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Kinderhook Creek - 3.) Valatie to Colombiaville
Kinderhook Creek, New York, US |
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3.) Valatie to Colombiaville
| Usual Difficulty | I-II(V+) (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Length | 11 Miles |
Gauge Information
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KINDERHOOK CREEK AT ROSSMAN NY | ||||
| usgs-01361000 | 3.00 - 9.00 ft | I-II(V+) | 02h04m | 1.91 ft (too low) |
River Description
The lower section of Kinderhook Creek as it falls over carved shale into the Hudson is quite steep with regular flow. This section starts in the town of Valatie, (meaning "Little Falls"), drops over a hundred feet in Stuyvasent (originally Glencadia meaning "creek region of simple pleasurees") and continues to the Rt. 9 Bridge in Columbiaville. However, due to numerous large drops it is not run in it's entirity. Usually river running is done on the upper section, and from Rossman Rd to Stockport.
Those visiting this area should also be sure to check out Claverack Creek, Stony Kill, and the Upper Kinderhook Creek.
Park and Huck - There are many large drops for park and huck; a combination of original formations, capped with mill dams. In order they are:
Beaver Mill (Valatie) Falls: Class IV, ~25 ft - A fun park and huck with great access runnable with normal flows. Keeping your bow up is mandatory to avoid a pin between the two lines. Put in below or portage on river right under the bridge. There is also a river left side of the drop which opens up at higher water, however care should be taken to avoid rebar and safety should be set at the bottom hole which can be very retentive at certain levels.
Upper Stuyvasent Falls: Class V, ~65ft - A no joke double drop, starting with a winding left turn which lauches onto a shelf before riding a tongue for a clean drop. Portage on river left.
Lower Stuyvasent Falls: Class V+, ~60 ft - An untouched drop with many options as dicey as the next. Portage river left.
Rossman Falls: Class IV+: ~40ft - *Unrun* Pick your spot and go. Be sure to check your landing first!
Hidden Gem Falls: Class V: A jumbled cascade falling about 50 ft with 3 distinct steps, this drop is acutally on a tributary to Kinderhook Creek and is visible from theshuttle route near the confluence with Claverack Creek. Be wary of the last drop and be sure to land far to the right.
There is also a Class II dam above Beaver Mill Falls which can be attained and then reached on river left. About 8ft tall it is a steep slide that drops into a 2 foot drop.
River Running:
All the stretches between the dams are class I-III and are best run starting at 4ft. The best section being from Rossman Rd bridge to the Rt. 9 bridge in Columbiaville. Put in on river left by the bridge and take out on river right at the fisherman's trail. The last rapid goes over a rock slide which can be scouted from the bridge, below the slide the river is affected by the tidal shifts of the Hudson. Playspots in the lower half will be affected by the changing tide. At high water this section is filled with surfing waves and at times a few very high quality waves at the takeout.
Other Local Runs:
Capital Region Area Reaches
Basic Creek Batten Kill Claverack Creek
Cobleskill Creek Fox Creek Hannacrois Creek
Hoosic Hudson (Lock 2) Kinderhook Creek (1.)
Kinderhook Creek (2.) Kinderhook Creek (3.) Kline Kill
Normans Kill (1.) Normans Kill (2.) North Chuctanunda Creek
Mohawk (Upper Cohoes Wave) Mohawk (Cohoes Wave) Poesten Kill (0.)
Poesten Kill (1.) Poesten Kill (2.) Quacken Kill
Schoharie Creek Stony Kill Wyant's Kill
Catskills Area Reaches
Basic Creek Batavia Kill Bear Kill
Beaver Kill (Delaware Trib) Beaver Kill (Hudson Trib) Beer Kill
Beer Kill, W. Branch Bowery Creek Bush Kill
Callicoon Creek, E. Branch Callicoon Creek, N. Branch Catskill Creek (1.)
