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Driftless Kayaker
United States
Приєднався 16 вер 2017
This 'Driftless Kayaker' channel includes GoPro footage documenting my paddling adventures with family and friends. Each paddling trip and river is unique so in sharing these videos we hope that you can ride along and experiencing paddling in the Driftless, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and a little Illinois. See the video descriptions for additional info about the trips; if you want more info, just leave a comment and I’ll respond as best as I can. My more recent videos include more info in the post than my earlier posts.
Why the 'Driftless Kayaker'? Well, the kayaker part is obvious. As for 'Driftless', here is the definition: 1. having no aim or direction 2. free from glacial drift. So, I guess maybe both definitions fit.... O’ ya, I also live in the Driftless and do most of my trips in it.
Why the 'Driftless Kayaker'? Well, the kayaker part is obvious. As for 'Driftless', here is the definition: 1. having no aim or direction 2. free from glacial drift. So, I guess maybe both definitions fit.... O’ ya, I also live in the Driftless and do most of my trips in it.
Kayaking the Upper Iowa River - Hwy 30 in Harmony, MN to Kendallville Canoe Access - August 2024
Put-in at the Plumbers Park / Hwy 30 landing in Harmony, MN. The put-in is 2.75 miles west of the Niagra Cave (niagaracave.com/). Take-out at the Kendallville Canoe Access in Kendallville, IA. The put-in has a small gravel parking lot and a fairly decent gravel shoreline for launching. The take-out has a large gravel parking lot, low bank to the river, and is well signed. The trip was about 12 1/4 miles and took us about 4 1/2 hours at a very leisurely pace.
About 3.2 miles into the trip, there is a very large spring that is very cool to check out. By cool, I mean super COLD! I captured a video of the spring for you to check out. We docked out boats on the opposite shore and walked across the river to the spring; the water was maybe a little over knee deep.
Put-in: maps.app.goo.gl/srmUNLVupfy8hdZp9
Take-out: maps.app.goo.gl/BxFCbdBXJQHXCpZG8
The river was pretty heavily trafficked between the Bigalk Creek Bridge Canoe Landing and the Harvest Farm Campground. During those 2.5 miles, there were a lot of tubers and boaters. Before and after that section, there were many kayaks/canoes but nothing close to the section upstream from the campground.
The water level for this trip was 3.6’ or 290 CFS at the Bluffton Bridge in Decorah, IA. This was a very nice water level with limited scraping and plenty of water to clear obstructions in the river. Water quality was excellent with a nice current across the entire trip.
USGA gauge level for the Upper Iowa River at the Bluffton Bridge in Decorah, IA:
waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/05387440/#parameterCode=00060&period=P7D&showMedian=false
About 3.2 miles into the trip, there is a very large spring that is very cool to check out. By cool, I mean super COLD! I captured a video of the spring for you to check out. We docked out boats on the opposite shore and walked across the river to the spring; the water was maybe a little over knee deep.
Put-in: maps.app.goo.gl/srmUNLVupfy8hdZp9
Take-out: maps.app.goo.gl/BxFCbdBXJQHXCpZG8
The river was pretty heavily trafficked between the Bigalk Creek Bridge Canoe Landing and the Harvest Farm Campground. During those 2.5 miles, there were a lot of tubers and boaters. Before and after that section, there were many kayaks/canoes but nothing close to the section upstream from the campground.
The water level for this trip was 3.6’ or 290 CFS at the Bluffton Bridge in Decorah, IA. This was a very nice water level with limited scraping and plenty of water to clear obstructions in the river. Water quality was excellent with a nice current across the entire trip.
USGA gauge level for the Upper Iowa River at the Bluffton Bridge in Decorah, IA:
waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/05387440/#parameterCode=00060&period=P7D&showMedian=false
Переглядів: 142
Відео
Kayaking the Upper Iowa River - Daley Bridge Access to McCaffrey Bridge in Decorah, IA - August 2024
Переглядів 100День тому
Put-in at the Daley Bridge Canoe Access / Cattle Creek Road in Cresco, IA. Take-out at the McCaffrey Bridge Access / 244th Avenue in Decorah, WI. The put-in has a gravel parking lot, signage, and a low shoreline for launching. The take-out at the old metal McCaffrey Bridge also has a small gravel parking lot and a rocky shoreline. The trip was about 10 1/4 miles and took us about 3 1/4 hours at...
