Hoofer Outing club paddles upstream on Fall Colors canoe trip
By Joe Webb
On the weekend of Oct. 21, 40 members of theHoofer Outing club embarked on a long-standing tradition—the 25th annual Fall Colors canoe trip. With 16 canoes, three sea kayaks and beautiful fall weather, the lower Wisconsin River was the place to be for any outdoor enthusiast.
Caroline Rose, Hoofer Outing club president and Fall Colors trip leader, said “this event was organized beautifully by a collaborative team of Outing members who had never been a part of the trips planning before and some of whom had never attended the Fall Colors trip before.” Caroline also gave praise to the experienced members who helped tremendously in the planning even though they did not attend the trip.
The trip began on Thursday evening as group members began loading their gear into cars. On Friday evening, the group met at Park Street circle to drive two hours west of Madison to Wyalusing State Park to camp for the night.
Saturday was filled with outdoor activities as the day began by visiting the bluffs over the Wisconsin River and Treasure Cave. The group then drove upstream of the river to eat lunch and canoe for three hours. The evening came to a close as the group camped on a a sandbar, built a massive campfire and played charades.
The Mississippi River was the Outing club’s target as the group began paddling west on Sunday morning. After reaching the Mississippi and facing some brisk headwinds, the group reconvened and drove back to Madison to unload all of the gear in a huge thunderstorm.
Fall Colors continues to be a great and historic tradition for the Hoofer Outing club. Visit the Hoofer Outing club’s website for upcoming club events and trips, as well as planning for the 26thAnnual Fall Colors canoe trip in the fall of 2012!
