Weekend Forecast 5/27/11

if the NWS is to be believed we could receive a visit from the so-ro wave this weekend!

This spring is getting ridiculous for how long rivers have stayed high, and the results are that this weekend there's still a ton of options for storming up a carve. As of now the Sharon Dam river right hole is running, as with the well enough wave, jungle bush wave, and 302 waves... the scoma could inch up into the range for the (now strainer free) excelsior hole, you may want to explore these levels for the moose river wave, or wilder wave, and if the NWS is to be believed there is the potential for the big T-storms rolling through tonight to kick the white river up into cliff  and so-ro wave  heights!!! So pray for rain, or think good thoughts at the universe, or whatever it is you do... AND go surf. Shalom. Jolyon

Nick goes big

Here's a photo update i've long neglected (sorry!) from local big-time paddler/mensch Nick Gottlieb on an early-season high-water day on the White River. Thanks for the photo Nick!

Going big on one of the many one-shot/hike&surf waves on the superlative white river at high water

Excelsior Strainer Out!

Good news! The strainers that were in the backwash to excelsior hole on the mascoma river are gone due to recent high water and "someone's" mad lumberjack skills. Sadly the scoma dropped through the good range too fast to hit it this week, but hopefully we haven't seen the last of it for the season. Peace. Jolyon

Weekend Forecast 5-20-11

Hey people, enjoy the unseasonably persistent high levels and go boating! This weekend you've got the Sharon Dam, Well Enough and maybe Jungle Bush Wave, maybe Bellows Falls Wave. It's doubtful that the sign wave will get low enough with all this rain, but maybe the high levels on the scoma will wash out that strainer on the excelsior hole for when the water drops again. Here's hoping. Cheers! Jolyon

Sign Wave Session

Weekend Forecast 5-13-11

Hey! It's Sign Wave season! Every year as most stuff is winding down, the remaining melt water off the northern whites brings the Sign Wave in at Hartlands for about a week. It just started, and the weather couldn't be nicer. Today it was awesome with 12.1k cfs from the CT R @ wleb gauge, 900 cfs from the Ottauquechee, and 100 cfs from the Mascoma = 13.1k of perfect. On top of that we've got Sharon Dam RR hole on the low end of good and Well Enough Wave on Quechee Gorge still kickin' it (though fluctuating a lot during the day). Be sure to check levels before you head out. Enjoy!

Weekend Forecast 5-6-11

front wave @ 302

sharon dam RR hole

well enough wave

sign wave

Hey people, looks like good weather this weekend and some good surfing options still to be had. Flows should hold for the front wave at 302 at least for saturday. Sharon dam RR hole will be good all weekend... same for well enough wave on quechee gorge. Levels may drop enough by sunday for the sign wave to come in at hartlands, but we're not sure on that one. Excelsior hole is still at a great level, but still has a big strainer problem, so it's a no-go until further notice. Enjoy yourselves!

Giant sucking sound

You hear that giant sucking sound? No, it's not the job- loss effects of NAFTA this time. It's all those pretty leaves coming out and sucking up the water that would otherwise be filling the rivers. Yes, the buds have popped in the more southerly and lower elevatory regions of the upper valley and as such we all must bid adieu to much of the hefty runoff we've so enjoyed this spring. But lest you fear that lower water mean less boating, let me assuage your concerns! The Connecticut will still benefit from weeks of runoff from the northern whites, we'll have rain to bring things up periodically, AND we've got plenty of surfing options at lower levels. So never fear. Enjoy the warmth and the greenery. And be on the lookout for the sign wave, excelsior hole, Sharon dam rr hole, and the well enough wave as levels drop. Peace. Jolyon Pruszinski

Rinse & Spin Hole - Hartlands

Mike Cooley throwing ends July 2004
(cached from, now unavailable, AW video by Rick Cooley)

 Rinse & Spin is a left throwing cartwheel ledge-hole at Sumner's falls (Aka "hartlands rapid") on the Connecticut River, appearing largely in the summer. It is playable in some form between 2500 and 8000 or so cfs, though at the lower end quite boring and the upper end quite munchy. However if you catch it in the middle of the range you are in for many linked cartwheels. For access and gauge info see the hartlands main drag wave page.

Excelsior hole strainer

Good news is that the mascoma had finally dropped into a good range for the excelsior hole for the past few days! Bad news is that there's a strainer preventing surfing there. I hope to get in there with a saw soon but until then it's a no go. =(