Kayaking Turtle Creek - Darian, WI to Shopiere, WI - July 2024
Переглядів 22814 днів тому
Put-in at the O’Riley Landing in Darian, WI off of S. O’Riley Road. Take-out at Sweet Allyn Park in Shopiere, WI. The put-in has a gravel parking lot, signage, and a grassy shoreline for launching. The take-out at Sweet Allyn Park has paved parking lots, a dedicated landing site, and permanent restrooms. The trip was about 9 3/4 miles and took us about 3 hours at a very leisurely pace. Put-in: ...
Kayaking the Kickapoo River - Bridge 5 - Ontario, WI to Access 12 - Rockton, WI - July 2024
Переглядів 285Місяць тому
Put-in at Bridge 5 in Ontario, WI (on Hwy 131). Take-out at Access 12 in Rockton, WI (after the Hwy 131 bridge). Both the put-in and take-out have dedicated locations with parking, gravel driveways, and porta potties. Deadfall was not an issue since the river is very well maintained by the Kickapoo Valley Reserve and the local outfitters. The trip was about 7 miles and took us about 3 hours at ...
Kayaking Black Earth Creek - Black Earth, WI to Mazomanie, WI - June 2024
Переглядів 482Місяць тому
Put-in at the Shoe Box Landing in Black Earth, WI. Take-out at Lions Park (John’s Landing) in Mazomanie, WI. Both the put-in and take-out have dedicated locations with parking. Deadfall was not an issue. The trip is about 6 ½ miles and took us 2 ½ hours or so. Put-in: maps.app.goo.gl/jow6Z5mmyz6ci9zp9 Take-out: maps.app.goo.gl/uWkXteuETu1CUhnS6 The water level for this trip was 2.3’ or 80 CFS a...
Kayaking the North Fork Maquoketa River - Cascade, IA - Cascade Riverfront Park to Cty Rd D61
Переглядів 1102 місяці тому
Kayaking the North Fork Maquoketa River in Cascade, Iowa. We paddled about 6.75 miles of the North Fork Maquoketa River then padded upstream for 0.5 miles Whitewater Creek and took-out at County Road D61. Put-in at Cascade, Iowa at Cascade Riverfront Park. There is a dedicated launch location downstream of the bridge on Pierce Street SW; however, we launched from the park for the brave one amon...
Kayaking the Whitewater Creek - Cascade, Iowa - Hempstead Road to Cty Rd D61 - June 2024
Переглядів 1942 місяці тому
Kayaking Whitewater Creek in Cascade, Iowa. Put-in on Hempstead Road in Cascade, IA. There is plenty of roadside parking at the bridge. The launch is down a fairly steep grassy area downstream river right of the bridge; steep but doable (probably better in lower water levels). It is common courtesy to load/unload at the access point but park on the other side of the bridge (we found this out fr...
Kayaking the Platte River - Lancaster, WI - Coon Hollow Road to Ellenboro - May 2024
Переглядів 3552 місяці тому
Kayaking the Platte River in Platteville, WI. Put-in on Coon Hollow Road in Lancaster, WI. The put-in is a park-like setting with plenty of roadside parking. Please be very respectful of this wonderful area as it is private property and a nice put-in location with grass lined banks which offers a few river bank access options depending on water levels. Take-out in Ellenboro, WI at the bridge on...
Kayaking the East Branch Pecatonica River: River Road to Argyle, WI - March 2024
Переглядів 1804 місяці тому
Put-in at the dedicated landing at River Road in Argyle, WI. There is a gravel driveway and plenty of grass parking. The landing is a concrete ramp down to the river. The take-out is above the dam in Argyle, W (upstream river right). There is roadside parking and a concrete ramp down to the river. Put-in: maps.app.goo.gl/Mo8yD6ZqKKNEsvWm9 Take-out: maps.app.goo.gl/vmL4LrqYx6HoGPkL7 There is alw...
Kayaking the Galena River - Galena, IL - Highway 20 to N Ferry Landing Road (Mississippi) - Feb 2024
Переглядів 2315 місяців тому
Put-in at the dedicated landing at Highway 20 and South Main Street (behind the Illinois Bank and Trust) in Galena, IL. There is a paved parking lot and dedicated ramp to the river. The take-out at the boat landing at the end of North Ferry Landing Road. The landing is a dedicated landing for boats and canoes with plenty of gravel parking. Because this is all flatwater, the level for this is mo...
