Black, Little
Stub off US2 to Black River above Gabbro (2.35 miles)
| Difficulty | III+ |
| Length | 2.1 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 130 fpm |
| Gauge | Black, Little |
| Flow Rate as of 43 minutes | 15 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | December 25, 2024 |
River Description
With 28 square miles drainage where it crosses Hwy.2, one might expect it should see adequate flow with some frequency. Problem is, with that small a drainage, it's likely to suffer from deadfall and snags. That said, it has pretty good gradient, so it could be interesting.
If runnable, after the confluence with the Black, you will run nearly the final mile of the (main) Black ( Upper: Ramsey (Mill St) to Gabbro (Baker) Falls), undoubtedly at high flows, running its named drop (Neepikon Falls, really much more of a rapids), and taking out above Gabbro Falls.
We have no first-hand awareness of the feasibility of this run. If you have scouted it or attempted to boat it, what did you find? Is it worthwhile, or a snag-filled portage-fest? Help out your fellow boaters with a 'Trip Report'!
Jake provides: Although 28 square miles, the Little Black River loses much of its volume via the 'bathtub drain' on the NE corner of Sunday Lake in Wakefield. This water is routed to Planter Creek and results in less going to the final stretch of the Little Black River. The Little Black is much wider upstream of Sunday Lake than downstream and (due to the siphoning off) is completely different drainage at the outflow which is sorta tiny. Hopefully this helps anyone reading the original write-up and expecting something runnable.
We thank Jake for that insight ... and ... that suggests that (if flows in the area are high, and you are inclined to check this out ...) if Little Black seems shockingly low, head to the opposite end of Lake Sunday and check for a possible run on one of the Planter Creek sections!
In case you wonder why this river is being listed as 'Black, Little', seemingly inconsistent with other listings in the UP ('Little Iron', 'Little Carp', etc.): The difference is those rivers are separate, distinct rivers running to Lake Superior, not tributaries of
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