Page 8 - May_2014

H
i!”the boy had yelled “

to me from the foot-
bridge. “I canoe in
Estonia!”
Aminute later, this spry 13-year-old
stepped off an ice shelf into my boat. I
handed him the paddle.

He wore sweatpants and a Yan-
kee cap, and took hurried strokes that
seemed likely to dump us under thick ice
just downstream. His family, seemingly
unconcerned, waited on the bridge.

LEARNING THE BASICS GETS YOU It was almost April, but this short
stretch of Otter Creek was one of the
READY FOR BIGGER WATERS
only pieces of open water around. After
weeks of sub-zero, all of the rivers were
bandaged in ice. Usually the gradual riv-
ers are open by early March.

These valley streams, like the Mad,
Winooski, Lamoille, White and Con-
necticut, are some of the best beginner
runs in the state, with moving water less
than class III. Whitewater is classified
into five grades, with beginner friendly

streams class I-II. While Vermont is
home to many challenging creeks (class
IV and V), more gradual streams suit-
able for beginners flow through all of its
valleys.
You can paddle these rivers in almost
STORY BY CHRISTIAN WOODWARD
any type of boat. Some of Vermont’s best
PHOTOS BY NICK GOTTLIEB
paddlers started in aluminum canoes or
borrowed fiberglass. You’ll also need a
paddle, lifejacket (Look for a Type III,
usually printed on the back foam panel)

and helmet. You’ll be happier with a
sprayskirt on anything class III or higher.
You’ll also need a wetsuit or a dry-
suit. Spring kayaking, especially during
snowmelt, is too cold for wool sweat-
ers. Largely because of the cold and high

water, kayaking is most dangerous in the
spring. Flooded streams have fewer ed-
dies for pulling out to assess the rapids
downstream.
If you have the gear — even if it’s not
perfect — find a knowledgeable friend

and get on the water. You can only learn
if you’re paddling, and folks will often
lend you equipment.
The Vermont Paddler’s Club (individ-
ual membership is $10 annually) is one

of the best ways to find friends to lead
you down unfamiliar rivers. The Club
schedules trips throughout the state,
many within reach of beginning pad-
dlers. Their website is www.vtpaddlers.
net and their trips and forum pages have

all the current information.
Local paddling shops are also a great
place to get started with both gear and
instruction. If you plan to paddle in the
Mad River valley, visit Clearwater sports
in Waitsfield, and Umiak Outfitters in

the Stowe-Burlington areas. They run
clinics, rent and sell gear, and will bring
you up-to-date on the current river con-
ditions. (See other kayaking and boating
shops around the state in a sidebar on
this page.)

For more general river information,
including photos of rapids, suggested
lines, and links to the USGS gages,
visit www.americanwhitewater.org. This
non-profit negotiates for river access

across the country, and compiles state-

8 VTSPORTS.COM
MAY 2014