There is no room for passengers in Rachel Cutler’s car during whitewater paddling season. She was among a group of boaters Friday paddling the Swift River in Mexico. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

Todd Papianou, left, of Rumford and Aaron Seale of Bethel stack rafts and kayaks on a trailer Friday before shuttling boats from the takeout to the put-in along the Swift River in Mexico. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

Trish Garcia, left, of Mexico, Josh Hodsdon of Rumford and Rachel Cutler of Bryant Pond unload boats Friday before paddling down the Swift River in Mexico. Rising water levels on rivers across New England have whitewater boaters thrilled heading into the weekend. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

A group of friends who patrol Black Mountain in Rumford as members of the National Ski Patrol approach a rapid Friday while paddling down the Swift River in Mexico. From left are Todd Papianou, Trish Garcia, Madison Papianou, Aaron Seale, Wilson Cramp, Rachel Cutler and Josh Hodsdon. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

Todd Papianou, left, of Rumford, his daughter Madison, 16, and Josh Hodsdon of Rumford paddle a raft Friday down the Swift River in Mexico. Rain mixed with snowmelt has brought river levels up for whitewater paddlers. Papianou, the physical education teacher at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, took his new raft on its maiden voyage Friday. Papianou and his family will take the raft on an eight-day, 90-mile trip on the Green and Colorado rivers in Utah this summer. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

Rachel Cutler of Bryant Pond paddles an inflatable kayak Friday down the Swift River in Mexico. Rain mixed with snowmelt has brought river levels up to boatable levels for whitewater paddlers. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal Buy this Photo