I had the opportunity to lead two whitewater kayakers down Section 4 of the Wolf River for their first run on this challenging stretch. With technical rapids, powerful currents, and plenty of opportunities to test skills, Section 4 delivered exactly the kind of adventure they were looking for. The day […]
Tag: whitewater kayaking
Between Swims and Strikeouts
Recently I had one of those conversations that sticks with you. Our son Tom helps coach youth baseball and softball teams, including the ones his son and daughter (our grandkids) play on. Earlier this month we were in Texas to watch our 10-year-old grandson play in a big tournament. After […]
Yellow Bridge Rapid on the Pike River
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. […]
Leadership on the Water: Who’s Responsible?
What are your thoughts about responsibility when friends get together to paddle? Have you ever found yourself in an uncomfortable or even dangerous situation when there was no clear leader? I spend a lot of time in leadership roles on the water. I lead sea kayak trips on the Great […]
Kayaking Alaska’s Nenana River
On our recent trip to Alaska, we visited my nephew, Sam, and his family, who invited us to go rafting and kayaking on the Nenana River, one of Alaska’s most popular whitewater routes. The river starts at the Nenana and Yanert glaciers and flows north to join the Tanana River, […]
Wait… You Have Whitewater in Wisconsin?
This past weekend, we set out to answer a question we hear more often than you’d think: “Wait, Wisconsin has whitewater?” Spoiler alert: We absolutely do! We took on three of the state’s most iconic paddling rivers—Peshtigo, Pike, and Wolf—and captured some of the action on video. First up, we […]
Red River Dunks
My first paddle day in the Midwest this season after kayaking in the Southeast US earlier this year. Apparently I’m still shaking off some winter rust. And yes that should be “CFS” for Cubic Feet per Second, not “CFI”. I shot the drone footage right before we launched our kayaks.
Clean-up and Fun on the Wolf River
On a chilly 35°F day we spent about 4-1/2 hours on the river picking up bottles, cans, flipflops, and other trash on Section 4 of the Wolf in the Menominee Reservation in Northern Wisconsin. Here’s footage of the named rapids. In hindsight I should have shot more of the trash-gathering […]
3 Rivers Near Merrill
This past Saturday was my first whitewater kayak day of 2022. I joined paddlers from the River Touring Section of the Wisconsin Sierra Club led by Dave Hiller. We ran the Prairie, the Pine and the Trappe, all near Merrill, WI. Water 33⁰F. Air 40⁰F. Other paddlers were Mari Gasiorowicz, […]
Top 10 Paddle Days of 2021
The Internet loves lists so I’m capping off the year with my top 10 list of favorite kayaking days of 2021. First some stats… Each year I track the “who, what, when, and where” of my paddles, plus other info such as river levels, water and air temperature and so […]