By: Tom Lounsbury

​Indian Fields Park near Caro gets its name for a reason. Prior to there being present day Caro, Indian Fields had permanent Native American residents, who in the fall met with other tribes and had an annual powwow just prior to a big hunt to get meat for the winter. This is all described in the book “The Hunting Expeditions of Oliver Hazard Perry”. Perry had ventured from his home in Ohio in the fall of 1852 to hunt elk and deer in the Thumb’s wilderness along the Cass River (during which he killed a huge 8 x 8 bull elk). In his book, Perry describes a couple of Indian tribes visiting Indian Fields as being “Sebewane” and “Quanicussee”.
Due to the hunting powwow getting a bit boisterous Perry and his hunting companion would buy a canoe from the Indians and travelled upstream and made a hunting camp at the Forks of the Cass near present day Cass City. Perry describes venturing up the rapids on the Cass’s Upper Reaches quite vividly, and where the canoe had to be poled and pulled to traverse them upstream. Having done this myself a time or two, I can easily identify with Perry’s writings.
After a couple weeks of hunting near the Forks, where elk, deer, bears and wolves were seen, some fall rains brought the Cass River’s water level up enough, that Perry and his hunting companion had clear sailing downstream over the rapids to reach Indian Fields with their heavily loaded canoe. Perry describes the site at Indian Fields as being mostly evergreen trees, entailing a predominance of enormous hemlocks. After a short stay, they would begin their journey downstream to reach Saginaw, where they would depart by ship and return to Ohio.
Indian Fields would be the launch site for continuing my journey of canoeing the Cass River from Cass City to Saginaw to commemorate the river recently becoming an official water trail, thanks to the efforts of the Cass River Greenway, a group of dedicated folks I strongly support. I’m also duplicating Oliver Hazard Perry’s 1852 journey down the Cass from “The Forks” to Saginaw to point out the fact that the Cass River has always been an important water trail for eons. Native Americans relied upon it, as did pioneers, hunters and lumbermen. The Cass River has clearly played a very important key role in the history and development of the Thumb Area. 
Having never launched a canoe from Indian Fields, I decided to scout it out a couple days ahead of time. Over the years I’ve had a lot of fun in the hills and streams of Indian Fields Park, thanks to family reunions, and it is easy to see why it was a preferred site for Native Americans. The canoe launch entails a steep staircase, and I had my eye on the shallow ravine right next to it for an easier access for a number of canoes and kayaks, which would require only about a 10 yard haul from the access road. However, the high winds which swept through the Thumb the day before we were going to launch would change the entire picture.
The following morning we were greeted with fallen trees across the road, and the simple 10 yard haul of canoes and kayaks turned into a 200 yard obstacle course. Most of the folks who had joined me on the earlier trip down the Upper Reaches of the Cass were back again to join me on this start down the Lower Reaches. I had discovered at the very beginning that I was on this river adventure with really wonderful folks who never hesitated in giving assistance when needed, and without having to be asked. They were all naturally into teamwork and knew what to do. Needless to say, canoes and kayaks reached the river in no time at all, and I’d share a river adventure with all of these folks anywhere and anytime.
A large tree had fallen into and filled the ravine, so it was just the steep staircase waiting for us. 14 year old Kyle Fall of Millington donned chest-waders, and was in the river steadying canoes and kayaks while folks climbed aboard, of which there were a dozen in our group, and we were all anticipating the journey downstream to Vassar. This would entail 3 canoes and 4 kayaks, and it would be my first time venturing down the Cass in a kayak, something I was looking forward to.
I’ve long considered myself as being a dyed in the wool canoe-guy, but during the recent trip down the Upper Reaches of the Cass, I developed a profound respect for kayaks as being superbly maneuverable in rough waters, as well as their ability to literally glide along the surface with little effort. For this leg of the journey I was using a two-person kayak provided by Eric Fielbrandt, owner of Frankenmuth Kayak Adventures (www.kayakfrankenmuth.com or call 989-652-3400). Cameraman John Scollon, who is filming my entire journey down the Cass, was set up in the front of our kayak, and he had a very stabile platform for his tripod and camera. I’m no tiny-tot, and I found this kayak to be plenty roomy and offering a very comfortable seat, and I truly appreciated the ability to slice through the water with a full load aboard.
Fielbrandt had also brought a one-person kayak for Larry Kolb of Cass City, and this unique watercraft really caught my eye. It featured a comfortable seat on top of a very stabile double hull (and even had handy fishing rod holders), and Kolb never quit smiling while really enjoying paddling this kayak during the entire trip.
Having canoed all over the state, I’ve long appreciated the convenient logistics of renting watercraft instead of hauling my own around on top of my vehicle. The services provided by rental businesses such as Frankenmuth Kayak Adventures include drop-off and pick-up which is an important factor to always consider, and I’ll be using their kayaks for the remainder of my journey to Saginaw, as they offer a top quality product and service.
