Red Cedar River Overview

By Nick Pritchard

The Red Cedar River meanders through western Wisconsin for approximately 85 miles from Rice Lake until it reaches the Chippewa River. The Red Cedar is a great destination for both novice and experienced paddlers as it offers beautiful scenery as you twist and turn passing sandstone bluffs, unspoiled forests, and abundant wildlife. The Red Cedar is mostly flat water, with an occasional class I mixed in, making it suitable for all paddle craft.

The northern stretches of the Red Cedar are wide and shallow with many islands while south of Menomonie the river widens further and deepens until it reaches the Chippewa River. If you are paddling south of Tainter Lake it is best to paddle in spring due to the very high algae count that exists throughout the summer and fall. However, there is sufficient water all year to paddle the Red Cedar if you choose to do so. The Red Cedar has numerous boat landings making it easy to find a good section for you to paddle.

The following are the put ins/take outs south of the dam at Menomonie.

• Riverside Park (Menomonie, WI)
• Irvington Landing 
• About 3 miles from Riverside Park
• Hwy 25 (Downsville, WI)
• About 8-9 miles from Riverside Park
• Dunnville Bottoms Boat Landing
• About 15 miles from Riverside Park

Red Cedar River - Below the dam in Menomonie

Red Cedar River - In Menomonie looking south

Red Cedar River Put Ins/Take Outs South of Colfax

View Red Cedar River in a larger map

Winding Rivers Canoeing: Emergency Procedures

By Nick Pritchard

As spring rolls around and more folks are getting outside I am starting to see one thing in the news more and more, people getting lost and/or killed in the backcountry. While each case has different circumstances than the last these situations are almost always avoidable. This makes these stories even more tragic because we know that it didn't have to end up that way. With a little preparation prior to your trip you can greatly reduce the risk you take when you enjoy the outdoors.

Outfitters and guides generally have very good emergency procedures in place, as we would expect them to. They have an obligation to their clients to reduce the risk of the activity as much as reasonably possible. Not having these procedures in place would open them to law suits and would surely put them out of business quickly.

So, if the professional outdoor industry has shown us how important these procedures are, why then do so few recreational adventurers have them in place for their own trips? There may be a variety of reasons ranging from a lack of knowledge to (I hate to say it) just being lazy. In my experience, one of the biggest reasons is that there is no clearly defined leader in the group. This leaves a big gap in the risk management system because no one wants to take the responsibility of being a leader. Maybe you and your friends are just getting into paddling and no one has any more experience than the other, who should be the leader? Maybe your group has been paddling together for years and doesn't want a leader. No matter what the case, this is easily resolved.

If you and/or your group are just starting out then you should all work on developing the emergency procedures that you will have in place for your trip. This way everyone will learn how to develop these procedures and they will all be familiar with them. If you are just starting out paddling then you should consult more experienced paddlers to help you develop a solid plan. You can also contact organizations such as the American Canoe Association for some direction.

If your group is a little bit more experienced you could have one person develop the emergency procedures and then they should provide everyone in the group a copy of those procedures. If you are paddling with the same folks regularly you can switch up who is developing the procedures so that everyone stays in good practice and the same person isn't doing it every time. It is a good idea to provide everyone with a copy of the procedures a few days prior to the trip so that if someone has suggestions the plan could be revised in time.

What should these procedures actually include? What should be covered? How extensive should they be? Well, unless this is an expedition these procedures will be pretty easy to develop. Your emergency procedures should have things like:

• List of group members and relevant experience
• Expected departure/arrival time
• Vehicle information (color, make, model, license #)
• Boat information (color, make, who's boat it is)
• Location of put in/take out
• List of campsites
• Emergency equipment that will be on the trip (flares, PLB, marine radio, GPS, etc.)
• Emergency contact numbers (Police, Hospital, SAR, NPS, someone you trust, etc.)
• Contact information for local land management agencies
• Weather forecast for the trip
• Relevant maps
• Exit plans (how will you get out if something goes wrong)
• Any information relevant to your trip

While this may seem like a relatively long list it won't take that long to put together with the help of the internet. If you do one trip fairly regularly you don't have to redo the whole thing each time either, just make sure all the information is still correct (phone #s, weather, group memebers, etc.).

You should plan on leaving a copy of your emergency procedures with a trusted friend who will call the authorities if you don't return on time and with the local land management agency. There should also be at least one set with two different people on the trip. 

With a little pre-trip planning we can reduce the risk that we take when we adventure in the backcountry. If you or your group does not do this already you should start and if you do, kudos. 

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions! 

Paddling With Groups: What Are We Doing?

