Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Trip Planning Forum :: Vern River - navigable?
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ClareAugust |
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Driftless |
But hey, 20 years later and I am still laughing just typing the above: no longer maniacally though. Did I mention the leeches? They were probably attracted to our bleeding shins from being bashed on hidden boulders as we dragged the canoes through the shallows in the dark.... |
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flynn |
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TDBauer |
Here is a link... somewhere around the last half of the video I think he gets into weird, then start going down the Vern River. Matthew Posa, "7 night Wilderness Adventure part 3" two hours and 48 minutes long, so lots of content. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlgqJM7Ax9E |
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ducks |
Last year on my short solo I spent 1 night on Vern and had a couple of hours to kill after setting up camp and before dinner time so I paddled down the Vern River for an hour and then back. That stretch was a beautiful paddle. I'm going back there this summer for my daddy/daughter trip w/ little duckling. I'd like to spend a day going down as far as I can and there are some pools that I'd like to fish along the way. |
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sunnybear09 |
cowdoc: "Been talked about in past. The 99 blowdown made a mess of it, but I think some people have made a 5 hour bushwack trip out of it. There are old threads in the search function. I guess it depends on your definition of navigable." On the South Brule I had to swim the canoe under sweepers twice, cut my way thru some down cedars, and the rock garden along the way required me to climb up 6' boulders in mid-stream and lift the canoe up and over. Also the river disappeared under a giant trash dam that was also a challenge. You couldn't portage around anything because it is a regrowth area much of the way, due to fires, and the shore is impenetrable. Needless to say it was the most memorable part of the trip! It was a September trip and I had a bull moose enter the river along a quiet stretch only 50 feet away and stare me down before deciding to exit fast. Glad there was hunting activity to keep him nervous! You are so very vulnerable in a canoe in 2 feet of water when a moose decides to stomp you. On my Alaska trip with Rob Kesselring in 2015 we had a very aggressive moose make some feints with hair straight up on his neck before backing off--would never have stood a chance of escaping if he had followed thru. Again a highlight moment! Thanks for the input, Doc! |
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sunnybear09 |
ducks: "What cowdoc said.... Thanks, Ducks for the report! You are a tough paddler so I should be cautious! I am very tempted to try the route, it may have been cleaned a bit and I can fight my way thru or hope I am smart enough to back out if it is a lost cause. Will take a good saw with me for sure if I try it! I'll try to send you a report if I try it--looking for a mid June launch if possible. Thanks, Sunnybear! |
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Driftless |
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boonie |
I very quickly scanned the list of trip reports for Homer Lake entry, and perused them even more quickly. One from about 10-12 years ago, mentioned paddling the Vern River until a very large beaver dam blocked the way west. A quick look at satellite view on maps - I'm not really sure what I'm looking at there, but the first part of Vern River looks pretty easy. After that looks entirely different - can't tell for sure, but may be dried up below there . . . ? I'm sure you could bushwhack through there in 2 weeks, which is a week less than it takes to starve to death, so you should be good to go. That could be a little unpleasant, but definitely a novel experience these days. :) I look forward to hearing all about it. Be sure to keep your daily journal up to date, just in case ;) |
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Driftless |
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Driftless |
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boonie |
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voyager |
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ducks |
Little duckling and I didn't get to explore down the river. Friday when we got to Vern it was full, wind was picking up, and we were under an hour until the rain was going to start. So instead of chancing it and paddling to Juno or Pipe we decided on 30 minutes of going back to Homer and the site that we knew was open. It started raining right after we set up the tent and tarp and rained all day. Saturday we did a daytrip into the river and to Vern. We went into the Vern River but only made it to where the big tree is across the narrow spot and fished it for a while. The wind started getting nasty so we headed back to camp and it was good we did when we did because we barely were able to make it back to camp because of the wind. I did see a young couple packed lightly that was headed down the Vern River hoping to get to Weird. No idea if they made it or not..... but someone did try Memorial Day weekend. |
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sunnybear09 |
flynn: "I haven't looked at that area before, but looking at it now, the long skinny bodies of water make this look like a potentially really interesting area. Vern, Juno, Jack... I would probably be tempted to check out the Vern River if I was back there too." We think alike!! |