Our trip from Indian Fields to Vassar entailed great water depths, an excellent current under clear blue skies, balmy temperatures and absolutely no bugs, and all in the company of good people who truly enjoyed the river. It doesn’t get any better than that!
My being primarily an Upper Reaches river paddler, it was good to have a seasoned Lower Reaches river paddler along, such as Peggy Fall of Millington who ran point for us in her kayak, to scout ahead and assure the best way to skirt around any fallen trees caused by the windstorm the day before. Perry had mentioned in his book that his 1852 downstream paddle from Indian Fields to Vassar took 5 ½ hours and it remains so today. We did it in 6 hours, which included a relaxing lunch break on the riverbank. We did have to skirt around a fallen tree here and there, especially under bridges, but otherwise it was clear sailing all the way without any hitches whatsoever.
It was on this Lower Reaches stretch that I was introduced to the northern map turtle (its name derived from the markings on its neck and legs which resemble contour lines on a map) which I haven’t seen on the Upper Reaches, but is unique to this stretch during which we observed over three dozen, along with several soft shell turtles. We also saw bald eagles, ospreys, waterfowl and a wide variety of songbirds which included a brilliantly colored male scarlet tanager, not to mention deer and even beavers which were seen.
Naturalists Miles Willard of Mayville and Dan Duso of Bay City who accompanied us on this trip as well as on the Upper Reaches, both commented that it was amazing to watch an obvious change and difference in the fauna and flora along the Cass River as you venture down it, with certain species being unique to either the Upper or Lower Reaches. Willard and Duso also stated that the Cass River offered more solitude, less congestion and was cleaner (no doubt due to the efforts of the Cass River Greenway)  than most notable rivers further north. I’ll toast to that, folks!
Landing at Vassar required a final patch of fast water where a dam once stood, directly followed by making a hard left turn to reach the canoe/kayak launch, which we all did with no problem, and all too soon this particular paddle was done. As was the norm, everyone was helping everyone in getting their canoe and kayaks and gear to the parking lot close by. 
I’m truly looking forward to the next leg of the journey down the historic Cass River which will entail Vassar to at least Frankenmuth. I’ve really been enjoying the adventures of canoeing down this fantastic river and getting to know some mighty fine folks during the process. You never know, it could become an annual event!

   
​By: Tom Lounsbury

  That Saturday morning a couple weeks ago featured some chilling winds which were spitting snowflakes when my group launched their canoes and kayaks into the Cass River’s fast-flowing spring current. This was near the Cemetery Road Bridge just south of Cass City and our little flotilla entailed 4 canoes and 5 kayaks, carrying 12 folks wielding paddles. Our goal was to reach Chippewa Landing just south of Caro by that afternoon, and this was the beginning of day-trips to complete a journey from Cass City, all the way downstream to Saginaw, to commemorate the Cass River becoming an official water trail, thanks to a great group known as the Cass River Greenway (www.cassriver.org). I’m estimating this will entail at least 4 days, because the Cass River isn’t a tiny stream by any means.
    The Cass River is divided into two stretches, the Upper Reaches which are upstream from Caro to the river’s very beginnings, and the Lower Reaches which are from Caro on downstream to where the Cass eventually empties into the Saginaw River. My personal viewpoint has the Caro Dam (which was constructed in 1906) as being the dividing point between the two stretches. In reality, both the Upper and Lower Reaches offer their own distinctly unique atmosphere, of which my group entailing avid river adventurers was ready to see and experience firsthand.
    Native Americans had used the Cass River as a key travel corridor for eons, which is evidenced by the ancient Petroglyphs on the North Branch of the Cass in Sanilac County. There is also the primitive “tool shop” on the Cass’s banks just a short ways downstream from Cass City where prehistoric Indians created the tools needed for survival from chert (a stone which can be chipped and shaped similar to flint).
    The Upper Reaches entails two river tributaries which are the North Branch and the South Branch which converge to become one just south of Cass City. Prior to Cass City becoming a place on the map, this area was known simply as “The Forks”, which was a notable elk hunting hotspot for hunters coming upstream from Saginaw into the Thumb wilderness prior to the Civil War, and why Cass City’s township is named “Elkland”. Although the Cass River is named after Lewis Cass (who signed the Treaty of Saginaw with Native Americans on the banks of the Cass near present day Bridgeport in 1819), there is no doubt in my mind Cass City is named after the river whose north and south branches join close by and floated a lot of logs downstream to feed hungry sawmills to create the necessary lumber for a fast growing young country. This timbering aspect and the Cass River played an important role to Cass City’s early beginnings.
