Gihon
Whitcomb Island Rd to Johnson
June 5, 2006
Trip Report
| Reporter | David Packie |
The upper section put in is at the bridge on Whitcomb Island rd. Right turn off of 100c North from Johnson. The first drop is a 25-30 foot dam slide that should be run to the left of the abutment. Big but fun and safe, please be descrete here. After a short section of II there is a ledge drop that splits the flow around some outcroppings. There is a bad piece of wood in the left side, run the extreme right channel for a fun 4 foot boof. This is closely followed by 'Balls to the Wall', a fun dynamic drop of perhaps 8 feet. A few minor holes to punch, then move far right (against the wall) and ride the tounge. The pool below the boof on the left is not deep. The river then splits around another ledge, both sides can be run, but at all but very low water, the left side offers a fun boof left. This drop is followed by the gorged in triple drop that I've heard called Mustang after retired hair-boater and Director/camera man Brent Buckman. This should always be scouted for new wood. Takeout and scout from river right. Sneaks open up for the first two drops on the right. Low water also offers a fun double boof lead-in to the last drop, a constriction that splits around a boulder. The left side looks like a potentially bad pin situation, the right side is clean. Mustang drops a total of 20-30 feet over maybe 50 yards. It is a bueaty of a rapid. There is an awesome seal slide into the gorge just below the last drop for those that wish to walk it. After a few minor rapids there is a section of very scenic flat water, maybe 10 minutes. The next drop is Bed Head. Great class IV run that comes up often. Look for Lamoille in Johnson to be 1500 and spiking, or up over 2000. Near-by run is the North Branch Lamoille. This river does collect wood after high water.