Back-Bennett's Wave (at Hartlands)

Hard Carve on Back-Bennett's ~8000cfs

Sumner's Falls, aka "Hartlands", on the Connecticut River is a wide ledge complex that generates a lot of different waves and holes at different levels. The general orientation of the ledges is North-South and much of the river breaks out and flows over these ledges in an east to west direction. The most southerly section of ledge that fits this description has classically been known as 'Bennett's' or 'Bennett's Hole' after a Dartmouth paddler from the late-80's who would regularly surf the ledge-hole back in the days when more folks had scruples about dropping into large ledge-holes. Not Bennett.

Bennett's

Anyway, these days 'Bennett's' is usually a challenging, and short surf, though if you hit it in the wrong place (or right place?) you may be stuck for a while. However, just behind 'Bennett's' is 'Back-Bennett's' and this wave is more user friendly.

Bennett's on the left and Back-Bennett's on the right

Good levels are around 6000-10,000cfs on the CT R @ West Lebanon stream gauge. This is usually known as a tweener level at Hartlands when levels are not high enough for the Sign wave and still too high for much more than front-surfing on the Main Drag wave. As such, Back-Bennett's fills a very useful niche. It is eddy accessible, though the ferry is a little tricky. The eddy behind it is HUGE if you need to pick up the pieces afterwards. A variety of moves are possible depending a good deal on your skill level, the water level, and your boat type, but anyone can get on there and try to do something. Advanced paddlers can throw blunts both sides, the occasional fast cartwheel, and loops. Of course spins as well. I have looped my old tekno there several times.

Back-Bennett's cartwheel setup

Access is the same as with all the normal Hartlands waves. See the page on the Main Drag wave for more info on access and calculating flows more accurately.

So never let it be said that there's nothing good at Hartlands at the tweener levels. There is! Enjoy.

Jolyon Pruszinski

Weekend Forecast 3-26-11

Sharon Dam RR Wave-Hole

Hey Folks! Cold temps this week and weekend are keeping flows down so for this weekend we're looking at the typically the late-spring options for surfing. Sharon Dam RR should go, Hartlands Main Drag wave should be in early AM saturday based on H2oline forecasts and the levels may bump up high enough after that for the Sign Wave to come in. Excelsior hole on the Mascoma should be coming down into a good window and the dam at the head of Quechee Gorge has been releasing plenty of water during the day for good surfing. Bellows Falls wave on the CT may come in as well. Don't get too cold!

Peace
Jolyon Pruszinski

Weekend Forecast 3-18-11

The CLIFF WAVE may come in this weekend!

Well we've seen some beautiful weather in the past week with today (friday) being just ridiculous. It was 65 degrees! All this is pointing to some great snowmelt and rising rivers. The surfing outlook for this weekend is again, VERY GOOD!

Since last weekend we've had some ice shifting (Hartlands cleared out) but a good bit of ice remains both upstream of wilder dam on the Connecticut and upstream of Quechee Gorge. As such with rising river levels at least through tomorrow I would recommend against surfing on the Connecticut at Hartlands (main drag wave & sign wave), the 302 waves, and the bellows falls wave and on the Ottauquechee River at Quechee Gorge (well enough wave). Hartlands will probably be too high anyway.

The Campbell Hole is IN... NOW!

It looks like levels will also be too high also for the Excelsior Hole on the Mascoma, Leaf Peeper on Quechee Gorge, bridge hole on the White River, and perhaps even the Sharon dam waves on the White. Which  means.... that the White should be AWESOME this weekend. Right now the Sharon dam RL wave is running (which is nice) and the levels look like they may cruise right on up through the window for sharon dam and into the range for the CLIFF WAVE (best wave in the valley) and the SO-RO wave! If this happens get on it! Levels also look favorable for campbell hole on the Williams and Jungle Bush wave on the first branch of the White (but these two have unconfirmed ice status). Campbell hole levels are currently off the hook.

