My Day on the Chateaugay

Another first for Team SP.ED. About ten minutes "North" on Rt 11 from Malone you will come to a river called the Chateaugay. The put in is easily found on the Gazetter, as well as the take out. What a great run. The first two rapids are a nice warm up for what is to follow. The first one you move along the left wall and then punch a diagonal ledge hole to the right, which sets you up for the hit at the bottom. Eddy left or right, and eye up the next horrizon line just down stream. The next is a ledge drop that runs like a slide, or a boof, depending on where you hit it. Small stuff for then next bit, so enjoy the scenery....which is very remote. Think of the walls on the Fish but higher and steeper. Dan Hays compaired it to that of the Ausable Chasim.

The next big one is "No Scout", which is true depending on the water level. At low water it is real tough, and obviously again at high water. The "Scout" would be on the right if it was there. You will be looking for a left hand turn and the river narrowing. You want to be right. The left might be ok but definately not middle. Big hole and huge chunk of concrete/rebar to be had in the middle, so again stay right. Its about a 30 ft slide thing, and move left at the bottom for the other small slide. The hole on the right could be a real bear at larger water. Here are some pictures from that rapid.

From there is is small stuff again to the pool. Take out here, 120ft waterfall that would be bad. We portaged right, and there is a road that brings you back around to the bottom. One smaller drop in between there and the tube. Be careful of the bats in the tube. Oh and the 10ft boof with the big hole at the end. Boof like your life depends on it....it does. Stay right.

Again, small stuff from there to the next pool. Again take out on the right. This is a 60ft dam, which looks runable, but not today. This part is tricky. Carefully get the boats up on the stairs. Where the stairs go right/up or down/left...you go straight. Put the boats next to the building and jump down. You are now tresspassing on power plant property. No worries, it doesnt look like anyone is ever there. You want to get back over on the stairs headind down to the lower station. About half way down, slide the boats off onto the slide. You are now standing in the middle of a 50ftish slide. The trick here is to get back to the seam. The slide is kinda bouncy and really cool. I went deep at the bottom but I guess if you can see (not get whited out like I did) you can make a boof stroke. Make sure to look back up the gorge at the drop. This will be the future site of some Team movies. Boogie water from here to the camps.



When you get back to the camps, get yourself ready for the beast. Dont bother scouting, you will just sike yourself out. In the words of Charlie and Dan, "Hey diddle diddle, right down the middle!" Just under the bridge you want to be looking at where you are as far as between the rock shores. MIDDLE!!! You are now starting down the fastest 200ft of your life. All slide. All kinds of big shots and whiteouts. Dont forget the little drop at the end. Very nice!



Good scenery, great whitewater. Just an hour from Potsdam.
The Flair