Photos/Trips

Root River between Moens Bridge to Hwy 16

Root River near Moens Bridge

2008 Paddling Season

July to early August

The first week in July Jim Moran, Robb Welch and I went on the Deer Creek route beginning at the County Road 1 bridge downstream about 5.7 miles to Masonic Park by County Road 38.

This is not a DNR maintained route so there are not easy accesses to the river by the County Road 1 bridge. This is a rugged route even for experienced paddlers especially if there has not been recent rains. On this trip we had to portage six times to get around fallen trees that blocked the channel on this narrow twisty route. The scenery is beautiful but is a challenge to get to-- and get through!

Spent 10 days at the cabin on Whitefish Chain of Lakes. Youngest grandchild loved to sit in the kayak with her dad holding on near the beach. Colleen, the oldest granddaughter went on a neat river trip on Hay creek.

Colleen did a great job getting the kayak around this fallen tree on Hay Creek and did a great job paddling the big open water of Whitefish Lake over 10 miles.

Whitewater River, Elba (County Road 26 access) to Beaver (County Road 30 access). We are in a near drought situation here in SE Minnesota and most of the smaller creeks are too low to canoe or kayak. However the Whitewater River downstream form Whitewater State Park at Elba has good current and depth even during dry periods. This route is narrow and winds through the Whitewater Wildlife Management area. There are some hazards such as trees fallen across the channel. The day we went on this route it started out with light rain and some fog on the river which added to the tranquil atmosphere on this route. Many wildlife sightings such as deer, eagles, ducks, mink, and others.

May - early June

The first week of May the sun finally made it's appearance with the temperatures in the 70's and with no significant rain for two weeks the rivers were great for paddling. Jim Moran, Robb Welch and I paddled the 9 mile route on the North Branch of the Root River beginning at County Road 1 (Fugles Mill) to County Road 116 (Sucker Bridge). The The Pilot Mound gauge showed the water level at 9.14 ft, and flow (CFS,959) and the water was perfect for experienced river paddlers on this route. This route is not a DNR maintained route so the accesses are rough and there are hazards such as tree sweepers.

The water levels of the area rivers stayed at a medium high level throughout most of may. In mid May Robb, Kristin and I paddled the Zumbro South Fork from Rochester to Sandy Point, a distance of 15 river miles, we made it in 4 hours even with a couple of breaks. The river gauge at Rochester was 3.87 ft, and flow (CFS:433). At this level we had to be careful and not get swept into tree strainers that were frequent, especially in the first 8 miles of the route. This is a DNR maintained route but the crew had not been through yet.

By the end of May the river levels began to drop somewhat so Jim and I went on the Root Middle Branch from the County road 5 bridge, just orth of Fillmore, to the County road 7 bridge a distance of 13 miles. This route is not a DNR route and there are hazards such as tree strainers and possible fences. This route is not for beginners.

On all the paddling routes wildlife sightings are frequent. This spring we observed many immature eagles (under 3 years old) and do not have the white feathers on their heads or tails yet. The mature eagles often perch in trees next to the river watching for fish,

Between June 6 to June 13 the area had over 6 inches of rain which brought the rivers to bank full or above. The DNR put out warnings that the rivers were too dangerous to paddle. So I had to be content with paddling the reservoirs.

Great paddling is available close to home (Rochester Post Bulletin - Friday, May 30, 2008)

05/30/2008

High gas prices needn't get in the way of canoeing and kayaking fun

By Dave Lind

We are very lucky in southeastern Minnesota with the abundance of great paddling rivers and small streams. With gasoline prices over $3.80 a gallon and maybe higher throughout the summer, it's encouraging that we can find great paddling routes within an hour's drive of Rochester, and many are much closer.

The last few years spring in Minnesota has been very mild and April paddling was not a problem. However, April this year was cold and wet, making it a challenge to get the kayaks or canoes on the water. There were a few days with the temperatures in the 60's, if you could get away to take advantage and get out paddling!

I usually begin each season on quiet waters such as Chester Woods Lake to get the feel of the canoe or kayak. It's neat to see the pair of eagles nesting on a large pine tree on the edge of the lake. Then I plan a trip on one of the rivers. This year the rivers were running high with the recent rains so I cautiously picked routes that would meet my paddling skills.

The last week in April I went paddling with Jim Moran on the section of the Root River between Parsley Bridge (just South of Chatfield on Hwy 52) and Allen Bridge (on County Road 11) about eight miles downstream.

The day was a rare one for April, sunny with the temperature making it to 60 degrees. I went to the website www.riverpaddling.com and checked the Root River USGS gauge for the current water level and flow (cfs). The readings were on the high side but dropping. I then checked my trusty trip notebook and found I had paddled this route previously at this water level.

We loaded our kayaks on one car and then drove both cars to the take out at Allen Bridge and parked the shuttle car. Then we drove to Parsley Bridge, the shuttle route is 12.5 miles. The access at the DNR Parsley Bridge access was muddy from the recent rains and high water and as I launched my kayak I had a lot of mud on my shoes. The current was fast but since the river on this route is wide it was easy to stay away from the banks that hold paddling hazards such as tree strainers.

This is a nice route flowing through forested hills contrasted occasionally with limestone bluffs. We saw a lot of waterfowl and other birds, but no eagle sightings on this trip.

As lunch time neared we began looking for a good spot to stop. We passed a DNR campsite but the access was covered by the high water and the banks too steep to get out of the kayaks safely, so we continued further downstream and found what looked like a sloping sand bank where we could beach the kayaks. Stepping out of the kayaks we found ourselves sunk ankle-deep in slippery mud that was covered only with a thin covering of sand. Jim lost a shoe in the mud as we struggled up the bank.

After lunch the wind picked up and we were glad we brought the low profile kayaks instead of the higher profile canoes. We made it to Allen Bridge in good time thanks to the fast current. This short route is nice for a half-day outing.

For a full day trip you can continue downstream another 6 miles to the DNR access at Moen Bridge on County Road 21 for a total of 14 miles from the Parsley Bridge access.

Use 2-3 mph as a guideline when planning a paddling route. This allows time to enjoy the scenery, take breaks, or do some fishing.

Dave Lind is a Rochester freelance writer and paddling sport expert.

2008 Paddling Season

April

Spring in Southeast Minnesota this year has been cold, wet and dreary. With the snowmelt runoff and above normal rainfall the rivers have been running high. I have been lucky and have been able to paddle a the few times when the weather was nice and sunny! I always begin paddling in the spring on quiet waters like Chester Woods Lake east of Rochester, MN to make sure all my gear is ready for another paddling season. Here are some pictures of April outings on Chester Woods Lake, Root North Branch, and a route on the main part of the Root.

Made a few trips out to Chester Woods Lake. The ice was late in leaving and the water was very cold. As you can see the paddlers Chuck, Kristin and Robb are dressed for the cold temperatures.

The water level was high on the Root North Branch. We put in at the County Road 1 bridge near Fugles Mill and took out at County road 116 bridge There were many tree snags and strainers that combined with the fast water were a challenge to avoid.

This is typical of the bluff lined valley on the Root North branch.

The main part of the Root was also very high the last week in April when we went from the Parsley Bridge Access to Allen Bridge.

4/17/2008 12:02:35 PM (Article from Rochester Post Bulletin)

By Dave Lind

Three kayaks hanging on the garage wall and two canoes hanging from the ceiling of the garage catch my eye everyday and it seems they are crying out "pick me, pick me.

I've been ignoring their cries all through the winter months, but now its spring and I think they know I'll be selecting one of them for the first paddle of the season.

I'm usually cautious about paddling in early spring since I like both the air and water temperatures to warm up a little. In years past I would break through ice to get on the river, but not now.

Spring is the most dangerous time to paddle because water temperature lags air warm up by four to six weeks in southeastern Minnesota. People are lured out in early spring when the air temperature is in the 60s but the water temperature can be only in the low 40's.

If you are an experienced paddler and have a dry suit or wetsuit, you can paddle in cold weather. I learned the hard way years ago the effect of cold water when you capsize.

My brother-in-law and I were running a whitewater river in Wisconsin in late fall with both air and water temperature in the mid 50's. We were wearing lifejackets and windbreakers. We successfully ran several Class II and III drops on the route but on the last one we were off the run line a bit and the canoe filled with water as we punched through tall standing waves.

We stayed upright for a while but then swamped. Wow, was the water cold! We hung onto the canoe through the rest of the rapids and made it to shore. We had early effects of hypothermia and could hardly walk on shore as our bodies had rapidly lost warmth.

Luckily we had dry clothes and our paddling partners, who wisely chose to portage, had a fire going.

The next spring we ran the same stretch of river the first week in May. There was one inch of fresh snow the morning of the launch so it was cold. But we were all outfitted with wetsuits for the trip. Again we all flipped into the cold water but with the wetsuits we stayed warm. Lesson learned!

Be aware the high water from heavy rains last year eroded river banks, causing hazards such as tree strainers and trees leaning precipitously from the banks. Most of the DNR maintained routes on the Zumbro, Root and Cannon rivers should be OK, but the less traveled streams and creeks may have trees blocking the channel.

Last October I paddled the south branch of the Zumbro from Mantorville to Oxbow Park, which is not a DNR-maintained route. About 2 miles downstream from the put-in at the bridge at Mantorville, there was a large cottonwood tree that completely blocked the river. The only choice was to claw our way up 8-foot-high banks with the kayaks and portage downstream and find a place to put-in. That tree will be a hazard for some time.

Enough of the glumness.

Now is a good time to check over the boats you have, whether canoes or kayaks, and make any needed repairs. Make sure your paddles, PFDs, and other paddling equipment you have are adequate for another year on the water. In other words - be ready for that first outing.

Southeastern Minnesota, often referred to as the bluff lands or the "driftless" area, is a paddling paradise consisting of the Root, Zumbro, Whitewater, and Cannon river watersheds that can be paddled with canoes and kayaks. Most of the paddling routes are less than an hour drive from Rochester. This makes it easy to plan either day trips or overnight camping outings.

Dave Lind is a Rochester freelance writer and paddling expert who has written books on the subject.

Web links

· DNR Information Center

· RiverPaddling.com

2008 WINTER New Years Day Outing

New years day began with the temperature near zero with wind chill of -15 degrees fueled by a 15-20mph north wind. But it was sunny! A great day to go Kayaking! Six paddlers arrived at 10:00 am all bundled up. The group was led by Tony Haines of KayakKorral. Initially the launch spot was to be behind the fire station at Silver Lake, but it was completly frozen across the lake. A alternate launching spot was found where warm water enters the lake from the power station.

Carefull launching from the icy shore and then paddling through the mist!

Geese were blocking the way so Tony opened a path. Two paddlers crossed a 75 foot ice bridge to get to open water nearer to the dam. After about an hour everyone came back to shore sheathed in ice! To view all the pictures of this outing, click on the link below.

2008 New Years Day Paddling