Kayaking the Galena River - New Diggings, WI - Hwy W to W. Council Hill Road - February 2024
Переглядів 2306 місяців тому
Put-in at the dedicated landing at Highway W west of New Diggings, WI. There is a paved parking lot, sidewalk to the river, and a nice grassy bank to launch from. The take-out is at the bridge on W. Council Hill Road. There is a good amount of roadside parking, a mowed path to the river, downstream river left, and the bank is low and grassy. The first train tunnel is only about a 1 mile after t...
Kayaking the Upper Iowa River - Decorah, IA - Malanaphy Springs Access to Trout Run Park - Oct 2023
Переглядів 1499 місяців тому
Put-in at the Malanaphy Springs Access in Decorah, IA at 2820 Bluffton Rd, Decorah, IA. The put-in has a dedicated concrete parking lot and a good path down to the river with a rocky shoreline. Take-out is at Trout Run Park in Decorah, IA. Trout Run Park has a cement parking lot and good access to the river with a low grassy bank. The river level at 1.52’ at the Decorah was decent, quite a bit ...
Kayaking the Upper Iowa River - Decorah, IA - Trout Run Park to the Lower Dam - October 2023
Переглядів 4679 місяців тому
Put-in at Trout Run Park in Decorah, IA. Take-out at the Lower Dam in Dorchester, IA. Trout Run Park has a cement parking lot and good access to the river. The trek from the river up to the parking lot at the Lower Dam requires a little effort. The shoreline is nice and grassy and not bad. The access road to the Lower Dam uses Lower Dam Road which is a gravel 1-lane road. We didn’t have any iss...
Kayaking Blackhawk Lake - Highland, WI - October 2023
Переглядів 1089 місяців тому
Located in Highland, WI, The Blackhawk Lake Recreational Area is a very nice 220 acre lake for recreational kayaking. The lake is no-wake, a plus for paddlers, and has several launch spots. Check out Blackhawk Lake at www.BlackhawkLake.com for information about the recreational area, camping, rentals, and season passes.
Kayaking the Upper Iowa River - Decorah, IA - Lower Dam to Iverson Bridge Access - October 2023
Переглядів 6819 місяців тому
Put-in below the Lower Dam in Decorah, IA. Take-out at the dedicated Iverson Bridge Access at 346 Mc Laughlin Dr, Dorchester, IA. Both access points have gravel parking lots and clean access to the river; both are maintained access points, are signed, and have room for trailer turn around. The trek down to the river at the Lower Dam can be a little challenging if you put in closer to the dam; i...
Kayaking the Upper Iowa River - Decorah, IA - Iverson Bridge Access to Kumpfs Landing - October 2023
Переглядів 1569 місяців тому
Kayaking the Upper Iowa River - Decorah, IA - Iverson Bridge Access to Kumpfs Landing - October 2023
Kayaking the Wisconsin Dells - Town of Lyndon Boat Launch to Illinois Ave - October 2023
Переглядів 23410 місяців тому
Kayaking the Wisconsin Dells - Town of Lyndon Boat Launch to Illinois Ave - October 2023
Kayaking the Whitewater River - Elba, MN - Elba to Hwy 74/30 - October 2023
Переглядів 7210 місяців тому
Kayaking the Whitewater River - Elba, MN - Elba to Hwy 74/30 - October 2023
Kayaking the Zumbro River - Hammond, MN - Hammond to Theilman, MN - October 2023
Переглядів 12910 місяців тому
Kayaking the Zumbro River - Hammond, MN - Hammond to Theilman, MN - October 2023
Kayaking the Zumbro River - Zumbro Falls, MN - Zumbro Falls to Hammond, MN - October 2023
Переглядів 12310 місяців тому
Kayaking the Zumbro River - Zumbro Falls, MN - Zumbro Falls to Hammond, MN - October 2023
Kayaking the Wisconsin River - Mazomanie, WI - Mazomanie Landing to Arena Landing - September 2023
Переглядів 19410 місяців тому
Kayaking the Wisconsin River - Mazomanie, WI - Mazomanie Landing to Arena Landing - September 2023
Kayaking the Turkey River - Garber, IA to Osterdock, IA - September 2023
Переглядів 18411 місяців тому
Kayaking the Turkey River - Garber, IA to Osterdock, IA - September 2023
Kayaking the Wapsipinicon (Wapsi) River - Donahue, IA - Allen’s Grove to Gambril Access -August 2023
Переглядів 12911 місяців тому
Kayaking the Wapsipinicon (Wapsi) River - Donahue, IA - Allen’s Grove to Gambril Access -August 2023