By Nick Pritchard

While paddling solo gives you unrestricted freedom many of us enjoy sharing our outdoor experiences with others. The outdoors are a great time to get away from our busy lives with our friends or family but there are  some things to consider before going on a trip with other people. One thing that needs to be worked out is what the goal or purpose of the trip is. It is important that everyone has the same goals and mindset so that everyone has a successful trip.

If a few people in your group want to go on the trip to take photographs or go fishing and the rest of the group want to log as many miles as possible, it will be difficult to keep everyone happy. A simple difference like this can often create conflict within the group ruining everyones trip. Particularly if you are taking new folks on your trip you should sit down with them and determine what they are hoping to get out of the trip. If your goals do not match you may consider finding new group members. Otherwise, you could compromise that the group would take one rest day to be used for photography, or that fishing could be done once you got to camp but not during the day, etc. There are many different ways that a group can mesh to meet everyone's goals with a little compromise. If you are someone that likes to log miles  it may not be a good opportunity to take a few people who like photography, fishing, birdwatching, etc. They can show you some new skills while you are out there, which is never a bad idea.

If you decide that some of your group members do have different goals than you do, don't feel bad if you find new group members. It is better to be honest with everyone upfront before you are in the backcountry for several days and can't do anything about it. Nevertheless, don't be afraid to try something new, there is a lot that we can learn from others if we are open to it.

As always feel free to ask us any questions!

River Selection: Consider Your Group

By Nick Pritchard

One of the more difficult things about planning a river trip is trying to figure out how difficult of water you should paddle. There is no clear equation to try and figure this out but with good pre-trip planning you should be able to find something that will interest everyone. With experience this will start to become much easier as you paddle with more people, in more places, and under a variety of conditions. Some of the things that you should consider are:

• Your Group's Experience Level
• Are you the most experienced paddler in the group? Does everyone have about the same experience level? Are there just a few experienced folks? 
• The less collective experience that the group has the easier the river you will want to stick to. This not only reduces the chance that people will be put into a dangerous situation for which they are not prepared. An appropriate river also raises the chances that everyone will have a good time. It is difficult to have fun when you are scared or uncomfortable. 
• The Location Of The Trip
• As trips move farther and farther from civilization it is a good idea to be more conservative about the water that you will be paddling. Not only will you have more gear in your boats which make them heavier and more difficult to maneuver but the consequences also increase as your trips move farther into the backcountry. It is probably not a good idea to try a Class III for the first time when you are on a three expedition into the Canadian wilderness. You should save pushing yourself for your local river or whitewater park. 
• The Duration Of The Trip
• While typically longer trips take place in remote places they do not necessarily have to. In any case on an extended trip your boat will likely be heavy with gear. Also, the river may only be a few miles from the road but if you damage gear or persons by running advanced water that few miles may as well be 100 miles. It will be very difficult to extract yourself from that situation, particularly if you are down a canoe or someone got seriously injured. The river doesn't care how close to civilization you are, it's still the boss. 
• The Type Of Equipment You Will Be Using
• Knowing the limitations of your equipment (mainly your canoe and how it is outfitted) is an important factor when planning a trip because using the wrong equipment in the wrong manner is never a good idea. For example you probably don't want to take your Kevlar flat-water touring boat down Class III whitewater.
• The Environment You Will Be In
• If you are paddling in cold water or weather conditions you will want to take it easy and make sure that you are properly equipped (drysuits, etc.) to handle those conditions. It is no fun if someone becomes hypothermic. 

This is not an all inclusive list but it is a good place to start. When planning a trip it comes down to good planning and good judgement. Experience will ease this process but it always takes some time to figure out.

Feel free to ask us any questions you may have!

River Selection: Campsites

By Nick Pritchard

When you decide to plan a trip one of the obvious factors is where are you going to stay? While some rivers offer camping along their shores, some do not. If there is camping along the river available it may be free, it may not. This often depends on whether or not the campsite is an individual site as found on the North Fork of the Flambeau River or part of a campground as found on the Bois Brule River. If campsites are listed in the guidebook make sure that you confirm those campsites are still valid. Guidebooks have been known to indicate a campsite which is not actually permitted by the local land management agency.

If there is no camping available along the river it may difficult to do an extended trip on that river. It would likely involve re-shuttling your vehicles each day so you would have your vehicle to drive to the campground. This may not be an attractive option to some paddlers because you cannot achieve a backcountry experience if you drive to camp each day.

If there are not campsites available it is not acceptable to make your own camp unless permitted by the local land management agency. Establishing new campsites along rivers often destroy the natural beauty of the shoreline unless Leave No Trace principles are practiced to the strictest standard (make sure you know any special considerations for the environment you're visiting). Only in an emergency situation would it be acceptable to camp where it is not permitted. You should talk with the local land management agency about emergency camping so they are aware of your plan in case of an emergency.

