Even though my friends, the Gallaghers, from the Grand Rapids area cleared the "Little Man" on April's Fools Day, and the best of vous crew paddled it on Sat 4/3 (missed due to commitment to lead GTHC hike), this is still a river to RESPECT, no fooling! I posted a WARNING to paddlers over a year ago, which is still there at 9-Mile, so obviously the Forest Service & other paddlers find it meaningful (see below).
Well, today was no different than most paddles here, except that I think in spite of the clearing that has been done, it is more challenging than ever before! I started by mtn biking from the weir back to my canoe, locked up in the woods at 9-Mile, and headed out in the 77-degree sunshine solo. The first 15 minutes teases paddlers with a slower current, and easier passage between overhanging branches & downed trees, but BEWARE, it is short-lived, and for the unsuspecting, DANGER lies ahead. As the current picks up, the tree dodging, ...over, under & in-between, becomes so frequent that it takes effort to stay calm between sprints of energy, to get past the impending obstacle around almost every corner, from one to the next for 30 constant minutes, like riding a roller coaster or skiing Black Diamonds. No time to panic, got to save up for the next burst of action, quick, strong & steady! In many spots, "The Maze", Double Limbo, ..., the space is not more than 36" high (shoulders) by 36" wide (canoe), so just enough to hunker down & hope to clear it, without bumping your head. In much of this section, the current is pullling you to the outside, when the river is only open on the inside bend, so got to ferry HARD to get a straight shot through the small opening. I usually clear some but have decided that those who paddle here love the challenge, like no other in NW Michigan, and those who are unprepared will hopefully learn their lesson soon enough to get out & hike to the road.
After the first 45 minutes, the river is less demanding but still lots of obstacles. I enjoyed visiting with approx 4 dozen fishermen, with several on most bends when I got closer to the new concrete 6-Mile bridge. From there, it's a 20-minute beginner paddle to the weir. Although I don't really worry about paddling alone, it's nice to know the fishermen could help, in case of an emergency. And, all except one were very welcoming, and awed when I would pass behind them. When I went back to pick up my bike at 9-Mile, the fishermen there told me they had released 300 steelhead from the weir, so that explained all of the activity on the river. I even had a big one almost fly into my canoe, and saw a 12-yr old catch his "rainbow".
My sign at 9-Mile reads:
NOTICE TO PADDLERS
This section of the Little Manistee, from 9-Mile Bridge to 6-Mile Bridge, is the fastest, most technical & challenging river in NW Michigan, with a 14 ft/mile gradient, shallow & narrow (only 12 ft wide in some spots).
IF YOU ARE NOT AN EXPERIENCED PADDLER, this may not be the river for your enjoyment. A 2-hour paddle can turn into a 7-hr tow & portage, if you do not have the skills to maneuver quickly in this river. The downed trees are not cleared by a livery, so you must be able to get out of your boat in seconds, if you paddle around a bend & find yourself approaching a downed tree, overhanging branch or logjam that you cannot paddle under, over, or around.
Every time the river floods, trees fall into the river and block the path. So you need to stay alert, since the fast current pulls you into many obstacles on the outside of the bends, and the opening, sometimes only 3 ft x 3 ft, is on the inside of the bend. You should be prepared to take an “unplanned” swim, have bow & stern lines, a change of clothes in a dry bag, and be able to do your own self-rescue. Cell phones do not work in this forested river valley.
"The Maze"
Double Limbo
The Chute, for beavers only, almost!