Location:
South Lincoln
Length:
.85 miles
Class:
IV
Flow Direction:
North
Starting Elevation:
1200′
Ending Elevation:
1070′
Average Gradient:
155′ / mile
Rapid Type:
Bedrock ledges, slides and falls.
The Upper New Haven will always live in the shadow of its more famous sibling downstream, the Ledges. But what it lacks in popularity, it makes up for in character—offering a short, dynamic stretch of unique rapids, interesting lines, and a standout 10-foot falls. Whether you’ve been scared off the Ledges by high water or are linking laps with nearby micro-creeks, the Upper delivers a beautiful and fun bite-sized bit of Vermont creek boating.
From the take out drive upstream (south) briefly to Ripton Road on your right. Take this road up the hill until you reach a Y. Park in the triangle area in the middle of the Y intersection. Put in either above or below the drop just upstream on Mill Road.
Coming from Bristol area; from the intersection of 116 and Lincoln road head uphill on Lincoln road along the river for 4.5 miles. Take South Lincoln Road on the right just after passing over the river. (You can take out at this bridge too if you want to get the drop just downstream, it adds a little under a mile of moving water). Follow South Lincoln Road for ~3/4 of a mile until you come to a small pull off on the right along the river where the road starts heading uphill.
Online Gauge:
NEW HAVEN RIVER @ BROOKSVILLE, NR MIDDLEBURY, VT
Flow Range:
800 – 2000
Rising: 600 – 1200
Steady: 800 – 1800
Falling: 1000 – 2400
Visual Gauge:
There is no visual gauge for this run. A quick look at the final drop at the take out should give you a sense for the level.
Description: S. Gilbert | Photos: S. Gilbert
I feel bad for the scores of paddlers who have travelled to the New Haven Ledges and never bothered to venture upstream. They are missing out on a little hidden gem of a run – The Upper New Haven. And while it will always be overshadowed by the classic Ledges section, it is well deserving of its own accolades. In a short, easily-lappable stretch of just under a mile, this run packs in some really fun rapids each with their own unique character, and a standout 10′ falls into a beautiful mini gorge.
This is a great place to visit on a high water day when you have been scared off the ledges or are running a couple of the area micro-creeks (Baldwin, Beaver Meadow and Bristol Notch are all < 10 minutes away).
The put in features the most marginal rapid of the run, 200′ of non-trivial lead in to a narrow slot, with an even narrower line off a flake in the center. Lower water makes this more challenging. Many will choose to put in below this drop.
From here down is some brief boogie before you arrive at the bridge rapid. There are numerous doors here, which one you take will depend on the level, but far right is a common option, eddying out in a 1 boat eddy half way before making a right to left move back into the main flow. Its a bit chunky and the reconnect can send you surprisingly deep.
After going under the road the next horizon line is a interesting cascade drop. The line – particularly at lower flows – is to run left, aiming for the wall below, with a last minute right hand pivot into the trough at the bottom to avoid a piton. It goes better than it looks, and is actually quite fun, just keep those elbows in (you brought your elbow pads right?).
A pair of fun fluid ledges after this bring you to the highlight of the run, a 10′ falls into a mini-gorge. This one is worth a scout and perhaps some safety, ending up in the pocket on the left would not be a good time.
After the falls a bit of moving water brings you to a pair of offset slots in the bedrock. This rapid is known as Panty Dropper after an incident that left a paddler bottomless. It is yet another really fun unique rapid. The bottom slot looks terribly undercut, but somehow the undercut is on the downstream side of the ledge. Regardless, it is worth a look from river left before descending (there may be a pocket on river left at the entrance of the second slot that would not be good to end up in).
Shortly below is the final ledge at the takeout with a few options to choose from (and a decent hole to punch /avoid if the water is high).
Hike back up to the cars and do it all again. Once you know the lines, a trip down this can be done in under 10 minutes.
