Four friends and I paddled about 20 miles of the Androscoggin River yesterday, enjoying what many people consider to be its most scenic and appealing stretch.

Find the Andro's "Top 20" between Shelburne Dam, in Shelburne, N.H., and Davis Park in Bethel.

Four members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club paddle down the Androscoggin River yesterday.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Here the river threads its way eastward between the main body of the White Mountains on its south and the majestic Mahoosuc Range to its north.

The 20 miles of the Androscoggin between Shelburne Dam and Bethel are the most attractive.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

The river character ranges from riffles and tiny rapids to quickly moving flatwater. There are many islands; most were built up from alluvial deposits and covered with trees.

There weren't many people paddling yesterday. My friends were newly joined members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club; two were with me last week on the Saco River. The other two had recently paddled the Saco on their own.

We all agreed that the Andro is a much superior experience in many ways, including general scenic interest, cleanliness and absence of yahoos.

A family canoes the Androscoggin River yesterday.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

We saw more fishermen than paddlers, perhaps because of the publicity surrounding June's catch of the Maine state record Rainbow Trout in this section of the river. That 24-inch, 6.52-pound beauty was caught June 5 by Stephen Day of Madison.

The Upper Andro Anglers Alliance is trying to promote fishing on this section of the river, and that recent record really helps! Rocky Freda, owner of Sun Valley Sports in Bethel, was guiding one party of fishermen in a drift boat.

But my group was more interested in paddling, and we covered the 20 miles in a bit more than six hours, including a lunch break and a swimming stop.

Irene West paddles down the Androscoggin River yesterday.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

After taking out in Bethel and reversing our car shuttle, we headed south on Route 26 for an ice cream break -- the normal finish to a MOAC summer trip.

Irene West enjoys the ice cream break after yesterday's Androscoggin trip.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

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