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                     Trip Reports and Photos
 

 

2011 Paddling Season a sampling of outings

Fall Paddling

09.20.11: Root; Parsley Bridge to CR 11

Area streams are still low with only a few tenths of a inch of rain for the last few weeks.  Light rain was falling as I loaded the van with gear and kayak but it cleared up by the time Jim and I completed the shuttle car drop and started the trip at Parsley bridge. There was a canoe with two guys that had launched a few minutes before us. We passed them soon after and they had a rental canoe and were taking it easy just fishing along the way. Jim and I continued on as the sky opened up and provided some sunshine mixed with cloudy skies. The wind came up but did not bother us too much as we were sheltered being in the valley. We stopped for lunch break about noon for awhile, and just as we were preparing to launch our kayaks the two fishermen in the canoe passed by. They said they were headed  to the CR16 access near Lanesboro and were going to camp one night along the way. We passed them again about 15 min later and I asked them where they were planning to camp. They were not sure where the campsites were or even where they were on the river at this point. I pointed out on my map where they were and where the next campsites were. Talked a bit and turned out they read my PB articles and my book and want to go on all the routes. A nice trip for Jim and I even though the water was low we did not drag bottom.

 

09.13.11: Root Moen Bridge to CR 16 access (upstream of Whalen)

 Very nice trip! No significant rain for several weeks and the river was on the low side. Several places you need to read the river to get through the shallow areas, but we had no problem. Water was very clear and saw lots of fish. Great scenery with the high tree lined bluffs. Saw a few bald eagles. Some watched us float under the tree they were on, keeping a keen eye on us. One mature eagle flew up the river toward us and provided a spectacular sight as it flew low over our kayaks against a clear deep blue sky – couldn’t get my camera set in time to get a picture!!! Met some people at the CR 16 access who were traveling through the country (they were from Idaho}, who thought the area was really beautiful.

 

 

 

 

09.10.11: Chester Woods Lake moonlight paddle

 Absolutely perfect night for a moonlight paddle. A full harvest moon and perfect temperature with no wind. Eight kayaks met at the boat launch at 8:45 and were outfitted with lights and then paddled up to the eagles nest on the Southeast end of the lake through the submerged trees and stumps on the way! Spent time just enjoying the silence and super full harvest moon! Then returned through the trees and on to the area past the beach area and finally back to the boat launch area. Just an awesome outing!   

 

 

Summer Paddling

8.16.2011 Whitewater River: Elba to County Road 30 access.     

            -  Who: Jim Moran, Steve Holtegaard and myself

            -  Weather: Sunny high 70’s, winds 15-20 mph.

            -  Sightings: Couple of Eagles one mature one young.

            -  Gauge: Whitewater 10.62 

            -  GPS: 6.2 miles; 2:40 hrs total; 1:44 hrs moving; 56 min stopped ( lunch).

            -  2.3 mph speed overall; 3.5 mph avg speed moving

 No significant rain so far this month so the branches and forks of the Zumbro and Root rivers are too low to paddle. As I really like to paddle the smaller narrow twisty creeks I usually about this time of the year paddle the main stems of the Cannon, Zumbro or Root Rivers or the Mississippi backwater areas. The exception is the Whitewater River. The route beginning at the DNR access at the Elba County Road 26 bridge and ending at the DNR access just upstream of the County Road 30 Bridge is a 6.2 mile route that offers mostly narrow twisty run, especially the first 2 1/2 miles, with plenty of submerged tree trunks and tree limbs snagged on the sandy bottom keeping you busy avoiding them. There are three eagle nests on this route so watch the trees for eagles watching you. The access at Elba (County Road 26 bridge) is a short carry, the access upstream of the CR 30 bridge has been filled in now but still muddy, but not too bad.

This route downstream of Elba always has good water level and current as the three forks of the Whitewater river meet near Elba. Upstream of Elba on the North, Middle, or South forks are just too shallow for paddling.

 

8.26.2011 Whitewater River: County Road 30 access To Mississippi River (Old Hwy 61 access)

 I met Jim at the DNR access by CR 30 and we both drove to the old hwy 61 access ( very windy gravel road) and left my car there. We went back to the Put-in access and were on the water by 10:50am. The current was very good as was the depth. The first few miles of this route is so so with some tree lined banks and some open areas with high dirt banks. We encountered a hugh log jam where the DNR blocked the old channel in 1999. Had to drag kayaks up a steep bank and luckily could follow a DNR trail aways to the edge of a cornfield, then dragged the kayaks along the edge of the cornfield stopping a couple of times and made our way to the river bank through 8 ft high weeds (nettles) only to find the banks were mud and straight down. We finally found a spot to launch the kayaks (muddy though) and were on the river again after ½ hour. From this point for the next 2 + miles we encountered a few more tree jams but could float through them with some difficulty, although one we had to get out a precariously step on logs and get the kayaks over (water was deep), took about 15 minutes. The next few miles were windy with less trees in the river because the area is open. Then the river was tree lined again and twisty with lots of submerged logs, stumps etc to keep us busy. There were 4 wing dams on this stretch with the 3rd one having a big drop with big waves, we both took on water getting through. It was obvious no paddlers had been on this route for awhile. Pretty rough, but I liked it!   