Enjoy the water, waves, and warmth!! Hope to see you out there.
Jolyon Pruszinski

The Weekend Forecast 3-12-11

With regional rain and levels on the rise we should get some good levels this weekend for cleaning the ice out of some more rivers and even some good boating!

RL Sharon Dam Wave

The White River looks like the best bet for this weekend. Sharon Dam should have a good wave all weekend (RR or RL) unless levels blowout to the high side (over 10k) in which case the cliff wave and so-ro wave will be in. Ice situation for jungle bush wave on the first branch is unconfirmed. if no ice it will probably run at least saturday, prob sunday too. Rising levels will put new ice in play so be on the lookout for the occasional berg or ice flow.

So-Ro Wave

Hartlands - The ice situation here is still a problem... if it flushes out over the weekend hartlands will likely be too high for the sign wave & definitely too high for the main drag wave

Quechee - The well enough wave is running nicely now, but with levels rising over the weekend I would stay away from quechee until the ice is off the backwater of the dam at the head of the gorge. Don't get crushed.

Mascoma River - Levels are too high for the excelsior hole for the weekend, but downtown hair is running at a nice class 5 level w. no ice. Also the normal river run from the Mascoma Lake dam down to excelsior should be good to go.

Williams River - The ice situation is unconfirmed on the williams at campbell hole, but levels suggest it is running now and may run saturday am too.

Bellows falls wave - levels look like they could work for this weekend but i'm going to wait for the ridiculously large ice jam upstream to flush out before i go here. Don't get crushed.

302 waves - These CT river waves in Woodsville will probably not have enough high-elevation melt this weekend to come in. Likely verdict: too low.

Have fun and stay safe out there!

Ice Report

So the big melt over the weekend had some interesting results...
(below: connecticut river at sumner's falls)

As of today (Tuesday 3-8-11) the whitewater run on the White River is mostly flushed of static ice. The Sharon dam wave is at a decent level... BUT one would be playboating in a slush puppy today. There is a lot of floating ice and slush coming down the river still. The river is runnable in a downriver capacity for an experienced boater, but not much fun for surfing. The good news is that this floating ice should clear out soon and we should have a long season for the Sharon dam waves! Of course, accessing that playspot can take a lot of work when the ice-out created what is effectively an ice gorge for the river to flow through. But that won't deter you die-hards!

More good news: Quechee Gorge is free of major static ice and floating ice for now, and the Well Enough Wave is running! Downside is the hike through the snow on either end of a session and the fact that the pond upstream of the dam is still covered with ice. Do not run the gorge at this time if the river is rising. The chance of getting crushed under the ice-out from the pond upstream is not worth taking. However, if levels are steady or dropping, you're probably good to go. For instance, today: probably good to go.

The Mascoma River is ice free in places, and not in others. The excelsior hole on the mascoma is clear and running well. This is another one to watch for ice-flows while surfing as it is doubtful that everything upstream is cleared yet.

Interesting news on the Connecticut River and Sumner's Falls, aka Hartlands, home to the Sign Wave, Main Drag Wave and other lesser known playspots. Apparently when all the ice was careening down the White River, it did not manage to break the major ice dam downstream of Hartlands. As such we have miles upon miles of ice jam backing up above Hartlands and now frozen in place at about the floodstage level. It's pretty amazing to see, but not terribly well suited for the average surfer. Hartlands will have to wait for some warmer weather & more water.

Until then, enjoy what we've got! Early season Sharon Dam and Quechee! Shalom.

It's Spring Again!

It's dumping rain, the air is sweet and spring is back again! Looks like the runoff will hit the big rivers by tomorrow (monday) 3-7-11. Most things are still iced in as of today but with levels rising overnight into the normal windows for good surfing, it seems likely that most of that ice is going to head south. Look for good flows for the Campbell Hole, Sharon Dam, and Well Enough Wave at the least. We may get good flows on Hartlands (sign wave) and Excelsior Hole (mascoma) as well. Be careful of ice shelves, ice flows, cold water and gnomes. It's all in play. It's spring! Send in any eye witness info on ice-free waves! UVSURF will be on the lookout and passing on all the info that comes in. Shalom people.