Baldwin Lake, Kaskaskia River Wildlife Area, Randolph County, IL: First Kayak trip of year- lake not frozen due to power plant

Baldwin Lake, Kaskaskia River Wildlife area, Illinois

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Great first kayak trip of the new year. Really, really enjoyed getting out and re-acquainting myself with the sea kayak.  Ray Schroeder came by with his kayak trailer and we hit it.  Originally, we were trying to find a ramp to get on the main channel of the Kaskaskia River, but all the access points were in sloughs, and thus the water was frozen.

Life is better in a kayak!

Mike

Ozark Trail, Bell Mountain Wilderness, January 2nd, 2011

This was filmed on Bell Mountain Wilderness area the first week of January 2011. This hike is one of the most beautiful in Missouri. Winter time is some of the best time to get out and hike on the Ozark Trail (it has not been the best to kayak this winter). I like to do this to keep in shape for when it will be time to hit the water with the kayaks. Hiking is a great way to break up the winter and get outdoors.

Mike

Lost Valley Trail, Weldon Spring CA, Missouri

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This forum is usually for Sea Kayaking and adventures, but in the interest of true outdoor exploration, I think we should have some hiking/backpack camping footage when available.  Enjoy!

MLT

Spring River, Oklahoma (north of Grand Lake), December 1st, 2010: Magnificent River worth the paddle!

This was a incredible paddle trip on the kayak.  The weather was cool (40 degrees) but could not have been any better.  What is great about this time of the year is that you get a change to get out on the water without a lot of motorized boats or other types of watercraft (sometimes Seadoos are the worst).

You learn something new every time you take the kayak out.....two lessons learned: 1.) get a pair of the water-proof booties or socks.  I learned this lesson when I landed the kayak for lunch. 2.) bring along your kayak cart.  There was a point that I had to portage (paddled through on the way back).  A kayak cart (which was packed in my car) would have been very handy.

Temp: 40 degrees
Milage: 5 miles round
Flow: 1,000 cfs
Height: 6.8 ft.

"Life is better on a kayak!"

MLT

Salt River, Ralls County, MO, November 27th, 2010: Most OUTSTANDING day for a winter paddle

November 27th, 2010 has to go down as one of the most beautiful days we have seen in Missouri in awhile.  I put in on the Salt River at the Cincinnati Access.  The Corps of Engineers does a nice job maintaining this launch site.  Nice picnic area and table (would be a good place for a summer float).  The water is thick and slow at this put in.  It is in between the Clarence Cannon Dam (which impounds Mark Twain Lake) and the re-regulation dam.
  This reminds me of the Missouri River in St. Charles County with all the Limestone bluffs.  If you were to paddle this in the summer, you would miss a lot of these....in the winter you get them in their full glory.  Got up on a nice flock of wild turkeys (did not react fast enough to get film), Great blue herons, cardinals, and other sorts of birds.

Mileage: 5.4 miles round
Temp: 46 degrees
Flow (cfs): 57.5
Gauge Hgt: 2.2

Paddle ON!

MLT

Lake Lincoln, Lincoln County, MO, November 26th, 2010: Great winter paddle across Lake Lincoln

Meremac River at the confluence of the Big River- border STL and Jefferson County, MO. November 21st, 2010

This was the maiden voyage of the new Feelfree Atlantis 14 sea kayak.  The temperatures were in the 50's and very windy.  We paddled from the Route 66 State Park ramp to the confluence point of the Big River.  This was a "getting to know you" paddle for me and the kayak.  We had a few challenges getting the rudder controls adjusted, but other than that, it was a magnificent paddle

Flow (CFS): 700
Gauge Height (ft): 2.2

MLT