Kayaking the Wapsipinicon (Wapsi) River - Calamus, IA - Sherman Park to Allen’s Grove - August 2023
Переглядів 182Рік тому
Kayaking the Wapsipinicon (Wapsi) River - Calamus, IA - Sherman Park to Allen’s Grove - August 2023
Kayaking the Wisconsin River - Lone Rock, WI to Muscoda, WI - July 2023
Переглядів 259Рік тому
Kayaking the Wisconsin River - Lone Rock, WI to Muscoda, WI - July 2023
Kayaking the Kickapoo River - Ontario, WI to Bridge 5 - July 2023
Переглядів 1,3 тис.Рік тому
Kayaking the Kickapoo River - Ontario, WI to Bridge 5 - July 2023
Kayaking the Platte River - Ellenboro, WI - Platte Road to Big Platte Road - July 2023
Переглядів 140Рік тому
Kayaking the Platte River - Ellenboro, WI - Platte Road to Big Platte Road - July 2023
Kayaking the Pine River - Richland Center, WI - Steamboat Rock to Old Mill Pond Park - June 2023
Переглядів 229Рік тому
Kayaking the Pine River - Richland Center, WI - Steamboat Rock to Old Mill Pond Park - June 2023
Kayaking the Pine River - Richland Center, WI - Rockbridge to Steamboat Rock Landing - June 2023
Переглядів 156Рік тому
Kayaking the Pine River - Richland Center, WI - Rockbridge to Steamboat Rock Landing - June 2023
Kayaking the North Branch Root River - Chatfield, MN - Moen’s Bridge to Highway 16 Access - May 2023
Переглядів 123Рік тому
Kayaking the North Branch Root River - Chatfield, MN - Moen’s Bridge to Highway 16 Access - May 2023
Such a vintage looking river and I love those little patches of white water rafting 😊. Btw, that Wenonah cuts through the water like a knife...I'm very impressed.
The water is quite clear and the sound of it makes me want to crack open a cold Hamm's beer and enjoy nature.
Yup! I'm not saying that we did or we didn't crack open a cold one or two.....but it wasn't Hamm's. :) I'll be posting one more Upper Iowa River video soon. It was another great trip
@@driftlesskayaker It wasn't Hamm's🤣🤣 I'll tune in as usual.
How could a person not enjoy paddling. Hey, how could I get my hands on a MilesPaddle sticker for my canoe?
Absolutely, great question! How could someone not enjoying being out on the water with friends on a beautiful day. As for the sticker, reach out to hello@milespaddled.com and Barry might be able to fix you up with one. Enjoy!
@@driftlesskayaker Thank you!!!
First and Worst kayaking trip I ever been on …..if I would have been supplied a skirt with my kayak and hadn’t lost my paddle maybe I’d feel different …..it was so hard…those drops…..I submerged my kayak three times …. Used my sandals as paddles to get back.
Thanks for commenting. Full disclosure, I did NOT do this paddle. The video is from my friend Timothy who ran this with a group. These types of rivers aren't really my cup of tea; I am not an adrenaline junkie or feel comfortable running rapids. The top of my rapid level are Class II rapids; and that's with a spray skirt, the right boat, someone by my side, and maybe some liquid courage to take the edge off. When we did the Wolf River trip a few years back, I portaged the Class III stuff and opted to video Timothy while he ran them. I can't/can imagine you doing this without a skirt and with a lost paddle. Clearly, lessons were learned there; wear a skirt and bring an extra paddle. As we say "mistakes were made". On that Wolf River trip, we did see someone in the wrong boat and without a spray skirt; we wanted him swamp early in the rapids as his boat took on more and more water. He quickly ended up swimming while his boat and paddle floated down the river. We ran like deer through the woods to try to help him and to yell to his girlfriend where his paddle was in the river. I imagine your situation much the same way. Thanks again for sharing! I do like sharing videos of our trips to give everyone a good view of what they are likely to experience. I know that my videos tend to get long but giving the full picture I feel serves everyone the best. Take care and enjoy your next paddles.
@Le0Nocapri0 - Sorry but that's your own fault. Maybe it's best to not go down a river with rapid levels classified as level 2.... on your first ever kayak trip... Just a little research and googling would have saved you a lot of headache.
