Boreas River
2. Route 28N to Hudson River
| Difficulty | III-V |
| Length | 13 mi |
| Avg Gradient | n/a |
| Gauge | Hudson River at North Creek Ny |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 3090 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | May 1, 2019 |
River Description
The Boreas River is a classic Northcountry river.
Just below the route 28N bridge put-in, the water flows peacefully though a boreal forest. The pace picks up, and suddenly you find yourself in a challenging zig-zag rapid (IV) which constricts into an exit hydrologic. Immediately downstream is a waterfall (V), which can be scouted (and/or carried) on the right.
Minor rapids lead into a substantial section of flatwater. Just when you're beginning to wonder when it will end, the riverbed tilts downward. Get ready, because the next several miles has some of the most continuous creeking rapids (IV) in the Adirondacks. When you reach the North Woods Club Road bridge, you can take-out here, or continue another mile of rapids (II) to the Hudson River.
If you're not into the continuous set of Class IV rapids, you might be interested in the Upper Boreas.
River Features
Put In
Entrance Exam
After an initial warm-up of gently moving water, the river turns sharply left and tilts downhill. Class III/IV whitewater has an eddy on the lower left; you may want to catch this eddy and scout around the next bend. The river turns sharply to the right, narrows, and ends in a hole which can usually be punched through. The waterfall is several hundred yards downstream.
Waterfall
This is about a 10 foot waterfall. It is vertical on the right and sloping in the center. It is a double drop on the extreme left, next to the undercut wall.
Guts & Glory
After several miles of flatwater, the river tilts noticably downward. After about a mile of class III fun, there is a large eddy on river left. You may want to catch the eddy and catch your breath; this is where the nonstop class IV action begins. The river is steeper and twisting from here to the Northwoods Club bridge. Swimming is to be avoided.
The name was originally coined by Dennis Squires, who wrote a whitewater guidebook and perished on a river in New Zealand.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportHudson gage was around 4000 and rising, enough to bring the river in. (Index on bridge at take-out was at 0). Ran all the drops in tandem, open whitewater boat, including the 'waterfall', At this level, the canoe was great for the flatwater and the rapids (Class III) were manageable albeit challenging- pinning or long swims were certainly a concern.
Quite a special river!
Nate Pelton running a 14' cataraft in Guts & Glory. The Northwoods Club Road bridge gauge was at 0.