MCA HUT! Archive

Cotton Lake had a tavern on it where I would try to recruit my shuttle driver. I needed to be up close to Many Point lake because the Ottertail’s source is a little stream going into the Northeast end of the lake. My driver, a nice old fellow with his dog, used to fish trout up in that area. It was evening before we got going. I got launched on the Ottertail river just south of the lake. It was dark and the old fellow was eager to be on his way.

I paddled into Round lake and saw a flat, tall, weedy place I could pitch my tent. I have nice red tent stakes so I don't seem to lose any. I awoke anxious to be on my journey. After about 5 miles of river paddling I got into Flat Lake which was fairly good sized. I paddled into Tamarack lake which was very strange: it seemed to be only 2' deep and had a thick vine like growth right to the surface. I came to an area of thick rushes and it appeared that the river somehow passed through a bridge close by. I paddled to shore in a non-choked bay and got a ride from two pleasant elderly ladies.

From the bridge I could clearly see where I would have to force the canoe through the rushes. I relaunched and with a struggle managed to get to the bridge. I don’t know where the time went but it was getting near dark. I paddled into the Hubble Wildlife Management Pond where I really wasn't supposed to be, so I paddled real hard to get out of there in a hurry. I heard the noise of a dam and soon I came close to it. I neatly muscled the packs up a bank and got the tent up. In the morning I portaged all the stuff around the dam and got on my way.

The current was very fast here and there were several tubers enjoying it all. The outfitter was just a block or so away past the bridge. Cotton lake, the tavern and my Van are just minutes away.

I checked in at the tavern and had a beer. Then I drove to Perham ‘cause it is close to Big Pine lake which was the next place that I would canoe to. While replenishing my beer supply, I met a friendly Perham teacher named Tom Tomporouski. He said he would do my shuttle if I didn’t find anyone. I tried recruiting and enjoyed a nice supper but found no driver so I followed Tom’s instructions and drove to his place on Big Pine lake. Soon Tom and his son were riding with me to the tubing place. I was able to pay the boy something as I thanked them. I was given an address to write to them later.

It was very near dark when I got going. The creek like river had several sharp rocky islands in the middle. There were angle irons with ropes encircling them, protection for the tubes I suppose. I had to be pretty careful in the near blackness. The next downstream bend was totally BLACK so I was forced to get a tent up right then. I muscled the canoe up a bank only to discover it was a false situation. There was a stream of water rushing below this little canyon. I had to stick with it and yank the canoe up another bank. At that spot there was a huge downed tree blocking my way. I got my headlamp on and muscled packs into an opening in the woods. A briar patch was scratching the heck out of me and mosquitos were punching holes in me until I got sprayed. The tent went up neatly and I was soon bedded down. I wiped Yukon Jack on my briar scratches and that totally took care of the pain.

I had pretty strenuous pre-launch duties in the morning, but I got them done. The river was moving very fast and sometimes there would be a couple of islands to canoe around. I had to get out for a real low farm bridge. Then I came to a 7 ft square opening under a road. The water just flew through there forming a rapid. Two young boys of about 11 swam into this and were mostly underwater, then they would flush out the other side. I was in the mood for a change so I muscled the stuff over the top. It was cold and the boys lay on the blacktop to get some heat out of it.

After some miles of paddling I lost the channel in a confusing place. It took a while to get going correct again. After some hours of paddling I came onto a large group of people fishing and just hanging around at a bridge. The old fellow said I would have better going now that I was about to enter Height of Land lake. It was kind of hot and there was a low sun as I crossed the lake. I needed to put a sweat band on. I paddled the river into the evening and was determined to find a nice tent site early and not repeat last night’s situation. I found the perfect spot and I was able to relax and enjoy a couple of beers and listen to the radio. The next day I got next to Little Pine lake but there was a very small culvert leading to it so I had to carry over the top. I found the outgoing channel next to a large group of fishing boats.

I paddled the river to Big Pine lake. Luckily the lake just had small waves and a little mist on it. I crossed the lake in good time. Near my takeout was a nice tavern formally called "Mosquito Heights." I had a beer and got a nice fellow to take me up to Tom’s place where my Van was. I drove to Ottertail lake in search of a steak. No luck, the kitchen was closed so I had to settle for a nice pizza. I’ve seen it go that way before.

