Maxwell Auger - River People

The river is a living force that humbles and empowers. Traveling rivers is more than navigating rugged landscapes and journeying to locations less traveled; it is a journey inward, a mirror reflecting one's deepest desires and fears. In the river, we see patterns where others see chaos, finding the edge of danger and fun. Yet in its quiet eddies, there is a profound sense of peace, a reminder that life, flows in cycles of tumult and calm. Among fellow paddlers, bonds are forged by the most powerful force on earth, in the sharing of adrenaline and quiet moments of awe.

Show me a river and I will show you a community bound by respect for the water’s power and the lessons it imparts: to grow, we must navigate both the swift currents and the still pools, trusting the flow, learning to let go.

This is a portrait of a community that regularly descends on the valleys of Northern New England. A community that has welcomed me with the widest of arms, warmest hearts, and by far the coldest hands.

- Sugar River | Newport, New Hampshire | March 10, 2024 -

Steve Guyer

Brie Choate

What was your first experience with whitewater?

It was 2003 turkey boating in a raft as a guide trainee on the Ocoee River. I was shaaaaking but the adrenaline rush got me hooked. I guided two seasons of absolute chaos and fun before moving back north.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

Fast forward 20 years and after developing a rather serious case of running (ran multiple ultras including the elusive 100 miler and started a running club), it dawned on me the sport of running is not my cup of tea AT ALL-- so boring and bone grinding! I wanted to be on the water again. I purchased a pink packraft and quickly realized I should learn some river running skills so I don't get dead. Enter the AMC's Intro To Whitewater Weekend, Class of 2023.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

NH boaters are freakin' awesome-- what an eclectic crowd of all ages, abilities and personalities! I'm having a blast getting to know everybody and feel like paddling whitewater gets to the heart of a life worth living-- challenging ourselves, having fun, experiencing adrenaline rushes and having fun. Did I mention having fun?

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

I'm so new in the community it's all very fresh, replaying in my head constantly in excitement for getting back on the water (it's winter as I write this). But stand-outs include: the cool, calm and collected rescues I've been on the receiving end of during my out of boat experiences, the hilarity of only leaders swimming during the 4-day Paddler's Gathering (I just cursed myself with those words as a new leader myself!) and the discovery that the community has oodles of amazing women paddlers!

Steve Gellman

My first whitewater experience was during the Covid lockdown. My daughter and I had been canoeing on flat water lakes and rivers since she was a baby. We spent 6 weeks on the Great Northern Canoe Trail. We encountered some class 1&2 rips in our fully loaded canoe, and my daughter loved it. For the next two weeks, all day, every day, she would ask “is there any whitewater today?” “Do you think there’s more whitewater?”

Shortly after we got home from that trip, we rented kayaks from Zoar Outdoor and paddled the Fife Brook section of the Deerfield River. “This is the most fun I’ve ever had!” my then 8yo daughter exclaimed. I bought a couple of used kayaks off of Craigslist and we’ve paddled at least 100 days a year together, since.

We’re moving to Franklin, NH, because of the whitewater community. We’re hoping to buy a place within walking distance of Mill City Park. Outdoor New England is downtown and it’s an awesome outfitters shop. They’ve been super helpful in our paddling journey. Marty, Leisha and Joey are extremely knowledgeable and we’ve learned a lot from them.

Creating memories with my daughter is the cornerstone of why I paddle. She’d rather be in her kayak than on her phone. I have vivid memories of her first combat roll, her first class 3 rapid (Zoar Gap), and the first time she paddled class 4 (the Dryway). There’s been some tears and some scary times, as well. Watching her run her first waterfall was scarier for me than it was for her. Someday, I won’t be able to keep up with her. Until then, I’m going to continue to enjoy every moment.

Jordan Schlitzer

What was your first experience with whitewater?

