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July 28, 2007 -- Marietta, GA
I've had a couple folks ask me about the rapids on the Dryway section of the Deerfield. I remember it as one of the most fun,
neatest wildwater courses I have ever raced or paddled. And I don't remember any boat damage! Of course my personal recollection
is from a dozen years ago but I have raced both C-1 and C-2 on ther river. If anyone has better knowledge, please sound off.
You can do so by posting to the USAWildwater Yahoo Group (Click here if you want to join
the group).
We put in (and started the race) just downstream of what I thought was Monroe Bridge...I will have to get the organizers to
confirm this... for what boiled down to something like a 17 minute race. I'm thinking it was below the first rapid described
below because I don't recall anything of any great significance in the first 12 minutes or so. I do recall that the last 4
minutes were pretty chunky with the likes of Snaggle Tooth and Labarinth (see description below). In my mind the first 10-12
minutes are like the Nantahala rapids back to back (without any flats or shallows) and the last 4 minutes are like the Ocoee
rapids of Table Saw, Dimond Spitter and Power House (note: see description of rapids below).
Here's the description from the Zoar Outdoors Website.
DRYWAY RAPIDS AT A GLANCE – DEERFIELD RIVER
Also Check Out:
Zoar Gap Rapids at a Glance -
Whitewater Release Schedules -
Dryway Rafting
MONROE BRIDGE (note: I don't remember this one???)
Put in for the Dryway at the dam in Monroe Bridge or just downstream of the town center where a rough path leads to a
lower access. The scenery at the dam is nothing to write home about, with a large decaying factory littering the right bank
and the dam just under the bridge. Access is down a steep, loose bank. This access is scheduled to be improved soon by the
power company and can only become safer and more convenient. Directly below the small pool is Factory Rapid, a sharp,
debris-laden class III+ that runs out into a fast wave train at the bottom. Beware the debris on river right especially
where spikes and sharp metal edges are visible at low water. A quarter mile of class II follows until the river turns left
and a longer class III begins with a popular surfing wave two thirds of the way down. Another short pool leads to Split Hair,
the first of the more difficult drops. Also known as Governor's Rapid, this one is class IV at most levels and holds several
excellent eddies, inspiring surfing waves, and a somewhat nasty pourover on river left at the bottom. The Split Hair rock is
the large one in the center halfway down - go left or right, but decide before you hit the rock. Below the pool after Split
Hair is Judy's Hole, an easier rapid with a bouncy playhole on the left halfway down. Judy's leads directly to the next rocky
class III which leads into Left Turn, one of the longer, more complex class IVs on the run. The easiest line at Left Turn is
on the left where the water is biggest, but there are several possible variations and numerous play waves along the way.
DUNBAR BROOK
Where the valley widens below Left Turn a popular lunch spot on a large rock on river right provides a good viewing spot
for the bottom half of the rapid. Below this, easy water leads to another interesting class III drop. Soon after, Dunbar
Brook enters from the right. The gravel bar here is a popular rest spot. From here down the rapids generally become tougher
and increase in difficulty until Labyrinth. Dunbar Brook rapid is narrow and powerful with a very grabby hole at the top in
the center. Play waves and eddies abound, but the length of the rapid makes rolling critical at the top. Shortly below
Dunbar, Pine Tree, also known as False Tooth, entertains with several more surfing waves, a few steep holes halfway down,
and a challenging slot move on the right. Class II follows for another hundred yards to the top of Dragon's Tooth.
Dragon's Tooth is intimidating because the water is powerful and a large hole blocks most of the river partway down
the rapid. The basic run is from right to left to avoid the hole, then back right again below it. Sounds simple, but the
water is zipping along, so you have to make the move with authority and stay upright in the big water. Scout or walk on the left.
LABYRINTH RAPID
There are several excellent kayak play spots below Dragon's Tooth and a short pool before Labyrinth. Labyrinth is sometimes
flooded from below by the Bear Swamp reservoir, but when it's all there, it's the longest, most complex, and most interesting
rapid on the river. After a long fast tongue that pushes onto a submerged snaggletooth, a few small ledge drops lead to the
Terminator hole where the entire river drops into a large powerful hydraulic over a 4-foot ledge with a nasty boulder sieve
below on the left. The right is fairly clear down to the large eddy at the bottom. At low reservoir levels another rapid
appears below Labyrinth. This one has a large boulder in the center and lines on either side of it. Don't paddle below
this rapid. The power company is required by their federal license to limit access to the reservoir since it fluctuates
up to forty feet in a day and has an intake that draws 5000 cubic feet of water per second up the mountain at a moment's
notice. Access to the takeout is via the Dunbar Brook Picnic Area access road. This is also the road that leads to the
power plant, so be careful to observe posted no parking areas to keep the power company's access open. The town of Monroe
has complained of boaters speeding through town, so keep it down. The Dryway is too great a run to lose over inconsiderate
boater behavior. Water level information for the Dryway is available through the Deerfield River information phone (888 356-3663).
Listen for the spill at the #5 station dam. A schedule of the release dates for the coming year can be obtained from Zoar
Outdoor at www.zoaroutdoor.com/schedule.htm. These descriptions are
excerpted from the Classic Northeastern Whitewater Guide by Bruce Lessels which is available in our Outfitters Shop or from AMC Books.
(Editor's note: A full description of the rapids with pictures and a bunch of maps can be found at
www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River_detail_id_681_).
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