2013
Paddling Season - a sampling of outings
Spring Paddling
Root River North
Branch
Last week in April Jim Moran and I took advantage of a rare warm day and
kayaked from Fugles Mill to County Rd 116, about 10 miles. The river
level had dropped since the snow runoff the last couple of weeks. There
were two places where fresh fallen trees blocked the channel causes us
to make short portages. Water was clear but cold. It felt good to get
out on the river after a long winter.
2012
Paddling Season - a sampling of outings
Winter Paddling
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Vacationed on Sanibel
Island, Florida between Christmas and New Years with family members. Had
a chance to kayak the Tarpon Bay mangrove area of the . N. "Ding"
Darling National Wildlife Refuge, a fantastic birding area where saw several alligators and other wildlife.
Also got a chance to do some kayaking in Costa Rica in February.
A great trip and a welcome
change in weather from the Minnesota "frozen north".
Fall Paddling
August/September outings
Zumbro River between Silver Lake Dam and 37th Street Bridge
Late September with the area rivers at almost record lows I decided
to paddle a short route of the Zumbro River starting at the 37th street
bridge and paddle upstream 1.4 miles upstream to the Silver Lake dam and
then paddle back downstream to the 37th street bridge access. On the
upstream stretch I had to get out of the kayak 5 times to get around a
tree strainer across the river and several shallow rock strewn spots
that I could not paddle through. On the downstream stretch I only had to
get out once where the tree strainer blocked the channel.
The upstream paddle was the interesting and fun part of the outing.
Going upstream moving through the waterway I observed a variety of
wildlife including hawks, many ducks, and fish swimming in the clear
water in front of the kayak. Also spotted a blue heron that kept flight
in front of me as I was paddling, but I did get a good picture of the
heron on the downstream stretch.
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Zumbro River: Theilman to Funk Ford
The first week in August Jim Moran and I
decided to run this route with our kayaks. This is a nice short route
with great scenery and wildlife sightings. On this trip we saw several
eagles and hawks.
This is a 6.6 mile route that winds
through a wide valley with a background of high forested hills. The
current on this section of the Zumbro is always good with plenty of
depth. The bottom is mostly sand, quite different from the upper
sections of the Zumbro which are narrow with frequent rock bottom areas.
There are numerous tree "stick-ups" in the channel on this route as
trees become snagged in the sand bottom after floods. The GPS recorded a
moving average of 4.6 mph with just easy going paddling. The DNR put-in
access near Theilman upstream of the County Road 4 bridge is steep and
can be difficult to launch your canoe/kayak. The Take out access at Funk
Ford is upstream from the horse trail bridge in the Zumbro Bottoms
Wildlife Management area. The shuttle route is about 11 miles. Use
County Road 4 North from the Theilman access to Hwy 60 then East to
County Road 86 (Gravel Road) South .7 miles to 235th Ave. Follow 235 Ave
(a narrow dirt trail) about 1.2 miles to the access.
Root River, Moen Bridge to County Road 16 access
A pretty route on a warm (low 89's) day.
We put-in at the Moen Bridge Access on County Road 21 West of Lanesboro
and went 13 miles to the County Road 16 access East of Lanesboro. The
first 5 miles were quite shallow with mostly rocky bottom so we had to
carefully read the river to find a route through the shallow areas. We
had to get out 4 times to line the kayaks through the really shallow
spots. We stopped for lunch at a nice campsite at mile 5 on the route.
From this point downstream the river narrowed a little and the channel
was deeper. This is a very scenic route with four canoe access campsites
along the way.
Whitewater River, Elba to County Road 30 access
This is a 6.2 mile route that always has
a good fast current and depth. Jim Moran, Sam Cook and I met at the
County Road bridge by Elba, after leaving the shuttle car at the take
out access jus upstream from the County Road 30 access. Even though most
of the streams in Southeastern Minnesota are low this time of year this
route still has a good flow. We saw several eagles, one flew just a few
feet over Sam's kayak as we rounded a bend in the stream. We also
spotted one of the 3 eagle nests on this route. Use Hwy 74 between Elba
and the County Road 30 access as a shuttle route (about 10 miles
roundtrip).
July outings
Cabin Time Up North
Spent the last week of July at the cabin on the Whitefish Chain of
Lakes. I took 3 kayaks and the newly acquired Stand Up Paddleboard. The
Kayaks got a lot of lake time but the highlight was the Paddleboard that
was in use from early morning to evening. Everyone from the 5 year old
grandchild to adults enjoyed the water sports.
Moonlight
Paddle
Moonlight Paddle night at Chester Woods Lake with a full moon.
Paddle
Boarding
I recently bought a paddle board and am still in the learning phase,
but after a few outings am beginning to feel quite at ease on it. It's
lots of fun and great all body workout. The grandkids love it!
June outings
Straight River Owatonna
to Faribault 24.5 miles
Ran three routes on the Straight River between Owatonna and
Faribault. The first route from Owatonna (Moorehead Park) to Medford is
9.8 miles and is a tree lined stretch with many twists and turns and
some class I rapids. Near Clinton Falls there are the remains of an old
dam that was used by a flour mill in the 1800's. If the water is high
it's class III, on this trip the water level was on the low side and
could not run it but it is a short portage on the left. The take out at
Medford is at Straight River Park.
Pictures of access below
the dam at Morehead Park in Owatonna; scene with the tree lined canopy and the rapids at
Clinton Falls. The water level was at 4.5 ft. at the downstream USGS
gage.
The section of the Straight River between Medford and Krogh's Landing
(6.3 miles) is a nice short route. The day we ran this section the water
level was high so most of the ripples and class I rapids were washed out
but it was a very fast current and we had to be careful to avoid the
frequent tree strainers. It was a little tricky getting out at the
Krogh's Landing access because of the fast water.
