below Bedhead was unsettling, and

everyone carried. Eldorado upended 3 out of 4 in our party ("I think we're getting

tired..."). Everyone took Spinach to the right (except Mike who took it on Sinclair

Rd...in hot pursuit of his runaway kayak).

Alden nabbed the AWOL boat, and we ran the last 3 drops together. Multiple routes

were open in Pincushion, where Eric advises staying far left. Tony missed his

line, swimming not once but twice in Powerhouse ("now definitely tired..."). Everyone

had a clean line through Pancake.

If I don't paddle again in 2003, this day's sweet memories will carry me through the winter until next spring!