Connecticut River below Comerford Dam, Monroe, NH

[IQuest]

I am looking for any first hand info about the 1 mile stretch below the dam. I have read a couple descriptions ranging from water possibly rising up to 6 feet with class III rapids to being to shallow and rocky to being swift and easy if the dam is releasing water. The problem seems to be some boulders 1 mile below the dam. Any first hand experience would be greatly appreciated.

I am planning a camping trip along the river to redline another section and would like to start as close to this dam as possible then get out in Woodsville on day two.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jay H]

Paradox and I started a short bit above the Comerford Dam two summer's ago. I don't recall that section being that problematic but it certainly was probably a different water situation which can change daily. I remember the current being decently strong that I was simply floating but nothing like class III rapids or anything. Perhaps you can call or find online the CFM being let out of the dam for the day you plan on going. I remember the section below the dam being really nice, and none of the dam portages being that great. Many of them can be slippery and the maintenance can be spotty plus a lot of them entail carrying a loaded kayak down a few hundred feet...

Jay

 

[Jay H]

http://www.h2oline.com/TRC.asp

hopefully you can put in below the dam, though I suspect not. I think the portage for that dam is a longish 400ft drop or so on a grassy hill with a set of concrete stairs to descend and then like a 250dt bushwack through possibly high brush...

Jay

 

[IQuest]

Thanks. That's what I wanted to hear. Due to some scheduling conflicts we decided to do this as an 18 mile day trip, getting off the river a few miles south of Woodsville. Without the camping gear we will be able to travel lighter and possibly getting wet wont be as big of a deal. I did find that website with the dam schedule so if the water is too low we can just wait a bit for it to rise in the morning. The access below the dam, although vague, is listed on the CT River Paddlers Tr website. It appears to be .2 miles from the resivior access. We'll have to check it out. The back up plan is to lauch into the Passumpsic River in Barnet, VT the continue to the CT River.

Did you carry around the dam?

 

[Jay H]

Yeah, we launched up by Littleton and paddled for a bunch of days to Windsor, VT. Unfortunately, Paradox had some back issues and had to abandon around Bradford, so I continued on solo for another like two days to Windsor, VT. I hope to finish off the 60odd miles I have to the MA border next month....

So yeah, Paradox and I had to portage our loaded kayaks around all those pesky dams, for the most part, we would carry one kayak down the trail and then return for the other one and sort of leapfrog them all. the terrain and conditions didn't make multiboat kayak portaging much an option for us as we were pretty loaded.

I have the CT River water trail guide "Source to sea" which is what we used as a guide/planner..

Jay

 

[IQuest]

Sounds good. The portage and parking is on the NH side correct? We are accustomed to the steep slippery portage trails that are out there. I've launched at some less than convenient spots in the past. I've been as far south as Springfield, VT. Pretty bummed we're not camping this year though. I love all the sites along the river (minus the poison ivy).

 

[Jay H]

Yes, the portage is on the river left so it would be the NH side... Camping is very nice on the upper section of the CT. We stashed firewood on the first campsite on the way up to Littleton so we had a fire the first night and we had some good nights in pretty spots. Not a lot of thru paddlers, just a lot of daypaddlers and swimmers. We ran into I think one family of boy scouts on the river camping closer to Hanover and that was about it...

Jay

 

[IQuest]

Update for anyone interested.

We paddled the 15 miles from the Comerford Dam to Woodsville without any major issues. It was after 8 am when we put in below the dam and they were letting out 10,000 cfs we were told. Upon reaching the questionable section, most boulders were covered and it was an easy paddle with attention being paid to find the smoothest line. We were sure to space out along this section as well.

The two portages below were east to follow and not too difficult with the kayaks although the footing was a little rough.

It rained for about an hour around 1 pm so we pulled onto shore and set up a tarp for lunch. This same tarp would be used later at 5:15 pm as a storm shelter for two of us as a T storm passed over, just after the Dodge Falls portage, which dropped heavy rain and small hail on us.

Good times were had by all 4 of us and we finished up our leisurely paddle in Woodsville in just under 11 hours.

 

[Jay H]

Cool, is Woodsville where the guide book warns of a tricky whirlpool? I remember Paradox and I hit a pretty nice section just before our takeout for a resupply, going by part of the river with high granite walls and I think a pedestrian bridge spanning the river and an interesting whirlpool of current.... Sounds like a fun trip, I remember the section south of the Comerford as being nice..

Jay

 

[IQuest]

Yes. Thre are some funky currents in the "narrows" of Woodsville but nothing I would worry about swamping your boat. As I floated and fished I spun around in circles (slowly) and in one spot the current could be seen coming in fron both sides. It was pretty neat.