Lamoille, North Branch, Vermont, US

Belvedere Junction to Waterville

ledge hole above 109

ledge hole above 109
Photo of will by melissa whittier taken 04/01/06 @ 3,000cfs

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
LAMOILLE RIVER AT EAST GEORGIA, VT
usgs-04292500	2000 - 5000 cfs	IV	38d09h53m	4380 cfs (rc= 0.8 )
	Flow range for best boatability uncertain. Please help your fellow boaters with a comment or report.

River Description

This is a great high water run, which can be run by a class-3 group by selectively choosing which rapids to avoid.
Just above the bridge on Back Road, there is a good class-4 fall. Go either left or right depending on level, and trees. After this fall, it is mainly calm water, until some nice class-3 ledges just above the 109 Bridge.
After a fair bit more flatwater, you pass the school on river right. Shortly after this, is a continuous class-3 section, which runs for about 1 km. This ends at a covered bridge. Just after the covered bridge is another class-3 ledge, and some good playspots. This is also a good alternative takeout.
Passing under the Route 109 for the last time brings you to the Ledges. These are a fantastic series of drops and slides. There are a couple of sticky holes, and a small amount of rebar in the river, so scout carefully. Towards the bottom, there are a couple of slightly unercut drops. The river splits around an island towards the bottom also. Take the right hand channel for the best whitewater, although the left channel can be fun if you avoid the entry sieve. Scouting and protection is easy, as rockly ledges run all the way down the ledges on river right.
The takeout is just a short distance below the ledges.

Put in: Covered bridge on Back Rd, just north of Belvedere Junction
Take out: Covered bridge in Waterville.
Alternative takeout is covered Bridge above Waterville if you don't want to run the ledges.

Other Nearby Runs: The Gihon and North Branch Winooski are similar class rivers nearby. The Upper Lamoille has several interesting falls (Dog Head Falls, and the Slide), which may or may not be runnable, depending on levels.
Ithiel Falls on the Lamoille, and the Lower Lamoille, are also paddleable at a a variety of levels.

NOTE: Lat/Lng are approximate, based solely upon description provided, and aerial recon via Google, thus may not be correct. Actual put-in, take-out, and run length may be different than listed.