Route

             Bushwhacker Sprint
 
The sprint will start at Lumberjack Park along with the Cruise and the 150 at 8:30 am. Sprinters will travel down the Pine River about 10 miles to Sumner Park. There will be a few downfalls and a stretch of fast water so be prepared for a little "Bushwhacking".
Canoes for the Sprint can be rented from Chippewa River Outfitters for $25, please call 888-775-6077 to reserve yours today. Chippewa River Outfitters will donate $10 of each rental to the VKM fund! 

               Bushwhacker Cruise

The Cruise is set up for those that do not wish to do the full 150 mile event, but want to spend a little more time on the water than what the Sprint offers. The Cruise starts at 8:30 am along with the Sprint and the 150. Cruisers will travel down river on the Pine to the town of Alma. This is about 25 miles and will include a bunch of "Bushwhacking" to get past a fairly congested spot just past the town of Sumner. Cruisers may wish to take two days to complete this route, we will have camping available for Cruisers and their landteams at Cesar's Crossing, 7195 West Polk Rd. Alma, MI. 48801. Take out is at the public park in downtown Alma.

            Bushwhacker 150 

The 150 will start at 8:30am heading down stream on the Pine River, through the towns of Alma and St. Loius and on down to the confluence at the Chippewa River. At the Chippewa Nature Center we turn and head up-stream on the Chippewa River, up through the town of Mt. Pleasant and on up to the take out for the portage at Gilmore Rd. Bridge. The 7 mile portage starts with a steep climb out of the Chippewa River valley and up onto a nice country road route that will take us back over to the Pine River at the Pleasant Valley Rd Bridge. Once back in the Pine River it's just a short downstream bushwhacking paddle to the finish at Lumberjack Park. Checkpoints- #1 St. Louis Dam. #2 Chippewa Nature Center. Checkpoint #3 near Bucks Run golfcourse. #4 Gilmore Road Bridge, start of the portage.        


       Rules 
                                
             Bushwhacker Sprint and 
             Bushwhacker Cruise
             solo or tandem teams 

- Any type of Canoe or Kayak can be used

- Challengers must attend manditory Captains meeting on May 15th


             Bushwhacker 150
                solo or tandem teams

             Marathon Class

- Paddlers can accept help from pre-arranged land support crews at any time during the length of the Challenge

- Paddlers must complete entire length of Challenge under their own human power

- Paddlers can only portage over designated portage portions of the route

- Any human powered cart and/or bicycle can be used for the portage section of the route

- Any style of canoe or kayak can be used, propelled by any style of paddle

- Paddlers must use the same boat the entire length of the route they started in

- Challengers must attend manditory Captains meeting on May 15th

            Expedition Class  

- Paddlers can not accept any help from any pre-arranged land support crews at any time during the length of the Challenge

- Paddlers can not cache food, water or gear anywhere along the route

- Paddlers must complete entire length of Challenge under their own human power

- Paddlers can only portage over the designated portage portions of the route

- Any human powered cart and/or bicycle can be used for the portage section of the route, but must be carried the entire length of the route by the paddler

- Any style of canoe or kayak can be used in this class, propelled by any style paddle

- Paddlers must use the same boat the entire length of the route they started in

- Challengers must attend manditory captains meeting on May 15th