From May 23 – 25, 2019, I had a strong desire to canoe the Muskegon River as close to its origination as possible. However, I was advised not to start any more upstream than M-55. My Mother-In-Law Barbara Ditto, my Wife Jennifer Thede, and I looked downstream from the M-55 bridge. There was a lot of debris, trees down, and impassable spots that would require portaging. Instead, we traveled on South Jeff Road trying to locate an alternate put in spot and did at location 44.316332,-84.901170. This is at the end of an unmarked trail.
After taking 30 minutes or so organizing and loading the canoe, getting Pixie, my Golden retriever outfitted with her life jacket and lead, we were ready to shove off. Immediately, there were obstacles that needed to be avoided. I very quickly had to get my paddling game on. As I floated and paddled down the river, I ran into several impassable spots. One location required the total unloading of the canoe so the items could be carried over two massive trees that were across the river next to each other. The opposite side had a break wall that could not be portaged at all. After a few more obstacles, I improved on my technique to float through debris areas and paddle strategically to avoid trees, limbs, and massive logs. It was slow going and took me until 7:30pm to arrive at the White Birch Campground where I had a cabin reserved for the night.
After paying for the cabin and getting the key, I was asked if I needed wood for the campfire and quarters for the shower. I said yes to both. After I moved all my gear and the canoe to the cabin, I fed Pixie and ate dinner. I laid down on the bed and fell asleep for the rest for the night. So much for the fire and shower!
The next morning, I ate a fast breakfast of fruit and got underway by 7am. Good thing I did because there was the longest portage of the trip coming up. About 100 yards, 45 minutes, and a dunk up to my shoulders later, I was paddling again. It was a long stretch before another portage. I really thought I was out of it but there was so much more yet to come. My goal was Leota since I had reservations at the Leota Motel. Well, I never made it. At close to 8pm after hours of optimism, I knew the comfort of a warm bed and room were lost. I resigned myself to finding a location on the side of the river and pitched a 30 year old Wenzel tent. I heard that it leaked around the windows but I put tarps over both to avoid it.
Well, it rained most of the night after 1am and I had pools of water in the tent the next morning. It was miserable and much of my gear was wet. I packed up and headed back on the river. The Leota Motel had no available rooms, so I knew I had to either camp or end the trip. Camping with wet gear and a compromised tent was not viable, so I called for the troops to meet me at Church Street Bridge. The more I paddled, the more obstacles appeared. I portaged about 30 times in the three days with most being the last day. One obstacle that looked harmless enough was the most lethal of all. At the bottom of a campground that was on a 40 foot sand hill, a maple full of leaves had fallen into the river. Must have happened last Fall and the leaves just stayed on the tree. I was paddling in the middle and thought it was easy enough to swing around to the left and go around it. Well, it was just that easy to go around it. However, what was waiting on the other side was a different matter. An old log with a large branch was sticking out and almost impaled me. The canoe got caught under the log and the current starting dragging and sinking the canoe. If it were not for my Hobie Sidewinders, the canoe, gear, my dog, and me would be dispersed throughout the river. I managed to get from underneath the branch and immediately went to shore. The canoe was about half full of water. After recovering, it was a short distance to the take out point at Church Bridge. The moral of the story is never go on the Muskegon above Church street Bridge before June. Give the canoe liveries a chance to cleanup the river first. At the point I met Jennifer and Barbara at Church Street Bridge, I am most certain that the river is much clearer from that point to Big Rapids.
I did end up doing the remaining river and that is for another post.
