Mink Brook, NH

Mink Brook is a tiny creek that runs during spring runoff (for a few weeks, this past year) just south of Hanover, NH. It's predominantly class II/III, but there's a lot of wood so I'd be worried bringing a class III boater down it. I've run it twice, once just running the stretch from Route 120 down through the CT, which is relatively wood clear (one easy portage around two logs and one portage or limbo, depending on your comfort level), but is fairly short -- about a mile, and the whitewater peters out before the end of the run.

Above 120, the run is less continuous, but drops are a little bigger. Still basically class III/III+, but there's a fair amount of wood (although no portages). The one sketchy spot was right after going under 120, there's a rapid before you get to where I put in the first time which is a solid class III+ rapid, but has way too much wood (we portaged). There are eddies on that side of 120 above the rapid, but be careful.

Supposedly, when it's running strong, there are bigger drops upstream, but I have yet to check them out.

For putin options, if you're going above 120, just head up Greensboro Road as far as you want to go. We found a nice parking circle off one of the side roads and walked across someone's back yard (they were OK with it) to put in. The takeout is just after crossing under Route 10 -- there's a parking lot on the north side of the creek (river-right). You have to paddle through a little bit of bog, or walk across it.

Overall, fun run, but not really worth driving to. I've only run it because it's practically on Dartmouth's campus. I could walk to the run with my boat.

Posted by Nick Gottlieb.

Comments


Post a comment on this river.