Tuesday - September 15th: Kings Dam to North of Wausau
Another beautiful evening and good start to the day. Easily got around Kings Dam and it was a short paddle to Hwy U S 51 just outside Tomahawk, WI and the start of another flowage, Lake Mohawksin. Many homes along this lake.
Goal is to get as close to Wausau as possible. To do so I will have five more dams to work around which is getting annoying. I was hoping for a shorter day, but as my friend Jim McIntyre would say to me, “Always got to get those miles, always got to get those miles!” The dams and flowages really slow one down so to get my 50 miles it could be another long day. We will see.
THE DAM DAY!
The Tomahawk Dam was not bad to get around, maybe because it was early in the morning. Then it was about seven miles to Grandmother Dam which was an easy paddle with decent river current with a small flowage to cross just before the dam. This was a little more difficult to get around because I needed to work my way down some wooden steps below the power plant.
Next came Grandfather Dam which was interesting. Just before the dam you took a channel on the left that went around the main dam to a smaller dam. Here I needed to hook up my bike trail and go about a half mile along a trail before I could re-enter the water.
Once on the water I again had some decent current and encountered a number of easy rapids to paddle through before entry to the Alexander Flowage. Again, every flowage I cross today was easy for I still had no wind or waves to contend with. Just the darn dams!
Alexander Dam was another bike and trailer trip through a state park and down a trail. Then it was a long steep descent to the river over broken concrete.
Once on the river I again had decent river current until I approached Merrill, WI.
I was thinking of stopping here for I was tired, but I was only at the about the 140 mile mark so I need another 10 to maintain my 50 mile average. So on I went. Once again I hooked up my bike trailer and worked my way around the Merrill Dam to Riverside Park just below the dam.
Here again I had some decent current which made the 10 or so miles to the outskirts of Wausau a quicker paddle than I figured. Which was good because when I found a little spot where I could throw my tarp and sleeping bag down for the night, it was once again dark!
All in all it was a very good day. Each dam had its challenges, but the paddle between each was very enjoyable. Excellent scenery on the river sections and many beautiful homes along the many flowages.
Tomorrow the goal is to get to Stevens Point and take a motel and maybe a little earlier stop. For now it’s time to find the Big Dipper.
Goal is to get as close to Wausau as possible. To do so I will have five more dams to work around which is getting annoying. I was hoping for a shorter day, but as my friend Jim McIntyre would say to me, “Always got to get those miles, always got to get those miles!” The dams and flowages really slow one down so to get my 50 miles it could be another long day. We will see.
THE DAM DAY!
The Tomahawk Dam was not bad to get around, maybe because it was early in the morning. Then it was about seven miles to Grandmother Dam which was an easy paddle with decent river current with a small flowage to cross just before the dam. This was a little more difficult to get around because I needed to work my way down some wooden steps below the power plant.
Next came Grandfather Dam which was interesting. Just before the dam you took a channel on the left that went around the main dam to a smaller dam. Here I needed to hook up my bike trail and go about a half mile along a trail before I could re-enter the water.
Once on the water I again had some decent current and encountered a number of easy rapids to paddle through before entry to the Alexander Flowage. Again, every flowage I cross today was easy for I still had no wind or waves to contend with. Just the darn dams!
Alexander Dam was another bike and trailer trip through a state park and down a trail. Then it was a long steep descent to the river over broken concrete.
Once on the river I again had decent river current until I approached Merrill, WI.
I was thinking of stopping here for I was tired, but I was only at the about the 140 mile mark so I need another 10 to maintain my 50 mile average. So on I went. Once again I hooked up my bike trailer and worked my way around the Merrill Dam to Riverside Park just below the dam.
Here again I had some decent current which made the 10 or so miles to the outskirts of Wausau a quicker paddle than I figured. Which was good because when I found a little spot where I could throw my tarp and sleeping bag down for the night, it was once again dark!
All in all it was a very good day. Each dam had its challenges, but the paddle between each was very enjoyable. Excellent scenery on the river sections and many beautiful homes along the many flowages.
posted by Coach at 4:16 PM
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