If it looks runnable (by your standards) it probably is. Moodna holds, so is best a few days after a hard rain.
Mar 23, 2025 – River Wide Log at Bottom of Factory. Angled log at the bottom of the factory rapid below the 2nd dam not visible from above or below dam. Located where this Class 3ish rapid has settled down into very fast water but not much chance to eddy out before you have to maneuver. At higher levels you can go over it river right. At lower levels under it at river left. Factory is a hard enough rapid that folks pushing their skills might want to portage or sneak river right (eddying out after running dam) as this would be a bad place to swim.
Pillars before camera slipped down – low runable; rocks in left foreground and the shelf on the rightmost pillar just covered.
As of April, 2025 the camera has slipped.
Picture at right was taken before the camera slipped when we ran the Moodna. This is a good lower runnable level (where the upper section about the first dam didn’t have much play but everything was runnable).
Most folks won’t want to run much below this level, though the gorge (32 to Forge Hill) can be run much lower.
At this low runnable level, the rocks in left foreground and the shelf on the rightmost pillar are just covered. If anyone runs the river contact us for instructions on how to fix.
Medium flow. Ledge on south side of center pillar barely visible.
Normal/suggested/Medium-flow: At this level and lower the wave below island below pillars and wave below peril are starting to get eddy service. Class 2 upper section has some play but if you like your boat portage the first dam.
Low Flow Wave just hitting ledge below center pillar.
Normally only the gorge (32 to Forge Hill Road) is run at low flow and below as above 32 is boring with no play and several rapids including Pack-man below Forge Hill won’t go at all.
Low to ELF range
You should be able to stay in your boat if it looks like you could get down the rapid shown. Hole below the tooth is a straightforward surf. You’ll get caught at the top of the 2nd dam but should be able to slide down.
High Flow. No ledge visible on pillar.
Higher flow – stout, getting into class 4: No ledge visible. Holes are getting pretty substantial though more sneak routes open up. Running first dam isn’t outright boat abuse. Pillars (portagable, 3ish sneak) and factory (long portage) are getting into class 4.
Pillars holds wood so run cautiously or scout. Skilled paddlers who know the river can boat scout, bumping down the right side and hitting the eddies on the right of this picture above the far right pillars. If unfamiliar with the river or uncertain of your skills, scout river right pulling out at the top above the island.
From the eddy above the far right pillar, the main line is ferrying to left of the central ‘wave’ pillar, with a sneak dropping sneaking off the furthest point of the shelf to the right of the central ‘wave’ pillar.
From above this sneak looks like a vertical drop into a retentive hole, but is a sloping slide.
Older pictures to see change
Moodna Meeting locations
River Classification *III (IV at very high water)
Description * This River is listed on the American Whitewater site at https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/1350/main. Mostly class III section begins at the Rt. 94 bridge. and ends at the pack-man rapid along Forge Hill Road. At higher levels the 2 hardest rapids get into class 4. Dragon’s tooth has significant maneuvering in bigger water. Factory below the second dam is more straightforward but a bad place to be upside down as it ends in a high speed chute.
For the class 2 section above and below the harder part, 94 parallels the upper section and Forge Hill Road parallels the lower section, both on river right.
Tidewater below 9 with a pretty estuary. Closest accessible takeout if you head down river is Sloop Hill State Unique Area. Most folks will not want to do this in a whitewater boat.