I drove to the town of Battle Lake, had a beer and by a park slept nicely in my Van.

Next day I spent a large amount of time looking for a driver. There was a major fishing tournament going on also. I had a nice lunch at a Mexican place that sat tightly on the lakeshore. In fact the place was so vulnerable that last year wind driven ice slabs near completely wrecked the place.

Finally after knocking on several doors I connected. A visitor from Nebraska who knew the area would go with me. It was getting pretty late when I launched from the outlet of Big Pine lake. I had a marshy channel with lots of rushes. Finally I came to Flush lake. When I arrived at the far shore there was a bunch of revelers having a fine time. They suggested that I put my tent right along-side on a nice green lawn. How very nice.

It didn’t take long next day to arrive at the huge Ottertail lake. The river naturally enters the lake towards the NE side which was a break even though the outlet was on the west side. I got just a few blocks into the lake when a vicious squall hit that had a pounding rain along with the wind. All I could do was paddle like mad to the nearby shore. I got my rain jacket on and with a sheet of plastic overhead I had a relaxing mini tent. With the rain subsiding I started paddling again close to shore. The rain and sharp wind would come and go. About half way I went to shore to talk to a guy. I asked him if he would cross the lake here to go to the outlet. He said he wouldn’t. so I made a grand circle of the lake. In one place I had a warm wind in the face followed shortly by a cool wind at the back. I got to the outlet and to my Van. After loading up I took the lush scenic drive to Fergus Falls. There was plenty of rain in the spring, the river was high and every thing looked nice. There were plenty of cows around as Ottertail county is the number one dairy county in the state. My eyes were treated to big beautiful valleys.

I had some good food at the Sandpiper in Fergus Falls. My driver was one of the cooks at this place. I enjoyed the scenic drive once again. I soon got paddling again at the Ottertail lake outlet. I got into a complicated lake and took quite a tour before I found the outlet. I got slightly lost in a pond like place but an old guy with a rototiller pointed out the channel. I was paddling along when I thought I saw an otter, but when a beaver rose and splashed I got confused. Then an otter rose high out of the water. So they both were in there!

A short while later I came to a great tourist place. It was a dam with a real nice Mill that you could walk through and there was a rustic store close by also. I had my packs portaged and had my canoe hoisted up when a young fellow from the store offered to to help me. I thanked him and told him I was all set to go. As an old veteran I can handle a one block portage just fine.

I enjoyed a delightful prolonged lunch break at this very nice place. I paddled on into the evening and I could sense a heavy rain coming on. A nice family group was fishing from a bridge that I passed under and a cute little 6 year-old girl said "‘bye." It was kind of nice. It was getting dark so I found a place to put a tent up.

The weeds were very tall at this lush June time so it took quite a lot of stomping to flatten the place down. Mosquitos were at hand in vast numbers as I sprayed around "Yard Guard" as well as the regular stuff for the skin. My skin was kind of rashed up from all of the spray the past many days and I hadn’t had a shower for a long time. I slept well under a long pounding rain. Paddling into the morning I viewed those beautiful valleys from below instead of the lovely view I had before from above. A large herd of maybe 60 black & white Holstein cows approached the river to drink. They were in a near perfect square military information. The lead rank walked into the river just far enough so the back row could drink.

In the middle of the afternoon I met a young kayaker who was paddling without a shirt. He said he was looking for wild roses. A couple of blocks later I saw beautiful roses growing out of a sandy cutbank. As the bright sun got lower it blinded my eyes especially in contrast to the dark thick high foliage. The river had been whizzing along very fast for a long time now and was getting quite scary.

Three 13 yr old boys were swimming and playing in the river like Huckleberry Finn. I came to a dam that I had to portage around and one of the boys found a snake that he tossed way up high and into the dam’s outflow. After a few miles I came to another dam. Someone said it was connected to the Fergus Falls water system. Getting the canoe and stuff back into the river here was extremely difficult due to the steepness and to the lack of solid space below.

