Just downstream of Barker Road near Amberg, WI, where a once-iconic yellow iron bridge gave this rapid its name, the Pike River gathers itself for one of its most action-packed drops. It begins with a quick rightward bend over a slanted, uneven ledge into a large eddy on river right. From there, the river snaps back left, pouring over another ledge before charging into a long, churning boulder garden that keeps you busy all the way toward the take-out. At higher flows, this stretch becomes fast, powerful and unforgiving, often enough to convince less-experienced boaters to walk it. On this day, the flow (508 CFS) was in the “medium runnable” range according to American Whitewater. Chad, Ezra, Steve and I were rewarded with a playful ride.
Yellow Bridge Rapid on the Pike River
