Guest Post by Matthew Polstein on 01/29/2015
Learn About Maine Whitewater Rafting
In Maine, whitewater rafting is enjoyed on our 3 main rivers: The Penobscot River, The Kennebec River and The Dead River. The Penobscot River is the second longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state with a total length (including East and West Branch) of over 260 miles.
The portion of the Penobscot River that people whitewater raft on flows from Chesuncook Lake through Ripogenus Gorge and takes rafters through 11 named rapids including Exterminator, the Staircase and Big Heater, then on to the narrow shoots and big drops of the Cribworksand also include Big Ambejackmockamus Rapids, Nesowadnehunk Falls, and Abol and Pockwockamus Falls. The rapids over the 14 mile stretch are class I-V making it the most technical rafting river in Maine.
The Kennebec River is located in the heart of Maine and is 170-miles long. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine and flows to the sea from there winding across the middle of the state. The portion of the Kennebec River where whitewater rafting occurs is named The Forks. This section of the river includes 12 miles of fast, deep water that flows daily and includes the upper Kennebec gorge thrilling roller coaster waves of Big Mama and the Three Sisters, then plunge into boiling Magic Falls.
The rapids on the Kennebec are class I-IV. The Dead River, sometimes called the West Branch, is a 42.6-mile-long river in central Maine. Its source is Flagstaff Lake, where its two main tributaries, South Branch Dead River and North Branch Dead River, join. It flows generally east to join the Kennebec River at The Forks.
It is a popular river for whitewater rafting and is dam controlled from Flagstaff Lake. The water release levels range from 1200 to 7000 ft³/s and range in difficulty from easy class II to class IV+. The length of the run is 15 miles (24 km) from the put-in at Spencer Stream to the take-out at West Forks with no easy access by road. Big whitewater is released only 10 times a year on The Dead and the river comes alive when spring run-off causes flooding and also in the fall when the lakes are drawn down to get ready for winter. Who can go whitewater rafting in Maine?
Pretty much anyone who enjoys the outdoors and is looking for adventure can. Whitewater rafts in Maine typically hold an eight-person crew and a guide. Most rivers in Maine have a limit on the number of people who can raft on a daily basis. Outfitters typically provide helmets, lifejackets, registered guides, rafts and paddles and usually will prepare some sort of river lunch for their guests. In the post trip section outfitters provide a slideshow or video of your trip.
Prices vary and range from $65 to $130 per person. When does whitewater rafting happen in Maine? The season on the Penobscot and Kennebec begins in late April and ends in mid-October. Controlled daily dam releases from hydropower dams on these rivers guarantee water levels throughout the season, even during the driest summers.
The Dead River has seven high-water release days of more than 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) in the spring and fall. Whitewater Guide License Requirements (1) Anyone who seeks to work as a guide is required to obtain a Maine whitewater guide license and be employed by a licensed whitewater outfitter.
These requirements are state law and are in place to protect the people of the state. If a member of the public pays dues or fees or provides any form of compensation to a person or persons for providing whitewater-rafting services or for operating a whitewater rafting organization, the trip is commercial.
A whitewater trip would also be a commercial trip if a licensed whitewater guide received any remuneration for accompanying, assisting or instructing passengers on the river on whitewater trips. It is unlawful to hire an unlicensed Maine whitewater guide or outfitter to supply a commercial trip or to hire a licensed Maine guide who is working independently from a licensed Maine outfitter.
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