River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-09-17
CANOE TRIP ON THE ST. CROCK
RIVER
By Professor Swenson


is rapidly gaining favor. The riv-
ers of upper Wisconsin offer great
many attractive trips, a favorite
among them being the st. Croix
river and it's branches.
Our party consisted of Professor
c. p. Schott and wife, Of tn e
Platteville Normal school, Mrs.
SWenson and myself.
Our canoe was an 18-ft. Old Town
Guides special. Although weigh
ing less than one hundred pounds
itself, it was able to carry a load
of nine hundred pounds, a weight
which included ourselves and duff
file. The duffle was limited to the
minimum in order to decrease our
already heavy load. Four pairs Of
heavy blankets, wrapped in a pouch
to protect it from rain, made IN
our bedding. A 7x7 canoe tent.
weighing four pounds, suspended
from a branch of a tree and stalk
ed at the corners, furnished q e.
quate shelter from both dew and
rain at night. This tent served us
in good place, for four nights of the
trip it rained, and on other nights
there was always quite a heavy
dew.
A tin box, in which we kept our
supplies, in addition to camera,
fishing tackle raineOats and sweat
ers, made up the remainder of our
duffle.
The start of the trip was made
from Scion Springs, which is on
the upper ST. Croix Lake, the head
waters of the st. Croix river, about
thirty miles miles from Superior.
After spending two days on the
upper lake ST. Croix in testing our
tent in the rain, and visiting with
our friends, the Tubbs', who have
a summer cottage there, the wealth
er cleared and we padded twelve
miles down the river to Gordon
for our first stop. At Gordon we
laid in three-days' supply of pro-
visions, which should last us until
we reached Danbury, about sixty
miles further down the river.
Between Gordon and the old st.
Croix lumber dam, nine miles be-
low, is peculiar stretch of river,
known as "The Flowage." It's pc
culiarity lies IN the fact that the
river spreads out and were it not for
open spaces in the dense growth
of wild rice and other grass Sc s.
which grow in the river, the chan
mel would be hard 10 follow. IN
blocked by Aumps and cutoff
tr e S, which, as we approached
them, seemed impenetra BILE, but as
we came to them, developed open
ings through which the canoe was
just able to squeeze. This was the
most dangerous part of the jour
ney, as just below the surface were
stumps h d d e n by the water,
which might at any time rip open
the canoe.
Between the st. Croix dam and
the Copper Mine dam were five
miles of almost continuous but shall
low rapids. These were easily run,
and the only problem. was keep
ing in deep enough water. We ran
aground number Of times on
rocks, but easily backed off and
went merrily on our way.
Just before and just after reach
ing the mouth of the Nemacagon
we ran through a groupe Of larg-
er rapids. In these the water was
much deeper and swifter. In only
two instances was the water deep
enough to have been over our
heads, nor was the current swift
enough to carry one off his e e !
Where the river first touches Min
nesota soil we passed through the
State Line rapids. after which we
had eight miles Of smooth water
" OdAOQ1 LIOlu DdnOuIY OH.
with the exception Of the nine
miles of Kettle river rapids and
the dam at Taylors Falls, we had
smooth water all the way.
We struck the river at the wrong
time for fishing, as no one seemed
to be catching any. The farmers
and rivermen along the way said
we should have come a month
earlier, or later after the. frost.
when the fish would fairly lump
mot the boat. My eyes have never
rested upon what seemed to be
better breeding grounds for fish
than the upper stretches of the st.
Croix river With it's sandy banks,
dark, deep pools, it's swiftly flow
ing water, alternating with stretch
es of deep, quiet water, and the
fact that it is not fished to death,
it ShO11ld furnish fho host f;eL.,,cr