BWCA Wisconsin River full length Boundary Waters Group Forum: Other Canoe Camping Locations
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WIMike
distinguished member (248)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
11/09/2020 12:45PM  
Exploring the idea of paddling the length of the Wisconsin River next summer as a fundraiser. Lots of info here on the lower river but I'm looking for resources (people, books, websites) that will give me comprehensive info on paddling conditions, camping, etc. for the entire river. I'm looking to do it in one continuous trip but not looking to set a speed record and I plan to sleep a few nights in motels. Plan is to use my OT Penobscot 16. Anyone done the entire length or know of useful resources? Thanks.
 
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inspector13
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11/09/2020 02:48PM  

See if this site suits your needs.

 
WIMike
distinguished member (248)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
11/09/2020 07:28PM  
inspector13: "See if this site suits your needs."

Looks like exactly what I’m looking for. Thanks.
 
WIMike
distinguished member (248)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
12/08/2020 07:34AM  
Anyone done this trip and would be willing to share insights? Anyone know when I can reasonably expect the upper sections to be ice-free in the spring. I'd like to start as early as I can. I know it varies from year to year. Thanks
 
onepaddleshort
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12/19/2020 06:58PM  
WIMike: "Anyone done this trip and would be willing to share insights? Anyone know when I can reasonably expect the upper sections to be ice-free in the spring. I'd like to start as early as I can. I know it varies from year to year. Thanks"


I’ve paddled the whole river- but I did it in sections over a few summers. About 2/3rds of it solo but I managed to talk a friend into paddling the last 100 miles or so with me.

I started at Lac Vieux Desert in mid June so I wasn’t pushing ice out.

I enjoyed John Sullivan’s trip report of his paddle down the Wisconsin. He is a hard-core river paddler and has paddled many different Midwest rivers. His website has every other day of his trip posted here: Trip Report

I contacted him and he was kind enough to share his entire trip report with me. I also wrote a trip report of my own which is on some hard drive somewhere. If you’d like to read it I can see if I can find it. If you come up with any questions I can answer I’d be happy to.
 
Jackfish
Moderator
  
01/04/2021 08:03PM  
WIMike... I have a former college professor friend who has paddled the entire length of the Wisconsin River at least twice. He and his paddling partner set speed records for paddling the entire river end-to-end, but he may have paddled it casually, too. Not sure about that.

What I do know is that he's a great guy - a retired outdoors recreation professor at UW-La Crosse (WI), as well as the University of Idaho. He lives in Idaho in retirement and has also done multi-week solo trips in Quetico, Woodland Caribou, Wabakimi and Opasquia Provincial Parks. He'd be a great resource for you if you're interested.
 
WIMike
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01/04/2021 08:17PM  
onepaddleshort: I also wrote a trip report of my own which is on some hard drive somewhere. If you’d like to read it I can see if I can find it. If you come up with any questions I can answer I’d be happy to."


Thanks onepaddleshort, don't spend a lot of time looking but if you have that trip report handy I would love to read it. I may have a few questions later. I appreciate your offer to help.
 
WIMike
distinguished member (248)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
01/04/2021 08:25PM  
Jackfish

He sounds like a great resource to tap into. Can you please provide me an email address or other way to contact him? Thanks.

 
Jackfish
Moderator
  
01/12/2021 07:38PM  
Hey Mike... sorry I missed your post. I’ll get his contact information for you.
 
01/17/2021 10:26PM  
Wasn't there a female duo that did the WI in 2 week long trips and published a trip report about it here? Maybe 5-10 years ago? I know WI source to mouth is on my list of trips I want do at least once in my lifetime, including the MS.
 
onepaddleshort
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01/19/2021 10:42AM  
WIMike: "
onepaddleshort: I also wrote a trip report of my own which is on some hard drive somewhere. If you’d like to read it I can see if I can find it. If you come up with any questions I can answer I’d be happy to."



Thanks onepaddleshort, don't spend a lot of time looking but if you have that trip report handy I would love to read it. I may have a few questions later. I appreciate your offer to help."


I found a report for the first half of the trip. I emailed it to you.
 
WIMike
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01/19/2021 10:49AM  
onepaddleshort:

I found a report for the first half of the trip. I emailed it to you."


Perfect! The upper stretches are where my knowledge is the thinnest so I really appreciate your help. I'm laid up right now following foot surgery so I have plenty of time to pore over this report. Thank you!
 
GutRooster
distinguished member (193)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/11/2021 08:36AM  
Hey Mike, sorry for posting twice. It took me a minute to figure out how the join the group.

Yes, I did the entire length last summer over 4 days. It was a great time. I write for another paddling group, WI specific and will post the link below. If you have any questions, let me know. For sure do it and for sure do it continuously if possible. It's worth your time.

https://www.milespaddled.com/2020/07/wisconsin-river-xix/
 
WIMike
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02/11/2021 08:42AM  
GutRooster: "
Yes, I did the entire length last summer over 4 days. It was a great time. I write for another paddling group, WI specific and will post the link below. If you have any questions, let me know. For sure do it and for sure do it continuously if possible. It's worth your time.
https://www.milespaddled.com/2020/07/wisconsin-river-xix/"



Four days!! Wow, you’re an iron man. I’m looking at 2 1/2 weeks but I’ll be in a relatively slow canoe and I built in some time for unexpected portages around beaver dams, thunderstorm delays and a little fishing here and there. Thanks a bunch for the info.
 
02/11/2021 01:32PM  


Whitewater Quietwater, technical river maps and info from the source to The Dells.
Paddling Northern Wisconsin, technical info and maps from Lac Vieux Desert to Wausau.
Canoeing and Kayaking Wisconsin, a more general trip description from Vilas CO to Wyalusing, notes on towns and Taverns.

I may have more but they are buried. A used book store is the best source, or I can loan them for the season.

butthead
 
WIMike
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02/11/2021 01:54PM  
Thanks butthead. The Paddling Northern Wisconsin book looks especially useful as it covers a few other rivers I'd like to kayak fish.
 
WIMike
distinguished member (248)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/12/2021 09:19AM  
onepaddleshort: " If you come up with any questions I can answer I’d be happy to."


Thanks for the offer and I do have a few questions. Would you like me to email you? If so I need an address please. If you'd like, I can ask them here and then the info will be available to others as well. Thanks.
 
fishboat
member (12)member
  
03/30/2021 11:52AM  
Mike..you may want to checkout the MilesPaddled.com site..they recently created a paddling/camping webpage that discussed the WI River, full length.

Great website in general..lots of specific info that saves searching on your own.
 
01/28/2022 05:24PM  
WIMike - Did your trip ever materialize? I've been interested in upper portions of the WI River for casual 2-3 day trips.
 
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