Sign Wave - CT RIver (hartlands)

jolyon pruszinski pre-blunt summer '09

colin keenan ripping it old school - May '97

The sign wave is at sumner's falls on the CT river. The VT side of the river is Hartland, the NH side is Plainfield. This rapid is know to most boaters as 'hartlands'. The sign wave, when it is in, is located at the upper river left of the rapid, by the large portage sign (hence the name). It's also known as the 'upper-left wave.'

It comes in at medium levels. Typically in May for a few weeks, and at other times when the water is up. When it's in it's a great wave for spins and blunts. Eddy service is not amazing. It requires paddling hard to catch even when you wash off upright. Flip on your ride and you'll really have to pull to get back.


they don't make boats like they used to... carter wray - May '97

levels are tricky to judge sometimes because when the wave is running you need to add the gauge readings on the:

CT R @ lebanon, nh
Mascoma R @ lebanon, nh
Ottauquechee @ N Hartland, VT (outflow of reservoir).

As far as we can tell it seems that at 11,000 cfs the Upper Left Wave begins to be surfable, but washes out by 14,000 cfs.

CT R & Ottauquechee gauges:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nh/nwis/current/?type=flow

Mascoma gauge:
http://www2.des.state.nh.us/rti_home/station_information_display.asp?WID=fivebasins&ID=MCAN3&NAME=Mascoma+Lake

HAPPY SURFING