Black, Michigan, US |
|
| Usual Difficulty | II-III+ (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Avg. Gradient | 24 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 52 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLACK RIVER NEAR BESSEMER, MI | ||||
| usgs-04031000 | 1.85 - 2.90 ft | II-III+ | 00h41m | 1.27 ft (rc= -0.6 ) |
Quick Facts:
Location: Western Upper Peninsula, MI, about 5.5 miles NNE of Bessemer.
Shuttle Length: 6.8 miles. (See details in "Directions" Tab.)
Character: Beautiful northwoods run. Mostly open easy rapids, finishing with a big drop.
Drainage: 200 sq.mi. (at gauge site 5 miles upriver).
(Description based on one run, at 275 cfs.)
This run starts off with perhaps a mile of easy wide boulder-garden rapids with a few minor (at
this water level) playable waves. At mile 1.5, Reed Creek enters from the left. Mostly flatwater
continues until nearing the Copper Peak Ski Flying tower. (This can be used as an alternate
put-in to cut off some of the (mostly uninteresting) length of the run. This would likely put you
below the following described drop.)
Chippewa Falls (about mile 3.4), a somewhat technical, wide, boulder jumble drop (class II-III)
of maybe 50 yards precedes a right-hand bend in the river. This was easily boat-scoutable.
(Obviously, it is much more of a 'rapids' than a 'falls'.) A few random waves and holes follow
before action subsides for a bit. At mile 4.0, Kirby Creek enters from the right, followed almost
immediately by a backroad crossing.
Before long, the character of the river changes. Instead of the wide open grassy shores and
red-granite boulder strewn stream (as it had been down to this point), you encounter an area of
vertical walls and sloping bedrock drops with a couple random appearances of conglomerate,
hinting at the character of the river in the lower reach. Again, at 275 cfs, all was
boat-scoutable. A couple drops provided great surf opportunities. My guess is that with perhaps
1.5-2.0 times as much water (400-500 cfs or higher), some holes could become rather meaty, and
provide (intentional or unintentional) rodeo activity. (I believe the main drop in this area is
what is marked on maps as Algonquin Falls (5.7 miles). Again, it is much more of a 'rapids' (a
quick sliding drop) than a real 'falls'.)
Quickly the river returns to its prior more pastoral state. At mile 7.0, a backroad nears on the
left, and Sand Island Creek enters from the right. Mile 8.0 brings you to Great Conglomerate
Falls, where a great dome of conglomerate rock divides the flow into three channels. At 275 cfs,
it was quite easy to eddy out river right and carefully wade across the (relatively smaller)
river-right channel to scout the main (center) channel. (With any appreciably increased flow it
would be necessary to beach on the 'hump', which could become a bit unnerving at some flows!) A
huge log blocked both the very small left channel and the somewhat larger right channel. The
wide, main, center channel was clear, and provided a quite straight-forward slide into a surging,
but not grabby hole at the base of the falls. Most of the group took out here, while two of us
ran the twisted, rocky, short rapids immediately below before eddying out to carry back up the
three-quarters of a mile trail to the parking area. (Ugh! Long hike!)
Click here for an article from the AW Journal, way back in 1981!
In addition to this reach, the article also describes the following:
Michigan's
Upper Presque Isle,
Lower Presque Isle,
Middle Black,
Upper Silver,
Lower Silver,
Falls, and
Rock,
and Wisconsin's
Lower Brunsweiler,
Montreal, W.Fk.,
and
Montreal Canyon.
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLACK RIVER NEAR BESSEMER, MI | ||||||||||||
| usgs-04031000 | 1.85 - 2.90 ft | II-III+ | 00h41m | 1.27 ft (rc= -0.6 ) | ||||||||
|
Gauge (200 sq.mi. drainage) is 5-6 miles upstream, with a few decent tribs coming in. Flow in this reach therefore is likely a bit higher than gauge reading. |
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| When | River/Gauge | Subject | Level | Reporter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black [MI] |
Conglomerate Falls
|
300cfs | Nate Alwine |
| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.7 | Chipppewa Falls | II | |
| 5.9 | Algonquin Falls | III | |
| 8.0 | Great Conglomerate Falls | IV |  |
Labeled 'falls', but really much more of a rapids. This is (more-or-less) at the base of the Copper Peak Ski Flying Area.
Again, much more of a squeeze/ledge/rapids than a 'falls'. At medium to higher flows, this could get quite sticky (class IV-ish). At some flows this might be a great playspot (if one can catch it in warm enough conditions or be of that mindset).
Now, THIS one is really a FALLS!
Recommended to scout (though may not be easy at higher water levels).
There are multiple possible lines, as the current is split by various humps of conglomerate rock. The most usual route is immediately left of the largest hump of rock.
It is a rather long trudge back to the parking lot from here.
reach
state
reachlink
C) Middle: Narrows Park to Conglomerate Falls (8 miles), Black Michigan, US (mobile)
User Comments
huge!). We decided to run this section and it was an amazing run. all of the class II turned into
III and the two main rapids turned into big water IV. There were some crazy death holes, but they
were easily avoidable. If you get the chance to run this section during flood its way worth
it.....just be careful. John LaGow