St. Louis, |
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| Name | Range | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST. LOUIS RIVER AT SCANLON, MN | 1000 - 10000 cfs | 00h32m | 1710 cfs (rc= 0.2 ) |
This stretch is a popular raft trip, convenient to Duluth and (slightly less so) to
Minneapolis/St.Paul. Action is very pool/drop, with significant stretches of flatwater between
the drops, as well as a reservoir to paddle across at the end of the trip to access the take
out.
Put in is at a rafting outfitters, where parking of vehicles by private boaters is tolerated in
the further reaches (closer to the frontage road) of the grassy lot.
A brief access paddle (crossing under I-35) leads to the first rapids. The river bends right,
then left, through a series of small, smooth waves, and (on river left) a couple rocks which
create a couple of good play holes. The rodeo crowd will spend much time here.
The main feature on the run is Electric Ledge. As power-lines span the
river, a bedrock intrusion into the river chokes the stream to flow through a couple of waves and
holes. Play may be possible here, depending on levels as well as boater confidence and
ability.
Not far downstream, an island splits the river. The left channel (normal run) is Little
Kahuna, a fine, long boulder garden, with a couple potentially sticky holes toward the
end, river right. The right channel loses most of its gradient at the head of the island, as it
trips down a particularly jumbled, boney falls, Big Kahuna. A couple possible lines
exist to run this, though most choose to pass (running the left channel, as previously
described).
There are a few other scenic dells and a couple minor rapids on the run before the gradient
peters out, as one reaches the backwaters of the Thomson Dam. Nearly a mile (it will seem longer)
of paddling across the reservoir will bring you to a pier (to the left of the dam), where you
will carry across a poison-ivy covered berm, and to the parking lot at the paddling center at
Hwy.210.
Check out Julie Keller's great pics of the
Open Canoe Nationals.
See Midwest River
Inventory for additional images.
A Minnesota boating group, Rapids Riders, has a fine river map (in the style of William Nealy)
available HERE.
Dam, powerhouse, and gauge are just upstream of put in. Runnable levels are assured virtually all summer.
'Maximum Recommended Flow' (10,000 cfs) represents levels well above the norm. The river has been paddled at virtually all flows. It should be noted, however, that high flows on this river are often accompanied with CSO (combined sewer overflows), so water quality will be an increased concern.
| Flow | Description | Class |
| 500 - 1,000 | Very Low | I-II(III) |
| 1,000 - 2,500 | Low | II(III) |
| 2,500 - 5,000 | Moderate | II-III(III+) |
| 5,000 - 10,000 | High | III(IV) |
| 10,000 - up | Very High | III-IV(IV) |
| Name | Range | Updated | Level | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| ST. LOUIS RIVER AT SCANLON, MN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| usgs-04024000 | 1000 - 10000 cfs | 00h32m | 1710 cfs (rc= 0.2 ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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No guide books for this stream. If you know of a book that describes this stream please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. | Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | First Ledge | II |  |
| 1.5 | Narrows | II | |
| 2.0 | Electric Ledge | III | |
| 2.1 | Big Kahuna | IV |  |
| 2.2 | Little Kahuna | III | |
As the river takes a right-hand-bend, a series of sweet waves is encountered, leading to a decent hole toward river-left. A couple big rocks here alter the flow to create some good play waves and holes.
Playboaters will spend considerable time here (sometimes not bothering to even go downstream, but instead carry back to the put-in).
The river narrows through a bit of a dells. There are minor rapids leading in and out of this area. Some boaters enjoy taking out river-left and carrying up a path to a high outcropping from which they can do a high 'seal start' into the river. (Depth at the base is plenty good to 'go deep'.)
When you see the high powerline overhead, you'll know you have come to the biggest drop on the run. This one will change dramatically with different flows. A rocky ledge exists on river-right, from which you can scout the main drop (at low-to-moderate flows).
Downstream of Electric Ledge, an island splits the flow. Most traffic is advised to go to the left. To the right, right at the head of the island, there is a short, steep, rocky pitch. With the right flows, there are runnable routes down this falls, but you will definitely want to scout throroughly. Since river-right loses almost all the gradient here (there is vey little down the rest of the right side of the island), most folks who do run this will carry back across the top of the island or take the first available channel to the left to head down river-left side of things, where more action awaits.
In the river-left channel, most traffic stays toward the island (channel-right) to splash through (or catch) a couple of sweet wave/holes. At some flows, these may be a bit 'keepy', and better avoided.
River Alert
State News
River Links
NWRI - St. Louis B) Hwy.61 (Scanlon) to CR210 (Thomson Reservoir) (3.4 miles) (mobile)
User Comments
Hole, The Canyon, Hidden Hole, and the Electric Ledge...Below that is Rescue Rapids in the Left
channel and Boat Beater Falls in the right channel..Below Boat Beater Falls there is one small set
known as Upstream/Downstream. Edit
off the highway on the East side of the River across from the rafters location. This is a private
campground and features 30 sites with a private put-in. A little close to the highway if you're a
light sleeper, but overall, a nice place. Update: visited again Aug/04 and there were some nice
site improvements. Free firewood provided at each site... excellent!
the road from where the rafters put in. It has lots of parking, dressing rooms, porta potti and a
walk down to an improved put in (no more mud up to your ankles) Its about 200 yards upstream of the
raft put in , on the other side of the bridge.
Mike Flannigan