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ArrowheadPaddler |
sunnybear09: "On the South Brule I had to swim the canoe under sweepers twice, cut my way thru some down cedars, and the rock garden along the way required me to climb up 6' boulders in mid-stream and lift the canoe up and over. Also the river disappeared under a giant trash dam that was also a challenge. You couldn't portage around anything because it is a regrowth area much of the way, due to fires, and the shore is impenetrable. Needless to say it was the most memorable part of the trip!" Sounds like my trip on the South Brule from the road to (attempted) Northern Light Lake. Was going to run out of daylight and took out at the snowmobile bridge. Was a memorable day, but don't think I'll return. The Vern River sounds interesting. Have fun and let us know how it goes! |
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sunnybear09 |
boonie: "Sunnybear- Thanks for the optimism, Boonie!! The eastern end looks fine on a map, it's that snakey little end stretch that worries me--or draws me!! I feel obligated to live up to the moniker you bestowed on me when I did the South Brule--"Sawvivor"!! As usual I will be going solo with my dog so a journal will be required to help the authorities assign a credible cause of expiration. On the other hand if I take my dog I am absolutely duty bound to survive for her sake if nothing else! I will allow a whole day to make the passage (note that that word has "ass" in it!). If the basic flaw in the route is a plethora of stream-crossing blowdowns, perhaps " time and the river" have ameliorated the problem with decay and current. At least I should not have to wait for others at portages--that always pulls the "wilderness" bar down a bit. I did a challenge route last June--in at Skipper, thru to Long Island Lake, on to Kiskadinna from Muskeg, and finally out thru Meeds just to prove I still had something left (now 71 yo) and did just fine(ish). I will be sure to have lots of rope with me if I find that beaver dam--and the good part is I go down not up! Now that you have opened the door to shame and failure :) I am obligated to accept the challenge and push on--the broken-paddle-splinter wounds are on your conscience now, not mine!! Be well, Steve, and I will see you "on the other side"! Best wishes my friend, Sunnybear |
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lindylair |
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sunnybear09 |
Driftless: "Yep, a great attitude got me half way down the river, the second half I used unbridled anger that this @#$%& river was not going to defeat us. I believe our colorful language could be seen from outer space. However the anger was occasionally broken up with maniacal laughter at our predicament, as the light faded, temperatures dropped, and mosquitoes closed in for their feast. I believe the laughter was an attempt to keep from crying for members of our ill fated group. If you have to, you can eat leeches, right!?! I will be solo so I won't have to share... |
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Jaywalker |
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LesliesDad |
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voyager |
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sunnybear09 |
Driftless: "I made it through about 20 years ago and will never, ever do that again. I seemed like a great idea for the first couple of miles and then we had to drag canoes up and over endless downfalls. We were bruised, blooded, and exhausted - so much for the short cut..... Cowdoc said there was a great blowdown in 1999-maybe just before your trip. I am not looking to die out there and plan to exercise some common sense. If I'm lucky perhaps someone has done some clearing or it's my turn! Can't help wanting to go someplace no one else goes! Thanks for the warning! Sunnybear |
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sunnybear09 |
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ducks |
Well....... you're the 1st to call me a tough paddler...... Not positive on when little duckling and I will be there but, if we are there before you and we make it further down the Vern River than I did last time I'll report back. As lindylair stated.... the stretch that I did paddle was very scenic. One of my most memorable trips was to Jack with big duckling a few years ago. We caught a lot of walleye and had many moose sightings. |
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Driftless |
Makes for some great stories, though. Whenever I get together with my college pals, eventually someone will say, "remember the Vern River" and we relive it all again. |
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sunnybear09 |
I did the South Brule from Horseshoe to the road maybe 5 or 6 years ago and it was a buster, but doable (forest service does not "recommend" that route). If no worse than that, I'd chance it. Thanks for the help, Sunnybear |
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rdgbwca |
TDBauer: "There is a YouTuber who went down the Vern River last year in early June 2018 from Weird. Recorded a long section of video on the Vern River. Thanks for the video. He did go down the Vern River...with a dog and camera rolling. IIRC, he concluded it was the most "adventurous" day of his trip. His dog is great too. |
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cowdoc |
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