The best route of the Straight river I think is between Krogh's Landing
and Teepee Tonka Park in Faribault a distance of 8.8 miles. This section
is fast with many ripples and class I rapids as the river winds towards
the Cannon River valley in Faribault. Upstream a few miles from
Faribault the river goes through the River Bend Nature Park and here the
banks are lined with sandstone cliffs provided some great scenery! There
are many boulders (left behind from the glaciers) that line the river
banks and also some large ones midstream.
Spring Paddling
April & May outings
May 30th 2012 Root North Branch
(County Road 1 bridge to County Road 116 Bridge), 9.5 miles.
Three of us decided to run this
route even though the downstream USGS at Pilot Mound indicated the river
would be on at below normal water level. As we met at the take-out
access (at County Road 116 Bridge) to drop of the shuttle car we checked
out the river and although it looked low we decided to run it. We drove
to the put-in at the County 1 Road Bridge and from the bridge the river
looked like it was at a good level. We unloaded the kayaks and launched
them on the downstream north end of the bridge. The first 1/4 mile was
OK as we navigated some of the ever present tree snags, but then we
began to bump the rocks on the shallow areas. Every time I run this
route I am amazed at the breathtaking scenery with the sheer limestone
bluffs lining a good portion of the route.
As for wildlife viewing we saw
a few eagles, some hawks, and the ever present Blue Herons. I also
spotted a coyote running along the riverbank.
Take note: This is not a DNR
maintained water trail so you are on your own for access to the river
and also should have river paddling experience to avoid the tree
strainers that you will encounter. There are no fences on this route.
The new Root River County Park is at about the 3.5 miles mark on the
route. We stopped here and had out lunch break.
If you are in to a moderate
non-DNR maintained route for a bit of roughing it, then this is a great
route.
May 25th 2012
Whitewater River, Elba (County Road 26 Bridge access) to Beaver (County
Road 30 access)
The Whitewater River is
one of my favorites especially when the area rivers are on the low side
because of rain shortfall. This route is "old reliable" as far as always
enough water level and flow to make a great paddling trip! This is a
short route (6.2 miles) but offers some quick water with lots of
obstacles such as tree trunks and branches that can keep you busy
avoiding the just barely submerged logs and branches.
This is a DNR route but it is not
regularly maintained so keep your eyes open for obstacles. The access at
Elba County Road 26 Bridge is a short carry to the river. The access
just upstream of the County Road 30 access is muddy but not too bad.
May 4th 2012 Zumbro River, Zumbro Falls
to Millville
4/21/12 - Root River North Branch,
Allen Bridge (County
Road 11) to Moen Bridge (County Road 21).
Southeastern
Minnesota streams are low but the main branch of the Root River from
Chatfield to the Mississippi can easily be paddled with some "river
reading skills", like avoiding shallow gravel bars. I was scouting this
route to see if it would be good for a couple of my younger grandkids to
paddle. The route is just over 5 miles. which is about right for the
young paddlers. Also this is a great route for fishing. There are plenty
of smallmouth bass lurking in the many pools above the ripples and also
in the eddies below the ripples. There are also Brown Trout in this
section as there are some trout streams that flow into the river.
March 2012 early
spring:
Zumbro River; Silver Lake & upstream through
downtown Rochester.
The winter in Southeast Minnesota this
year with well below snowfall. In early March the temperatures began to
rise causing the snow to melt. The river levels went up a couple of feet
but there was still considerable ice clogging the rivers. The Zumbro
South Fork that flows north out of Rochester was an exception. Except
for a few really cold days the river was ice free from the Silver Lake
dam downstream for a few miles with some cold weather paddlers on the
water.
In mid March the temperatures were at record levels (20 - 40 degrees
above normal). The water was still very cold so still had to take
precautions. The temperature was in the high 70's as I launched my kayak
on Silver Lake and made my way upstream on the Zumbro River through
downtown Rochester. It was great to get out on the water! The lagoons on
Silver lake were still clogged with ice but melting fast!
Hope for rain to get the rivers up
to normal levels
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
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)
-
Who: Jim Moran myself
-
Weather: Sunny high 80’s, winds
15 mph.
-
Crafts: I had Santa Cruz kayak,
Jim had Pirjon.
-
Sightings: Five eagles all
mature and flying close
-
Gauge: Whitewater 10.62
-
Route length: 10.3 miles
-
No significant rain recently
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)
- Who: Jim Moran and Dave
Lind. Weather: mid 80's and humid and winds were calm.
- Sightings: Several eagles,
deer, herons and ducks.
- Gauge: Pilot Mound:
8.64 ft 493 cfs
- GPS: 6.4 miles.
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)
- Who: Jim Moran, Steve
Holtegaard and
myself
- Weather: Great! Mostly
sunny with light breeze 70’s.
- Crafts: Pirjon Cruiser
(Jim), Dagger (Steve), and I had Necky Santa Cruz
- Sightings: Owls,
Eagles, Geese,
Ducks, hawks, deer.
- Gauge: Pilot Mound:
8.98 ft 648 cfs
- GPS: 8.5 miles.
River levels still good b
ut 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)
- Who: Jim Moran and
myself
- Weather: Great! Mostly
sunny with light breeze from NE. Temps in 60’s.
- Crafts: Pirjon Cruiser
(Jim), I had Necky Santa Cruz
- Sightings: Geese,
Ducks, hawks, deer.
- Gauge: Pilot Mound
9.12 river level/718 fps flow
- GPS: 5.6 mi.
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