When I was young I went rafting with my family on the Arkansas river in Colorado, but my first experience guiding my own boat was kayaking the Poudre River, also in Colorado. My friend spent a summer guiding a raft, but he wanted to try kayaking and would bring out anyone who was willing. It was a bit of the blind leading the blind and we took some good beatdowns on the river, but it was a very fun way to dive right into the sport.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

Nothing feels better to me than absolutely nailing a line through rapids, it is a feeling of flow state that is hard to beat. It's also been a great way to feel a bit uncomfortable, both physically and mentally – it's important to me to feel uncomfortable sometimes and there's so much opportunity in this sport to push the boundary and see what I am capable of.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

This community is unbelievably welcoming and they really look out for each other on and off the river. So many great leaders in this community have made an effort to bring in new people and it shows with the network you start to form even after going to a few events with groups like AMC or MVP. I am incredibly grateful to be a part of this group.

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

I'm going to give two answers because there are too many:

In the Forks one year, after a day running the Kennebec and grabbing some grub in town, I have a very vivid memory of riding back to camp on the tailgate of another paddler's car as the sun was just setting. It was a blissfully simple moment that, for me, encapsulates the many reasons beyond the river that keep us coming back.

My first run down the Contoocook - I was an absolute beater and that river scared the shit out of me. The Took rocks.

- The Wild Ammonoosic | Wildwood, New Hampshire | April 13, 2024 -

Emma Erler

Frank Harrison

What was your first experience with whitewater?

I went out with high school friends and recreational kayaks on whitewater (Fife Brook Section of the Deerfield River, Western Mass) and we all got trashed the entire length of the river. We had a blast, even with all the swimming and I knew I needed more!

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

I paddle a kayak and think that it is the best way to see the natural beauty of the New Hampshire wilderness. The river leads you down paths of adventure and your task is just to keep that boat up facing forward. It is a genuine thrill and relatively inexpensive once you have the basic gear.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

The paddling community is another primary reason I stay in this sport. It is a lifelong sport for all ages, so the range of participant ages is broad and I particularly enjoy teaching new paddlers knowledge and skills to be successful. It is very satisfying to support others and to know that they have my back as well. The shared adventure model is such an encouragement.

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

My most vivid memory is paddling the Dryway section of the Deerfield River, a Class 4 set of rapids that require deep focus. I was not prepared and took a long, recirculating swim in Rodeo Hole at Dragon's Tooth Rapid. I had support from experienced leaders, but there are parts paddling where you do become isolated and must achieve certain goals alone. I recovered from the swim that day, built my skills up, and went back to the Dryway several months later and made it through the hard section that swamped me in the first time. It was a great feeling of accomplishment.

Emily Barr

What was your first experience with whitewater?

The cheapest flight from Washington State to Tennessee is long. Over 28 hours to be exact. And there's no good space or time to sleep during those inconvenient layovers. After an exhausting trip, as my eyes weigh heavy, I eventually arrive to the rafting outpost (without a clue what that actually meant) to start my training to guide on the Ocoee (didn't know what that meant either). Up until this point, I have never set foot in a raft. And paddling down a river was not an activity I had ever done. It was exciting to arrive to the outpost, but I was so ready to take a nap (silly me thinking you could take a nap on a Friday afternoon at a rafting outpost). Within one minute of my arrival, I was informed that there was a trip leaving in 15 minutes that I was more than welcome to join. And just like that, my body switched gears, excitement replaced the exhaustion I felt only moments ago, and down to the river I went. The run itself wasn't anything out of the ordinary, but the rush of energy and excitement that accompanied it would become a very well-known feeling. A feeling that would drive me to become the paddler I am today.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

Recently, I've been thinking about this question a lot as I have been sitting in an eddy above a rapid with my heart beating a million beats a second. I had a bad swim here. But also, the rapid isn't too hard for me. I know I can do it. I know I'll be fine. And that's why I'm there telling myself that I am capable of so much more than I believe I can. The river is a place where I feel inspired to push my boundaries and face my fears. It's a place I can succeed. And in these moments on the water, I learn so much more about myself off the water. The river is a place I become a better person. The river is a place I rewire my brain to believe in myself. To communicate with others. To inspire growth. The river teaches me things I'm afraid to teach myself.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

I think the New England whitewater community is really special. I didn't start paddling in New Hampshire but while in New Hampshire my paddling has flourished. I feel the New Hampshire paddling community is accepting, encouraging, and excited for new paddlers. Sometimes I paddle with people who are young like me. But other times, I paddle with people who have been paddling for years and years. Sometimes, they're somewhere in between. I've met so many people here that want to see me become a better paddler and have become paddling mentors capable of holding me and pushing me at the same time. I feel that the community here in New Hampshire is good at looking out for each other on and off the river. I never feel alone on the river. We're just a group of people enjoying the river together, laughing, learning, and even sometimes swimming.

