Menominee,

A) Piers Gorge: Niagara to Hwy.8 (0.5-2.9 miles)

Striding Misicot

Striding Misicot
Photo of bob heckler by wendi heckler taken 07/15/05 @ very low

Gauge Information

River Description

Piers Gorge (final 0.5mi., skipping the shuttle and foregoing Sand Portage) is often done as a big-water, carry-up park-and-play. The gorge often stays open well into winter.

The Rapids:

The stretch consists of 4 main rapids--commonly referred to as 1st-4th piers.

The first rapid is known as Sand Portage or 4th Pier. Rumor has it, this was known as Sand Portage because the Indians wore the rocks into sand with the countless times they used the trail on river left to portage the gorge. As the river enters 4th Pier, it is divided by an island, which many locals enjoy camping on. Most of the flow goes river right of the island, and most boaters do too. There is a nice glassy wave at the lead-in, and a micro eddy on river left. It is pretty fun to dart into the eddy and catch as long of a surf as you can on this wave. Below this wave there is another wave on river right that is fun to surf, followed by a large eddy on river left. Hit this eddy for access to the play features in the runout from the left channel.

The first is a wave known as the Lone Ranger. It is located just furthest upstream where the flow from river left of the island rejoins the flow from the channel to the river right of the island. You have to work a little to get up to the wave, but its a nice surf when you do. At levels above 3000 cfs a second wave, Kemosabe forms just below the Lone Ranger. This one is much easier to get to, and very fun. Just below Kemosabe is a small hole known as Shallow Hal. Its fairly shallow, but nice for flat spins and blasting. Low angle cartwheels are possible here too. When the river is flowing at 4700 Shallow Hal becomes Wave 47, which provides much awesome fun.

Just downstream and river right of the entry wave into 4th Pier is another nice hole known as Bloody Knuckles. This is a very bouncy/dynamic hole. I've seen some good boaters do some pretty cool things here, but I tend to have a difficult time staying in control of the hydraulic. Its sticky enough that if you flip in the hole, there's a good chance you'll still be in it when you roll up. At levels around 3,000 cfs it becomes very sticky and difficult to get out of. Also the surfers left of this hole is pretty shallow and is where Bloody Knuckles tends to dish out bloody knuckles.

Below Bloody Knuckles is a small ledge with a few play possiblities. There is a hole towards the river left side of the river known as EZ-Loving. If you're trying to learn how to flat spin-this is a pretty nice hole as it naturally tries to throw you into a flat spin. It is also nice for blasting.

Overall 4th Pier is not worth the visit unless the gorge is flowing at or above 1800 cfs. If the gorge is below 1800 cfs I'd reccomend doing a park and play in the 3rd-1st Piers.

3rd Pier (also known as Misicot Falls) can be recognized from upstream by the appearance of rock walls on each side of the river and a distinct horizon line. Also if coming down from 4th Pier you will see a sand beach on the river left side of the river before you get to the falls. This is where the rafters generally get out to scout the falls. There is an eddy on the river right just above the falls. This is a nice place for kayakers to get out and scout the drop, as the recommened line is from river right.

The drop itself is a 10' slide into the gorge proper. Extending about 6' from the river right shore at the base of the falls is a somewhat sticky hole that some boaters enjoy playing in. However, I have also seen this hole stop many a boater in their tracks as they come over the falls and proceed to freak them out, resulting in a swim through the next 1/2 mile of rapids. The falls are somewhat V-shaped on river right. The idea is to hit the falls in the center of that V moving towards river left. This line will put you in the large eddy on river left quickest. There is a hole on river left as you go over the falls, but I have penciled into this hole before and came out fine. The further to the river right that you hit the V, the more exciting the drop becomes. There are some very nice waves immediately below the drop. At levels around 2500 cfs the first wave you hit will send you air borne, which provides an awesome opportunity for a wavewheel. However, Volkswagen Rock, just downstream of 3rd Pier discourages too many heroics. You generally have a lot of time to get to the left or right of it, but I have seen a boater get pinned on it and have heard of another loosing his front 2 teeth on it. At levels above 2500 it can be quite thrilling to try and jump over Volkswagen and the hole immediately below it. The hole immediately below Volkswagen is actually where the boater lost his teeth. He was apparently playing in the hole when it happened. The hole below Volkswagen is very shallow and for that reason is capable of causing painful injuries easily.

