After much chatting, laughter and lots of awed exclamations at the start of our trip down the Jordan River via a raft, our group became quiet and quickly understood the beauty of a winter float trip.
The silence was deep and golden as snow softly filtered down through the overhanging branches of towering cedar along the river. Snow covered the banks and helped illuminate the darkly, wooded shoreline. The only sound, as we floated along on the swift current, was the gurgle of rushing water as it swept along over the gravely river bed. The water was clean and cold.
Our group was made up of me, three gals from Grand Rapids, a couple from lower Michigan, and our guide Scott Harper, who along with his wife Kay, owns Jordan Valley Outfitters. They conduct winter rafting trips down the Jordan.
We put in at Graves Crossing and took out at State Road. The float trip lasted a little over two hours with a stop on a little island in the river for a hot beverage snack, which was welcomed. While my upper body didn't get cold, I found my feet did; even though I had on winter socks and my insulated cross-country boots. I would suggest a good pair of Sorrels if you plan on making the trip.
Most of the time we were busy watching incredible scenery and enjoying a winter excursion on a normally feisty river; at least it is during summer kayak outings. The large raft bounces and works its way through the sweepers, tight bends and stumps and logs with incredible ease. Occasionally, Harper would have some of our group, situated along the outside edge of the raft, paddle for a few strokes to make it around the tight bends and avoid outstretched trees waiting to knock off an unwary paddler, but mostly he guided the raft using his paddle like a rudder.
We had to duck a few times to avoid overhanging trees and branches, but nobody came close to being knocked out of the raft or felt threatened along this stretch of river, which Jerry Dennis advises in his book, "Canoeing Michigan Rivers," that paddlers need at least basic paddling skills to navigate.
"I can't count the number of trips that I've made down this river over the 14 years we've been in business," laughed Harper, when I asked him how long it took to hone his navigating skills.
"It's hundreds and hundreds of trips, but I don't have any idea how many hundreds. I know it well, but I never tire of making another float trip. Winter has become one of my favorite times on the river. The beauty and peace and quiet at this time of year are extra special."
We saw flocks of turkeys along the shoreline at one point and a few decided to change shores, flying over our heads as we floated through their midst. Deer are frequently seen on the winter float trips, according to Harper, but we didn't see any last Saturday.
The Harpers also do a winter dinner trip where you stop along the shore during the outing and enjoy a warm winter meal as the sun sets in the west.
"We finish the paddle under moonlight or starlight, and sometimes, if the moon is nearly full, we hear the coyotes yodel their cries across the valley," Harper added. "Many of our paddlers, mostly from cities, have never heard that before, and its fun to watch their reaction."
The trip ended much too quickly for most of us; myself included, despite my cold feet. You get immersed in watching the scenery float by and the beauty of season. You kind of forget about time and aren't ready for it to end.
"We see a lot repeat business," said Harper. "They will come back and bring friends the next time."
As if to prove a point, the Grand Rapids women were planning on coming back up for a moonlit dinner cruise down the river later this winter and bringing friends. They had come north this trip specifically to do the winter rafting for the first time and had stayed at the Gray Gables B&B in Charlevoix.
Located in East Jordan on M-66, the Jordan Valley Outfitters offers a variety of winter float trips, which can be accessed by logging onto jvoutfitters.com or by calling (231) 536-0006. All guided trips are by reservation only. They also offer excursions with a snowshoe hike built into the trip, which can run anywhere from a few minutes up to an hour. The group decides how long, and Jordan Valley Outfitters furnishs the snowshoes.
This coming weekend East Jordan will be celebrating its 27th annual Snowblast, Jan. 18-20. There are lots of activities planned throughout the weekend for the whole family. For more details and times of events you can log onto ejchamber.org.
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