Penobscot, W. Branch,

Rip Gorge

Rip Gorge
Photo of Mark Lacroix by Sharon Lacroix

River Description

After a long drive by logging roads dodging Moose, put-in at McKay station. There is usually dependable flow here all Summer. The section from the dam to Chewonki's Big Eddy (about 2 miles) is considered a class V run. Just below the put-in is Exterminator hole. At normal summer levels punch the hole on the left. Below exterminator is Staircase rapid. Shallow class IV with a nice wave train at the end. Just downstream you will notice the main flow of the river goes to the left around a shear rock wall go to the left for Big Heater rapid. To the right a narrow channel leads to a nice little drop (Little Heater). Just below the heaters on river right is Troublemaker hole, a nice powerfull playhole. Pull out on river left just above a bridge. Downstream lies one of the most difficult rapids in all New England. The Cribworks should be scouted from "Vulture rock" which lies on river left where the river turns left. The move should be obvious to any veteran boater. Drop through the Turkey Shot on river left then move toward river right through Final Chute. Avoid going river left after Turkey shot, the river runs through a boulder sieve that could trap a boat or swimmer.
Below Prays Big Eddy the river alternates between long stretches of flatwater and sudden large drops. Some of the rapids in this section are "Big Amberjackwockamas" (Big A), Neswadnehunk (Soudyhunk)falls, and Abol.
The West Branch of the Penobscott has been compared to the Upper Gauley and many New England boaters will come here for a warm up before venturing to West Virginia.

Camping

Camping can be found at "Chewonki's Big Eddy" located just below the Cribworks. Phone number 207-882.7323. There are other individual campsites scattered about the area maintained by the paper companies. Inquire at the gatehouse about them.

Directions

To Put in

From Portsmouth NH take Interstate 95 through Maine approximately 240 miles.
Take exit 56 (Millinocket/Medway) Maine route 157/11 Take a left (west) on 157/11 towards Millinocket. On the other end of Main street in Millinocket look for signs for the Golden road, Baxter State park, take this road. Note: The road changes to a good dirt logging road about 10 miles in. Be carefull of Moose and fully loaded logging trucks.
Approximately 18 miles bypassing the entrance to Baxter state park you will come up to a gate. This is paper company land, in 1999, the toll was $4 for Maine residents and $7 for out-of-staters. Note: The owners (Bowater/International paper/Scott paper) will not allow you to enter their lands with a Mountain Bike. If you do have one you will be required to lock it at the gate until your return.
Approximately 11 miles to McKay station, look for a small sign.

To Take out

Retrace your route back to just before the bridge over the river and take a right over a smaller, rougher dirt road. Approximately 1.5 miles to the base of Pockwockamus Falls.

Altenative Take out

Some paddlers are only interested in running the Rip Gorge through Cribworks section. For those people take out just downstream from Chewonki's Big Eddy Camps (formerly Pray's Big Eddy). The message below was forwarded by Gary Bamberger.

Marc and I had a fun run @ Rippogenus Gorge/Cribworks Saturday and were in the process of loading up the car when the manager/owner of Chewonki's Big Eddy Camps (formerly Pray's Big Eddy) came up to us and asked that we not take out there anymore. We were on the shoulder of the "Golden Road" loading up but we did walk across their land from the beach to the road. He was pleasant enough and explained that the state of Maine had built a new take-out just downstream from the traditional one and asked that we use that one. After loading up we went to check it out and it is a nice parking area abutting the Chewonki campground just downstream about 150 yards. It's about 1/3 the size of the Magic Falls take-out on the Dead River and has a permanent out-house and plenty of overhanging shade trees for dogs left in cars (as there isn't much shade at the McKay Station put-in). There is a sign (brown like those used in Baxter) that says "Big Eddy" on the right side of the Golden Road. The parking area is not easy to see from the river but neither is Magic Falls on the Dead.

It must have been "family day" on the Penobscot Saturday because Marc and I only ran into 1 other group of paddlers all day (Mike, his daughter Anna and Kim) although there were a lot of fishermen on the right shoreline. I told the Chewonki man that I would post this information on several message boards to help get the word out and alleviate this trespassing issue. gary