Pemigewasset, East Branch

Great run today with 6 paddlers new to the EBP, 6 miles from Lincoln Woods trailhead to the Fire Station in Woodstock.  Total run with a few stops took 5 hours.  Perfect intro level to learn the demands of this river character as it is not too pushy.  The flip side is that there are half a dozen locations where the river widens and water gets thin requiring a few shoves over rocky shoals. 600 cfs would likely be more fluid over the entire range and still a good intro for new paddlers to Class 3/4 rivers.  800 cfs definitely ramps up to more forceful conditions that require faster reaction times.  At 400 cfs, LOON RAPID was easy to scout and discuss on river right.  We set safety and all who chose to paddle through had no trouble on the typical route of bobbling into the upper pool on river left, then darting across the current diagonally toward river right, aiming for the largest boulder, which creates a smooth line just past the hole on river left-center in the last drop.  This river never lets up!  The rapids are consistent with steep gradients and many holes and boulders to navigate, with many rapids ending in an unavoidable flushing hole.  Only one significant STRAINER at this location tag, a half-mile before Mill Rapid.  44.050704, -71.651645   It is easily seen and does not cover the whole river with a 10-ft bypass on far river right.