Okay. It’s finally official. The first-ever whitewater release on the Stone
Valley section of New York’s Racquette River will highlight a Labor Day
weekend of Adirondack creekin’ action..
Stone Valley is in a word: spectacular. The run starts with a 60-foot high
slide/waterfall combination and then for the next two miles plummets over
eight more significant drops or slides. Picture a Bottom Moose…without the
flatwater. A Tallulah…without the long staircase. Stone Valley qualifies as
a classic expert-level whitewater run.
And thanks to an agreement hammered out by American Whitewater and New York
Rivers United-an optimal flow of 720 cfs is scheduled to be released into the
Stone Valley section Saturday, August 31, 2002 from 10 am until 4:30 pm. In
this case, "optimal" is defined as a level where there is enough water to pad
the rapids but boaters can still run the guts of all the major drops.
A full season of whitewater releases will be scheduled for 2003. Feedback
from boaters attending this year’s release will help determine future flow
levels and release dates.
Boaters are reminded that a sign-in procedure must be followed. It’s quick
and painless and can be completed while running shuttle.
Of course, Stone Valley is just the opening course of a banquet of the best
creekin’ in the Adirondacks. Just one hour away-a little southwest-releases
on the Moshier and Eagle sections of the Beaver are scheduled for Sunday,
September 1.
For the past three years-the Moshier and Eagle releases on the Beaver have
attracted between 200-300 boaters from over 15 states and provinces. And
with good reason. Moshier starts with two 15-foot waterfalls…throws in a
couple interesting class 3s…and then concludes with one of the most dynamic
class 4-5 rapids in New York.
Just five miles downstream-Eagle is a short 1-mile run where the Beaver drops
over a series of fantastic falls and slides. Probably only a third of the
boaters who visit Eagle actually run the challenging drops-but easy access
makes spectating an attractive option.
The Moshier release starts at 10 am and conludes at 2 pm-plenty of time for
boaters to log two runs. Eagle is scheduled to start spilling at 1 pm and
concludes at 5 pm-late enough to accommodate boaters just coming off Moshier.
And to finish off the weekend-a 10 am release is scheduled Monday, September
2 for the Taylorville section of the Beaver. Taylorville is a 2-mile class
3-4 creek run with a six interesting slides and drops.
As all boaters should realize-the Beaver and Racquette water releases were
acquired through the efforts of American Whitewater and New York Rivers
United. If you spend any time boating New York rivers that have benefited
from AW and NYRU like the Black, Moose, Sacandaga, Beaver, Racquette or
Salmon-you should consider supporting these organizations.