Gunpowder River
Baltimore County, Maryland
(Falls Rd gauge 1.40 ft)

OC1: Hap, Topher, Molly, Ruthie, Mike

A Monday off from work provided a rare opportunity to paddle with pal
Topher. Checking the gauges there wasn't much running except the
dependable ole Gunpowder, but that's fine with me.

But, instead of doing a 5 or 7 mile trip let's do a long run. 13
miles is still an easy afternoon's paddle at current levels.

Of course instead of just checking the gauge maybe I should have
eyeballed the river when we pull up to the put in. Nah, I checked the
gauge not an hour ago - we'll just leave Hap here with the boats
and gear and set my van 13 miles downstream at Sparks.

When we arrive back at the put in Hap tells us that some fishermen have
informed him that "the level dropped 8" overnight". Nah, no way,
the gauge has been steady at 1.80 for a week or more. I looked at it
on-line this morning. Let's go.

We carry the boats down to the water and, eh, ya know, that is kinda
low. We launch anyway and within 50 feet are walking the boats through
a gravel bar shallow. Accent on the shallow, as in 2" deep.

It seems that the dam release was cut back from 1.8 feet to 1.4 feet
pretty much precisely while we were setting shuttle:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/uv...,00062,0 0054

Aside from leaving considerable vinyl on the river rocks t'was still
a fine day's float (at least when there was enough water to float)
for Hap's first downriver trip. Low water can be a great teacher for
picking lines and learning to read the water.

Plus when you fall out of a Freedom Solo 1.5 seconds after trying to
pole it the water is only ankle deep.

I seem to be doing a lot of boat walking these past few trips. On the
whole I think I prefer walking through a crystal clear 55f trout stream
than an entangled blackwater swamp river.

Topher's Photos:

http://community.webshots.com/album/553399761bdzKGH

That's a "brutal" level for the upper GP.......although my first time down
from the dam many years ago was a foot on the rock. Can you say "palm
portage"?



wrote in message
oups.com...
Gunpowder River
Baltimore County, Maryland
(Falls Rd gauge 1.40 ft)

OC1: Hap, Topher, Molly, Ruthie, Mike

A Monday off from work provided a rare opportunity to paddle with pal
Topher. Checking the gauges there wasn't much running except the
dependable ole Gunpowder, but that's fine with me.

But, instead of doing a 5 or 7 mile trip let's do a long run. 13
miles is still an easy afternoon's paddle at current levels.

Of course instead of just checking the gauge maybe I should have
eyeballed the river when we pull up to the put in. Nah, I checked the
gauge not an hour ago - we'll just leave Hap here with the boats
and gear and set my van 13 miles downstream at Sparks.

When we arrive back at the put in Hap tells us that some fishermen have
informed him that "the level dropped 8" overnight". Nah, no way,
the gauge has been steady at 1.80 for a week or more. I looked at it
on-line this morning. Let's go.

We carry the boats down to the water and, eh, ya know, that is kinda
low. We launch anyway and within 50 feet are walking the boats through
a gravel bar shallow. Accent on the shallow, as in 2" deep.

It seems that the dam release was cut back from 1.8 feet to 1.4 feet
pretty much precisely while we were setting shuttle:


http://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/uv...,00062,0 0054

Aside from leaving considerable vinyl on the river rocks t'was still
a fine day's float (at least when there was enough water to float)
for Hap's first downriver trip. Low water can be a great teacher for
picking lines and learning to read the water.

Plus when you fall out of a Freedom Solo 1.5 seconds after trying to
pole it the water is only ankle deep.

I seem to be doing a lot of boat walking these past few trips. On the
whole I think I prefer walking through a crystal clear 55f trout stream
than an entangled blackwater swamp river.

Topher's Photos:

http://community.webshots.com/album/553399761bdzKGH

Grip wrote:
That's a "brutal" level for the upper GP.......although my first time down
from the dam many years ago was a foot on the rock. Can you say "palm
portage"?

Grip,

One thing I enjoy about paddling is that, even after 30 years, I still
learn something new almost every trip.

That trip I learned that eyeballing the river level before moving the
take out vehicle 13 miles downriver instead of just checking the
on-line gauge in the morning is a very, very good practice.

I also learned that 1.40 is just about canoe zero for the
Masemore-to-Blue Mount section.

One thing I enjoy about paddling is that, even after 30 years, I still
learn something new almost every trip.

You are right about that! I do love the GP though, it's been a great little
stream and brought many people much paddling enjoyment. Can't tell you how
many noobies we've trained on the upper section. Every now and then I get
out one of my solo canoes (XL13) and join a flat water trip from falls road
down to Monkton. Probably the most fun I've had on it however was two
summers ago when caught in flash flood right below the dam. Water was nice
and clear when we put on, and a great 3.5 ft level. Started raining, the
creek turned all milk chocolate brown, and when we took off, the gauge was 2
feet under water, I'm guessing, 5 to 6 feet.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Grip wrote:
That's a "brutal" level for the upper GP.......although my first time
down
from the dam many years ago was a foot on the rock. Can you say "palm
portage"?

Grip,

One thing I enjoy about paddling is that, even after 30 years, I still
learn something new almost every trip.

That trip I learned that eyeballing the river level before moving the
take out vehicle 13 miles downriver instead of just checking the
on-line gauge in the morning is a very, very good practice.

I also learned that 1.40 is just about canoe zero for the
Masemore-to-Blue Mount section.

I think I was on it the same day.

I put on with an old paddling pal just after dawn in a torrential
downpour with the Falls Rd gauge at close to 3' and rising. We ran
the 13 miles from Masemore to Sparks and the water got higher and
faster with every mile.

The gauge hit 6 feet when we were taking off, and soon after flashed to
12 feet, overflowing the bridges. Search & Rescue was out after some
folks who got caught in that (found safe and sound).

That was a great, fun run, but at 6' those strainers come up awfully
damn fast and the old familiar eddies are nowhere to be found.

The little sidestream trickle (Lunchstop Falls, or Raven Rock,
depending on which club is naming it) that comes in after York Rd on
river left was a raging torrent and a steep creekers dream.

Grip wrote:

You are right about that! I do love the GP though, it's been a great little
stream and brought many people much paddling enjoyment. Can't tell you how
many noobies we've trained on the upper section. Every now and then I get
out one of my solo canoes (XL13) and join a flat water trip from falls road
down to Monkton. Probably the most fun I've had on it however was two
summers ago when caught in flash flood right below the dam. Water was nice
and clear when we put on, and a great 3.5 ft level. Started raining, the
creek turned all milk chocolate brown, and when we took off, the gauge was 2
feet under water, I'm guessing, 5 to 6 feet.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Grip wrote:
That's a "brutal" level for the upper GP.......although my first time
down
from the dam many years ago was a foot on the rock. Can you say "palm
portage"?

Grip,

One thing I enjoy about paddling is that, even after 30 years, I still
learn something new almost every trip.

That trip I learned that eyeballing the river level before moving the
take out vehicle 13 miles downriver instead of just checking the
on-line gauge in the morning is a very, very good practice.

I also learned that 1.40 is just about canoe zero for the
Masemore-to-Blue Mount section.