2012 Paddling Season

Ripping it up in 2012- I will say, for an open canoeist with moderate skills, I had quite a wonderful season of paddling.  Plenty of Northern Adventure paddling with a banner year of personal first descents.  

• Baptism River
• French River
• Knife River
• Stony River
• Jump River
• Northern Vermillion

My personal list of first descents (rivers that were new to me) starts with the Baptism, one of Minnesota’s Great Northern Rivers. I made a low water run of the Eckbeck to Iligen Falls.  Then carried up from the parking lot in Tettegouche State Park to run “Whole in the Wall” rapids and the final class III stretch into Lake Superior.

The first descents list continues with the French, and Fish Ladder on the Knife - two more Minnesota, North Shore rivers.

I was lucky to get in three runs on the Stoney River. A remote, wilderness river, in the far north of Minnesota, roughly half way between Ely and Babbit. 

When the Jump River is up, it’s time to JUMP. A short but very intense run of class III/IV whitewater in central Wisconsin. For my first day on the Jump River I hooked up with a few other open canoeist for 3 trips down the half mile run.

I also canoed on the Northern Vermillion River for the first time  A delightful, end of July day on the last section section of the river before it ends in Crane Lake, a stretch that includes the  “Shoot,” and the “Gorge.”  Quick break for lunch and then finished up with “Table Rock Falls.”

Throw in a few runs on the upper and Lower St. Louis, the ice off runs on the lower Verm, and to many to count days on the Kettle.  Add to that 3 trips to the Wausau Whitewater Park, and that equals a lot of days on the water.

   

Northern States of Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula are blessed with great whitewater and a wonderful paddling community.  Thanks to all the river guides and shuttle friends that helped to make this year so wonderful.

Whitewater Open Canoeist on the Stony River, Northern Minnesota