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

It's a sunny weekend in Webster, NH. People are practicing for the Blackwater Slalom. As the young and old pratice, other paddlers watch. Successes are celebrated. Failures are lessons - often lessons emphasized from those with more experience to share their knowledge with the younger generation coming up behind them. Along the river banks lay boats of all sorts; open boats, closed boats, big boats, small boats, plastic boats, glass boats, fast boats and slow boats. And beyond that? Circles of boaters partaking shared meals and sharing stories of their journeys.

Everyone is awaiting tomorrow's race. Even the non-paddling community supports the race, providing meals to benefit the greater community and watching as boaters from all over New England carefully ferry across waves and whip quickly into eddies. No one here this weekend is planning on overpowering the water - bombing through to the finish line, but to become better connected with the way the river communicates. Although there's a spirit of competition, the slalom racers pure love for the river outshines. Whether the paddler is 4 and a half years old or "retired" everyone at this race loves the river. From the first time racers to those who have been paddling this race since it began, the spirit of celebration and joy radiants from person to the next. The community is alive.

Ian Patterson

What was your first experience with whitewater?

I learned in Salida, Colorado! I went out there mainly for mountain biking but I soon learned about the amazing rapids of the Arkansas River. I lived three blocks from a play wave and became obsessed. I used a winter surf wetsuit, paddled a destroyed kayak, and had a blast.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

I love the balance of the physical demands and the group problem solving demands. For me, paddling is only half the fun. The other half comes from the group setting, the scouting, and the problem solving.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New Hampshire?

It's kickass. Everyone wants to help and grow the community. It's really special and not something that happens nearly as frequently in other sports. I noticed that beginners can advance super quickly in this sport and I feel it's largely due to the welcoming and mentor-like environment of the community.

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

Running Browns Canyon on the Arkansas River. I had read, and re-read every rapid description so many times over. I was pretty nervous paddling it since there were some class four rapids and I was still pretty new to the sport. I had a blast though, had a great crew on the river, and had one of the best days of my life (like actually).

The Ammonoosic | Twin Mountain, New Hampshire | April 21, 2024

Eddy Martin

What was your first experience with whitewater?

Going down Zoar Gap (Deerfield River) in a raft with my dad, somewhere around age 6. I was so scared, sitting on the floor of the raft clinging to a strap

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

The river is a place where the beauty and power of nature is always on display. Whitewater boating is an exciting and humbling way to witness it

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

It is a tight-knit community that features a wide range of individuals. Everyone has so much to offer, and they’re always looking for the next adventure

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

Paddling the upper west river with AMC Boston and AMC NH. Lots of us hadn’t run that section before and there were plenty of smiles despite the cold and the rain

Steph Gould

What was your first experience with whitewater?

Chasing trout by fly rod lured me into class 2 water behind the oars of a small raft. That’s the beginning of my downstream river-ing habit.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

Depends on the day… sometimes because I don’t want to miss the water, some days to be with friends, and most days to be recalibrated by immersion into the beauty of the river environment.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

As with most communities, we do some things well and there are other areas that could benefit from improvement. But, overall, my experience of the NH ww community has been one of support, kindness, and extraordinary efforts by few to facilitate sharing the whitewater experience with others.

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

My most cherished experience and memory associated with my whitewater journey to date is that of the mentorship opportunities given to me by more experienced paddlers. Had it not been for their personalized approach to my learning curve and patience, I would not have discovered how to find fun and peace within the mayhem of rapids

Tony DeFelice

What was your first experience with whitewater?

My first time on whitewater was an AMC-NH paddlers intro class in May of 2022. Class I-II water seemed so big that first weekend! The volunteers were so supportive and helpful, I was encouraged enough to grab a rental boat and jump on a few trips with the club that summer.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

It's just me, the river, and that day's crew. From put-in to take-out, there is no noise about yesterday or worrying about tomorrow. I don't have many spaces like that in my life.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

I'm pretty new to the community overall but it seems to be a super eclectic group of good hearted folks. It takes a special person to put on a dry suit and jump in a boat when most New Englanders are still skiing. Everyone is always super helpful on the river, willing to offer advice and help keep each other safe.

