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Trip Reports

Bloomington - Sat & Sun 24 & 25 May
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by Beth Koller,
      Bloomington—The river level was higher than usual—just below the 1,200 cfs mark on the bridge pillar at the put-in.  Participants included Mike Aronoff, Debbie Dolan, Beth Koller, Zofia Kosim, and Hendrick van Oss in a tandem IK, hard shell kayaks, and an open canoe. We had an expeditious run. Everything was well padded. There was an otter sighting at Blue Hole. The far left channel at Robin’s Nest required some quick maneuvering by the IK paddlers after a brief hang-up. Top-of-the-World was very bouncy. There was new deadfall across three-quarters of the wave train at the ledge just below a small river right creek about one to one-and-one-half miles from the take out. There was also deadfall in the small river right channel around an island about one-half mile from the take-out. The tree extended at least three quarters of the way across the bridge.

 

Memorial Day Weekend—Sunday, May 25

After drives that involved pounding rain whether coming from the west or the east, we found the North Branch to be running at 1,400 cfs. Five elected to return home. The remaining group was split into two. Zofia Kosim took John Finley and his son, JC, down the Bloomington run. Beth Koller, Dave Cooke, and Bob Maxey went to the Trough (Clover Lane to the Trough General Store road.
   NOTE:  A closer alternative might have been the North Branch run from Bloomington down to Keyser, but there was uncertainty about the ease of portaging around the dam on river right at the mill at this water level. It was a sunny day with adequate, but the minimally acceptable, water level. The big ledge near the start of the run was very defined in comparison to last Spring’s run. This run took four hours as compared to the two for the latter.

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