Pike

B) CTH.K to Barker Rd. ("Yellow Bridge") (3.4 miles)

Difficulty	II-III
Length	3.2 mi
Avg Gradient	20 fpm
Gauge	Pike River at Amberg, Wi
Flow Rate as of 35 minutes	153 cfsbelow recommended
Reach Info Last Updated	November 20, 2023

River Description

Location: About 4 miles East of Amberg, WI.

Put-in: 45.49557 -87.90440 Unimproved roadside pull-off from CTH.K at the river

Take-out: 45.47092 -87.87218 Unimproved roadside pull-off from Pike River Road

Shuttle Length: 3.2 miles/5 minutes

Put-in is approximately 787' elevation.

Take-out is approximately 737' elevation.

Thus elevation change is approximately 50'.

Character: Medium-width channel, bedrock and cobble bottom, pool/drop, generally open routes.

River banks: Generally rocks and trees.

Typical width: 45'-75'

Video: Pike River (~200 CFS) (Note: Horseshoe Falls (two runs): 4:12-4:47,

General Overview

The Yellow Bridge Section of the Pike River (at normal/usual flows) is a fine beginners trip. You'll enjoy great 'up North' scenery cruising the flatwater, and the rapids will be enough to get your attention. More experienced paddlers will enjoy slightly higher flows, as the features build nicely to provide fine play and a rip-roaring finish.

The biggest problem you are likely to encounter here will be the bugs in summer: horseflies, deerflies, and mosquitos will feast on you unless you apply plenty of repellent. On one trip, one of our paddlers had a head-net which fit over his helmet and covered down to the neck of his paddle jacket. He had a great many offers to purchase (at multiples of what it had cost him!), but he would not part with it. Smart man!

River Features

Put In

Distance: 0 mi

Access Point

Put-in Wave

Distance: 0.01 mi

Other

A small pocket wave/hole at the put-in allows surfing and beginners practice ferrying in good current (in the outflow) at low levels. At high levels, it becomes very playable. I've even heard stories (from 'the old days', when 11-12' boats were the norm) of people catching an ender and having the boat hit the bridge undercarriage!

First 'canyon'

Distance: 0.12 mi

Other

An easy rock-dodge rapids leads to a pool where the river takes a 90 degree left bend through a narrowing in a rock walled gorge.

Surfing and enders are possible at higher levels.

Scrounge Canyon

Class: IIDistance: 0.4 mi

Other

More minor rapids lead to the first commonly named drop, Scrounge Canyon, a narrowing of the river, as it passes through a dells with minor boulder garden.

Absolute beginners will probably just 'go with the flow' down the center from top to bottom.

More experienced boaters will 'work' the rapids, catching as many eddies as possible on both sides of the river.

Horseshoe Falls

Distance: 0.55 mi

Other

Numerous small rapids lead to Horseshoe Falls, where the river is diverted around an island.

The left channel is narrower, and often completely closed-off by wood.

The right (much larger) channel drops over a short (1-1.5') ledge, and stong current and 'funny water' immediately follow.

Beginners will likely want to carry up (river-right) for multiple attempts and lines down this drop.

White Dog (playspot)

Class: IIDistance: 1.07 mi

Other

Not far downstream is one of the best play spots, White Dog. Surfing and enders are great at moderate to high flows.

Yellow Bridge Rapids

Class: IIIDistance: 2.99 mi

Other

The river passes under Barker Road where there had been an old iron bridge, painted yellow. The bridge has been replaced, but it lives on in the name of this rapid.

The drop begins with a twist to the right across a short, irregular sloping ledge, to an intermediate pool. From the pool, the river twists to the left as it drops over another ledge, then down the longest boulder garden rapids on the run before the take-out on the left bank. At high water, this is a real rip-snorting rapids which most beginner/novice boaters will take out above. For those who do run the drop, takeout is just around a right hand curve just as the action subsides.

Note: Please be considerate of posted private property around this drop. The home-owner (at river right) has generally been quite willing to grant permission to groups who ask before scouting, while reportedly getting varyingly irate at those who trespass without first getting consent.