Two views of a run through Zoar Gap on the Deerfield

[eckilson]

I know, I go here a lot, but it is fun to run whitewater in the summer. With all the rain we have had recently there were actually other rivers up this weekend (Westfield, Housatonic), but Fife was closer for me. I did another tandem run in my 40-year-old Mohawk Whitewater 16 with Aaron as my bowman. They were releasing over 2,000 cfs from the Fife Brook Dam on Saturday, which is pretty high. Fortunately, they dropped it to around 1,000 cfs on Sunday when we were paddling.

Here are two views of our run through Zoar Gap - the first from shore and the second from the boat. Aaron does a nice job lining us up at the top and then pulling the bow to the right to line us up for the second drop. I love paddling tandem (with a good bowman)!

 

[BWCA66]

Thanks for the video,
looked like a lot of fun!

 

[Tsuga8]

Any good places to camp around Zoar? I'm taking a swiftwater safety course there this weekend.

 

[eckilson]

Any good places to camp around Zoar? I'm taking a swiftwater safety course there this weekend.

Most people stay at Country Air Campground

Welcome

countryairecampground.com

There is a long list of campsites on the AW Deerfield Fest page (scroll down)

Deerfield Festival - American Whitewater

Join American Whitewater at Deerfield Festival on August 1st at Berkshire East in Charlemont, MA. Enjoy paddling on the Deerfield River and then join us at Deerfield Fest for live music, paddlesports vendors, and a silent auction to benefit American Whitewater's river conservation and recreation...

www.americanwhitewater.org

I did a swiftwater session at Zoar a couple of years ago - it was fun.

 

[eckilson]

One thing about our group - there is usually no shortage of video. Here is another video of our group going through Zoar Gap - 2 kayaks, a paddleboard and us. You can see us catch an eddy at the top and wait our turn.

Here is the video from the boat.

It is 6-minutes long, but here is where we hit the major rapids.

Surfing Carbis Bend – 0:00
Running Freight Train – 1:11
Surfing below the Railroad Bridge – 2:02
Running one of the unnamed rapids – 2:28
Back ferrying/surfing down Pinball – 2:40
Close call on a rock in Pinball – 3:30
Miami Beach – 3:55
Planning from the eddy above Zoar Gap - 4:33
Running Zoar Gap – 4:54
Below Zoar Gap – 5:36
Mini Gap – 5:55
Train goes by – 6:15