Big Iron

We ran this stretch on May 3, 2019. The West Branch of the Ontonagan near Bergland USGS gauge was ~1100 cfs, 5.17 feet. The Big Iron virtual gauge on AW was ~661 cfs. We thought this was minimum. Shallow and scrapey in spots, not pushy, several good surf spots. We put-in at an empty wooded lot between two houses at White Pine (the co-ordinate listed as the put-in on AW) and took out in Silver City at the boat launch at the mouth by Lake Superior. A local neighbor said it was OK to put-in where we did, although it did require some bushwacking down to the river, maybe 200 yards. Per this neighbor, this put-in is the closet spot to the river with 'permitted' access unless you go way upstream. No specific trail down, just head straight down, weave through the pines, stay right of the creek you encounter towards upstream. Easy flat spot to put-in at river level just downstream of the creek. The take-out has a port-o-potty and good parking, easy access out of river. Be sure to do some rolls in Lake Superior before you take-out, brings good luck, I have been told! As described, this is river has multiple ledges which provide fun play and multiple boofs and one waterfall near the end. At this level, it was scrapey in spots. We felt it could use at least 200 more cfs. It is a wide river. A broken bridge abutment on river left with graffiti on it makes an easy marker for when Bonanza Falls are next. It is easy to scout the Falls ahead if time from a road that goes down to the Falls on river right. Most of us ran the Falls on the river right side, entering mid-right and zig-zagging back far right to boof the ledge as there was a big tree far right. We did not scout the Falls from the left. Easy portage path around the Falls on the right. At this level, we felt the section from White Pine to the Falls was CL II to easy III. The section from the Falls to take-out more CL III to III plus as the ledges are taller and closer together. There are multiple taller ledges after the Falls to the take-out; therefore, do not relax too much after your great run of Bonanza Falls. These ledges come faster. Be sure to look upstream after the Falls as the view is gorgeous. It would be easy to do a self shuttle from the Falls to Silver City, making a short but fun run. One could also take-out at the Falls, using the White Pine to the Falls as a 'step-up' run with some adventure getting down to the river. Our guess is that the play would only get better with more water. At this level, everything except Bonanza Falls was boat scout able.

Todd Leigh boofing one of the many ledges on the Big Iron river at 661 cfs.

Todd Leigh boofing a typical ledge one will find in the section from White Pine to Bonanza Falls.

Karen braces after dropping one of the many ledge after Bonanza Falls at 661 cfs

Todd Leigh boofing one of many typical ledges found on the Big Iron river at 661 cfs.

Karen Frank lays a good brace after dropping a ledge somewhere after Bonanza Falls at 661 cfs.

Karen Frank braces after running one of the many ledges after Bonanza Falls on the Big Iron river, 661 cfs

Jim McHale hiking to the river at the put-in for the Big Iron at White Pine.

Jim McHale running a rapid typical of the section above Bonanza Falls on the Big Iron at 661 cfs.

MI Paul Lange boofs at Bonanza Falls, Big Iron river at 661 cfs

Lot where we put-in on the Big Iron river at White Pine, MI at 661 cfs

Paul ferrying to his boof spot at Bonanza Falls, Big Iron river, 661 cfs

Todd Leigh boofs one of the many ledges above Bonanza Falls on the Big Iron, 661 cfs

Paul enters Bonanza Falls on the Big Iron river, 661 cfs

Karen Frank runs a ledge somewhere after Bonanza Falls on the Big Iron river, 661 cfs

Hike to put-in for Big Iron at White Pine

Jim McHale enters left of the tree to boof the larger tier of Bonanza Falls at 661 cfs