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Paddling with Mike Svob The Pike Few streams have as many good paddling memories for me as the Pike River in the far northeast corner of Wisconsin. During the 1980s, in particular, when my central Illinois friends and I headed up for one of our many three-day weekends in Wisconsin, our favorite combination of rivers was the Wolf on Saturday, the Peshtigo on Sunday and the Pike on Monday. It was a schedule made in heaven, providing almost every kind of paddling imaginable, from heart-thumping drops to stunning scenery. The Pike was always the perfect pièce de resistance, providing two to three hours of super-relaxed camaraderie before the eight-hour drive back home and to the daily grind. Over the years, we introduced many other paddlers to the Pike, and the reaction was always sheer delight. How fortunate that, back in 1965, the Wisconsin Legislature and governor had the good sense to recognize how special this river is by designating it a Wisconsin Wild River, along with the nearby Pine and Popple, which gave all three protected status. Indeed, the Pike has just about everything that you could want: gorgeous, undeveloped environs, placid flatwater stretches, lots of riffles and rapids, rock-lined mini-canyons, and a relatively reliable water flow (although it can be a bit scratchy during periods of drought). Upstream there are some stretches that test the mettle of advanced paddlers – the Four Falls section, for example. There's also an incredible succession of Class III-IV drops that you can view up close at Dave's Falls County Park, which is easily accessed from U.S. Highway 141 near Amberg: it's a short hike from the parking area to the falls. But the section I will describe here is perfect for beginning whitewater paddlers who have basic maneuvering skills. The best part of the river The most popular part of the Pike is the short three-mile stretch from County Trunk K near Amberg to Yellow Bridge Falls. After this marvelous section, the river flows for only four additional miles before emptying into the Menominee. To get to the put-in, go south from Amberg on U.S. 141 for about a mile, then east on County K for 3.5 miles. There's an excellent parking area and access on the upstream-left side of the bridge. Paddlers always dawdle for a while in the fast water beneath and just downstream from the bridge – a good place to warm up with ferrying, eddy turns and surfing. After the bridge, the river narrows and presents a series of easy Class I rapids and beautiful rock walls. About a mile into the run, the river constricts and flows through Scrounge Canyon. The gradient here is steeper for about 200 yards, and the boulder-filled riverbed offers a continuous Class II rapid. Alongside the high banks there are many eddies to pop into as you make your way through the canyon. Lovely scenery and several small rapids follow Scrounge Canyon for another mile. Then the right channel of a small island leads to Horseshoe Falls, a 1.5-foot, U-shaped ledge alongside a rock wall on the left shoreline. The hole beneath the drop and the swirling water just downstream make this a favorite play spot. Horseshoe looks, and generally is, rather benign. But at times, especially when the water is high, the hole can become "sticky" and the currents tricky. If this is your first time running the river, you can easily scout Horseshoe on the right. Not far downstream from Horseshoe is a small drop called White Dog that is also popular with kayakers. The next half mile is mostly flatwater. Then, suddenly, the Barker Road bridge comes into view. Once conspicuously painted yellow, this structure signals not only the approach of the take-out but also a succession of excellent drops. The first drop is a 2- to 3-foot, riverwide ledge just before the bridge. There's a good landing (and plenty of parking) immediately upstream-left from this ledge where you can get out and scout. At lower water levels, it's difficult not to scratch your hull on the rocks in it. After running the ledge, you can take out immediately downstream-left, before the bridge, but I strongly recommend that beginners and inexperienced whitewater paddlers call it a day at the landing just upstream from the ledge. If you continue after the ledge, you have committed to run Yellow Bridge Falls (Class II-III), a fantastic double drop where you can easily get banged up, like many before you. After the bridge, the river narrows, steepens and passes first over a rocky pitch that I usually run down the middle but angled toward the right in order to hit the river-right eddy that precedes the main drop. From this eddy (alongside a rocky wall on the right), you can see the nearby horizon line that announces a turbulent 5-foot fall. By running this drop to the right or right of center, and angled a little to the left, I've never had trouble. But I've seen paddlers flipped by a far-right curler or trashed by running too far to the left. There are sharp rocks just below the drop, then a couple of hundred yards of exciting boulder gardens, so this isn't a good place to be out of your boat or trying to roll. Unfortunately, the property adjoining Yellow Bridge Falls is private, and the owner has, understandably, been known to express ire when boaters clamber over the rocky shoreline to scout without permission. Thus, my threefold recommendation: • Unskilled boaters should take out before Yellow Bridge. • Skilled kayakers and open boaters boat-scout the main drop from the river-right eddy. • If you really want to bank-scout the rapid, please ask permission of the property owner, whose house is on river-right, off Barker Road. The Class II boulder gardens that follow Yellow Bridge Falls are the best of the day, so you really end your trip on a high note. As soon as the rapids end, look for the unimproved access on the left – a clearing alongside Pike River Road. A word of caution: Like most rivers, the Pike can become dangerous at high-water levels. Also bear in mind that deadfall (fallen trees and limbs) should always be given a wide berth. I've never had a problem with deadfall on the Pike, but several years ago kayakers reported that a downed tree was lodged in the river at Yellow Bridge Falls, of all places. The obstruction was soon removed, but the incident points out the need to take no chances with strainers. A mostly easy stretch From the above description, you can readily understand why I've returned many times to the County K to Yellow Bridge section. Only once have I ventured upstream to paddle the 6.4 miles from Amberg to County K. I found it to be a pleasant experience. Except for one, easily portaged drop, this part of the Pike is suitable for beginners. The river here is generally wider than downstream (about 90 feet or so), is almost entirely wooded and consists mainly of flatwater but has some riffles and minor rapids. Few houses are to be seen and impressive rock outcroppings are frequent. The put-in is at the U.S. 141 bridge less than a mile south of Amberg. Look around and find the least weedy spot. Be careful, because road traffic can be a problem here. About a mile after the put-in, power lines cross the Pike at a small, rocky canyon where the river drops several feet and forms a Class II rapid (probably III in high water). A well-worn scout/portage path on the right shoreline skirts this drop, known variously as Power Line Rapids and Bull Falls. The rapid is fairly short – about 50 yards – but the tricky currents and big boulders require considerable maneuvering skill. At one point, the river runs smack into a towering stone wall then veers abruptly right. A mile and a half later, the County K bridge appears, with a good access upstream-left. Of course, if you want to make a longer day out of it and paddle a total of 9.5 miles, you can keep right on going all the way to Yellow Bridge. More information For an excellent description and photos of an upstream Class II-IV run on the Pike (the Four Falls section), go to www.geocities.com/midwestrivers/index.html. The County K to Yellow Bridge stretch is also described at the American Whitewater Association site www.americanwhitewater.org/rivers/id/2307 and the Paddleguides site www.paddleguides.com/rivers/midwest. Mike Svob is a native Illinoisan and long-time northwoods devotee. He has canoed and kayaked for more than 30 years in 18 states and several foreign countries but regards Wisconsin as paddling paradise and home. He now spends a majority of the year in Tucson, Arizona. He is the author of Paddling Illinois, Paddling Northern Wisconsin and Paddling Southern Wisconsin, all published by Trails Books.
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