Raquette River- Stone Valley
Location - Colton, NY
Difficulty - Class IV-V Length - 2-4 miles
Level - Various
Date - Various
Difficulty - Class IV-V Length - 2-4 miles
Level - Various
Date - Various
Originating in the lake country of the central Adirondacks, the Raquette
River is the longest in the state of New York. The headwaters of the
Raquette consists of short stretches of river with rapids and falls
connecting large lakes. As the river makes its way north it drops from the
mountains to the Saint Lawrence River. Along the way, the river
maintains a wild feel for much of its distance as it runs through big woods
mostly away from roads. Unfortunately, the once free flowing river has
been impounded by many dams used to generate hydroelectricity. Much
of the river’s northern reaches consist of large man made reservoirs
connected by short stretches of steep river whose flows are tightly
regulated by the dams.
One of the best stretches of whitewater in New York can be found along
a three mile stretch of river between dams near the tiny village of Colton,
New York. Known as Stone Valley, this section of the Raquette drops
over many large ledges with a gradient up to 200 feet per mile. For the
longest time the run was known by only a handful of local boaters. When
I was in college at Saint Lawrence we lived twenty minutes from the put in
River is the longest in the state of New York. The headwaters of the
Raquette consists of short stretches of river with rapids and falls
connecting large lakes. As the river makes its way north it drops from the
mountains to the Saint Lawrence River. Along the way, the river
maintains a wild feel for much of its distance as it runs through big woods
mostly away from roads. Unfortunately, the once free flowing river has
been impounded by many dams used to generate hydroelectricity. Much
of the river’s northern reaches consist of large man made reservoirs
connected by short stretches of steep river whose flows are tightly
regulated by the dams.
One of the best stretches of whitewater in New York can be found along
a three mile stretch of river between dams near the tiny village of Colton,
New York. Known as Stone Valley, this section of the Raquette drops
over many large ledges with a gradient up to 200 feet per mile. For the
longest time the run was known by only a handful of local boaters. When
I was in college at Saint Lawrence we lived twenty minutes from the put in
and our trips to the river were always plenty exciting. Favorable flows
were tough to hit in the spring, and while the river can be paddled at
minimum flows in the flow, these conditions were less than ideal. Still, we
figured out which sections to run at certain flows and took advantage of
the lower two miles of the run at even the highest of flows seen during
sprig run off.
Then in 2002, American Whitewater successfully negotiated with the
hydro company opertaing the dams on the Raquette to schedule a series
of water releases for recreational use to occur dates set each fall to
coincide with similar releases on the Beaver River. The result was an
immediate awareness of this great run and another way for boaters in
the northeast to do some creeking at a time of the year when little else is
running in the region.
All of my runs on Stone Valley took place prior to the scheduled
releases. My descriptions are based on a variety of water levels and the
names I give for rapids are probably not the same as those that are in
use today. Unfortunately, the first few times I saw the river at Stone
Valley, it was running at very high spring flows when the opening ledges
are a marginally runnable class V-V+ mess. Having seen this delayed our
“discovery” of the run for a year or two.
At reasonable flows (500-2,000 cfs) the river is class IV-V with large
ledges and some big holes, but reasonable lines through all of the drops.
Apparently the fall releases are all within this range and this is when most
boaters visit the river. However, Stone Valley often runs within this range
for weeks at a time during the spring. It also consistently runs much
higher. Above 2,000 cfs the rapids start to run together, holes get
were tough to hit in the spring, and while the river can be paddled at
minimum flows in the flow, these conditions were less than ideal. Still, we
figured out which sections to run at certain flows and took advantage of
the lower two miles of the run at even the highest of flows seen during
sprig run off.
Then in 2002, American Whitewater successfully negotiated with the
hydro company opertaing the dams on the Raquette to schedule a series
of water releases for recreational use to occur dates set each fall to
coincide with similar releases on the Beaver River. The result was an
immediate awareness of this great run and another way for boaters in
the northeast to do some creeking at a time of the year when little else is
running in the region.
All of my runs on Stone Valley took place prior to the scheduled
releases. My descriptions are based on a variety of water levels and the
names I give for rapids are probably not the same as those that are in
use today. Unfortunately, the first few times I saw the river at Stone
Valley, it was running at very high spring flows when the opening ledges
are a marginally runnable class V-V+ mess. Having seen this delayed our
“discovery” of the run for a year or two.
