1st 2009 Norumbega Trip - What else but a trip to Rock Bottom!

Fitz

Wooden Canoes are in the Blood
In Memoriam
Given the current state of the economy the Norumbega Chapter has decided to explore new territory by hosting a trip to Rock Bottom. Please join us on Saturday, April 18th on an expedition down the Assabet River from Hudson, MA to Maynard, MA. Based on scouting today, there have been some changes to the Put-In and Take-Out. Please see below:

Meet at 9AM in the Public Parking Area behind the Horseshoe Pub on South Street in the center of Hudson and adjacent to Cellucci Park. Cellucci Park is at the corner of Houghton and South Street.

PUT-IN:

I suggest putting in at Cellucci Park/Public Parking Area behind the Horseshoe Pub on South Street in the center of Hudson. There is plenty of safe public parking and the bank here is very low and accessible. The bank is very high between Forest and Broad and along Wheeler Road and there is no parking. So let's meet behind the Horseshoe Pub.

TAKE-OUT:

There is a dam just above the intersection of Route 62 and Route 117 in Maynard. There is whitewater below through the mill complex and Maynard Center and we should avoid this and take out upstream.

The Maynard Ice House Conservation Area is on river right just above this dam. There are picnic tables here and there is parking as well. The Ice House Conservation Area is located behind the Maynard DPW facility on Winter Street. Winter Street is located 0.22 miles east of the bridge over the Assabet, and off of Route 117. This would make a great take out spot. We could also have lunch here and mess-about in the back water well behind the dam if time permits.

The Route 62 Bridge is under construction in Hudson, but the river looked passable beneath.

This looks like an enjoyable paddle. The Boon Lake Area is nice and the river skirts the Assabet National Wildlife Refuge for a long stretch.

Gleasonville (Formerly, "Rock Bottom") involves a portage around the dam. I would suggest portaging on river right. There is some quickwater here below the dam and by the mill, but otherwise I didn't see anything too challenging.

A good source of Route information and the fascinating route History is "The Concord, Sudbury and Assabet Rivers", by Ron McAdow.

See you Saturday.


Fitz.
 
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Rock Bottom

Just for you folks that are still ice bound, a couple of pictures from the first Norumbega outing of the season.

I am happy to report that we all successfuly negotiated Rock Bottom.
 

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