New Haven

2. The Ledges(West Lincoln to Rte. 116 bridge)

Reach banner
DifficultyIV+
Length1.1 mi
Avg Gradient165 fpm
GaugeNew Haven River @ Brooksville, Nr Middlebury, Vt
Flow Rate as of 1 hour
159 cfsbelow recommended
Reach Info Last UpdatedOctober 7, 2020

River Description

The New Haven 'Ledges' is a classic Vermont creek run. It may be short, but there are plenty of great rapids and drops in that distance. Multiple runs are the norm, and it's a great place for an after-work run.

Putting in at Eagle Park be sure to use the path and not walk through the garden.  The painted gauge is located on the fishermans platform. The first rapid is a fun boulder garden with multiple routes.  Next up is 'Chute by the Road'  which is a good place to put in if the water is on the low side.  A short pool leads to 'Secret Compartment.'  This rapid seems to change often during high water events so if in doubt give it a scout.  The river bends and pinches to a narrow slot that drops five feet up against a boulder on the right.  The typical line is to be in the middle of the drop and keep your boat angle downstream.  As the flow rises a hole develops in the right pocket. NEW HAZARD: as of December 2018 there is a Sieve in the river left eddy below Secret C.   Some good boogie follows into S-Turn and into the start of the ledges.  Beware of a pin rock known locally as 'Vickers Rock' at the end of S-turn in the middle of the river.  It's easy to get complacent here and decide too late to be left or right but once you know its there its easy to miss.  The 'Ledges' (slides) have multiple routes and are incredibly fun. As the flow increases the center hole and right side hole have dished up some beatdowns.  Once through the ledges the river pinches into 'Oh By The Way' a rapid that finishes with a boof on the right.  The flow splits on the final boof and most try to stay high and to the right to avoid the left side 'Schott Slot'  that can be tricky to stay upright in.  The river pours over a clean 3 foot boof on the right then widens to some shallow boogie.  As the boogie starts to pick up you are entering the lead in to 'Rooster Tail.'  The typical move is to start in the middle and punch the lead in holes t

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River Features

Put In

Distance: 0 mi

Toaster Falls

Class: IV+Distance: 0.81 mi
Waterfall / Large Drop
Rapid
Toaster Falls

Take Out

Distance: 1.3 mi
Take Out

RC
Richard Cooley

Mar 22, 2006


A few rocks shifted in the line for playpen (drop below toaster) during the flooding of Feb. '06. Consider looking at that final boof on your drive up to the put in.

PR
Patrick Rogers

Jun 14, 2003


More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.

PR
Patrick Rogers

May 31, 2003


More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.

PR
Patrick Rogers

May 4, 2003


More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
Now lets see if I can land! More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.

PR
Patrick Rogers

Apr 12, 2003


More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
Hello, Linda Weiss died April 10th on the Mettawee in New York. She will be missed by many paddlers in Vermont and around the northeast. More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.

PR
Patrick Rogers

Mar 22, 2003


More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.
More of my photos can be found on my NEW kayakingphotos.com page and my American Whitewater page.

PR
Patrick Rogers

Sep 28, 2002


More of my photos can be found on my American Whitewater page and my Geocities page.
More of my photos can be found on my American Whitewater page and my Geocities page.
More of my photos can be found on my American Whitewater page and my Geocities page.
More of my photos can be found on my American Whitewater page and my Geocities page.

SG
Scott Gilbert

Jan 1, 1900


I know there are a ton of pictures of this section but I haven't seen one showing these last drops.

RC
Richard Cooley

Jan 1, 1900


Textbook run of the right side of toaster by the birdman