A) MacArthur Pine Rd to Newald Tower Rd. (21.2 miles)

Above Cedar and NT (Newald Tower) Rapids the river is intimate, thus blockages are likely. There are 13 sets of low-gradient, rocky rapids (I-II): six from MacArthur Pine to Hwy 139, five from New 139 to Twin River Rd, and five (plus NT Rapids) from Twin River Rd. to Newald Tower Rd). Between rapids the river is generally deep and floatable. Whitewater adventures are available with higher flows (probably over 3-400 cfs measured at the USGS station 25 miles downriver) but the remoteness, narrowness, and the tendency for deadfalls increasing the level of risk or struggle the further upriver one starts.  Shuttle distances are not long and gravel roads are usually acceptable for a bike-back option. Twin River Rd to Newald Tower Rd is 5.8 miles of river and a shuttle distance of 6.7 miles. For several years there has been a growing obstruction (between the 4th and 5th of eight drops in Holmes Rapids) that requires a short, snarly drag-around on the right. The reward of this section is NT Rapids. Hwy 139 to Twin River Rd. is 7.1 miles of river with a shuttle distance of 5.1 miles. Half of this stretch is through marshland. There is a massive obstruction in the middle of McDougal Rapids that requires a 1,800 foot (river-left) portage, mostly through upland forests. MacArthur Pine Rd. to Hwy 139 is 4.6 to 7.0 miles of river and a shuttle distance of 10-11 miles depending on where you take out. Expect strainers, down trees and challenging rapids. Ratings on the unnamed rapids are only a guess of what they might rate with adequate flows. This stretch has a massive beaver dam and a couple of smaller ones. Between Old 139 and (new) Hwy.139, the river becomes braided and rocky, as it goes through a dense alder thicket that is seriously not worth trying. End the trip in the town of Popple River at Old Hwy 139 or expect to portage down to Hwy 139.