    When it comes to the Cass River’s extensive winding trail downstream westerly through the Thumb, I consider myself as being an “Upper Reaches” river-person. Although I’ve canoed in years past all the way downstream to Frankenmuth, my main association since early childhood has been primarily in the Upper Reaches, which I have come to know quite well, and I first began canoeing this stretch nearly 60 years ago. Depending upon the spring runoff, this can often offer up to 3 months of canoeing opportunities, and also often again in the fall when autumn rains might frequently occur. I’ve always enjoyed paddling on an Upper Reaches fall color tour whenever the Cass River offers it.
    The majority of adventuresome folks accompanying me on this recent Upper Reaches journey had never done it before, and I let them know the first few miles travelling downstream from Cass City were going to be a “wild ride” due to the distinct fall to the river entailing a multitude of rapids, which I have come to dearly love. I truly look forward to “shooting” them with my canoe each spring and I have come to know certain boulders quite well, a familiarity achieved from doing my best to avoid colliding with them for almost 6 decades. I can remember the time my canoe became hung up in a “sweeper” (a fallen tree which can add a whole new dimension to fast flowing rapids) and the current was so strong, it was nearly impossible to dislodge the canoe. The energy and power of the current through this particular stretch are nothing to take for granted.
    Almost as if on cue, ospreys began escorting us down the river shortly after our launch, and we lost count of the number of bald eagles along our entire route. We also saw a multitude of songbirds and waterfowl (two naturalists paddling their canoe with us, Miles Willard of Mayville and Dan Duso of Bay City, identified 55 different bird species, some of which are quite rare) and though the river otters weren’t seen, their notable “otter slide” into the river was quite evident. A herd of 10 deer also crossed the river in front of us, and deer were often seen along the entire route. By midmorning the sun came out and it turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous day to be on the river.
    In our group were two 14 year old young men. Hugh Walker of Cass City was the bowman for his grandfather Bob Walker of Kingston in their canoe. Grandpa Bob is a seasoned Upper Reaches river-person, and grandson Hugh knows how to skillfully wield a canoe paddle.
    Kyle Fall was in a single-person kayak, as were his grandparents, Russ and Peggy Fall of Millington, and they all knew how to really handle a kayak. Kyle gave me the impression he was actually a part of his bright yellow kayak, and I was amazed by his skilled ability to paddle all around us, from bank to bank, in search of unique rocks which he collected.
    Also in a kayak was Larry Kolb of Cass City, who just like me, grew up appreciating what the Upper Reaches of the Cass River has to offer in recreational opportunities. A skilled and seasoned paddler of both canoes and kayaks, Kolb has canoed and kayaked all over the country and Canada, and still considers the Cass his favorite river. According to him, the Cass River and its recreational capabilities is one of the best kept secrets which must be shared with others.
    In another kayak was Terry Fahner of Sebewaing. Clearly a very skilled kayaker, this was her first adventure on the Upper Reaches of the Cass, and she obviously enjoyed every bit of our journey. The fact is, I have long considered myself a dyed in the wool canoe guy, but in watching the kayakers on this adventure and their ability to deftly maneuver around obstacles gave me a whole new and profound respect for kayaks. Needless to say folks, I’m going to get me one.
    My wingman (no doubt to keep an eye on the “old man”, probably due to his mother’s orders) on this journey was my son Jake in a one-person canoe. You can say Jake is an Upper Reaches river-person too, because he has been experiencing the Cass ever since I put a life jacket on him as a toddler, attached a rope to him and me, and towed him behind me while I wade-fished. He and his two brothers can readily remember being tucked into the center of our canoe while my wife Ginny and I did our annual Memorial Day paddle down the Cass.
    Riding in the front of my canoe was former Cass City resident John Scollon, who is now a professional photographer. His goal is to film my entire journey from Cass City to Saginaw, for the Cass River Greenway. I’m looking forward to seeing what he filmed in the Upper Reaches rapids, while we veered around boulders and even bumped into a couple, which I have long remembered as being very “personable” big rocks. I was pretty sure John’s knuckles were a bit white at times while he gripped his camera’s tripod in the bow of my canoe. He was definitely a seasoned Upper Reaches river-person when we beached our canoe at Chippewa Landing near Caro.
    All present on that day agreed it was a great adventure on a fabulous river. Naturalist Dan Duso capped everything when he declared that the Upper Reaches of the Cass River reminded him of the AuSable River. I fully agree.
    For me, I had a fine time with truly wonderful people who readily assisted other folks on the river whenever needed without hesitation, and it was clear they fully enjoyed the experience. I will do river adventures with all of them, anywhere and anytime.
    Come to think of it, I will likely be doing just that, as they were all saying they were looking forward to the next leg of the journey, which will represent paddling down the Lower Reaches of the historic Cass River.
    Needless to say folks this story is just getting started.

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