Catskill Creek (2.) Catskill Creek (4.) Claverack Creek
Coxing Kill Delaware Delaware, E. Branch
Delaware, W. Branch Little Delaware Dry Brook
East Kill Esopus Creek (1) Esopus Creek (2)
Esopus Creek (3) Esopus Creek (4) Esopus Creek (5)
Hannacrois Creek Kaaterskill Creek (1.) Kaaterskill Creek (2.)
Kinderhook Creek (3.) Kiskatom Creek Mombaccus Creek
Mill Brook Neversink (1.) Neversink, E. Branch
Neversink, W. Branch Peters Kill Platte Kill
Plattekill Creek Potic Creek Roeliff Jansen Kill (1)
Roeliff Jansen Kill (2) Rochester Creek Rondout Creek (1)
Rondout Creek (2) Rondout Creek (3) Sandburg Creek
Saw Kill (1) Saw Kill (2) Saw Kill (3)
Schoharie Creek (1.) Schoharie Creek (2.) Shingle Kill Creek
Squirmer Creek Stony Clove Creek Ten Mile Creek
Thorp Creek Tremper Kill Wallkill
West Kill Woodland Creek Vly Creek
Google Map of New York Whitewater
New York Whitewater Paddlers Facebook Group
Editors
Rapid Summary
| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Beaver Mill Falls | IV+ |     |
| 8.0 | Upper Stuyvasent Falls | V | |
| 8.1 | Lower Stuyvasent Falls | 5.1 |  |
| 10.0 | Rossman Falls | V | |
| 11.0 | Hidden Gem Falls | V | |
| 13.0 | Columbiaville Falls and Tidal Rapids | N/A |
Rapid Descriptions
Photo#723648
Beaver Mill Falls at the Rt.203 Bridge in Valatie. Dropping in 5 ft right of the bend in the dam on river left either turn right for the boof ledge leading to river center or break left to continue downstream and boof the "nose" for a clean drop. The drop is easily scouted from the stream-side park and bridge, and has access for easy lapping. Total drop is about 25ft.
Upper Stuyvesant Falls
Upper Stuyvesant FallsUpper Stuyvesant Falls. The line is to go through the slot where the tree is snagged on river right- boof, hug the pool, and ride the tongue back to the right in a zig- zag. In all the drop is 65-70 feet. First run in fall 2012 at 6 feet, this will run down to 3.25 before the landing onto the shelf is bare rock.
Upper Stuyvesant Falls
Upper Stuyvesant Falls
| View over the lip of the slide line on Lower Stuyvesant Falls. A 60+ foot drop that may or may not be runnable at certain flows. | |||
Rossman Falls
Rossman FallsA ~40 ft drop in total. Looks straightforward, just scout your landing.
The Hidden Gem
The Hidden GemRunnable only at times of heavy run-off, this was dubbed "Hidden Gem Falls," the drop marks where a small tributary stream drops over 50 feet down a steep 3 step cascade. While there is no set line, the final drop must be landed flat on river right to avoid a piton. From the putin at the Fitting Rd Bridge to the Urban St. Bridge the stream drops about 70 feet along W Ghent Rd/ County Rt 22
Just above the takeout. A series of shale ledges that create playwaves depending on flow and tide.
on river right. To avoid the scrabble there is a state-run parking lot and boat-launch at the end
of the road at the train bridge by the Hudson. The ledges by the bridge turn into a nice wave/hole
after big rains for park and play. While this run is doable and very scenic be prepared to do
numerous portages. There are numerous now or soon to be re-activated power dams as well as huge
unrunnable waterfalls. During shuttle be sure to detour to Stuyvesant Falls and be scout a takeout
for the portage you will have to make for the two waterfalls there. It will be quite a trek, but is
doable on river left by following a gravel road that heads to an old textile mill. Other then the
deadly falls this is a very easy run, mostly class I-II but can be very bumpy and shallow. Much of
the run can be scouted from the road with a little exploring.
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3.) Valatie to Colombiaville, Kinderhook Creek New York, US (mobile)
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