Paddling the Crooked River near East Waterford has been on my mind for decades. When my friend, Paul Plumer, suggested joining him and Eggman DeCoster for a trip down Crooked River in late March, I quickly agreed. Neither Eggman nor I had paddled Crooked, and Paul’s only experience was in the summer of 1990 at very low water, so this was essentially a first descent for all of us.

I consulted my old copy of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine river guide for information, which stated it was last inspected in 1986. Rivers don’t usually change much, but I wondered how reliable their report was. None of us found any additional information on the infrequently paddled waterway.

We identified a moderately warm day for the planned trip. The river gods threw us a curve ball the day before, delivering 6 inches of snow with cold weather predicted. Despite the setback, we decided to go.

The area was blanketed with a thick carpet of snow and the temperature was around freezing when we met in the tiny village of Bolsters Mills, the planned takeout. An inspection of the shoreline indicated there was no suitable place to disembark. We drove a few miles upriver to a location called Two Bridges where we found an acceptable takeout at a snow-covered picnic area. The now-10-mile trip was on!

Traveling north, we located a site to start just off Route 118 in East Waterford. After obtaining permission from the landowner, we dragged our boats across the snow and launched into the chilly water.

We quickly realized why the river was named “crooked”; there are a multitude of exaggerated twists and turns for several miles. Unwanted were a succession of blowdowns that seemed to be around every bend; two had to be carried. When not portaging, we found ourselves bouncing over submerged logs or plowing through fallen debris. Our strenuous efforts kept us warm despite the cold air.

After approximately two hours of paddling, we began looking for a series of difficult rapids reported in the AMC guidebook. That edition recommends scouting the first rapid on the left. Rounding a sharp bend, we were in pushy whitewater before finding a good eddy. Boat scouting on the fly was our best choice. Paul quickly dropped out of sight. Eggman and I followed. What we found was a multi-stage, Z-turn pitch with numerous hazards that thoroughly tested our skills but we remained upright.

A reportedly more difficult rapid called McDaniel’s Rips was next. This time, we caught the recommended eddy on the right to scout. Eggman waded through snow while walking down the rocky shore and signaled from a large boulder to paddle hard right. Again, Paul dropped out of sight. Hard right was definitely the best choice as perilous obstructions were just to the left as I tumbled down a boulder-strewn channel and punched through a sticky hole. Two less-convoluted ledge drops followed to the bottom where the guidebook warned of a dangerous broaching rock we never found.

We started looking for yet another challenging falls. This one began with a horizon line. After scouting from a steep bank on the right, we carefully navigated through a long maze of holes and boulders until reaching a pool where we regrouped. Two easier rapids followed to Sodom Road Bridge, the approximate halfway point.

Below the bridge, a 3-mile stretch of flat water ensued. Mercifully, this section was relatively straight forward and free of blowdowns.

The guidebook cautioned to watch for a power line because two demanding rapids were just below. As predicted, they appeared shortly after. Compared to the rapids above Sodom Road Bridge, these were less complex and more easily negotiated.

Milder whitewater continued to Two Bridges. Catching an eddy in shallow quick water at the picnic area was no easy task. Hauling our boats up the steep, snow-covered embankment was an arduous, slippery endeavor.

At the top, we congratulated ourselves on completing an exceptional spring whitewater day reminiscent of those in years past. We had successfully overcome cold air, colder water, snowy banks, numerous blowdowns and challenging rapids. A day to remember!

My book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine,” narrates exciting whitewater escapades on nine more Maine rivers.

Ron Chase resides in Topsham. His latest book, “Maine Al Fresco: The Fifty Finest Outdoor Adventures in Maine,” is available at northcountrypress.com/maine-al-fresco or in bookstores and through online retailers. His previous books are “The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery” and “Mountains for Mortals – New England.” Visit his website at ronchaseoutdoors.com or he can be reached at ronchaseoutdoors@comcast.net.