One of the best scenic rivers in Wisconsin. It has such a vintage look and it sorta tells a story of the Indigenous people.
Absolutely! We are looking forward to paddling the next stretch from Rockton to LaFarge. Hopefully soon! The lack of development along the river is wonderful.
@@driftlesskayaker I'm very much attracted to the Kickapoo. I'll continue to follow your journey.
What length Kayak are you using for this type of river?
In this particular video, I am using a 10' (Menards) Viper kayak. However, I have upgraded since then and use a 10' 6" Wilderness Aspire 105 kayak. That's the boat that I use most of the time on small rivers, creeks, or that has any significant rapids. For the wider and straighter rivers and lakes, I use a Wilderness Pungo 120. Let me know if you have any other questions. I do really like both of these options; the Aspire is very stable and maneuverable while the Pungo is faster and has more glide which sacrifices some level of stability (but it still has great secondary stability).
Not a two vehicle trip the way i did it.
I have kayaked up this entire stretch. 10 years ago my best upriver time was 2 hours 40 min. Done it dozens of times. One of my faves
@@karlsjunior466 paddling upstream, now that’s a workout!
@@driftlesskayaker at 45 years old I was cut like Brad Pitt in fight club.
If you had to choose, would you rather kickapoo, wisconsin river or pine river to canoe?
I'm a bit biased here towards the Kickapoo since the rock formations and surroundings are simply beautiful and outcrops are so plentiful. For me, the Pine is 2nd to the Kickapoo but I actually do the Pine more frequently due to proximity. The outfitters on the Kickapoo rent a TON of canoes and kayaks out of Ontario. With the volume of canoes that they rent; clearly this is a good canoeing river (again, I don't canoe). The Pine can be done in a canoe but it does require a more skillful canoe paddler since there are many obstacles to avoid. The outfitter for the Pine does a nice job of keeping the river open for paddlers but there is more deadfall in the river. As for the Wisconsin, it's just such a large river that I don't paddle it very often; when I do, it's with my buddy/buddies who are more adventurous towards the Wisconsin; I prefer to stick with the smaller rivers and creeks. With the Kickapoo, you should really try NOT to paddle this on a weekend due the volume of rentals and visitors (paddlers and tubers). You can use the outfitters for a shuttle if you need to; I've used Titanic and they are great to work with. I've also had good luck paddling the Kickapoo later in the day after the outfitters send out their last groups. It puts you on the river later in the day but it is very enjoyable to paddle later in the day as long as you give yourself time before sundown. Enjoy!
I've canoed a lot of places....but, Wisconsin has the best rivers & scenery in the country.
Thanks for the comment. The footprint of my paddling is rather small so I will trust you on that one. I will say that we have a large number of great options close to home.
@@driftlesskayaker Where is home?
@@phillyjoejones5161 Platteville, WI
@@driftlesskayaker Nice...where the Bears use to train at back in the days.
thank you
You are welcome! Thanks for watching. This was a very fun trip (even with the rain).
Thank you for another hidden gem. Is it really that common to see stuff like this 1:35 on kayaking routes in the Driftless Region?
Thanks for the comment. Yes, this is really a great 'hidden' gem and one that is a little rare to paddle due to the needed water levels. I hope to get out to do this section again this week while the river is still up. As for the wires, yes, you will find them on several rivers in the Driftless, especially those rivers that are not prone to outfitters. I'm pretty certain that we've seen wires across the rivers in each state in the Driftless; especially the rivers that are shallow where the cattle can cross across the rocky areas where the riffles are. That said, most of them are not an issue and the Y-er tool really helps to safely lift them out of the way if they are low. More often than not, you can pass under them somewhere in the width of the river. I always keep the Y-er 'tool' in the back of my kayak incase the need arises. I hope this helps you out. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions on the topic; I 'invented' the Y-er tool many years ago when I first became aware of the issue and too was concerned about them. Since then, it's not an issue but something for the front person to watch for. Happy paddling!
Is this in Jackson County ?? Thanks.
Yup, Jackson County. (44.1904700, -90.7128100)
"That... smells like pig shit....That--that's noticeable, for sure"
You know it when you smell it. 🤣
this is the section with alot of public land along the banks...did you guys see any bowhunters?
Hey there, no we did not; not that we were aware of. At least no one yelled at us to stop talking because we’d scare the deer off. 😃
Did you guys run into any bowhunters using the river for access to hunting locations??
