This memorial day weekend, my wife and I attempted a 40 mile trip down the Kishwaukee and Rock rivers, from Belvidere to Oregon Illinois. It'd be a 3 day 2 night trip which I've done previously.
We fell short.
The Kishwaukee was moving, but not exceptionally fast. Water height was at 5 feet (2 more than average), and a KCFS around 2.4. It was right at action stage, 3 feet below flood. Unfortunately, after so much deadfall and so many floods from the last 2 years, it's nearly impassable at points. At that level, it basically became a whitewater course, trying to avoid trees.
After my wife flipped twice, and me getting caught in a current and splashing over, we made the call to end it. We were behind schedule, and had gear beginning to get soaked. Baumann park is right at the edge of civilization, so it was a point of no return. By blackhawk park there were a few more sharp turns, and if that would be as bad as the first stretch, we would have been in trouble.
So we played it safe. A bit unsatisfactory, but safety first.
We fell short.
The Kishwaukee was moving, but not exceptionally fast. Water height was at 5 feet (2 more than average), and a KCFS around 2.4. It was right at action stage, 3 feet below flood. Unfortunately, after so much deadfall and so many floods from the last 2 years, it's nearly impassable at points. At that level, it basically became a whitewater course, trying to avoid trees.
After my wife flipped twice, and me getting caught in a current and splashing over, we made the call to end it. We were behind schedule, and had gear beginning to get soaked. Baumann park is right at the edge of civilization, so it was a point of no return. By blackhawk park there were a few more sharp turns, and if that would be as bad as the first stretch, we would have been in trouble.
So we played it safe. A bit unsatisfactory, but safety first.
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