Eel river
| Class: I-III | Length: 19km |
| Location: Fredericton, NB | Character: wild river |
| Gauge: Rainfall | Contributor: Rob Neish, Karl Vollmer |
General Information
This is a mostly class I/II river that winds its way down through a wild canyon with only a few points where there is evidence of human impact on the river. It has a consistently gradient, with almost no perfectly flat pools. There is no gauge for this river, beyond an impression based on waterfall and other levels. About 5km from the put in there is the only significant set of rapids, starting with a waterfall which is runnable, but is rarely run and has a level of complexity depending on the water levels. Directly after the waterfall is a series of ledges that lead through a gorge, scouting the gorge is possible, but complicated from a trail on river left.
After the gorge the river continues to drop and there is an increased risk of wood in some sections where the river takes 90 degree turns, and has eaten into the bank undercutting the trees.
The river pools out as it approaches the Transcanada #2 bridge at about 19km. The takeout is on the right just after the local highway bridge.
Named Rapids
Eel river falls III
Eel river falls is rarely run by people who paddle this river. The indication that it’s coming up is a large rock with trees and vegetation that splits the river near some small ledges. This is at about 5KM from the put in. River levels depending you can take out directly above it on river left, which gives you access to the trail that enables you to protage it
Eel river falls gorge III
Directly after the Eel river falls there is a series of ledges constrained by the river as it goes into a 200m gorge. These can be scouted to a degree from the path on river left that is also used to walk around the falls. At most levels it can be boat scouted as there are ample eddies between each ledge. Most of the ledges are often run river left, but as the levels differ alternative or better lines may appear.
Hazards
After the gorge as the river picks up there is a risk of wood in the river, so blind turns should be scouted. There is also a remoteness of the river which would make evacuation complicated and time consuming.
Access
Gauge
Rainfall