Smith - 1) Route 104 to Cass Mill Road


Smith, New Hampshire, US

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1) Route 104 to Cass Mill Road

Usual Difficulty IV (for normal flows)
Length 1.75 Miles
Avg. Gradient 89 fpm
Max Gradient 100 fpm

Smith River


Smith River
Photo of Brian Glaysher & Sunshine by Mark Lacroix taken 04/02/03 @ 4.1'

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
SMITH RIVER NEAR BRISTOL, NH
usgs-01078000 3.80 - 6.00 ft IV 01h06m 2.56 ft (rc= -0.6 )


River Description

The Smith River in central NH is a steep, spring runoff river. This section parallels the old route 104 (Smith River Road) which has long since been bypassed by the new route 104. In winter/early-spring, it is usually plowed just past a bridge over the river, which is the normal put in. Early in the season you may wish to carry (or drag over the snow) upstream a little to access one of the good drops on the river. Some people prefer a little warm up and will drive the extra half mile upstream on Smith River Road (or, if it is snowed in, the new route 104). Access the river at a left turn on Smith River Road (once again only plowed up to the last residence on the road).

The run is continuous from the put in. The most difficult rapid is located just upstream from the Cass Mill Road bridge. Ray's Rapid can be sneaked on a small channel on river left, but is often choked with logs and ice early in the season. The river slackens a little after the bridge.

While the listing name suggests Cass Mill Road as the take out, more usually boaters continue to a clearing formed by some overhead power lines. (From the road, you will be able to see the river in the valley.) Optionally you can continue two additional miles downstream to the take out at Berry Road bridge. This part of the river is mostly class II with a few strainers to avoid. (See additional listing.)
 

Technical info

Put in elevation 725'
Take out elevation 570' (481' at Berry Bridge)
Total drop 155' (244' to Berry Bridge)
Average drop/mile   89'(65' to Berry Bridge)
Distance 1.75 miles (3.75 to Berry Bridge)
River width average      25'
River geology Small to medium granite boulders, some ledges
River water quality Good, clarity average
Scenery Nice river valley usually sometimes within view of old route 104, a few homes/camps on the banks.
Wildlife Occasional deer, hawks, otters

Directions

Put in

Interstate 93 to exit 23 (NH 104).
Left (west) on NH 104 through the town of Bristol approximately 9 miles.
Left at Cass Mill road.
Take a right at the intersection just before the bridge over the Smith.
Approximately 1-1/4 miles park on the right after another bridge over the Smith.
Put in upstream of the bridge.

Take out

Head back and through the intersection with Cass Mill Road.
Approximately 1/2 of a mile past this intersection park by some overhead power lines.
 


StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: 2011-11-25 17:26:15

Editors



Smith River

Detail Trip Report  Smith River  Smith, NH(143.66KB .jpeg)

3rd or 4th good one

Detail Trip Report  3rd or 4th good one  Smith, NH(137.83KB .jpeg)

Top of Rays

Detail Trip Report  Top of Rays  Smith, NH(136.17KB .jpeg)

Ray's

Detail Trip Report  Ray's  Smith, NH(111.34KB .jpeg)

Photo#3843

Detail Trip Report    Smith, NH(136.80KB .jpeg)

Rays Rapid

Detail Trip Report  Rays Rapid  Smith, NH(147.64KB .jpeg)

Smith River

Detail Trip Report  Smith River  Smith, NH(30.93KB .jpeg)


Gauge Information

Gauge Description:

The Smith is generally a spring runoff river normally run in late March and early April. It occasionally comes up in late spring and early summer after heavy rains. There is a hand painted gauge river left on the upstream abutment at the Cass Mill road bridge just below Ray's Rapid. There has been bridge reconstruction recently so the old gauge was destroyed and a new paddlers gauge was painted on the new abutment. Currently boulders are piled up in front of the gauge making it difficult to read. The USGS gauge is currently the best resource for levels on this river. A gauge correlation between the new USGS gauge and the old hand painted gauge is shown below. Thanks to Tim Driscoll for this information.

 

Automatic           Painted
 Gauge:              Gauge: 
Bristol	    CFS    Cass Mill Rd       Interpretation
	 
|--------|--------|-----------------|---------------|
  4.0       388         -.1              Minimum
  4.1       423          0.0             Very Low
  4.15      441         .1
  4.2       460         .2           |---------------|
  4.25      480         .3
  4.3       500         .4                 Low
  4.35      520         .5
  4.4       540         .6
  4.45      561         .7           |---------------|
  4.5       581         .8
  4.6       623         .9
  4.7       666         1.0               Medium
  4.8       710         1.1
  4.9       755         1.2
  5.0       799         1.3          |---------------|
  5.1       844         1.4                High
  5.3       940         1.5
  5.5       1030        1.6
  5.6       1080        1.7          |---------------|
  5.8       1190        1.8               Very high
  5.9                   1.9
                        2.0
                        2.1
                        2.2
                        2.3
  6.0                   2.4
  6.02                  2.5


  Note: Some people do run the river all the way down to 3.75'   
 

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
SMITH RIVER NEAR BRISTOL, NH
usgs-01078000 3.80 - 6.00 ft IV 01h06m 2.56 ft (rc= -0.6 )

RangeWater LevelDifficultyComment
3.80 -6.00 ft barely runnable-high runnable IV

Report - Reports of Smith 1) Route 104 to Cass Mill Road and related gauges

Reports give the public a chance to report on river conditions throughout the country as well as log the history of a river.

Reports

When River/Gauge Subject Level Reporter
8y303d12h34m Smith [NH] Smith River 540 cfs Mark Lacroix
8y316d12h34m Smith [NH] Smith River 4.1' Mark Lacroix

WXPort

News





User Comments
2011-09-11 07:23:38 (152 days ago)
Mark LacroixDetails
The Smith river was paddled (post Irene) on September 10th and found to be clear of debris and
without any noticable change in river features with one exeption. There is a river wide strainer on
the left channel of the Cass Mill rd to Berry road section. A short portage on the left is
necessary or take the narrow bypass channel (also on the left) if it looks clear.
2009-04-05 08:57:40 (1041 days ago)
Profile falls downstream of the takeout looks unrunnable. cllass 5 lead in to a class 6 drop. Edit
2008-12-06 02:51:35 (1162 days ago)
wondering if anyones run it all the way to pemi Edit
Users can submit comments.

Rapid Summary

Mile Rapid Name Class Features (Legend)
0.0Map of the Lower Pemi regionPutin Takeout Photo

Rapid Descriptions

Map of the Lower Pemi region

Rivers of the lower Pemigewasset region

Rivers of the lower Pemigewasset region
Photo by Mark Lacroix



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 1) Route 104 to Cass Mill Road, Smith New Hampshire, US (mobile)