When you are choosing a location to go on an extended paddle the campsites will be one of the most critical factors. Make sure that you do the research into them and you will likely be rewarded with a successful trip!

As always feel free to ask us if you have any questions!

River Selection: Where should I go?

By Nick Pritchard

So you've decided that you want to get away for a weekend but you're not sure where to go from there. You like your local rivers but you're hoping to try something new. This next step can often be tricky, unless you already have someplace in mind, where do you go? There are so many many options available depending on your resources (time, money, equipment, skills & knowledge, etc.).

When starting to plan a trip one of my favorite places to start is my guidebooks. Almost every region has some sort of guidebook which provide you information from a paddler's perspective. These books often provide information on water levels, put-ins/take-outs, hazards, camping, shuttles, scenery, history, maps, etc. Some of these books are offered in online versions which are typically cheaper than buying a hard copy.

If you do decide to use guidebooks you should keep the following in mind.

• Remember that they are guides.
• The information in the book may be outdated, make sure to keep that in mind
• The information may be incorrect 
• Just because a river is in the book does not mean it is a spectacular river, do more research if you're unsure
• In general it is important to verify the information that you find in the guidebook through other current sources. Campsites may have been closed/added, put-ins/take-outs moved/closed, new regulations put in place, etc. 

If you don't have a guidebook available, I would start searching the internet for the general area that you want to visit. There is often lot's of information posted on paddler friendly rivers. If there is such a river in the area you want to visit the locals will be talking about it, whether it is local outfitters, the local parks department, or a local paddling club. Talking with these folks can also provide you with knowledge that you would not be able to attain otherwise.

You may consider looking at the National Park Services website also. They manage numerous waterways that are often beautifully maintained and very paddler friendly. 

There are many resources available when you are deciding to go on a trip. Whether you decide to do a weekend paddle or three week expedition, there is always somewhere new to go. There is always that next bend in the river.

As always feel free to ask us if you have any questions!

Pre-trip Planning: Consider the Weather

By Nick Pritchard

When planning a trip the weather is obviously a critical factor in the success of your trip. When considering the weather I like to break it down into 3 steps. Each of these steps are more detailed than the last, so that when I am on the last step I have a pretty good picture of what the weather will be like.

The first step when planning out a trip is determining the general time that you would like to go on your adventure. Will it be in the spring, the fall, or will you go down south for a nice winter paddle? When thinking of the general time of year consider the weather that we associate with those times (ex. spring rains, hot summers, etc.) and determine if that is what you want to encounter on your trip. This first step will also help you determine what the water levels will be like. You can typically expect higher water with spring rains.

The second step is to select a month within that general time of year. When I am at this second step I like to check the historical averages for the area that I'm visiting. This information can help you get a feel for how much rain is typical during that month and what the average highs/lows are for that time. Don't forget to consider how bad the bugs will be during a given month either!

The third step is to select the actual days that you want to go on your adventure. This is step may seem like it does not hold much consequence but particularly in spring and fall, a couple weeks can mean a big difference between water levels, temperature, and precipitation. Look over the historical averages and talk with the local land management agencies in order to find the best time for you to go.

By carefully choosing the best time for you to go on your adventure you will greatly increase the chances that your trip is successful. As with all parts of pre-trip planning you do not want to rush through it and throw it together at the last minute.

As always feel free to ask us if you have any questions!

Pre-Trip Planning: Meet Local Land Management Agencies

By Nick Pritchard

Whether you are planning a new trip or paddling your favorite spot it is important to build a relationship with local land management agencies. These agencies have the most up to date and accurate information for your adventure. The most common agencies that you will encounter are the Department of Natural Resources or the National Park Service.

Getting to know the local land management agency also provides them with more information about you. In stead of just sending your itinerary to them and getting the necessary permits, plan on spending a little bit of time in the ranger station talking with the rangers there. During this conversation the rangers are likely to find out more about your group, skill levels, planned itinerary, and other items so that if something were to happen to you or your group they would be able to respond better.

Talking with the rangers at the station will also help you determine what resources they have available in case of emergency. You can also discuss with them what radio channels they monitor and the best way to contact them. Maybe they have a ranger doing rounds of the park every few hours that you wouldn't have known about unless you talked with them.

The local land management agencies in the places that we visit have a wealth of information that are sure to help you have a much smoother trip. Plus the rangers usually have some good stories that will likely give you a good laugh!

As always feel free to ask us if you have any questions.