Nope. If so, they were well camouflaged. :)
Beautiful ! Thanks for sharing your paradise !
You are welcome! Thanks for the comment! Please share any ideas back to me. Happy paddling
Looks like a two vehicle trip. One where you end up, and one where you start.
Yes, because both of us were traveling from out of the area and different directions, we had two vehicles. Each vehicle is capable of hauling (2) boats so that makes it easier. That said, their is a gravel road that pretty much follows the river and is pretty darn flat; a bike shuttle would be possible with a bike that can do gravel. We did see a guy with an ATV shuttle himself; he literally strapped his kayak perpendicular across the front of his ATV and drove away. Pretty cool setup!
new sub good stuff
Thanks for the subscription. Hopefully you find value in the content; at least a glimpse at what one could expect on the trips that we do. Thanks again!
Ya know, if you had paddled upstream, the video would have had less sun impact! Ha, ha. That was Outstanding. Now I have to check out your other Videos. Be Well and Thank You for the beautiful and informative entertainment. HOLY COW!!!! You have a Boatload of other, beautiful Videos. Guess I’ll have to pack a lunch and enjoy!
Nice, really nice! I hadn't thought of paddling upstream......for good reason. Thanks for the comments, yes, there are quite a few other videos out there of our adventures. Feel free to toss me any other paddling trip ideas that you've uncovered. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for sharing, wonderful relaxing paddle and scenery. All of us that appreciate the quiet sports thank you for not adding obnoxious music like so many others do, the water and nature sounds are so much better!
Thank you very much! I feel the same and try to balance a little intro/exit music, personal comments/remarks, maybe a crack of a brew (or two), and an overall representation of the river. I try to share what we experience to give a representation of what someone else might experience; which is why I try to show the balance of riffles/rapids and flatwater. I appreciate the comment. Right now, I'm working on the 4th Upper Iowa video from our outing last week. The Upper Iowa was great but boy I ended up with a lot of video to try to edit down. :) Thanks again!
Hello nice video you did. I have a question? What kind of kayak do you have? I am looking for a other kayak to buy. I would appreciate the information. Look like a very nice day too for kayaking too. Thanks you for sharing this video.
Thank you very much! I currently use three boats on a consistent basis. Wilderness Aspire 105 for narrow rivers or those that really scrape up your boat. It's very stable, thicker shell, and very maneuverable (and has a skeg for tracking). I then have two Wilderness Pungo 120s. These are more for wider rivers, less meandering, faster than the Aspire, and track well. One of my Pungos is older and I use that one when I know we'll scrape while the other is newer and I use that more for lakes or less scrapy waters. All three have big cockpits, are well made, have the same seat and creature comforts, and serve me well for my needs. I do have spray skirts for both the Pungo and Aspire which I'll occasionally use in the winter to keep heat in or in rapids. Hope this helps.
@driftlesskayaker5882 wilderness Aspire 105 & the Pungo 120 are the two kayak that I am looking at. My kayak is a Tarpon 100 & I do a lot of fishing , kayaking , & kayak camping. I am looking for a kayak for kayak camping. I like the Aspire but also like the Punto too because it got lot more Space for camping gear. But I am looking more into the Pungo more. Thanks you so much for the information. It did help me out.
I'm happy to give an opinion. If I was going to do Class 1 or 2 rapids, the Aspire is my go-to. I also use the Aspire in the winter because it can fit my bigger insulated boots and it is also a bit more stable. I feel that the Aspire 105 and Pungo 120 fit me about the same. My wife has the Aspire 100 and it feels way to small for me and I've never felt like I needed the Pungo 125 for capacity or width. I'm comfortable in the Pungo for riffles or Class 1 rapids. The Pungos do track well on flat water and cut the water nicely. With the Aspire, it doesn't cut the water as cleanly and does require more effort with speed. Again, they are different boats for different purposes. Enjoy!
@driftlesskayaker5882 Thank you cuz I didn't know that. I do have a question? In the winter time in Either one of the kayak With the space skirt on can you feel the cold water through the kayak on your feet 🦶 ? I have to kayak barefooted 👣 because my have very very big extremely wide feet 🦶 sz15 6E wide ( which is very very extremely wide feet 🦶 ) with very chubby fat wide toes that are Evenly straight across & my foot will not fit in shoes or socks because of how wide my feet 🦶 are. It suck having Extremely wide feet 🦶 man.
