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Wolf, WI
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G) Five Islands to Keshena Falls (9.5 miles) ** ACCESS ISSUES **
Class I-III+
9.5 Miles
Avg Gradient 7 fpm
River Description
IMPORTANT!
This reach lies entirely within Menominee tribal lands. It is NOT LEGAL to paddle or walk to the drops described here for all non-Menominees. Driving smaller roads may also be not permitted. If in doubt in Menominee County, stick to paved roads. Arrest and conviction on trespassing charges in Menominee county may result in fine, imprisonment, and confiscation of materials used in the act of trespass up to and including vehicles. This reach is included for the sake of completeness and in the hope that someday, these restrictions may change.
Though the section of the Wolf that may be paddled by the general public in Menominee County ends at Big Smoky Falls, the whitewater does not. The river retains the "lake/drop" character it has on Section 4 but the distance between drops increases, notably in the lower portion of this reach. The river between Big Smoky Falls and Five Islands contains quietwater. The information contained below has been obtained through interpretation of available data and conversation with Menominee tribal members.
From Five Islands, visible roadside off Hwy 55, there is quietwater for a half mile until Turtle Rapids. Turtle Rapids seems to be a low grade boulderbed rapid. At 1.1 miles is White Rapids, a drop that occurs at a constriction and bend in the river. There is quietwater until Big Eddy Falls at 3.0 miles.
Light boulderbed should signal the entrance to Big Eddy Falls. The river constricts, then drops into a sizable hole. This is followed by about 100 yards of boulderbed before the main drop, a sloping ledge of perhaps 8'. There is a big, hungry looking hydraulic at the base of this ledge. In common usage, the word eddy sometimes refers to a hydraulic and this particular one is likely the basis for the name of this drop. Big Eddy may very well be a contender with Big Smoky on Section 4 for the title of biggest, baddest drop on the Wolf.
At 4.1 miles is the light boulderbed of Wolf River Rapids. The Camp 22 bridge is at 5.6 miles and the West Branch drops into the Wolf, river right, by way of Wayka Falls at 6.4 miles. There is a small rapid near Spirit Rock, source of Menominee legend, at 7.3 miles. A rapid occurs at a constriction and bend at 9.0 miles. Keshena Falls comes at 9.4 miles and is viewable from a bridge on a side road off Hwy 55 a short distance north of Hwy 47. Keshena Falls, once site of a dam, begins with a fast moving flume followed by a broken ledge of about 6'. Staying high and to the far right would put one in a secondary channel which ends in a smooth, 5' slide. There is one more small rapid located just downstream of the Hwy 47 bridge and the whitewater on the Wolf ends.
An interesting tribal history can be found at the Menominee Nation site here.
StreamTeam Status: verified
Last Updated: 2007-03-30 09:33:20
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