At reasonable flows (500-2,000 cfs) the river is class IV-V with large
ledges and some big holes, but reasonable lines through all of the drops.
Apparently the fall releases are all within this range and this is when most
boaters visit the river. However, Stone Valley often runs within this range
for weeks at a time during the spring. It also consistently runs much
higher. Above 2,000 cfs the rapids start to run together, holes get
bigger, and the river much more serious. As levels creep above 4,000
cfs lines close out and running the upper river becomes a life
threatening experience. At flood stage during the height of spring run
off the upper river is a spectacle, while the lower run produces some fun
play boating.
At regular flows, the river starts with a bang as water being released
from the Colton dam almost immediately slides of the first class IV ledge.
A few hundred yards of steep, fairly continuous ledges, leads directly to
the top of the single biggest drop of the run. This long broken slide
drops well over sixty feet in many stages, with several different lines
available. At the bottom lies a large hydraulic that we know as the “Big
Old Fuck Job”. The higher the water, the bigger the FJ gets. At lower
flows it is still sticky, but boaters have enough momentum from
careening down the slide that they generally cruise right through.
Below the BOFJ, the river bends to the left slightly and drops through
some rapids that kick up big holes at higher flows. Back when we didn’t
own creek boats I remember spending some time surfing a few of these
against my will on several occasions. Below here the longest stretch of
mellow water in the upper mile is reached, but it ends in a hundred yards
or so at the Mushroom Ledge. Several lines exist here, but beware of
some piton spots and rebar in the river bed at this class IV drop. The
river spreads out briefly below here before gathering up again in a slow
spot before bending to the right and dropping into an intense stretch of
whitewater.
As the Raquette flows through Stone Valley it has cut its way through
some interesting geology. Instead of nice smooth ledges, the bedrock of
the river bed is heaved at odd angles that produce a mean looking
series of drops. The result is a series of rapids with angled ledge,
potholes, and multiple channels. Nowhere is this more apparent than the
last stretch of the upper mile of Stone Valley. The Raquette divides into
two channels here with all but the most crazed boaters heading to the
left.
Once in the left channel boaters want to run the first drop by staying
hard to the right to boof out past a nasty pocket hole created by a
Horseshoe shaped ledge. This hole has forced some great boaters to
swim and only reluctantly let them free. Busy class IV follows to the top of
The Tub, a large double drop falling a total of fifteen or twenty feet
through a huge pothole that is mostly hidden at higher flows. The bottom
hole gets sticky as the levels rise. If the river is high enough so a line to
the left of the double drop look possible the main line will likely be
looking too burly to run. While the river left option looks feasible, be
careful. The shallow and uneven ledge has broken ankles in the past.
Below the Tub the Raquette divides again. River left is a broken ten foot
ledge leading in to a clean 15 foot falls into an auto boof over a friendly
hydraulic. Even when the upper run is too high for most paddlers, fun
runs can often start at this drop, which can be accessed via a five
minute hike from a gated parking lot off of Route 56. The river often runs
very high during the spring and we often put in here for a few fun drops
and some great play on the lower run. At lower flows and standard
release levels, river right here is also runnable, but less vertical and
more difficult. At high water the hole at the bottom of this slide starts to
look increasingly terminal.
cfs lines close out and running the upper river becomes a life
threatening experience. At flood stage during the height of spring run
off the upper river is a spectacle, while the lower run produces some fun
play boating.
At regular flows, the river starts with a bang as water being released
from the Colton dam almost immediately slides of the first class IV ledge.
A few hundred yards of steep, fairly continuous ledges, leads directly to
the top of the single biggest drop of the run. This long broken slide
drops well over sixty feet in many stages, with several different lines
available. At the bottom lies a large hydraulic that we know as the “Big
Old Fuck Job”. The higher the water, the bigger the FJ gets. At lower
flows it is still sticky, but boaters have enough momentum from
careening down the slide that they generally cruise right through.