Interesting. The skirt helps to keep your lower body heat in which helps tremendously. But yes, the water is cold and it will radiate up. However, the thicker shell of the Aspire over the Pungo helps that. A few things, check out the UA-cam video by Pete Braginton called like "Wilderness Aspire Mods" and you'll see what he did to add reflective material to the floor of his Aspire. Pretty cool idea. If I were you, I'd also get a pair of Ororo heated (battery powered) socks. I have their heated jacked and it is very nice to keep you warm without the bulk. Last thing, the new(er) Old Town Loons also have a large foot area and are just "chunky". I'm not a fan of them because they do look sort of like a barge instead of a boat but that's just my opinion based on the one that I've seen on the water.
Looks like a beautiful trip!
It sure was! Sorry, I edited out all the times that Timothy chatted about you, Heather, and the family. Hope all is well out west!
Was the river super slow or was there a current?
It's the Wisconsin River so their is defiantly current where the river narrows in this section. In the Dells area, the current is modest and navigating to and around the rock formations wasn't an issue. It's only after the Dells that you notice the current of the river as it gets narrow again and more river-like.
If that river was in Missouri, it would be over-run with jet boats.
Ya, that would suck. Sorry to hear that.
Man that is a nice paddle. Looks like a fun hot day besides the water Being low. I love you all kayak man. I wanted the same kayak but i got big & very very Extremely wide feet 🦶 sz15 6E wide ( which is a very very extremely wide feet ) with very chubby fat wide toes that are Evenly straight across making my foot very very Extremely wide at 6 1/2 inches wide from my big toe to my lil toe. Because of my toes being Evenly straight across & chubby & fat & my feet 🦶 being a sz15 my foot got Stuck in one of those kayak & they Almost had to called 911 to have my foot cut out of a brand new kayak so i had to go with a sit on top Wilderness system Tapon kayak & i love it. Good video buddy thanks you for sharing it.
Ha ha! Nice! I've never heard about having the jaws of life to cut someone's foot out of a kayak. There is a first for everything. I do really like my new model Pungo 120; I like the functionality of it and also the design color. It's a trivial thing but it is a pretty boat that is a great all around recreational boat for me. I also have the older model Pungo 120 for those river that are more rocky than sandy; I don't mind beating those up as much. Those are the ones that my buds were using in this video. My Wilderness Aspire 105 is the boat that I use for big boot winter weather paddling; by big boot, I mean size 10 insulated winter muck boots (not size 15/16). Good god people must think they are following the tracks of Sasquatch when they see your footprints on a sandbar. Thanks for watching the videos and commenting. If the weather cooperates tomorrow, there should be another one soon. Happy paddling!
@driftlesskayaker5882 "LOL" it's embarrassing sometimes but I enjoy telling it. Those employees could not believe how wide my feet 🦶 were. I get asked everyday how big my feet 🦶 are , how wide my feet 🦶 are , how chubby & fat my toes are , how did I get my toes to be Evenly straight across instead of being at a 45% angle like your toes are. I use to get embarrassed about that but my wife Explain to me that I should be happy & not embarrassing about my extremely wide feet 🦶 because God made me special with my extremely wide feet 🦶 & there is no one with a foot that's Exactly like mine & that is true. I have friends that have wide feet 🦶 & I have seen a lot of guys with wide feet 🦶 & what I mean by wide feet 🦶 is the toes being Spread out wide apart but not like as wide as mine feet 🦶 are. A lot of my friends & my co-worker call me ( BIGFOOT ) because of how wide , & Evenly straight across my toes are & how my toenails being cut evenly straight across Especially my big toenails. I have to cut my toenails Evenly straight across because my toenails base is very very wide Especially my big toe. My big toe is 2" inches wide which is a very very extremely wide toes. I had a Manager at a restaurant couldn't believe how extremely wide my feet 🦶 was. I was kayaking in 100° Degrees heat & we was trying to get off the water when I was starting to having a Heat stroke. It was not Supposed to get that hot that day. The manager was asking me how wide was my feet 🦶 & I told him it was 6 1/2 inches wide from my big toe to my lil toe. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He asked could he take a pictures of my feet 🦶 & put it on the wall in his store. I Decided to do so because he gave me $30 worth of free food. He Post it with the pictures ( big foot was here & is very friendly ) I can believe sometimes how wide my foot is sometimes. I was born with a very very extremely wide feet 🦶.