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

At the end of my first day someone (Tim) asked me "So, was it life changing?" At the time I had no idea that it truly could be.

Stevie DeFelice

What was your first experience with whitewater?

My first time on whitewater was a kayaking introduction class at Zoar Outdoor, as a birthday gift. That was what got me hooked.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

I whitewater kayak because of the challenge, the community, and, I'm going to sound like a certain mountaineer for a second, because the whitewater is there to paddle, so why not?

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

I think that the whitewater community is a very small, tightly knit group of people, which makes it a little intimidating at first for a newcomer. The community is also very welcoming and supportive: everyone will be getting cheers, whether they are just getting their first front surf, or learning to cartwheel, they'll be encouraged and supported.

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

My most vivid memory of time spent in the whitewater community is probably looking back upstream, on the Ammo', at the rest of the group, and seeing that camaraderie, lined up with the light-speckled mountains that were still covered in snow. I remember being in awe, and just staring...then there was that pesky rock that ended it.:)

Eric Nathanson

What was your first experience with whitewater?

I guess it depends on how you define experience. I grew up in the Saco-Biddeford area, so I was always seeing the water pour through the dams there. I remember my grandfather talking about how they drove salmon around the dams in a truck everytime we drove over the bridge there. My first time actually paddling whitewater was on the Allagash River, on a sons and fathers canoe trip in middle school organized by a friend of mine's family. We ran the old Long Lake Dam (which I have since learned people typically don't do due to there being rebar in the river). The guide told us it was a simple straight shot, the only thing we had to do was not spin around. So of course my father and I immediately lost control and ended up running the whole thing backwards, but we ended up fine. My first time actually learning about whitewater in any way was a safety briefing we were given about foot entrapment before we were allowed to go swimming while camping at Big Eddy Campground on the Penobscot later that summer. I would have a few other class II and below canoeing experiences throughout middle and highschool without any real instruction, just little things in what were otherwise flatwater trips. And then I first started whitewater kayaking with my college's outdoor club in Washington State, and that was my first time learning about reading rivers, making eddy moves, trying to catch surfs, etc. We started with skills in the pool, and then my first time on a river in a whitewater kayak was on the "Powerhouse" section of the Snoqualmie. So yeah, it depends on where you start counting.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

I'd say the biggest reason is for the "weee" factor. Catching surfs, making stern squirts and splats, blasting through a drop, anything that makes you go weee! The community factor is big too, just having a good time chatting with people. And birds, I love seeing kingfishers, geese, and ducks. And mammals like moose, beaver, and otters, when you're lucky enough to spot them. So yeah, it's a mix of the exciting feelings of playful action and the calmer feelings of connection to people and nature.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

At first, when I moved back to Maine, I found it kind of hard to break into, and sort of overwhelming and intimidating. The only rivers I knew about were the major dam released ones, Kennebec, Dead, Deerfield, that sort of thing. I didn't know many paddlers in the area and pretty much the only people I knew who did whitewater paddled were professional raft guides, which is a whole specific subculture, and obviously they're all very skilled, which I was not, so I found it hard to find places to paddle and people to paddle with. I did work at an outdoor education center, so had a few co-workers who were very skilled kayakers and canoers who took me under their wing in a lot of ways, which was great, though they all already had communities of skilled boaters, mainly from the college outing club scenes around New England. I was more insecure and unsure of myself at that time though, so I sort of got in my own way with being able to learn through a weird mix of being too timid in some ways and too overconfident in others. That was a busy time in my life guiding lots of canoeing and sea kayak trips, but when we got a chance to be back at base we had good fun at the "Sheepscot Wave" and the Sheepscot class II stretch, which helped me develop my playboating skills a lot. But over the last few years those feelings of not being able to "break in" have changed, especially this season when I decided to stop dabbling in whitewater and instead really commit to lots of time in the boat, lots of skills improvement. I've met more people who paddle, I've learned about more rivers and how to find whats flowing more effectively, all of which has helped. Now I would say I find people to be very friendly and supportive. That has become even more true this season, where I've started doing club paddling trips with Penobscot Paddle and Chowder Society, and the AMC NH, and started doing slalom races with NESS and downriver races with MACKRO, which have all been a lot of fun, and been attended by the most welcoming and enthusiastic people I've ever met on the river. One piece of feedback I would give the community though is to be more careful about abbreviations and nicknames for stretches when talking with beginners. It can be really confusing for a newby!

