Whitewater Run WI Class II-III+(IV)

B) Beaverdam Lake to Ensinger Road (9.5-10.9-11.8 miles)

Brunsweiler

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Gauge Conditions
Runnable: ? – ? CFS
Approximate reading: This gauge is 2.1 miles away on Brunsweiler. Use as a general reference only.
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Description
Though difficult to catch "up", the Brunsweiler is truly one of the gems of Wisconsin's South Shore rivers. Access at the listed put-in may be problematic. The only road into Mineral Lake is private, and may be gated. If you are able to get in (and get permission to launch from there), you will have to paddle across the lake (if it is not iced over) or walk around a bay to get to the dam and the river downstream. For this reason, it is entirely likely most folks will use one of the alternate put-ins. We list the lake/dam as the put-in for this section in order to have 'completeness' in our descriptions of the whitewater on this river, for those who may be interested in trying to deal with the access issues in order to see these seldom-run drops. From below the dam (the listed put-in) the river takes off at a fast clip downhill. When rock walls begin closing in, get out and scout on the right, there's an intersting small vertical falls (about 6'-8' drop) just downstream. The run-out below this falls is somewhat congested and tends to collect wood. The river deflects off a cliff face below, the heads into another drop cascading about 8'. From here to the Spring Brook Road bridge are several busy boulder bed drops. Spring Brook Road (FR189) is where most paddlers will access this run. From here, the river is still pretty much non-stop action with extended stretches of class II-III boulderbed interspersed by three major drops in the class III to IV range (depending on flows). The first of these is a bouldery cascade that sometimes collects wood, the second a fluming drop through a bedrock sluice and the third is a very entertaining, good sized slide sequence. Below the three bigger drops, the river continues to move at at fast clip, though mostly class II. Be careful at a section of braided channel were the left hand channels may have barbed wire strung across them. Alternate put-in at Spring Brook Road avoids more difficult upper section. Alternate take-outs at Cemetary (Eades) Road (4WD) or Hwy C shorten the run. The 1.4 mile section from Beaver dam lake to Spring Brook Rd is often referred to as the "Upper Brunsweiler" and the remaining ~10 mile section from Spring Brook Rd to HWY 13 is often called the "Lower Brunsweiler". Click here for Part 1 of an article from the AW Journal, way back in 1981! Click here for Part 2 of the article. The article describes the following: Michigan's, Upper Presque IsleLower Presque IsleMiddle BlackLower BlackUpper Silver,  Lower SilverFalls, and Rock; and Wisconsin's Lower BrunsweilerMontreal Canyon, and West Branch Montreal.
Difficulty
Class II-III+(IV)
Length
11.0 mi
Gradient
56 ft/mi
max 112
Rapids
12
Shuttle Info
Since access at the listed put-in may be problematic, many boaters will opt to do a shorter section, putting in at Spring Brook Road (FR189), taking out at Eades Road or Hwy.C. Shuttle should be apparent from the maps. Especially f/when doing the full-run, it may be advantageous to be certain to arrange to meet-up at the take-out, change into boating gear, transfer as many boats/boaters to as few vehicles as possible, leaving 'drop vehicles' at take-out. This eliminates having to run the shuttle route down-and-back before putting on, taking considerable time (over a half-hour EACH WAY).
Difficulty Classes
I Easy II Novice III Intermediate IV Advanced V Expert/Extreme VI Unrunnable
Current Conditions
5-Day Forecast
Whitewater data from
American Whitewater