How long was this paddle? I want to try and fish this section soon
Hello, sorry for the delay. The trip is 9 miles and took us 2 3/4 hours. I almost always put those details on the last slide at the very end. With the time, it will definitely vary. We do a lot of talking, pit stopping, and are rarely in a rush to get off the river.
You didn't put in the part with the fawn!! Great day though, let's do it again :)
Unfortunately the fawn on the river bank was too small to see on the GoPro. We’ll have to try again.
One of wornderful video, keep up the good work my friend, thanks for great kayak tour , new friend here
Thanks for your comment and for liking the video. It's nice to give people a previous of what to expect when they venture out for the first time on a section of river. It's also nice to see differences between experiences. Thanks again my friend!
You guys do geeat work! Thank You!
Thank you. It's always nice to share great places to paddle and our experiences. Have a great long 4th of July weekend!
Has been twice years ago. Most of the beautiful trips. Thank You,
It’s well worth an annual tradition in fall! Thank you!
0:16,i wonder if that old bridge is still there or they put a new bridge across
It’s not an active roadway so I speculate it will be there forever. The highway bridge is the modern structure for traffic.
@@driftlesskayaker yea i know of another road near the glen haven area,they dont plow the snow for it in winter time,its a less traveled road
How far of a paddle is that?
12 1/2 miles. It took us about 4 hours. Enjoy!
There’s good small mouth fishing there
There must be. Every now and again we see people fishing (and enjoying doing so). :)
I was just going to comment that you didn't run into a jet boat doing donuts when you said you "made it to the end and then got run over by a jet boat".
Ya, he was just starting the engine as we paddled by. It is an amazingly beautiful area.
@@driftlesskayaker We try to paddle it each fall. Prefer to wait for the crowds to thin out.
Mirror Lake is one of our favorite places to paddle, especially through the narrows and in the marsh. I always worry paddling under the interstate, knowing that a couple of semis have fallen off the bridge in the past decade (both in winter I believe).
Although it will be pushing 100 degrees in a few days, I'm looking forward to doing a fall paddle again on Mirror Lake. Once the crowds thin out in the Dells, it's a great time to paddle during that small window in the fall when the trees put on their autumn show.
Thanks, the driftless is my favorite place
That was a good run Scotty, more riffles than most of your trips.
Thanks buddy! As the water temperatures rise so does our appetite for bigger riffles and rapids.
Enjoying your videos. I live out west but grew up in northern Wisconsin paddling the Manitowish, Chip, Wolf, Wisconsin, Peshtigo, Flambeau and many others. I don't know much about the southern waters and this is a treat to view. You have inspired me to return for 7-10 days in late April and early May and float some of these rivers. Perhaps I'll see y'all on the water.
I’m glad you enjoy the videos. I NEED to get up nort’ this summer and hit some of the rivers you grew up on. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out MilesPaddled.com. Also grab a copy of Timothy Bauer’s guidebook, 60 paddling adventures within 60 miles of Madison.
How long did this paddle take you?
About 4 hours to do the 10 miles.
I make strip kayaks, and am always looking for new places!
Yippy skippy…you have more. I’m going to say hi to you next year at one of the bars on the Square in Baraboo🙋🏻♀️ These videos are keeping me connected to Baraboo and the surrounding areas as I 'row' on my rower👍🏼
Didn't you take the Portage Canal from the Fox River to the Wisconsin River? Great Lakes basin to Mississippi Basin
Negative, from what we could tell, it was still frozen.
Do another row please. Yours is the best so far as I row along while seated in a static rower👍🏼
I’ll try my best! So many rivers, so little time pre-retirement.
Great video
Cool video, we are very familiar with the river and live in Exter Township Great Edit!
Thanks for watching!
I'm definitely trying the one. Thanks for sharing your videos.
It’s a great flat water paddle with awesome scenery! You will also get spoiled with dedicated landings. Enjoy the trip!
I have been on this river since. Alway from Ontario. Now I have a reason to see what is Before Ontario. Thanks for the view. This part is much less traveled for sure. One of the top 10 Rivers in the Midwest.
since 1982
Thanks for watching! This section was definitely shallower than the lower sections so you will need a high tolerance for scraping. I myself need to get back to the main sections of the Kickapoo (on a weekday) to enjoy the scenery of those lower sections.
paddled that stretch many times . the joinerville access i use for my flat bottom take it up to the island in the middle of the river then all the way to the dam descent smally fishing beautiful scenery