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