Traverse Area Paddle Club

Remember: all TAPC outings are listed on our event calendar and are color coded using this scheme:

Small Inland Lakes

Great Lakes

Easy Rivers

Intermediate Rivers

Difficult Rivers
Clean-up Trips

Out-of-town Trips

If you need help using the website you may call the Club Express

Help Desk at

(866) 457-2582

Monday - Friday,

8:30 AM - 7 PM Eastern Time

Home Trip Reports ListDetails

Trip Reports

August 12 Pigeon River from Webb to Afton Road

Published on 8/12/2017

Trip report is by Tracie, because she volunteered when nobody else would
Photos by John, Jocelyn and Glenn
After hearing about this trip over the last few years, I finally made it! I'm so happy that I got the chance to go. The weather was great, not too hot or too sunny, & warm enough to get in the water when needed. We dropped boats by the roadside, drivers ran the shuttle while those of us remaining behind moved boats one at a time down the bank & tied them up to tree roots. The put-in had a nice eddy so the launch of our group went well. The river was at a decent level with the recent rains. No major issues were encountered throughout the first 60% of the trip.
THEN THE GATES OF HELL WERE REACHED.
We wandered through a demon log, dead tree & sweeper filled miasma section for the next 20%. It took team work and all our skills to negotiate. This was followed by the last 20% of rock dodging and bottom scraping before the river ultimately spit us out. Dirty, sweaty, wet, with twigs, leaves & crawly things on our persons &/or boats. But satisfied grins on our faces that we conquered all the obstacles the mighty Pigeon threw at us. It was a 100% wonderful day!

The start

The Pigeon is a pretty river with no crowds

The problems start

All the late summer flowers were in bloom including my favorite, the cardinal flower.

Glenn helps Lois over a log a little too big to charge over.

Jocelyn finds an alternative route

Return to Previous Page