A pack tumbled into the water and threatened to float under the falling water. I fetched it back with the long reach from my double-bladed paddle. As I paddled away from the dam and went very swiftly around the bend I came upon a tree going all across the river with a small opening going through it. RAPIDSY water just poured through it. Over the past few days I had practiced going through tight places to keep my skills sharp. I screwed up here by directly heading to the left bank. It was too steep to get up and and around there and I only had barely a couple of canoe lengths before the small opening. I had strong current pressing against my right stern. I didn’t want to— but I just went for it. I paddled an arc and prayed I wouldn’t miss the opening and dump into the river and have the canoe broken up. Well I drilled right through that opening and boy was I relieved to be free of that obstacle.

The river kept zinging along relentlessly with rapidsy water in the center. I was fearful of strainers and sweepers. The river poured along then made a sharp left turn through a narrow place. Big waves piled up at a steep angle on the right. I slammed right in there and took a nasty tilt but my trusty pretty blue 17’9" Sawyer Cruiser came through it very nicely.

The river kept zinging along and now the river took another sharp left turn and poured through a strange "V" shaped opening. I don’t know what it was but I poured right through there and then was in some real buckin Bronco waves. And then a block away was the Big Fergus Falls power plant dam with the signs showing the broken canoes meaning don’t go near. I spun the canoe around to get muscle into the current and got a boot out onto the the left bank. I then muscled everything up to a flat spot.

I soon got into park-like water in Fergus Falls. I fairly soon waved down a fellow and his girlfriend in a pickup truck. I paid him to haul my canoe and stuff over to the Sandpiper and my Van.

When I get the stuff in the van and the canoe tied on I have a ritual that I follow when I can: I carried my regular shoes with me into the Sandpiper and as I changed out of my boots I enjoyed a nice cold mug of Honey Weiss beer.

I drove to Breckenridge, found a motel and then enjoyed a nice big pizza. Then I enjoyed a million dollar shower and a refreshing sleep. When the motel desk girl got through with her shift she would be my driver.

I got back on the river past the South side of town. That way I got past two dams and plenty of in town hassle. I soon paddled into the Orwell Reservoir and now I had my fishing stuff along so I fished all the way to the dam. I didn’t catch anything, but I am not a real skilled and dedicated type. It is very hot and I cracked a good deal of sweat portaging around the original dam. After a few miles I came onto the new dam which is under construction. I still had to portage it anyway. Then I got to another construction thing and at first it was scary passing through that. It was starting to get late so it was time to put up the tent for the last time.

Next morning it was hot right away. I paddled for some hours and it was time for a lunch break. I had plenty of food stuffs but I was short of fluids. My wine was hot mulled, my beer was too hot to drink and my water was sparse. I paddled for some hours in the heat and I got into a lake like place. Sure enough there had to be yet again another small dam. As I portaged two young fishermen come over to help me. They steadied the canoe in a bouldery place and shoved me off and told me I had 5 miles to go to Breckenridge.

It is always nice to see a town unfold with first the watertowers and church steeples showing up and then the bigger brick buildings. I canoed right into the Red River of the North and don’t notice the Bois de Sioux come in from the south. Big Tom and I canoed that in 1980 and then took the Red all the way to Winnipeg. The Red River of the North is formed right here as it joins the Bois de Sioux from the south.I canoed a tributary of the Ottertail too; the Pelican from around Lizzy lake to Elizabeth.

As I paddled the Red I didn’t see the fair grounds where Tom and I tented in 1980. It must have got moved because it flooded out most every year. The water was high and I paddled right into a back yard lawn. I got the stuff carried all over to next to the street. The friendly fellow at the first house I knocked at took me to where my Van was parked. I got the stuff loaded and the canoe tied on and I found those two gin & tonics I was anxious to get. They were refreshingly delightful.

Then I drove over to Ouzo’s, a Greek place, for my steak. A fellow a few days ago said he was a steak man and he went to Ouzo’s for steak. I am used to making several slicing motions while cutting through a steak while Ouzo’s was like thin pieces of ham.

Well my long canoe trip was pretty exhilarating and soul satisfying so I was willing enough I guess to get back to the real world.