We’ve gotten some good references on the Pine River and Pine River Flowage areas up in northern WI. Anybody care to share any info? Thanks Jim
Pine River…
Paddled a short part of it last year from the landing on FR2169 (Stevens Lake Road) to the Chipmunk Rapids Campground. About 9 miles or so. I would like to have had more time on this river, but it was only an afternoon run… pretty river…nice campgrounds too.
Pine River
I paddle the Pine River last year from Hwy 55 to Chipmunk Rapids. The river is mostly wild and almost no houses are visible from the river. The river was a bit low and some of the rapids where a challenge to find a channel that had enough water in them. This stretch had only one rapids of some significance (CL II) I can’t remember the name, but it is an old bridge crossing with an old trestle ( island?) in the middle on the channel. The recommended route is the right branch, apparently the left channel has chucks of concrete with steel bars sticking out of them. The rapids require some maneuvering to avoid a big bolder after the first drop and to precisely navigate between two lager boulders that follow (scooting recommended). I really enjoyed the river even though I was frustrated with the scraping and the hanging up in some of the shallow rapids. Apparently, the river gage in Florence is not a good indicator of the water level but I was told that a flow of 400cfs in Florence usually provides a good float from Hwy 55. Water level permitting, I will try to do a three day trip on the river this year and tackle some of the more difficult rapids beyond Chipmunk rapids. NOTE: Good camping spot after CCC rapids, river right.