Below the BOFJ, the river bends to the left slightly and drops through
some rapids that kick up big holes at higher flows. Back when we didn’t
own creek boats I remember spending some time surfing a few of these
against my will on several occasions. Below here the longest stretch of
mellow water in the upper mile is reached, but it ends in a hundred yards
or so at the Mushroom Ledge. Several lines exist here, but beware of
some piton spots and rebar in the river bed at this class IV drop. The
river spreads out briefly below here before gathering up again in a slow
spot before bending to the right and dropping into an intense stretch of
whitewater.
As the Raquette flows through Stone Valley it has cut its way through
some interesting geology. Instead of nice smooth ledges, the bedrock of
the river bed is heaved at odd angles that produce a mean looking
series of drops. The result is a series of rapids with angled ledge,
potholes, and multiple channels. Nowhere is this more apparent than the
last stretch of the upper mile of Stone Valley. The Raquette divides into
two channels here with all but the most crazed boaters heading to the
left.
Once in the left channel boaters want to run the first drop by staying
hard to the right to boof out past a nasty pocket hole created by a
Horseshoe shaped ledge. This hole has forced some great boaters to
swim and only reluctantly let them free. Busy class IV follows to the top of
The Tub, a large double drop falling a total of fifteen or twenty feet
through a huge pothole that is mostly hidden at higher flows. The bottom
hole gets sticky as the levels rise. If the river is high enough so a line to
the left of the double drop look possible the main line will likely be
looking too burly to run. While the river left option looks feasible, be
careful. The shallow and uneven ledge has broken ankles in the past.
Below the Tub the Raquette divides again. River left is a broken ten foot
ledge leading in to a clean 15 foot falls into an auto boof over a friendly
hydraulic. Even when the upper run is too high for most paddlers, fun
runs can often start at this drop, which can be accessed via a five
minute hike from a gated parking lot off of Route 56. The river often runs
very high during the spring and we often put in here for a few fun drops
and some great play on the lower run. At lower flows and standard
release levels, river right here is also runnable, but less vertical and
more difficult. At high water the hole at the bottom of this slide starts to
look increasingly terminal.
The final rapid of the upper stretch takes off just below the falls and is
best run on river left at all levels. This drop is a series of technical class
IV slots at lower levels, big class IV+ as the levels approach 3,000, and
fast and pushy class IV+ to V at the highest of levels. Don’t take this drop
lightly as flows rise above 3,000 cfs. At the highest flows the drop
empties into a fast class III+ run out with a large river left hole that is best
avoided. This gets tough if you exit the last ledge drop out of control
when the water is up.
When the Raquette is really cranking and levels start to approach flood
stage, the lower two miles at Stone Valley become a fun play run with
one of the best waves in northern New York halfway through the run. At
these flows the upper run is more of a spectacle than a paddling
destination, and even the clean falls and final ledge are intimidating to
run in playboats. It is possible to access the river below this drops on
river right by driving or hiking down a rough dirt road off of the Lenny
Road. At lower flows this is also a reasonable take out of you don’t want
to boat the class II run out at low water. At high water the lower run is fast
class II-III with a bigger class IV half way through that kicks up some big
holes. The run out of this final drop narrows and produces a super fast
and steep surf wave with somewhat frustrating, but reasonable eddy
service. When the flows are up this is a very worthy play destination.
best run on river left at all levels. This drop is a series of technical class
IV slots at lower levels, big class IV+ as the levels approach 3,000, and
fast and pushy class IV+ to V at the highest of levels. Don’t take this drop
lightly as flows rise above 3,000 cfs. At the highest flows the drop
empties into a fast class III+ run out with a large river left hole that is best
avoided. This gets tough if you exit the last ledge drop out of control
when the water is up.
When the Raquette is really cranking and levels start to approach flood
stage, the lower two miles at Stone Valley become a fun play run with
one of the best waves in northern New York halfway through the run. At
these flows the upper run is more of a spectacle than a paddling
destination, and even the clean falls and final ledge are intimidating to
run in playboats. It is possible to access the river below this drops on
river right by driving or hiking down a rough dirt road off of the Lenny
Road. At lower flows this is also a reasonable take out of you don’t want
to boat the class II run out at low water. At high water the lower run is fast
class II-III with a bigger class IV half way through that kicks up some big
holes. The run out of this final drop narrows and produces a super fast
and steep surf wave with somewhat frustrating, but reasonable eddy
service. When the flows are up this is a very worthy play destination.