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MR 150 Paddler’s Guide
The Paddler’s Guide is filled with information that is essential for every racer to know and is required for every participant to read (along with the rules).
Topics:
Event Landmarks/Navigation
The following chart lists landmarks you will encounter over the 150 mile course—the portages, checkpoints, optional stops and the take-out spot and put-in options for portaging the rapids. The optional stops are good places to take a break and/or meet your support crew if you need a spot in between the mandatory stops, but you can stop anywhere you want. A custom Google map has been made that shows every landmark in this table, available at this link: Mississippi River 150 Canoe and Kayak Race Landmarks
The Minnesota DNR Mississippi River maps 5-9 cover the race route and show many more options for ramps, campsites and parks. They can be downloaded as a GeoPDF and used for navigation (they will show your location right on the map). The maps and are available at the following link: Mississippi River State Water Trail. Info on how GeoPDF maps work available here
Webscorer
Information on tracking your racer via webscorer coming soon.
Checking-in at Checkpoints
All paddlers must check-in with a race official at the beginning of these four portages: Brainerd Dam, Little Falls, Blanchard and St. Cloud Dam. Once the official has confirmed they have checked you in you are free to continue on the portage path. Failure to successfully check-in at any checkpoint may result in a time penalty or disqualification.
Recreational Tour Division Information
The recreational tour division of the MR 150 is for people who want the challenge of finishing but don’t want the competition. Some of the rules are relaxed in this division as well. All rules listed in the MR 150 rules apply to tour participants, except for the following changes:
Tour participants skip most of the first ten miles of the race. Tour participants paddle directly to the Brainerd Dam portage from the start at Lum Park (a distance of about 1.5 miles), unlike the racers who paddle upstream about 6 miles before turning around at a buoy.
Tour participants, unlike the racers, are allowed to have their support crew or other tour participants help them move their boats on the portages. They can have their support crew transport their boat using a vehicle (this is an option at the Sartell Dam portage and the portage around the Sauk Rapids). They can also use a vehicle to transport their boat from the Sartell Dam to the St. Cloud Dam put-in in Riverside Park, thereby skipping the entire 5 mile Sauk Rapids section of the river.
Tour participants are still required to make all the cut-off times at checkpoints (except Green’s Point) and finish by 5pm on Sunday.
Tour participants will be eligible for a finisher medal if they paddle the entire route of the MR 150 (excepting the first 12 miles to Green’s Point and the 5 mile Sauk Rapids section). Tour participants can skip other sections of the river as well, if necessary, however must contact event officials prior to doing so. Skipping additional sections means you are no longer eligible for a finisher medal.
Tour participants can add, subtract or exchange paddlers at any time.
Boat Selection
As long as the boat you choose will move down the river using only human power, you can use it in this event. That said, some boats are inherently easier to move and faster and more comfortable than others. Whatever boat you plan to use, the important thing is to have spent some time with it on a river to get a feel for whether you can spend long hours in it, steer it and keep it moving at a reasonable pace. When selecting a boat think about how it will perform in the different sections of the river: the 30 miles of flatwater, the lower Sauk Rapids and other swift spots with riffles, potential shallow spots and places with rocks, over 2 miles of portages, overall comfort and speed.
Champlin Parking
Parking is available in the lots at Mississippi Crossings, near the boat ramp at Mississippi Point Park. Do not park in the boat ramp lot. Overnight parking is not allowed unless you are taking the shuttle.
Emergencies
In the event of an emergency all participants should call 911 first and their support crew second (the support crew should then notify event officials). In the event you need non-emergency assistance and cannot get it from other participants, use your support crew first and, if needed, event officials. Assistance may take hours to reach you, especially in adverse conditions. All participants need to be prepared to self-rescue and/or hike to find assistance as needed.
Finish line & Closing Ceremony & Mississippi River Community Festival
Divisional trophies will be given to the top 3 finishers in each division. Overall winners will get an additional placard on their trophy. No trophies are given in the Tour division.
