Dead, Falls, and Slate River U.P. Michigan

So finally I was able to get out and kayak some of the local rivers surrounding me here in the upper peninsula of Michigan. It is more than difficult to find people to kayak with here in the U.P. Everyone commutes from Minnesota and Wisconsin so when i got the call that people were meeting in L'Anse I headed straight there.

The Falls River was at a great level and the perfect first run to get the season going. Some fun boofs and cool moves to be had. The Slate was also a great river but unfortunately rain prevented me from bringing my camera.

below are pics taken from my second lap on the Falls River with Steve and Tom some great guys I look forward to boating with again in the future.

Me droppin in on Powerhouse

All of us smellin it on asshole

Tommy then I on another great boof

The best section had to be the final run out under the highway, unfortunately too fun to get out and set up my camera.

I was also able to get in a solo run on the Dead River right here in Marquette. This river is sweet and should be running all through the fall becuase of dam issues.

Wrapping up finals week here and looking forward to heading home to CO. It's going to be another great summer.

Ross

Alright! So Alpine Quest Sports is entering the world of Blogging. We would like to use this page to connect our community of kayakers and broaden our knowledge of the sport.

This season you should expect to receive “Tips of the Week,” Each week we will be bringing you short video tutorials on things from perfecting your eddy turns, stomping your boofs and nailing those loops. We will share our experiences from all the classes, paddle clubs, and clinics we offer, as well as our own personal trips.

Below we’ll start with an introduction to the “Team” of instructors here at Alpine Quest Sports. We encourage as much feedback as possible to help this grow and to make sure we’re giving you what you need.

Sean Glackin

Years Kayaking: 15

Years Teaching: 8

Favorite Rivers:I love the local rivers of Colorado

Notes: Sean enjoys introducing new paddlers into the sport he loves. In his spare time, Sean loves to go rafting with his wife and two small kids

Andrew Waters

Years Kayaking: 13

Years Teaching: 8

Favorite River: Gore Canyon of the Colorado

Favorite Trip:
One of the best trips I have had was West Cherry Creek in California (pictured). California's granite riverbeds are a site to behold. They make for smooth kayaking. The rule of thumb out there is yes, it’s very big, but if you’re on line it’s all good. This picture was just one of the many waterfalls on this section. We had to hike in about 6 hours with all our gear and then tackle the river.

Ross Herr

Years Kayaking: 10

Years Teaching: 5

Favorite River: Oh be Joyful (pictured)

Favorite Trip: Running the fun drops of Daisy, Slate, and OBJ was great with Paulie this summer but the Big South will definitely be a must do each summer.

Currently a Junior at Norther Michigan University

Katie Shepard

Years Kayaking: 7

Years Teaching: 6

Favorite River: old hometown river The St. Francis
-close second: The Ocoee

Katie is our expert in the art of Rolling

Forest Knapp
Years Kayaking: 15

Years Teaching: 6

Favorite River: Unfortunately this information could not be found from Forrest. He's originally from the south but for some reason he talks like a Yankee. Forest is a well rounded boater from creeking to playboating.

Look forward to seeing everyone out on the rivers this summer. Spring is on its way so stay tuned for all the great excitement to come.
Thanks,

Ross