SANDSTONE CREEK (Otonagon Co., MI, 4 mi. south of Rockland)

LENGTH: 1mi., CLASS IV, GRADIENT:

SEASON: An afternoon or two during the spring when the snow is melting fast or the rain is falling hard.

PUT-IN: Anyplace upstream about a mile or less from the takeout where you see access from Hwy. 45.

TAKEOUT: On Hwy. 45 about 0.5 miles south of the bridge across the Otonagon River where the creek approaches the road. You can see the last set of ledges from the road.

GAGE: Visual. Check the ledges at the takeout. If it looks like you will be scraping the water is too low.

FUN FACT: Short but sweet

FIRST DESCENT: 1996 by Guy Babbitt, Steve Corsi, Mike Evanston, Mike Giddings, Bill Obrien, Annette Trebitz, Ed Holladay, Bruce Bradshaw

Like its cousin the Union over in the Porcupine Mountains this flashy little creek requires just the right set of conditions to get the water pumping. The run itself is short and right along the highway. It typically runs when there is a good snow pack and really warm weather or a rainstorm either of which cause the snow to melt really fast. In a matter of hours this creek can roar to life.

The creek starts out pretty mellow, but once the rapids start you can easily end up out of control. When this creek hits flood stage the eddies disappear, the holes grow large, but it is a total rush in the final plunge to the takeout. Two expert boaters on the first descent swam in the final sequence of ledges known as the "Alarm Clock".