Whitewater Paddling

NOTICE - Monroe Bridge on the Deerfield River is closed this year! Be sure to make alternative parking arrangements.

Whitewater paddling means canoeing, kayaking, and rafting down turbulent and exciting rivers.

We are happy to have new paddlers join us. Whitewater paddling training is mandatory for participation in any trip listed, however. Whitewater training is available through local whitewater schools, through Berkshire Chapter's sometime-annual whitewater training program, or through training programs by other AMC chapters. Contact our Canoe & Kayak Chair (see the Canoe/Kayak page) for more information.

We run a few scheduled whitewater rafting trips a summer, usually on the Class IV Monroe Bridge ("Dryway") section of the Deerfield River. (What's the point of rafting Class II, anyway? The scenery?) Other trips are possible if there's enough interest. To find out more, get in touch with our Rafting Contact (see below).

There is also paddling in the cold weather. If the temperature is above 38 degrees and the rivers are running, call for a paddling partner from the list below:

Cold Weather Paddling Contact:

Dennis Cleary at home at (413) 774-3510 or at work at (413) 772-0521 or Bill Blatner at (413) 584-8917 or at [email protected].

Rafting Contact: Al Howcroft (413.256.1301, [email protected]).

Please read the AMC Trip Policy before joining a trip.

For information about scheduled dam releases, see Release Schedules. For links to online river gauges, see Gauges. For a description of the whitewater difficulty scale used to rate our trips, see River Ratings. (For a bit of fun, see Revised Ratings).

For information about river conditions in the northeast, see River Conditions.

For more information about the Westfield River see :Westfield River (National Wild & Scenic River System)