All finishers will receive their finisher medal as they finish the race (if they registered early enough) and, if they won a trophy, they will receive that as well. Everyone is invited to come to the Mississippi River Community Festival after the event; free food and live music start at noon. Everyone is also invited to the Closing Ceremony at 5:30pm. Everyone is welcome, including all paddlers, support crew, friends and family.
Gear:
The full list of required and recommended gear can be found in the rules. Here we expound on a few of the items:
Required Gear:
Boat number stickers: Every boat will be assigned a number. Find your boat number on the roster by clicking here (link will be live when ready). You must put your boat number on both sides of the bow of your boat. The stickers should be waterproof and reflective and the numbers should be at least 3” in height. Stickers sold and advertised as being for mailboxes or addresses often work well. If you do not want the stickers on your boat forever, it can work to put duct tape on your boat and put the numbers on the duct tape, so that you can simply remove the duct tape after the race. We cannot guarantee that this will work!
If you have pre-existing race numbers on your boat you will need to cover them up or remove them.
You must have a spotlight or flashlight that can be used when needed, as well as a rear-facing light that is illuminated at all times during the night; it can be fixed to your boat or displayed on your person (attached to back of your PFD, for example). See rules for more info.
Maps: Minnesota DNR Mississippi River maps 5-9 cover the race route and are available at the following link: Mississippi River State Water Trail
You can e-mail the DNR at info.dnr@state.mn.us and request paper maps be sent to you free of charge. A limited supply will be available at the race start.
You can also access digital versions of these maps and save them on your device or print them out at home. Digital versions are available as GeoPDF maps. These allow you to see your real-time location on the map on your device even when you aren’t connected to the internet. For more information on the DNR GeoPDF maps see: GeoPDF Maps
Cell Phone: All participants and support crew are required to carry mobile phones and put the race organizer’s contact information into their phones. You will get the number at the pre-event. Each boat is encouraged to have a phone running Webscorer for tracking and timing purposes. Make sure you have a way to keep the phone charged and dry.
PFDs: They must be “in serviceable condition”, meaning:
They are the appropriate size and fit for the intended user.
They are legibly marked with a USCG approval number.
A PFD is NOT considered to be in serviceable condition if the PFD exhibits deteriorations that could diminish the performance of the PFD including:
Rips, tears, or open seams in fabric or coatings that are large enough to allow the loss of buoyant material;
Buoyant material that has become hardened, non-resilient, permanently compressed, waterlogged, oil-soaked, or which shows evidence of fungus or mildew; or
Loss of buoyant material or buoyant material that is not securely held in position
Water: We recommend carrying enough water to last for 8 hours on the water. You do not want to run out of water! Most paddlers will depend on their support crew to refill their water. Water may be available at some parks along the route but is never guaranteed and is often not available close to the river. Participants should have a plan for getting their water that does not depend on race organizers.
Food: Having snacks and high calorie drinks in an easy to reach location can make a big difference. Start the event with your tank full and don’t let it get too low–try to eat something every hour. Many people will burn over 5,000 calories a day in this event. It’s pretty hard to eat too much. Drinking your calories is a good strategy for many folks but make sure you’ve tried out any high-energy powders and drinks beforehand to make sure they agree with your stomach.
Recommended Gear
Portage wheels: With over two miles of portaging in the event, portage wheels can make the portages much easier. If you want to use these on the 1st portage at Brainerd Dam, you will need to carry them on your boat because support crew cannot meet you at this portage.
Sunblock/sunscreen: A bad sunburn has caused more than a few paddlers to quit long distance paddle events. Apply sunscreen early and often! Don’t forget you can get burned from the sun’s reflection off the water. Use a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen and/or long-sleeves and pant legs for full body coverage.
