Connecticut - Holyoke (Wave-o-Saurus)


Connecticut, Massachusetts, US

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Holyoke (Wave-o-Saurus)

Usual Difficulty I (for normal flows)

Wave-o-Saurus!


Wave-o-Saurus!
Photo of Parker Bent, the Legend of the Longboard by Don Williams

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
CONNECTICUT RIVER AT MONTAGUE CITY, MA
usgs-01170500 35000 - unknown cfs I 01h16m 6960 cfs (rc= -0.4 )


River Description

Lotsa folks on the Northeast Paddlers' Massage Board enjoy this spot when spring rains bring it up. It's a mile or two upstream of the Holyoke Dam in Holyoke, along Route 5.

Don Williams gives the beta:
Look for a small parking area off of Rte. 5 with a kiosk and sign saying "Dinosaur Footprints Reservation." (Editor's note: that would explain the name.) It is 2.1 miles North of the intersection of Rt. 141 and Rte. 5 in Holyoke (exit 17 off of I91) or 5.1 miles South of the Rte. 5 exit in Northampton (exit 18). The playspot is only there when the Connecticut is at or near peak during the spring snowmelt season. Last spring we even had a couple of people show up with surfboards and do quite well.
Lat/longitude coords courtesy of Angela Baldo.

See more photos in the NPMB Photo Gallery.


StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: 2010-10-05 09:41:46

Wave-o-Saurus (Close-up)

Detail Trip Report  Wave-o-Saurus (Close-up)  Connecticut, MA(54.36KB .jpeg)

Wave-o-Saurus!

Detail Trip Report  Wave-o-Saurus!  Connecticut, MA(23.15KB .jpeg)

Ted Devoe

Detail Trip Report  Ted Devoe  Connecticut, MA(0.00B .mov)

what not to do

Detail Trip Report  what not to do  conn.river, MA(1.92MB .mpg)

pumpkins

Detail Trip Report  pumpkins  Connecticut, MA(2.18MB .mpg)

fun ride

Detail Trip Report  fun ride  conn.river, ma(2.92MB .mpg)

wave-a-saurus

Detail Trip Report  wave-a-saurus  conn.river, ma(3.32MB .mpg)

what not to do

Detail Trip Report  what not to do  conn.river, ma(1.92MB .mpg)

Connecticut River below dam...main chanel below fish ladder - Holyoke

Detail Trip Report  Connecticut River below dam...main chanel below fish ladder - Holyoke  Connecticut River, ma(318.73KB .jpeg)

Connecticut River below dam...block and shelf - Holyoke

Detail Trip Report  Connecticut River below dam...block and shelf - Holyoke  Connecticut River, ma(332.82KB .jpeg)

Holyoke Dam

Detail Trip Report  Holyoke Dam  Connecticut River, ma(335.75KB .jpeg)

Holyoke below the dam

Detail Trip Report  Holyoke below the dam  Connecticut River, ma(325.01KB .jpeg)

Holyoke Dam - high water

Detail Trip Report  Holyoke Dam - high water  Connecticut River, ma(317.25KB .jpeg)

10 Oct 05

Detail Trip Report  10 Oct 05  CT River, MA(9.71MB .avi)

10 Oct 05 @ 25 ft

Detail Trip Report  10 Oct 05 @ 25 ft  CT River, MA(90.08KB .jpeg)

the two minute wave

Detail Trip Report  the two minute wave  connecticut, ma(1.54MB .mov)

surfing long time on wave o saurus

Detail Trip Report  surfing long time on wave o saurus  connecticut, ma(1.54MB .264 100kbp)

Holyoke below the dam - high water

Detail Trip Report  Holyoke below the dam - high water  Connecticut River, MA(314.83KB .jpeg)

Carve

Detail Trip Report  Carve  Connecticut River, MA(311.40KB .jpeg)

Big Hole below Holyoke Dam

Detail Trip Report  Big Hole below Holyoke Dam  Connecticut River, MA(322.21KB .jpeg)

Holyoke Dam and old mill

Detail Trip Report  Holyoke Dam and old mill  Connecticut River, MA(357.06KB .jpeg)

Another view of the rapids below Holyoke Dam

Detail Trip Report  Another view of the rapids below Holyoke Dam  Connecticut River, MA(324.65KB .jpeg)

Holyoke Dam - 89700 cfs 30ft.

Detail Trip Report  Holyoke Dam - 89700 cfs 30ft.  Connecticut River, MA(325.09KB .jpeg)

surfosaurus

Detail Trip Report  surfosaurus  Connecticut River, MA(308.41KB .jpeg)

air-o-saurus funride

Detail Trip Report  air-o-saurus funride  Connecticut River, MA(4.97MB .swf)

Sun after the Rain

Detail Trip Report  Sun after the Rain  Connecticut River, MA(119.72KB .jpeg)

Standup Ride

Detail Trip Report  Standup Ride  Connecticut River, MA(87.51KB .jpeg)

Cutback

Detail Trip Report  Cutback  Connecticut River, MA(92.92KB .jpeg)

A Little Speed

Detail Trip Report  A Little Speed  Connecticut River, MA(109.15KB .jpeg)

Mushy Wheelie

Detail Trip Report  Mushy Wheelie  Connecticut River, MA(119.85KB .jpeg)

Surfing the Wave-O-Saurus 2

Detail Trip Report  Surfing the Wave-O-Saurus 2  Connecticut River, MA(2.02MB .swf)

look Ma: no hands...

Detail Trip Report  look Ma: no hands...  Connecticut River, MA(3.52MB .swf)

mushasaurus

Detail Trip Report  mushasaurus  Connecticut River, MA(2.41MB .swf)

high water over Holyoke Dam

Detail Trip Report  high water over Holyoke Dam  Connecticut River, MA(314.31KB .jpeg)

Connecticut River below dam to 202 bridge - Holyoke

Detail Trip Report  Connecticut River below dam to 202 bridge - Holyoke  Connecticut, MA(328.44KB .jpeg)

big wave-o-saurus

Detail Trip Report  big wave-o-saurus  Connecticut, MA(1020.24KB .jpeg)


>> next

Gauge Information

Gauge Description:

Chris Towles says that the wave begins its playful range at 35,000, butt at 50,000 it starts to rock. At 90,000 the wave becomes awesome.

Gauge Information

Name Range Difficulty Updated Level
CONNECTICUT RIVER AT MONTAGUE CITY, MA
usgs-01170500 35000 - unknown cfs I 01h16m 6960 cfs (rc= -0.4 )

RangeWater LevelDifficultyComment
35000 - unknown cfs barely runnable-high runnable I

Report - Reports of Connecticut Holyoke (Wave-o-Saurus) 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
Connecticut [MA] Connecticut River below dam to 202 bridge - Holyoke low brian oelberg
Connecticut River [MA] high water over Holyoke Dam High brian oelberg
Connecticut River [MA] Standup Ride 53700 cfs, 23 feet brian oelberg
CT River [MA] 10 Oct 05 25 ft / 45k cfs brian oelberg
Connecticut River [ma] Connecticut River below dam...main chanel below fish ladder - Holyoke low brian oelberg
conn.river [MA] what not to do 62000 bill archambeault
Connecticut [MA] Wave-o-Saurus (Close-up) n/a Matt Muir
3y305d03h44m Connecticut [MA] Surfing 65,000 Andrew Stuart
5y104d11h44m connecticut [ma] the two minute wave 55,000 brian oelberg
6y125d11h44m Connecticut [MA] pumpkins 112000 bill archambeault
6y302d11h44m Connecticut River [MA] Surfing the Wave-O-Saurus 2 65,000cfs, 25 ft. brian oelberg
6y310d11h44m Connecticut River [MA] air-o-saurus funride 65,000cfs, 25 ft. brian oelberg
6y310d11h44m conn.river [ma] fun ride 62000 bill archambeault
6y312d11h44m Connecticut [MA] big wave-o-saurus 74000 Ben Liotta
6y314d11h44m Connecticut River [MA] Holyoke Dam and old mill 30 ft 89000 cfs brian oelberg
> 10 years Connecticut [MA] Ted Devoe 45,000 chris towles

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Rapid Summary

Mile Rapid Name Class Features (Legend)
0.0Wave-o-SaurusIIPlayspot Photo Video
0.0Ledges below the damII+Playspot Photo

Rapid Descriptions

Wave-o-Saurus (Class II)
Click Here For Video

Surfing

Surfing
Photo of unknonwn by Andy Stuart taken 04/12/08 @ 65,000

At high flows, expect a sweet wave here.



Ledges below the dam (Class II+)

Connecticut River below dam to 202 bridge - Holyoke

Connecticut River below dam to 202 bridge - Holyoke
Photo taken summer 04 @ low

Below the Holyoke dam, a series of bedrock ledges and large rock/block debris create interesting looking opportunities at what may be a wider variety of flows (compared to when Wave-o-Saurus is 'in').




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 Holyoke (Wave-o-Saurus), Connecticut Massachusetts, US (mobile)