River Levels

River Levels

Get Connected to the river levels,

Baptism River Gauge

Flow rates and river levels are very important to the Northern Open Canoeist.  Get to know your local rivers and how they change as the flows increase and decrease.

River Level Resources 

http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/rt

http://rapidsriders.org/rivers

Stony River Gauge

You can also get apps on your smart phone, my fav is River Reader - 

Northern Open Canoe Access Project 

connecting paddlers with...

The Training

The Inspiration

and The Equipment

Essential Gear for Whitewater Canoeing

Essential Gear for WW Canoeing

To paddle whitewater rivers in an open canoe you really only need 5 pieces of equipment.

1. Canoe

2. Paddle

3. PFD (personal floatation device)

4. Helmet

5. Float Bags

That’s it.  Once you’ve acquired these 5 essential pieces of equipment you’re ready to get on the river.  In the following weeks I will be adding details and personal opinions on each piece of the essential whitewater canoeing  gear list, plus I will be writing about the other gear used by river paddlers (i.e. cold water clothing, throw bags, dry storage…)

I will also be adding links to where you can get deals on new and used paddling equipment.  

Of course, the gear is the easy part.  Anybody can go out and purchase equipment, it’s the skills and the desire that that can’t be bought.  The desire comes from within, the skills come from training and education.  Keep checking back, I’ll be writing about your options for gaining the skills to start river paddling.  I will also do my best to inspire and create the desire to move you from the flat to the white.

Are you open to the challenge of open canoe whitewater paddling?

The Northern Open Canoe Access Project provides ...

the Training

the Inspiration

and the Equipment

to get you paddling a canoe on whitewater.

Open Canoeist Surfing Hell's Gate on the Kettle River

Open Canoeist, Dave Jurgenson surfing Hell’s Gate on the Kettle River.  One of Minnesota’s most accessible whitewater rivers, the whitewater section of the Kettle River is located in Banning State Park.  

The two and a half mile run includes four class III rapids and some of the best river surfing in the midwest.  The river is designated “scenic and wild” - Access the whitewater section in Banning State Park, three miles later, take out at Robinson Park in Sandstone, Minnesota.

The Northern Open Canoe Access Project 
connects paddlers to the Training, the Access, and the Equipment.

Table Rock Falls on the Vermillion River, Northern Minnesota, 675 cfs

Open Canoe descent of a Northern Minnesota classic waterfall on a beautiful and wonderfully clean, North flowing river.

      Inspiration

            This could be you…

All you need are; the skills, the equipment, and the desire.  The Northern Open Canoe Access Project is here to connect you to the training and the gear.

                       Do you have the desire???

Open Canoe on the St Louis River - Swinging Bridge - Jay Cooke State Park, Minnesota

My first run down the lower St Louis River in 2010.  

The Lower St Louis River, Swinging Bridge Rapids.  

Northern Canoe Country’s ultimate whitewater river.  One drop after another- table saw, Highway 210 drop, the Sisters, OCTOPUS, the boneyards, swinging bridge into the hanging pool, and Snake Bite (if you dare).

Before getting on the Lower St Louis the skills a canoeist will need are:

• a solid roll (or be able to self rescue)
• confidence in your ability to catch small eddies
• proficient in fast water river ferries

Get the skills, then get a good crew of boaters that know the run.  The St Louis is dam released, I love the river at the normal 350 cfs-fishflow, and it is even more fun (or scary depends how you look at it) at a 650 cfs release.

The Training, the Inspiration, the Equipment

The Northern Open Canoe Access Project