Portaging
There are over 2 miles of portages in this race, and you may want to consider using portage wheels, which are allowed. If you are going to use them and don’t already own some, plan on obtaining some and trying them out now. Most of the portages are on relatively flat ground and are mostly paved, but the Blanchard Dam portage is a single-track dirt path through the forest with some up and down sections, so you will want to plan for that. All portage take-outs will be marked by signs and, at night, by a red flashing light visible from at least a mile away. However some of the portage take-outs are obscured by a bend in the river and/or trees until you are fairly close. Best practice is to know when you are getting close to the take-out, know which side it’s on and stick close to the shoreline as you approach the take-out. Using the ProPaddler app, the DNR geomaps, Google maps, or physical maps may also help you. Once you have arrived at the portage, follow the signs along the trail to get to the put-in. All participants should be prepared to navigate the portage trail on their own using the signs along the trail.
Rapids
The MR 150 requires all racers to portage around the upper section and the main drop of the Sauk Rapids, which together form a 0.5 mile long, boulder-filled class 1-2 rapids. Race organizers, depending on water levels and conditions, may ALSO require all racers to portage around the lower section of the rapids. If race organizers do not mandate portaging the lower rapids, then all participants will need to decide whether to run the lower part of the rapids or extend their portage to bypass the lower section.. Race organizers will make a decision and announce it at the pre-race meeting.
In order to successfully negotiate the lower section of the rapids paddlers need to be able to steer their boat to stay in the ‘main channel’ of water and be able to identify rocks and boulders and steer clear of them. From the put-in on the east side of the river, paddlers will need to follow the main channel gradually out towards the middle of the river and away from the east bank, because the boulder field in the lower section is generally along and extending out from the east bank. Once past the boulder garden the rapid is generally over, the swift current ends and the river has little to no current due to the effect of the St. Cloud dam a few miles downstream.
In the lower rapids section there is no big drop, nor are ferrying or eddying skills generally necessary; just an ability to read water and steer clear of the rocks. Water levels and conditions change and event organizers cannot guarantee that you won’t hit a rock, which could potentially damage your boat and/or cause a capsize. If you do not have experience in avoiding rocks in swift water we recommend portaging this section.
All of the take-out and put-in options as well as the best rapids viewing place can be found on the race’s custom Google map at this link: Mississippi River 150 Canoe and Kayak Race Landmark
“Sauk Rapids MANDATORY take-out” is the one all participants are mandated to use and it is safe and easy to use. It is located across from the Heim’s Mill access on the DNR map, on the east side of the river (on river left), but is NOT marked on the map. The marked portage take-out is further downstream and should not be used. It is a 0.6 mile portage from the take-out to the first put-in option.
“Sauk Rapids#1 put-in” is on the downstream end of Southside Park. Paddlers opting to put their boat in here will still have to contend with some rocks and waves in the lower part of the rapid. These lower obstacles require that paddlers be able to identify the obstacles and use moderate steering skills to avoid them.
“Sauk Rapids #2 put-in” is the best choice for paddlers wishing to avoid the entirety of the rapids. This put-in is at Wilson Park in St. Cloud and is a further 1.2 mile portage downstream from Southside Park.
Sleep and taking breaks
Much like a marathon, some participants in this event are trying to win but most are just trying to finish! Some don’t sleep at all but many do sleep at least a few hours. You have 50 hours to finish the race. If you average 4mph, you would finish the race in 37.5 hours, leaving you 12.5 hours for breaks and sleeping. For those racers who want to sleep the first night of the race we recommend sleeping at the Blanchard Dam portage site where we have event staff, parking for support crews and areas to set up tents. We do not have a recommended area for the second night but there are many options.
Good places to take breaks are at the portages. If you need or want to take a break at a place other than the portages or optional stops/checkpoints, there are many other ramps and parks and islands that are good spots. There are also DNR campsites marked on the DNR maps. Most campsites are only big enough for one party. Please do not stop at these campsites if occupied by non-participants unless it’s an emergency. A few campsites may be able to accommodate more than one party. If you are going to take a break longer than 60 minutes, you must let your support crew know.
