The Beaver River offers some of the most challenging and dramatic rapids in the state as well as some great intermediate whitewater. Before 1997, these rapids were dewatered by several dams and diversions on the river. American Whitewater's Pete Skinner began working on the relicensing of the dams on the Beaver in the late eighties, work that culminated in a 1997 agreement with the dam owner to provide 11 days of releases on three different reaches. Since that time the Beaver has become a darling of the northeastern boating community.

Check out Chris Koll's great 1998 article about how the Beaver was won: The Beaver... Adirondack Whitewater Treasure, and Pete Skinner's 1989 article This River Doesn't Exist Yet which eludes to the decade of work to come. Another great read is Koll's 1990 Back In The Future: a yankee kayaker in a French king's court