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

That's really hard to say. My first slalom races were this spring at the Mascoma and Blackwater. Getting tons of laps in and memorizing the course as you try to dial in the moves is good fun and makes it really stick in your mind. You and I also had a great group get together for an AMC trip on the Ammonousuc recently. A lot of funny, silly moments from that trip stick in my mind right now. One time last year or the year before some friends and I had an absolutely ideal summer day on the Rapid River and surfing at Smooth Ledge. There were around eight other paddlers there that day from all over New England who had come alone or in small groups, a PPCS trip of exclusively canoers (including a gnarly C1 playboater), and a youth camp teaching whitewater skills. It really just felt like a cross section of paddlers from around the region. And during the drives down the logging road to the put in we saw both a moose and a bear, so that was pretty special. I have plenty of other experiences paddling with my close friend group, or guiding clients on canoe trips, but those are some of the memories that jump out as being about the broader New England community.

Blackwater Slalom Race | Webster, New Hampshire | April 28, 2024

Kara Witherill

Austin Huck

I'll try to answer your questions and not ramble too much, but you asked me about whitewater, and whitewater is my first and longest love so there may be some ramble.

I started kayaking at 7 years old. My uncle Jon Ross took me sea kayaking off the coast of Maine. Then at 9 I joined a local whitewater kayaking after school club. I'm now 39 years old and get on the river every year. Some years I'm blessed with a lot of days on the river, some years less, but every day on the river is a good day. I still kayak to this day because it is how I best connect with myself in nature. I particularly love surfing river waves, I can go on for a while just on river waves. I've been on the river so much of my life that it is where I feel most at home.

The whitewater community in New England is wide and diverse. In my experience there is an overarching community on all whitewater rivers everywhere and New England isn't an exception to that at all. I know that if I show up to the put-in of any of the classic runs that I'll find boaters who share in the love of the river and welcoming to a fellow lover of the river. In New England there are about a thousand niche boater communities. The waters are often cold and there are only a handful of recreational releases, so the community is tightly knit and diverse as the water they enjoy. There's all kinds of competitive groups, some less organized than others, some less competitive than others. They range from marathon downriver races to extreme creek racing. There are groups formed around boat type, river difficulty, and river sections. There are groups that form organically at put-ins and take outs, or at the playspot eddy. There are groups that are formed by volunteer and commercial teaching and instruction like Zoar Outdoor, the AMC groups, and ONE, as well as a variety of highschool, college and university clubs. For me these wide ranging groups make up a vibrant community who love the fast moving waters of New England rivers.

I could go on and on with stories about the whitewater community but if you want some of the most vivid memories I have, they are of the rivers I've paddled. I can remember eddy lines from rivers I ran a single time over a decade ago. And let me tell you, the best drug on earth is to connect with another boater who shares the memory of that line, that rock, that wave, and to share our experiences with that same piece of whitewater. Those stories are very long and very rambling. For those we'll need a campfire and a clear night sky.

Fife Brook (Flow Fest) | Charlemont, Massachusetts | May 25, 2024

Mike Choate

Julia Reimers

What was your first experience with whitewater?

First experience was the AMC intro to whitewater class in 2004 when I was a wee teenager.

Why do you whitewater canoe/kayak?

I don’t know. I don’t particularly think of myself as thing extreme person but I do have a tendency to seek out intense experiences. There are a lot of times where I’m pulling up to a put-in and I’m so nervous that I think about just going home. But then I get out there and have the time of my life. Maybe ask my therapist what that’s about lol.

What do you think of the whitewater community in New England?

I love this community. I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to have fallen in with to be doing this sport.

What is your most vivid memory from your time spent in the whitewater community?

It might be the day you took this photo and I swam Zoar gap with my whole face lol.