Shuttles
Participants are responsible for getting themselves, their gear and their boat to the start line. For participants with an in-person support crew, this can be easy if the support crew is bringing you to the start and then following along as you make your way downstream. Overnight parking is not allowed at Lum Park. For an additional fee, a shuttle is available and you can sign up for it when you register. You will meet the shuttle in the parking lot closet to the amphitheater at Mississippi Crossings in Champlin. Shuttle will include a trailer to transport your boat and gear.
Support Crew
A “support crew” of at least one person is required for each team. Each team must designate a support crew captain no later than the pre-event meeting on the day of the event. The support crew may be in-person (i.e. physically present during the event), virtually present (i.e. monitoring the event via a computer or device) or a combination of both. For those with a virtual support crew, there is an option to purchase a service where we will bring your gear to Blanchard Dam and the finish line, and reserve a sleeping spot for you in our large tent at Blanchard. Whether your support crew is physically present or virtual, it is their responsibility to know the approximate whereabouts of their participants and be able to contact them. Both physically present and virtual support crews must be available 24 hours a day for phone contact with event officials seeking information on their participant(s) and must be able to travel to pick up their paddler in the event of illness, injury or the paddler quitting. The support crew must be able to travel to any point along the event course within 2.5 hours of being notified that they are needed.
We strongly recommend having an in-person support crew because they can:
Carry your food and water for you and help prepare it
Assess your health
Help provide shelter in inclement weather
Monitor the weather forecast
Help you to have good breaks by making a warm, dry shelter if you are going to catch some shut-eye or just need to get out of the elements (either by finding a shelter in a park, using their vehicle or setting up a shelter)
Cheer for you and boost your morale
Provide first aid if needed
Take pictures!
Get supplies as needed
Communicate with event officials on your behalf
Drive your vehicle from the start and meet you at the finish line
Adjust where to meet you based on how you are doing
Enjoy and explore the beautiful countryside, small towns and cities along the race route
Help keep track of when you’ll reach the next checkpoint.
Join you in celebration at the Mississippi River Community Festival.
Can you do the event without an in-person support crew? Yes, but it's harder. You have to carry everything you will need and either bring all your water or find places to refill. Having a virtual support crew is recommended only for experienced long-distance paddlers.
If you have a virtual support crew (VSC), they are strongly encouraged to track you using Webscorer. Your VSC must get in touch with event officials if you are dropping out of the event or going to miss a cutoff time. Event organizers will get in touch with your VSC if you haven’t arrived at a checkpoint by the cut-off time and will expect them to have information about you.
Things to do before the event
Come up with a rapids plan (are you paddling or portaging the lower Sauk Rapids?)
Review the gear list; procure gear as needed
Come up with a support crew plan and/or transportation plan
Come up with a food and hydration plan
Come up with a break plan
Train/practice: When training, remember that there is also a fair amount of flat water on this river–as much as 30 miles of it when you add up all the flat water upstream of each of the 6 dams on the race course.
Paddle on river/exercise
Practice capsizing and self-rescue
Join our Facebook group: it’s a growing community of people interested in our events and a great place to ask questions and share ideas. Check it out at: facebook.com/twopaddlesMN
Weather/ Capsizing
In June in Minnesota overnight lows can be as low as 30 degrees; the average low is in the low 50s. Daily highs range from 50s to over 90, with the average high in the 70s. Both heat and cold are threats to cause someone not to finish the event so you need to be prepared for both.
Hypothermia is a real threat when the air temperature drops at night. The water temperatures can also still be on the chilly side. Do not be fooled into thinking there is no way you will capsize–it is always a possibility and you must be ready. No matter how skilled you are it’s always possible to hit a rock in swift water in the middle of the night and get quickly overturned. It is absolutely essential to have a change of clothes in a dry bag that you can put on once you get to shore. Remember it is required to wear your Personal Flotation Device at all times. Also, you should have a plan for how to make sure you don’t lose your gear in the event of a capsize.
In the event participants encounter severe weather, participants should take shelter as appropriate.
Event organizers will attempt to notify support crew and/or participants of severe weather threats, however each support crew and participant should monitor the weather independently and make good decisions for themselves.
Event officials have full authority to hold participants in place in the event of severe weather.