5/23 Update: Henry & I are going to have to change our names. We've got 4 J's so far, Jack, Jocelyn, John & Jamrok! A great group forming, and room for 2 more who can handle the challenge!
I have ordered 8 river permits @ $2 each, since need to allow 14 days for USDA/FS to mail from Baldwin.
If more sign-up, they will need to order their own, or can pick-up in Cadillac, Baldwin or Manistee.
This will be our 2nd Annual Epic Adventure, an all-day, 25 mile paddle from Briarpatch to Dobson Bridge (upstream of my favorite section from Dobson to Low). It should take approx 5.5-6 hrs paddling, plus 1.5-2 hrs of stops for lunch, snack & possible portages. This will be a very L-O-N-G day, for experienced river paddlers only! I have the final say on those who sign-up.
We will pass by 6 & 8 Mile Bridges, Skookum, Walker Bridge, Silver Creek Campground, Lincoln Bridge & Elm Flats, on our way to Dobson, on this Wild & Scenic River through the Manistee National Forest. If anyone can't make it the entire way, they can wait at an access upstream, and we will come back for them, after we reach our take-out at Dobson.
Don't forget to bring your PFD, paddle, lunch, snacks, water, bailer or sponge, bow line, and dry bag of extra clothes. There may be mosquitos & ticks, so you may want some bug spray or DEET, too. If you do not have a National Park/Forest pass, it will cost $5 to park at the Dobson access.
Meeting & shuttle details:
For those of us in TC, we could meet at 8AM at the Chums Corner Ace Hardware parking lot, and load boats & gear onto my van (seats for 5) & trailer. We will meet Pine River Paddlesports at Dobson parking lot by 9AM, where we'll re-load our boats & gear for transport by Mark upstream.
If inclement weather, give me a call before you leave home.
For photos from last year's paddle on 6/7, see photos at
http://traverseareapaddleclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=187&club_id=813410
NOTE: As a matter of record, I paddled 20.5 miles from Elms Flat to Low Bridge in 1999 (Roseanne as witness) in only 4 hrs (fastest canoe team), in a big heavy aluminum rental canoe during the Pathfinder Challenge 17 hr adventure race (5th place out of only 5 finishers). This took place on the first Sat in April, and was only 34 degrees when we arrived at the river at 8AM, after mtn biking through the woods for 48 miles, lost in the dark for 2 hrs. I had to paddle hard to get my hands warm, after Roseanne peeled my mtn biking gloves off so I could put on dry gloves. Even then, it took a miserable hr for my frozen fingers to thaw!! So, this will be a luxury in comparison! Come take the challenge!