Is this BYOK or do you happen to know if rentals are available??

Anyone driving up from madison?

we can work out carpool arrangements depending upon boat arrangements.
I will also post rental info by tuesday.
Thanks Mike!

Just want to clarify: Are we meeting somewhere here to leave at 10 am, or do we need to be at Giese Park in North Freedom at 10?

I'd like a kayak. I run a small or medium life jacket.

i am driving to madison from edgerton, so this is the woodmans off milwaukee street?

We will meet at Woodmans East on Milwaukee St at 10 am.
Thanks Shay

Hey all. If you haven't answered the 3 questions I added to the RSVP page, please click on "change your mind about attending" and fill in the blanks. you don't have to change your response to access these Qs. I need this info by Friday 4 pm to arrange boats and PFDs for rentals. Thanks

Mike~ Where do you plan to put in? I will be coming straight from Sauk Prairie so will meet you there. (FYI: I just paddled from North Freedom to Hwy 113 bridge yesterday. At least four places with whitewater from Hwy 12 bridge on down. Had plenty of water in my kayak by the end.)

I will also be going directly to N. Freedom. SueAnn, are the rapids complex rock gardens, scattered rocks with chutes, and/or gravel bars? Would an experienced WW paddler be likely to scrape or bump much?

Dave: I am somewhat inexperienced myself. The other time I paddled that stretch the water was very low with lots of exposed rocks. This time, the water was very high and we didn't expect "rapids". There were not exposed rocks, but there was whitewater to make for some exciting paddling.

The plan is to put in at Giese Park (see location above). If the trip is too quick (I'll find out tomorrow) because of the speed, we may launch from N Freedom. Either way we'll end at 113 also. How long did it take you to paddle? I'm paddling there friday. Normally, the Baraboo is pretty shallow this time of year but with higher water, I expect a better run.

I will be meeting the group at the put in location, but I can not find Giese Park or Rocky Hill Road on any of the map searches. The only park I see is North Freedom Muncipal Park on S. Linn St. What am I doing wrong?

Just checked again and are you putting in at Hatchery Road and Rock Hill Road just west of Hwy 12 in Baraboo?

Mike: On Wednesday it only took four hours from NF to 113. That was with one stop at Haskins Park in Baraboo. The friend I was with said it took her five hours a couple of weeks ago when it was not flowing as fast. I have been to the Giese Park launch also. (I just hope canoe folks are prepared for the rapids.)

Jackie: Giese is the one we put in at with the Kayak group.

Yes, the park is actually called Giese Park although it generally doesn't show up on maps as such. See photo above

Ohh, Giese park belongs to the town of Baraboo, per my own photos. Anyone feel like paddling there today? Or you can just offer to shuttle me...
Sue Ann, thanks for the info. 7-1/2 miles just seems too short w/a good current. I'll check out Kohlmeyer Rd today for about 3 more miles (14 may be too much for many)

Isn't Giese Park the wayside on Hatchery Rd.?
Another option is to paddle from Fireman's Park in N. Freedom to Haskin Park in Baraboo. That's about 11 miles, but it misses most of the riffles at the former dam sites. The Baraboo is slow, as I recall averaging about 2 mph in a solo canoe, maybe a little faster in a tandem. I suppose kayaks go a bit faster.
I think the Giese-to-113 route is best, given the warm day, the slow river, the unknowns of the rapids, and mixed paddler experience.

The Kayak Meetup group did this same trip from Giese Park to just past Circus World in Baraboo and I thought it was a short trip with only a couple of spots were the water was fast. I was hoping to either put in farther up (N. Freedom Park) or take out farther down for a longer trip than just 2 - 3 hours.

Contact me? my cell # is 703-403-7897 if you are late, lost or have a change in rental info.

If we take out at Hwy 113, the trip is now 14+ miles long. That's a long day trip. Taking out at Haskins Park will cut it to 11 miles, which is about the outside edge of my paddling partner's tolerance. Please advise today.
Thanks.

Those last five miles go very quickly as the current is moving much faster once you get past the hwy 12 bridge. I'm up for going the extra miles if anyone else wants to join me. (We would have to drop a car at hwy 113 of course.) What time do you expect to meet in North Freedom?

Sue Ann, I expect we should be arriving in N. Freedom about 11:45. The rental boats will be waiting for us there. We'll then shuttle most of the cars to the 113 Bridge or Haskins Park as needed.

i am bringing an extra paddle and an older life jacket. I have room for another yak on top of my car but someone will have to figure out the straps I was given for the second boat if you have none. I have a olive green boat on my car. Be at woodmans at 10

How long did the full 14-or-so miles take?

btw what was up with question #3? :)

ugh, I forgot we were going to vote for best answer to #3. I even brought the responses with on the river. Oh well, one less beer to buy for me.