#3: [05-Aug-22]

#1: [11-Sep-99] (incomplete)

04-Mar-2001 -- This confluence visit was launched in order to improve upon the previous posting by Randy Joswig, 11-Sep-1999. By Mr. Joswig's own estimate, he never approached closer than 150m to the confluence, which would technically qualify as a confluence "attempt." My co-explorer Thomas C.H. Mueller ventured out in January 2001 to scout the area and reported that an actual visit looked feasible. In March we finally got a good opportunity to go.

Wisconsin's most southwestern confluence lies less than 100 feet within the treeline of the wooded area along the south bank of the Wisconsin River. Access to the area is via dirt roads that pass by widely separated farmhouses. The roads and farmhouses are confined to the higher, cleared agricultural land. The farm acreage is small compared to the wooded acreage that is predominant below 1100 ft altitude. Not surprisingly, some small logging operations are evident in the area.

To access the confluence, we parked on the shoulder of the dirt road about 150m east of the confluence point and headed down the sloping farmland toward the treeline. This wooded area embraces a ravine in which a small creek runs. According to our maps, this creek grows and runs all the way (about 2/3 of a mile) to the marsh adjacent to the Wisconsin River. Happily, there are many gates and openings in the barbed-wire fences that Mr. Joswig reported, so the confluence area can be reached without having to crawl under or over any of them.

The confluence itself was up on the near (northeast) side of the ravine. The confluence was a bit challenging to zero in on, due to the sloping, snow-covered ground plus the terrain and trees impeding the satellite signals somewhat. Thomas and I circled and sampled with the GPS and estimated that the point we designated and photographed as the confluence is within 35 feet of true.

Retiring eastward and homeward, we were able to just get in a visit to N43W090 before the sun set.