Beaver Creek, Ontario

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Beaver Creek is a spring whitewater paddling river in Ontario, near Marmora and Madoc, east of Peterborough, Ontario. It’s part of the Highway 7 group of rivers and creeks.

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Directions

Directions, according to Wildrock Outfitters: Take Hwy #27 east to Norwood and continue east to Marmora. Beaver Creek is just north of Marmora. The put-in is a bridge just north of Marmora at Shanick (see map for Shanick), which would be the best place to start. The take-out is 10km down stream at the first road or another bridge near the confluence with the Crowe River.

Flows:

Low: 9.45 (MNR Online Gauge) where can this gauge be found? If you can help, please click one of the “edit” links at the top of the page and add what you can.
High: 10.1 (Low bridges may become a problem at these levels)
Max: None

Length:

8 km; approximately 4 hours of paddling, including some scouting.

Difficulty:

Intermediate to Advanced; Class III/IV. Novice paddlers with a solid roll can challenge this run.

Description:

Beaver Creek is a spring time classic with Southern Ontario paddlers. Only high enough to run in the spring after ice-out. You can enjoy this run from April until about mid-May depending on spring rain fall. Beaver Creek is a typical Highway#7 run with a mix of Class 3 canyon runs, some more difficult drops with flat water and easier rapids separating them. The 4 larger rapids on the river are Double Drop, Diamond, Ugly and Bridge Drop.

The Rapids

Double Drop:

Double Drop is encountered just shortly after putting on, and is considered to be one of the more difficult rapids on the Beaver. As the name suggests it has 2 drops. The first drop is about 4 feet and the second about 8 feet. They are linked together by some fast water, so it’s nice to be right side up here. Scouting and portaging is available through a track on river left. After making Double Drop, don’t forget to do a short portage across the narrow neck of land, located on the other side of the bay. This saves a 30 minute flat water paddle.

Diamond:

Diamond is a name used by some local paddlers, but not known by all. After paddling some longer canyon style rapids which are easily boat scouted, Diamond creeps up on you when the river turns 90° to the left. A river-wide cascade, Diamond has a couple of different lines, depending on water levels. The meat of the rapid is followed by a bit of a rock garden. There is a good track for scouting on river right.

Bridge Drop:

This rapid takes you under a small cottage road. The Bridge is low, so watch the water levels here. You can take-out at the Bridge to scout. There is a cottage on river right, and the land is private, so be respectful when scouting. The rapid is a one-line drop with a small pool, then a smaller rapid immediately after. If you don’t like the look of this, you can walk up the road a little on your left. There is a fun chute to run here as well. Watch the Bridge on this chute, it is even lower.

Ugly:

After a narrow start, Ugly opens up into a river-wide rapid. Depending on the levels, you could run 3 lines here: a river-left shoreline sneak, a center rock-slide-style line, or river-right which deals with the meat and a couple of holes. You know you are coming up on Ugly when you see a cottage gazebo on river left. You can take out and scout from either side of the river here.

Fiddlar Rapids:

If you wish to make a longer day, by-pass the traditional take-out and paddle down to Fiddlar Rapid. Fiddlar Rapid is a long, Class III Rapid, which is great fun. You will need to use the take-out point below Fiddlar’s to do this. (More info required for this Rapid -- details, directions, etc.. Can you help? Click the "edit" links at the top of the page to add information.)

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Other area activities:

Beaver Creek is one of the rivers included in Mackfest.

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This entry needs more detail on:

• directions, please!
• nearby accommodation
• where to find water levels
  
• what those water levels mean to this river
  
• what the river looks like at various levels.
  Can you help? Click the "edit" links at the top of the page to add information.