Canandaigua Outlet flows north from the outlet of Canandaigua Lake to the Erie Canal. The creek is full of strainers and wildlife. The only interesting whitewater occurs where the creek passes through Shortsville ("The Shortsville Run").
The Shortsville Run is a 2.3-mile class II-III whitewater paddle with a 5-foot vertical waterfall drop (class III) at the "Old Mill" immediately above the Highway 19 bridge at Littleville. The average gradient throughout the length of the Shortsville Run is ~27 feet per mile. The maximum sustained gradient occurs in that half-mile stretch between the Highway 41 (Shortsville Road) bridge and the takeout at Jones-Blunt Park, where the gradient is ~50 feet per mile.
DIRECTIONS:
(See
this map for detailed, local info on the shuttle.)
To the
Takeout:
Take Route 21 South through Manchester to Shortsville.
Take a Left onto Water St.
Park in one of the parking areas, next to the stream on the Left.
To the
Putin:
Continue South on Water St.
Stay straight, crossing Main St. and the tracks. The road you're now on is Sheldon St.
Sheldon St. curves around Right, becoming Aldrich St. At the next intersection, bear Left (South) onto Pioneer Rd.
After about half a mile, Pioneer Rd. T's into Rte. 19. Bear Right onto County Road 19. Park near the tracks and hike up to the (main) putin.
Note: the Fishing Access Site is on Pioneer Rd., near CR 19. As noted below, use this putin at your own risk.
Warning
Not far downstream from the Fishing Access, be careful about the river-right bank. At the cow pasture, if you grab what looks to be an inviting eddy, you risk getting _zapped_ by an electric fence.
Wildness and Crazy Out-of-Control "Paddlers"
For years, the town of Shortsville held its "Wild Water Derby" on this stretch. Lots of locals showed up in all manner of boats, including Grumman canoes and homemade rafts. The great news is that, after a nine-year hiatus _the race was resurrected_ for 2006! It was the largest ACA-sponsored event in NY in 2006--and it was twice as big in 2007. It took place this year on April 24-25, 2009. See
this link for details.
2009 Releases:
Releases will be approx 500 cfs. The water will get to the Little Bridge between 2:30 and 3:30 and will remain on until around 8:00pm. The will vary somewhat depending on the Lake Level and runoff from recent rain if there is any.
Schedule:
April 24
May 22
June 19
Sept 4
Oct 9
Nov 6
Finger Lakes Area Runs
Bowman CreekCascadilla Creek Canandaigua Outlet
Canaseraga Creek Canisteo Cayuga Lake Hole
Cayuta Creek Conesus Creek Fall Creek (1.)
Fall Creek (2.)Fall Creek (3.) Great Gully Creek
Honeoye CreekIrondequoit Creek Keshequa Creek
Keuka Outlet Lock 32 Whitewater Course Owasco River (Outlet)
Salmon Creek Sixmile Creek Sugar Creek
Taughannock Creek (1.) Taughannock Creek (2.) Trumansburg Creek
Vanbuskirk Gulf
Google Map of New York Whitewater
New York Whitewater Paddlers Facebook Group