Sturgeon River (M-38 to Chassell)
32 miles
March 2024
A birthday paddle trip down the Sturgeon River in early March! The winter of 2023-24 was pathetic. I was out paddling in February and decided that an overnight paddle trip from M-38 to Chassell on the Sturgeon would be a fun adventure. And indeed it was! Nobody fell in, we saw a lot of river from a new angle with no leaves or any living creatures whatsoever, and we had the entire river system to ourselves.
We aimed for a huge sandbad on DNR land to camp. The winds were a little too much to stay out in the open (it was still chilly, after all), so we headed into the forest to camp. While scouting a spot we discovered a dead bald eagle! I called it into the USFWS and DNR but nobody wanted to go check it out.
Paddling rivers in late-winter when water levels aren't super dangerous is a new thing for me. I really liked the opportunity to get out and make the best of an otherwise terrible winter. Find some photos from this trip here.