Minnesota River

Weekend trip report

We had a great time with a dozen friends from the South Dakota Canoe and Kayak Assoc. We reserved camp sites at Lac Qui Parle State Park in the lower camp ground with the hope of being close to the water. The access near the sites was pretty muddy and had a steep bank, with recent high water levels the park is experiencing mosquito hatches of epic proportions. I think I even saw a small dog carried off into the tall grass.

Note to MN DNR, there were no dragon flies, damsel flies, red wing black birds, purple martins or even bats.... which means you have tried spraying and killed off the predators which makes things worse. Call me, I can help you out.

Some of us went over to the lake to paddle around Friday night, a couple hours of fun playing on the waves. after the obligatory campfire and rounds of kumbya a chili night was spent huddled under the covers (to cold for the mosquitoes). Saturday morning after a big breakfast we loaded up ten kayaks and one canoe and headed for Camp Release for the put in (located on county road 15). We shuttled the truck and trailers down to the take out at Wegdahl County Park.

The river itself was a beautiful ride, bald eagles, waterfowl and fish could all be seen from the water. The flow was perfect as it didn't take a lot of effort to move along. The only hazard was some new downed trees that we had to avoid but nothing that blocked the entire river.

We stopped for snacks and PBJ sandwiches at Priens Landing just down river from Montevideo. Easy in and easy out but it was a little hard to see from the water. There is a canoe in camp site around river mile 261.5 but it was poorly marked, perhaps one sign fell down.

Even after 5 hours the trip seemed to end to soon, mussels were pleasantly sore and we were refreshed from the sun and company. of course the ice cream after helped a lot too..

Super Moon Paddle

Garretson SD

We put in above the dam just after dark, the moon was already above the horizon but not yet above the trees. We could hear the water poring over the dam below us, creating a slight mist above the waters surface. Conversation was slight as the quiet of the night seemed to blanket the group as our boats floated through the darkness. As the moon rose above the tree line, cold silver light enveloped us and lit the rock walls with  a mystical cast. It would be no small stretch to imagine passing from one world to the next.

Another group of paddlers were congregating near the west rock wall, gathered near a strange blue glow coming from the water. It appears another phone has gone to Davie Jones’s locker.

We paddled a little more than a mile to the rapids that halt further progress upstream and paused for a time, allowing the moon to reach its full potential. Pictures were taken although they turned out badly. With the temperature dropping and the night lingering on, we felt no sense of urgency as we meandered back down stream wishing the river could carry us beyond the responsibilities of our daily lives. With a touch of sadness we reluctantly loaded our gear, shared a cup of hot coffee and went our separate ways.

Photo by David Fink

Bucket List Trip

Here is an exciting adventure we can paddle right our back yard. did you know that you can paddle the Minnesota River from Ortenville all the way to the Mississippi river in Minneapolis? According to the MN DNR website at http://dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/minnesotariver/index.html The Minnesota River flows 318 miles from Big Stone Lake in Ortonville to its confluence with the Mississippi River near Fort Snelling in St. Paul. It is a gentle, placid river, with some portions designated as a Wild and Scenic River.

The valley through which the river flows was carved into the landscape by the glacial River Warren between 11,700 and 9,400 years ago. Paddlers will see a diversity of terrain, ranging from steep granite bluffs to marshy lowlands.

As far as a paddling adventure, it looks like it would take a week or more to paddle it all in one go. But it could be broken up easily into segments and completed in multiple trips. There is a fantastic site at http://mrbdc.mnsu.edu/minnesota-river-virtual-tour-map that takes you on a virtual tour of the river and provides resources to planning out your trip or hooking up with a guide.

This trip is definitely going on my Bucket List!

New Year, New Resolve

As the sun sets on another beautiful evening on Lake Pelican, yet another blog post goes by the wayside.

Today's post is dedicated to Lake Pelican, located just south of Watertown South Dakota.
Lake Pelican Google Map

Lake Pelican was created when a huge ice cube broke away from the last glacier and was covered by sand and silt. The lake measures approximately five miles long, a mile wide and has a max depth of about 7 feet. Pelican is situated East Northeast and has good access points in many places. The best and easiest access sites are two State Parks on the south west end and the Skinny Krull access on the Northeast end and yet there are undeveloped access points at most section lines.

Due to the prevailing winds, water depth, and how the lake is orientated the waves seldom top 24 inches and is easy to paddle. I have seen beaver, pelicans, and various shore birds on my many trips along the lake.

January

Not a lot of paddling going on this month. The water is a bit hard to get through. just thought i would mention that the South Dakota Canoe and Kayak Assoc. annual meeting is Feb 1st at the outdoor campus in Sioux Falls. https://www.facebook.com/groups/15793060604/

Also I am hosting a "Build a Boat" class through Lake Area Technical Institute on March 11th, more news on that as it gets closer. http://www.lakeareatech.edu/cu/index.html

TTFN

Catching up

Took out the wood kayak last night (no leaks). What a beautiful night to work out some frustrations and sore muscles. Just a light north east breeze, just enough to keep the sweat down but not enough to keep the mosquitoes off. The tunes I downloaded from ocean lab really match the paddle rhythm and the water just cruses by. I only had time for a couple of miles but finished feeling refreshed and comfortably tired.

Spring Time

Yes I think it is finally here. The river is running and the ice is starting to disappear  Only 24 days until the South Dakota Kayak Challenge.
Not a lot of runoff from the Big Sioux Basin so if you want to run the river, it should be soon.