Just to the river right of Volkswagen is a nice surfing wave. Just downstream and River Left of Volkswagen is Whirlpool Rapids. This is a stretch of squirly water that is pretty fun and sometimes unpredictable to run. Sometimes if you lean back you will go vertical while running these, and stay vertical for quite a while. River right of Whirlpool Rapids is Cudaghi Island. On river right of Cudaghi Island is a nice eddy to catch. You can catch this eddy either by ferrying across WhirlPool Rapids and taking the river right channel around the island, or by hitting the hole known as Chicken-Ender and cutting river right just below the hole and just below the island. This will give you a chance to strut your stuff in Chicken-Ender. This is an awesome hole that is deep and easy to cartwheel in. There is also some very squirly water here which will do strange things with your body while upside down.

Just downstream of Chicken-Ender is 2nd Pier and the 2 Sisters. There is a diagonal hole just above 2nd Pier that funnels down into a hole known as Justin's Bane which can be a very difficult hole to work out of. So the recommeded appoach to 2nd Pier is to enter it river right of the diagonal hole and take the drop straight on. The drop is about a 5' drop into a wave/hole known as 1st Sister, followed fairly quickly downstream by another hole, the 2nd Sister. At levels from 1300-2500 this hole can be entertaining to put your boat in and see not only what you can do, but how long you can stay in there--it is extremely flushy.

Below 2nd Pier are some small boulder garden rapids, followed by a huge eddy on river left. This eddy is a great spot to practice stern squirts, and a convenient place to get out for the shortest carry back up if you want to hit the main gorge again. Otherwise you can continue downstream to 1st Pier and Terminal Surfer. You can sneak around this hole either all the way river right or river left. The hole is basically in the center of the river. If you decide to play this hole it is recommended that you surf this hole on surfers right. The center of the hole is flushy and the best place to exit. The surfers left side of the hole is quite trasy and has stripped many boaters of their pride and scared the crap out of them also. However some guys like to play here. Just below 1st pier is a large somwhat swampy backwater on river left. Paddle across this to shore, and a trail leading up to the parking lot.

Getting to the take-out:

Wisconsin Electric provides a nice park/trail system at the gorge/take-out. There is a parking lot at the end of Piers Gorge Road that can be utilized by kayakers. To get to this parking lot from US141 turn east at the junction of US 8 and US141 north of Pembine, south of Niagara. Follow US 8 until it crosses the Menominee river and you enter the Upper Peninsula of MI. The first road after you cross into Michigan is Piers Gorge Road. Turn Left onto the road and follow the signs.

Getting to the put-in:

You have a few different options here:

1) Carry up: Misicot Falls is located within 0.5 mile of the parking lot, and Sand Portage Falls is a 1.5 mile carry from the parking lot. The trail from the parking lot to both of these places is wide and well worn, and a fairly easy carry (no grueling hills).

2) You can drive toward Niagara on US141. Not far north of the US 8/US141 Junction you will see a road side park. You can park here, change in the restrooms and follow trail on the other side of US141 to Sand Portage. This is an easy carry and less than a half mile. However, it is not well marked, and if you've never done it before, can be hard to know where to head. Also, this wayside may be closed.

3) Continue into Niagara, where there is a boat launch with changing rooms just a block to the right off the main highway. The rafters start here. This adds about a mile-and-a-quarter of very scenic, but totally flat/flowing water before Sand Portage.