View Full Version : Fording Piscatquis River
Heading to Maine for a few section hikes in August. How difficult is the fording of the Piscataquis River?
Old Hillwalker
07-29-2017, 11:55
Don't you mean the Kennebec River? The Piscatquis is nowhere near the AT. T
slowstepper
08-08-2017, 10:10
the piscatquis river is just south of monsoon on the at can be waist deep at times but crossable
the piscatquis river is just south of monsoon on the at can be waist deep at times but crossable
i dont know the current conditions but i can break the tie and say that yes, the AT does indeed cross the piscatquis, twice.
the deeper of the 2 branches was about knee deep when i was there 2 years ago
Both branches were easily fordable a couple of weeks ago, with the East Branch being slightly deeper and wider, if memory serves.
the piscatquis river is just south of monsoon on the at can be waist deep at times but crossable
the depth is a bit deceptive -- as you cross northbound the stream bed deepens quite a bit. I discovered the deeper than waist depth thing by wetting out the bottom of my pack and some papers in my pocket, thinking it looked knee deep the whole way. still, not treacherous. I remember an easily walked bottom.
I was just there two weeks ago. Water was very low, just knee deep in one spot. Current was slow.
Alligator
08-17-2017, 12:55
This link (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?01034000) is for the discharge of the Piscataquis River at Medford, which is downstream of Monson. Flow is running lower than the daily median when I posted this. I don't know if there is a gauge further upstream.
Alligator
08-17-2017, 12:59
There is one closer https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?01034000 and also information here https://streamstatsags.cr.usgs.gov/gagepages/html/01031300.htm. The gauge is listed as Piscataquis River at Blanchard, ME. That gauge is about a mile downstream of the AT crossing.
peakbagger
08-17-2017, 15:51
Unless there is tropical storm or hurricane in the area its non issue past spring.
Just so nobody gets lost, the Piscataquis River is crossed south of Monson, Maine. IIRC, the Piscatquis River is nowhere near the AT or Monsoon, Maine unless you're in Bizarro world (and you have to be pretty old to remember where Bizarro world is).