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Waterfall WI Class IV

Pewits Nest

American Whitewater 43.4499, -89.7886

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Photo

Photo courtesy of American Whitewater

Description

After a long, uneventful middle section of the creek (that is, no real drops . . . you may have to contend with deadfall, meanders, and other obstructions), you will see on river-right some open field areas. Not far beyond, you'll see the banks rise ahead, and come to a horizon line. This is the start of the Pewits Nest sequence. Get out and scout from river-right (if you did not do so before putting on . . . and perhaps even if you did!).

The first two drops are fairly short ledges, fairly wide, with decent pools beyond. The next two drops are narrow (barely more than paddle-width across), and drop quite steeply into swirling boiling pools. If you had enough water for the Skillet Falls sequence to be anything more than bump-and-scrape, the last two falls in Pewitt's Nest will be considerably 'meaty'. If you don't run them 'clean' (if your boat gets sucked back into the falls), you will be in quite a predicament, as there is not really any good way for anyone to set safety to help you! Do not take these drops lightly! They may look pretty simple from high overhead when you scout them, but they have caught a number of boaters who have tried this run.

The following YouTube video is a fine solitude of the falls at low water, giving a great view of the topology of the third drop: