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Rapid MA Class IV

The Cleavers

American Whitewater 42.1596, -73.0673

Save this feature with the run it belongs to.

Gauge Conditions

West Branch Farmington River near New Boston, MA Downstream Primary

Runnable: ? – ? CFS

Approximate - nearest available gauge. Use as general reference only.

Data from American Whitewater & USGS

Photo

Photo courtesy of American Whitewater

Description

The Cleavers is a technical Class IV drop with a complex entry featuring a narrow, boulder-strewn approach that quickly funnels into a steep, channelized descent with powerful hydraulics. Paddlers must execute precise boat positioning to navigate between two primary rock formations that create potentially recirculating holes, with the crux move requiring a hard right-to-left transition to avoid a dangerous undercut on the river's left side. Strong river-reading skills and immediate, aggressive line selection are critical to successfully running this rapid without risk of pin or entrapment.