Pine River News and Conditions 5/13/2010

River Conditions:

The Pine and Manistee are in great shape, clear, clean, and very much alive. Yet, kind of lonely though, because you're reading this instead of waltzing with the river where you belong. Getting close to complete leaf-out with only some oaks and aspens delaying their displays. The river valleys are full of wildlife engaged in their Spring rituals, the grouse are a drumming, turkeys a gobbling, etc. As always there are lots of nesting mallards, mergansers, wood ducks, Canadian Geese, and Bald Eagles along the rivers. Was entertained by a big mink frolicking across the river from the house yesterday a.m. Back to the river conditions though....tomorrow we will be re-floating from Skookum to Walker and Dobson to Peterson to open up two portages created by trees that were blown earlier this week. So the rivers are running free, ready to welcome you and paste a big smile on your face this weekend. Lastly, the fishing has been what fishing is, sometimes superb, sometimes not so bountiful, but always beautiful. See you out there!

PRPC Frisbee/Disc Golf:

We're jazzed to share that we've been busy widening some of the fairways on the PRPC Disc Golf Course. We're making it decidedly friendlier for kids of all ages. But by no means are we taking the fun and challenge out of it. If we are able to stay at it, it's our goal to have another 9 holes completed by the middle of June. Happy Discing!

Reminders for folks paddling their personal craft: Reminders for folks paddling their personal craft: If you are bringing your own craft, you will need to buy USFS Parking Passes @$5/day, $15/week for your vehicles. Also remember that from May 15th to September 10th, you must obtain river-use permit(s) from the USFS. Permits can again be reserved through the US Forest Service Baldwin District Office for $2/craft. Call 231-745-4631 to check availability and reserve your permits.

An interesting statistic …..24% percent of our rental guests actually own their own craft, but find it much cheaper and easier to rent ours. Why? It's easy and it saves you money. When you rent from us, we pay for your boat permits and parking passes. And the bigger upside is that not having boats on the top of your vehicle significantly improves your gas mileage, it saves you from having to load them, unload them, risk losing them, shuttle them around while here(or pay us to do your shuttle), and then wash them up and put them away when you get back home.

Please Remember: Alcohol and river-sports are a destructive mix. For safety, social, and resource protection considerations, please wait until you're off the river and off the road, before partaking of any alcohol. Please also remember that Styrofoam packaging or coolers, glass, water balloons, and firecrackers are prohibited on the river. Thanks for preventing litter by using your litter-bag and making sure all cargo is securely tied to your craft.