RED RIVER below Lower Red Lake, (Shawano Co., WI, 8 mi. northwest of Shawano)

LENGTH 2 mi., CLASS II (III), GRADIENT:

SEASON: Good beginner whitewater boating througout the summer. Fun for experts when the Upper Red is cranking.

PUT-IN: Below the dam at the southeast end of Lower Red Lake on an "island" between the river channel and the power plant discharge channel.

TAKEOUT: Parking was previously in a field off Butternut Rd. Vehicle vandalism has led many paddlers to use a new takeout just downstream on Finley Rd.

GAGE: This stretch nearly always has enough water due to rather constant discharge from the dam for hydropower production. If the USGS near Morgan reads above 400 cfs they probably have the gates open on the dam making this a more intense run. You can call Call Gresham Power & Light for more information on the upcoming release schedule 715-787-3244.

FUN FACT: The standard Central Wisconsin beginner run, with a sweet drop for more advanced boaters.

SHUTTLE (MAP): From the put-in drive north less than a mile to Butternut Rd. You will pass the monastery on your right. At the east side of their property turn right down a dirt road along the edge of a cornfield (about 1.5 miles from the turnoff onto Butternut Rd.) We have done this as a jogging shuttle. To reach the lower put-in (a safer spot for vehicles, continue on Butternut Rd., take the 90 degree turn south and in a short distance you will reach Kathryn Rd. Turn right on Kathryn and then take a second immediate right on Finley. You'll see a small parking area and changing shelter just across the road from a big house.

ISSUES: The Alexian Brothers Novitiate ("the Monastery") along this section of river is currently abandoned although a caretaker will chase you away if you decide to trespass. A proposal has been made to purchase the property and turn it into a county park (1997). Contact David Wilhelms of Red River Paddlers for additional information (P.O. Box 324, Shawano, WI 54166, 715-524-4495 [home], 800-558-5011 ext. 7469 [work], proddev@jjkeller.com)

This is the standard river to learn whitewater boating in Wisconsin. The run is short and the drops are fun. During any given Saturday in the middle of summer you will often share the river with students from nearby kayak schools or clinics and the Hoofer Outing Club. Another major draw of this run is that it almost always has enough water to cure that midsummer paddling itch.

The first drop is a short ledge with most of the flow heading towards river left. At most flows you can do some nice side surfing here, although it tends to get sticky the closer you get to river left. You can usually get in and out without too much trouble but the power can surprise beginners who decide to hop in for the first time leading to a swim.

A little ways downstream the river comes to an island with a short set of ledges in the river left channel. This drop is close to Monastery Falls, the main drop on this run. When you come to the deep pool above it, land on river right to scout it.

This drop changes character dramatically with water level from a relatively straightforward class II+ shoot at low water to an intense class IV at higher water. You will have to be the judge when you scout it. The crux of the rapid is a large hole that develops right after the first pitch. There usually is not much room to maneuver around it because the river enters a slot a couple meters wide. The next pitch is rather straightforward if you are still in control, and the final pitch into the deep pool below is not much of a problem either. At low flows you can usually punch the top hole. At high flows you get some room to maneuver around it but it is not an easy move. A standard line is to sneak by it on river left but you tend to run out of room in the funny water along the rock wall.

Most beginners who decide to run this would be wise to put in halfway down the rapid below the top hole. The rocks along this drop make a great place for a lunch stop. Those who want to keep boating can often amuse themselves for hours in the hole at the bottom of the drop. At low water it is not much and at high water it flushes so strongly that you can not really stay in, but at intermediate water levels you can find some good surfing.

After a short stretch of flatwater you will come to the last drop and the takeout. The drop can be scouted on river left. Stay alert for kids swimming in the pools and sliding down some of the drops on warm summer days. This is a great drop for beginners to practice eddy hopping and there are a few playboating possibilities. You can run either side of the island at the end of this drop depending on the water level.