SIGN WAVE from the vault

Weekend Forecast 6-24-11

Ted Devoe @ Sharon Dam -by Patrick Rogers at kayakingphotos.com

Yo people the water keeps coming! Water is up from the rain this week at good medium levels and we could get more this weekend. So we've got good surfing at Hartlands with the Main Drag Wave aka 'the Hartlands Wave' coming in for most of the day and night (& Rinse & Spin too) and if you time it right you can hit the Sign Wave when the release bounces up. Well Enough is running too! Not only so, but Sharon Dam is also back in. If the water comes up any more you might be able to hit Bellows Falls Wave or Campbell Hole. And for a bit of a drive outside the region it looks like Crack Pipe is coming in, and that Lake Champlain may be getting low enough for Chambly (location). Surf's Up! Jolyon

Weekend Forecast 6-10-11

Main Drag Wave

Rinse & Spin Hole

Well Enough Wave

Bridge Hole

I hope it's in your future to get out on the good water we've been seeing. Flows for this weekend look great! The water at Hartlands has been fluctuating between good levels for the Main Drag wave and Rinse and Spin (lower) and the Sign Wave (higher). In between you've got Back-Bennett's. And while the White River has dropped out for the Sharon Dam it's come into range for the Bridge Hole. We've also got fluctuating flows on Quechee Gorge that have been allowing for both the Well Enough Wave (high) and Leaf peeper Hole (lower). So check levels before you go, but it looks like things are shaping up for a good weekend on the water. Peace.

Weekend Forecast 6/3/11

the sign wave is in

The sign wave looks good for this weekend! Also likely still on the low end of decent will be the sharon dam hole. The dam at the head of Quechee Gorge has been releasing enough for the well enough wave for a couple hours a day, so if you check the levels and time it right you could hit that too, the rest of the time may work for leaf peeper. Weather looks great. Get out there people!

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!

Weekend Forecast 4-8-11

Hey boaters! This weekend is looking beautiful, with expected highs in the 60s and sunny skies. Great time to get on the water. It's also the "take 2" for the New Haven Race. So if you're looking to get out locally or if you're coming through for the race and looking to do some surfing as a race wind-down, it's a good weekend for you. We look to be set for great flows for the Sharon Dam Waves on the White, the Sign Wave at Hartlands (pending continued releases from wilder dam), and the Well Enough wave on Quechee Gorge. Go out and get some! And if you happen to be driving by Bretton Woods this weekend be sure to raise your fist in defiance at the i-banker/international-financiers meeting there to set up the new world order to control all us peons. SYOTR

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

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.

Ledyard River Fest: Word on the street

So the word on the street is that the third annual Ledyard River Festival this coming April 15-17 will be dropping the rodeo component of the weekend. The likely competitions will include a triathalon (with a paddling component, probably flatwater), the mascoma slalom, and the wells river rumble downriver creek race. I hope they'll change their minds, but it seems that water levels have disappointed the ledyard organizers both two years ago at the Sharon Dam Wave on the White R and last year at the Sign Wave at Hartlands on the Connecticut R. There was some talk of trying to get a guaranteed release at Quechee Gorge for the Well-Enough Wave, but apparently the dam operators haven't been willing to open the gates.

As we here at Upper Valley Surf, not to be outdone by nature, ABSOLUTELY abhor a vacuum, we are contemplating putting together a laid back rodeo anyway. No desire to compete with the festival, just to complement it with a chill comp during some unscheduled time. We are confident that good water will show.

What say you? Let us know if you're in!