High Water in Minnesota: Spring Creekin'

Here's a few of the runs we've hit up here on the north shore of Lake Superior over the past week. There's been plenty of water and lots of drops got fired up.

THE MANITOU
is a class IV run with some portages.

The first drop hasn't been run, but definitely goes at this level.


Johnny "Utah" McConville.


The final portage - Rain Falling Up Falls.



You can see why it gets its name - it's incredibly powerful.


The Manitou channelizes and goes over this final drop into the lake. Props to the boys who fired it up and watch for it in the next LVM.



Next up was a northshore secret gem.

The first major rapid is a boof through a hole into this slide with the lip of a 30 footer at the end of the pool.


Chad "The Chizzler" Thurow dropping this perfect 30 footer.


Lake Superior has a rugged coastline with small islands, inlets, and even sea caves.


THE SPLIT ROCK
is one of the best creeks on the north shore and with the highest water level ever attempted it was really fast and sometimes furious.

Lots of big fast slides.


Typical Splitty.


Under the Log is the final rapid and it packs a punch.


This Burn was ghost ridin' and got destroyed.


Almost Always
used to almost always be portaged.

Nate Heydt dropping in to Almost Always on an urban creek run in Duluth.


Paddling to Lake Superior and doing a ceremonial roll is a tradition here.


ILGEN FALLS

A perfect 30 footer.


Andy "Maximus" McMurray setting up a zip line for a dynamic camera angle.


Kiffy hanging out at the lip.


This is a great drop on a sunny day.


THE BRULE
is a larger river with steady gradient and a few huge drops that are rarely to never run, definitely a must see.

Chizzler in front of the unrun entrance to Canyon Falls.


This massive curler is only a small piece of the puzzle.


The right side of Canyon is a sweet slide.


The left side is a full on big water slide, but it's hard to get over there at this level.


The Devil's Kettle was very full on at this level. Half of the river disappears into the huge kettle/vertical shaft on river right.


Reflecting on this magnificent drop.


Upper Falls lies right below Devil's Kettle and has never been run. Can you see why?


THE DEVIL TRACK
is an elusive north shore creek that meanders through a deep canyon as it roars down slides. There are two portages so you need to know where you're going because this thing moves fast when it's high.

The first portage is The Admiral, and has only been run twice. Two big slides are above it, but at a high level we were forced to portage all three.


Nate Herbeck catching a nice boof on Portage Down the Middle.


Trying to catch a glimpse of Pitchfork Falls, an unrun 40 footer with a shallowish landing. A pretty big portage to get around this canyon, and if you miss the eddy your stuck at the lip.


More photo dumping to come.