Welcome to the Rogue River. Headwatered in southern Newaygo County, the Rogue River meanders for over 42 miles, eventually draining into the Grand River in Belmont, MI. Originally named the Rouge River, the Rogue received its present day name during the 19th century when a Wisconsin mapmaker accidentally misprinted the name. Used as a frontier waterway by local tribes and traders, The Rogue River also played a pivotal role in the transportation of lumber during the heyday of the Michigan lumber industry in the late 1800's.
The Rogue River is designated a "Country Scenic" river under the State of Michigan's Natural River Act, draining an estimated 234 square mile watershed. In the city of Rockford, The Rogue River is bi-sected by the Rockford Dam and is generally referred to as the upper and lower Rogue, with the latter being all waters below the Rockford Dam. The upper Rogue is well known as an excellent trout fishery and is used for all float and canoe trips. The lower Rogue, which is the waters south of the Rockford Dam, is a popular destination for anglers during the annual Steelhead and Salmon runs during the spring and fall months.
Its slow moving current and shallow depth make the Rogue River ideally suited for a variety of outdoor activities including canoeing, kayaking, fishing, birdwatching, hiking, and of course geocaching!
I most enjoy working through puzzle caches where you have the opportunity to learn something about something that you may or may not have thought about. This is that type of puzzle. Over the course of this series, you will learn what it takes to earn the Scouting Merit Badge for Kayaking! Scouting merit badges give scouts the opportunity to investigate around 120 different areas of knowledge and skills. Much of this knowledge and skills will stay with a Scout for the rest of their lives. Are you Scout enough to earn this badge? We'll soon see!
Your Puzzle:
In Item #1, there are 3 subsections. This puzzle is Item #1, Section b
Review prevention, symptoms, and first-aid treatment for injuries or illnesses that can occur while kayaking. Which of the following is NOT a concern:
1. Sunburn & Heat related illnesses - N43 09.719 W085 35.800
2. Wild shark attacks - N43 08.930 W085 35.599
3. Sprains & Strains - N43 08.109 W085 37.386
4. Cold-water shock & Hypothermia - N43 08.780 W085 36.073
NOTE: There is limited parking at the launch site. Tubing or casually caching down the river should land you in Downtown Rockford in about 2-hours. It is recommended you park in town and car pool to the launch site. There is also a Canoe & Kayak rental company in town. The launch site is on their "normal" schedule.
Disclaimer: You are under no obligation to hunt this cache. You do so at your own risk. Like any outdoor sport, it carries the risk of unforeseen hazards. Use your best judgment with the environment and conditions. As conditions and cache locations may vary, it is the responsibility of the searcher to be familiar with the conditions in the area to be searched, to adequately prepare for those conditions, and to conduct oneself safely and responsibly and remain within his or her personal abilities and limitations. When and if you find a cache, you are under no obligation to touch it, reach it, climb to it, dig for it, pick it up, or even open it. Open it at your own risk. Individual Geostash and GPS cache sponsors assume no liability for events, which may occur, related directly or indirectly to your searching for a cache.
Captain' Log: August 16, 2020: The cache is in-place, with the river considerably lower than when the waypoints were captured. The D/T is based on this date as we placed the caches along the river. You experience may be significantly or dramatically different. Enjoy the advneture!