 

8.05.2011 Root, South Branch  Mantorville to Oxbow Park

At the river access by the bridge at Mantorville the water level looked good as Steve, Jim and I launched our kayaks. But as we rounded the first turn we scraped on the rocky river bottom we realized the water level was low enough that we had to constantly read the river to make it through the many rocky ripples. We bounced around, glanced off some boulders lying just below the surface and managed to make it through most of the shallow spots without having to get out of the kayak. But in some spots it was difficult to see a good path through the shallows and had to get out and line the kayaks through. There were several trees across the river that were dislodged from the river bank from the high water earlier this summer, all but one we could squeeze around, go under or climb over.  Even though the water level was low we still enjoyed the day with the great scenery, keeping busy reading the river and seeing who could make it through the shallows without getting stuck on a rock!

7.12.2011 Root, Middle Branch: County Road 5 to Morgan Road (Township Rd 332)

As we pulled up to the Put-in at the CR5 bridge put-in there was a farmer trying to set up a electric fence line across the river (along the bottom of the bridge deck). He said no problem with canoers/kayakers crossing his fence (which is on the road right of way) to get to the river and he is building a gate and crossing boards to enable crossing the fence easier. He told us he had set another fence across the river a couple hundred yards downstream from the bridge. He asked us if we would help stringing the wire through the insulators crossing the river. We hesitated but agreed to do it, but as it turns out he was not ready when we were ready to launch.

 We had to get out at a fence, about 200 yards downstream, as it was too low to go under and was in a fast ripple. Some fresh trees in the river the first mile or so but no problem getting around them. Stopped for lunch at 3.3 mile island. Big log jam is still there completely blocking the channel. The banks were steep and the water was deep so we had to portage the kayaks quite a way downstream of the blockage. Found a likely spot to launch, but did look a little muddy. I dropped the kayak into the water and stepped out away from the bank to get in but my legs sunk into quicksand like muck up to my knees. I could not move. I struggled for quite awhile before I finally worked my way to solid ground. Had to portage another 50 yards to a better spot. That quicksand episode was scary! Rest of trip was good with nice current and only scraped bottom in a few places. Had to use buddy system at take-out just upstream on right bank of the Morgan Road bridge.

 

6.28.2011 Root, Bear Creek: County Road 38 to Fillmore (County Road 5)

River levels still good but are beginning to drop. Water level and flow for this route was good although we did bounce a few times in the shallow areas.  There were three fences, the first one I could go over it and held it down for Jim and Steve. The 2nd one we could duck under, and at the 3rd fence we had to work through   a strainer just upstream of the fence. Had to get out once for a tree strainer across the channel but only a short carry. Near Fillmore there was a tree across the channel that we could float over it. Overall a very nice scenic trip!

 

 

Spring Paddling

5.18.2011Root, Deer Creek: CR1 to CR38 (Masonic Park)

The river level was OK, we did bump rocks in some shallow drops, but overall it was a great trip. At 4 or 5 places we had to portage short carries or drags around obstacles ( tree strainers). There is a re-built ATV bridge about ¾ mi from the takeout at Masonic Park that is high enough in normal water levels to float under. There were a number of tricky spots where good river paddling skills are needed to avoid strainers and tight turns by rock walls. Note that the following pictures show the slower mild sections of the route because I could not "get set" with the camera in the most difficult and interesting sections. The put-in at County road 1 bridge is difficult with with steep banks. We ended up dragging the kayaks 50 yards downstream to a suitable spot to launch the kayaks. Spectacular scenery throughout the entire route. The scenery along the route is spectacular

 

5.04.2011 Root North Branch Fugles Mill (County Road 1 to County Road 116: Finally after a cold and rainy April there came a day that beckoned Jim Moran and I to get out and enjoy the first river paddle of the season. The River levels in Southeastern Minnesota have been running high and combined with the below normal temperatures we played it safe and checked the river gages and decided on the Root River North Branch from Fugles Mill to CR116, a 9.3 mile route. We launched at Fugles Mill on CR 1 south of Rochester, Mn. The water level and flow (CFS) were on the high side but within our limits. The temperature was in the 50's with sunny skies. We saw over a dozen eagles, some hawks and several geese that were nesting on the river banks. We had to portage around one tree jam that blocked the river.

The area rivers as of 5/8/11 have returned to near normal water levels and flow(cfs) providing good paddling conditions.

 

 

 

This spring in southeastern Minnesota we have had a slow snowmelt that resulted in high water levels but minor flooding on the area rivers. The area reservoirs  were still ice bound as of April 4th but with the warm-up the ice is now gone. I did get out on Chester Wood Lake on 4/12 with the air temperature in the high 60's. The water temperature will remain cold for a few more weeks. It's always tempting to get the canoes and kayaks out on those early spring days with the air temperature is in the 50's or 60's , but remember that the water temperature is much colder. Take care and wear appropriate clothing for cold water outings and always wear a life jacket.

 

 

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