Locke Brook
Pine Campground to Davis Road
| Difficulty | IV |
| Length | 1.1 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 150 fpm |
| Gauge | Squannacook River Near West Groton, Ma |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 59 cfs |
| Reach Info Last Updated | January 22, 2020 |
River Description
The First Descent was recorded in Spring 2014 by Joey Tamarro and Brooke Sofferman
Description by Joey Tammaro
Here’s a video of the river:
Locke brook is a creek in ashby mass. it is a tributary of the Squannacook river so you know its tiny.This micro creek flows into the Squannacook river draining higher lands to the north in mason NH. This creek is located about 30 miles from nashua NH Lowell MA and Worcster MA so it is fairly accessable.
The Pines camp ground in ashby is the location of the put-in. The camp owners are very nice and dont mind kayakers we are trying to keep them as happy as possible they have been wonderful land owners thus far. Be sure to stop in and say hey to Doug at the Campground office before you unload gear in their parking lot. They have bathrooms, showers and water available if you're nice and willing to toss them a few bucks.
This creek is very flashy and takes heavey rains of more then an inch to bring this into a runnable level.
This run is about 2 miles long and drops a total of 323 feet over its entire lenth at low level it is bashy at high level its a great run very continous -IV/ IV nature
The area bellow the first rapid is is a huge log jam that creates this large pool but also breaks into many small streams get out and walk 25 yards around the mess put in right about next large drop and horizon line. Pine Campground wants this jam kept to create a swimming hole in the summer. Please leave the chainsaws at home.
After the main rapids listed, the river is mostly II/III to the takeout.
River Features
Put In
Camp Mobile
100 yds of continuous class III ending with 100 yards of boulder garden beginning with a good 4-5ft boof and ending with a 10ft slide to a big pool.
Log Jam Pool
Crushinator
The second rapid (Crushinator) is a large drop about 25 to 30 feet in total by the time you get to the end of it. It starts out with a horrizon line that splits around a big tree and pile of rocks. The right side is pretty straight-forward paddle to the lip, slow, pick your angle head down an 8 foot slide and be ready for your run out into a manky class III+. The left line IV starts off the same but with right angle the bottom of the slide piles into large boulders and makes a nice pillow with exiting current rushing back right to center of river. Slide down left side off the small flake landing on the pilling conituing right into a manky run out -IV.
Slide Into The Danger Zone
After this point the river heads around a corner to 'Slide into the danger zone' a short fast slide with a decent hole at the bottom at higher flows. Keep an eye out for another portage before the second half of the river. Through this, the river continues as a III+ with occasional let up until you reach the next set of rapids which are near two neglected homes.
Run of the River
Through this, the river continues as a III+ with occasional let up until you reach the next set of rapids which are near two neglected homes.
Log Jam #2
Get out.
Crack House
Crack house (and or Cabin Rapid / Old Timey House Rapid / Delapidated) is a set of ledges the river washes down best is to follow the flow by starting on river left and working right tword the center. The eddy on river left though small is usually is very strong and gathers wood. Watch out you don't get eddied into the logs.
Back Alley
The next rapid is just down river Other house (Back Alley/Whore House/ Exit Drop/ Locked House) and is very similar to the other drops. Drops over several small ledges to a big pool at the bottom. Run up the middle but watch out river left has a rock pile and tend to gether wood
Take Out
Run out Mile
After this the river is mostly II/III all the way to the take out at the first bridge. Watch for logs and strainers, they are likely plentiful.
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