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3 day, 2 night paddling recommendations - late Sept / mid Oct

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  • #16
    Oswegatchie

    The Oswegatchie from Inlet to High Falls really is a beautiful trip. Wind is not an issue. There are places where you might encounter rocks depending on the water level. We've done it twice and only had to carry around one spot and the carry was not long at all.

    There are beautiful spots to stop along the way. The occasional beaver dams are fun. Sometimes you have to get out of your boats but others can be run.

    Two nights for this trip is very doable. PM me if you want more details.

    Pat T

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    • #17
      Its really unwise to get yourself locked into a fixed schedule at anytime of the year and particularly May or now.

      2 night three day trip is not very long.. It takes a full day to circumnavigate Lower Saranac at a moderate pace and poke around the many islands. It can take another full day on Middle. I am speaking of a paddling speed around 4 mph.

      Up to the Falls and back is not a quick shot. Its been a while since I did it but appears to be about 15 miles round trip.

      Wind forecasts http://en.windfinder.com/forecast/tupper_lake This weekend looks nasty on Sunday. Wind gusts 30-40. I find this website a good guide and learned about it here.

      Its very hard to gauge peoples experience from falling in(after you have years experience its inevitable)or what they consider experienced. This is something best gauged in person, hence the cautionary note.

      Ask your friends how they coped with Opeongo. Many people don't paddle it because of the wind.. I have several times and not flipped. But I couldn't call it prudent nor fun..

      I have a canoe trip planned locally too this weekend.. Winds are going to be 40 plus in gusts.. time for a river trip. I have enough (51 years canoeing) experience to know then to go and when to fold.

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      • #18
        Originally posted by BroadWater View Post

        Do you think there is enough to see on Middle and Lower to keep us occupied for 2 days, and then maybe take a shot at the trip down the Raquette to the falls and back on the third day?

        If anyone else has some non windy suggestions, I'm all ears.


        Thanks!
        We all have our preferences and quirks. I prefer river trips, because there are always things just beyond the next bend which have more "beckoning power" than paddling across choppy lakes in high winds. Lakes are great as a means to an end--as part of a through trip or as a way to access other areas.
        The Falls on the Raquette you can see only by boat or foot access, and there are two sets of them. The round trip from Axton to the Falls is about 12.5 miles, based on my day trip of last year. This trip has the most flexibility, because you can put in at a range of locations, from the Moody Launch at Tupper, the Crusher, Axton, or Stony Creek Ponds. And the length of the trip can vary, or you can decide to do a point-to-point with a shuttle.
        The Oswegatchie is another great choice, and it is a round trip, because you are not considering the longer and more challenging traverse. Three nights is not an excessive amount of time for this venture, and it is the highest level of wilderness without long carries and bushwhacks.
        Allow yourselves enough time to alter plans, and believe that the highpoints are usually those things which you never planned for.
        "Days in the woods are days beyond time"--Paul Jamieson

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        • #19
          Try the exxes chain . Small area , easy paddling plenty of stuff to check out . Take a canoe cart .

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          • #20
            Originally posted by richard p View Post
            I second Long Pond. There is a lot to do - hike up Long Pond mountain, try and get to Ledge pond, portage to other ponds in the are, etc. etc. I say ditch the kayak and rent a canoe from St Regis Canoe Outfitters so you can all make it up to Fish Pond or even St. Regis Pond. I was hoping to try the new Essex Chain but fires are not permitted - can't imagine camping (especially in the fall) without a fire.
            My party of 6 are looking for a simlar option. I wanted to confirm the route from Long pond to Ledge pond. Do you head up the stream to Pink Pond, then to along another stream to an unamed pond further north, and then there appears to be a carry trail to Ledge. Would that be feasible to do as a day trip from a campsite on Long?
            Thanks for your feedback.

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            • #21
              be advised that camping on middle and lower Saranac lakes is by reservation.
              I'd say Floodwood would be a great location this time of year. Can meander around the area over to Rollins, down creek to little square or copperas (sp?)
              short carry to Follensby clear,,,

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              • #22
                Originally posted by yardsale View Post
                My party of 6 are looking for a simlar option. I wanted to confirm the route from Long pond to Ledge pond. Do you head up the stream to Pink Pond, then to along another stream to an unamed pond further north, and then there appears to be a carry trail to Ledge. Would that be feasible to do as a day trip from a campsite on Long?
                Thanks for your feedback.
                Yes, that is quite do-able. Stay on the outlet from Ledge up from Pink. Just be prepared for some slogging over beaver dams and slow going if you try to canoe very far up. There is some unique and interesting terrain not shown on the topo map to the east of Ledge if you care to bushwhack some.
                "Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." -Walt Whitman

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                • #23
                  You can leave a car at Indian Carry. Indian, Bartlett Carry to Middle is a no stress one day effort. You could overnight at Weller Pond. From Middle to Lake Flower is an easy one day effort with a bailout possible at the launch on route 3. You need to reserve sites if you plan to do this route.
                  Upper is a good sized lake...good judgement is required as on any of the larger lakes. The route from the Saranac Inn to Bartlett is doable and is as noted often done as a scout trip. It might be wiser to put in halfway doen the lake though.

                  I am always surprised at how often the Oswagatchie route is suggested. I have always considered it to be extremely boring...as is the stretch of the Racquette from Moodys' to Tupper except in the fall. Alternatively I always suggest Blue Mountain Lake to Racquette. The short carry at Utowana is one that anyone can do even carrying a war canoe. Aluminum canoes are really not that hard to carry...not as pleasant as Kevlar but consider that these routes have been run long before there were 30 (or 70) pound canoes, even by 14 year old scouts.
                  There are really great site options on Racquette and if you are ambitious the carry to Forked is nearly as easy as the one from Utowana. WRT Racquette,the prevailing wind is in your favor as you enter from the Marion stream but the lake can be a beast (dangerous) so take note of the weather. There are some nice leanto's as you move down the lake.

                  Or......start out at the top of Long Lake and make the run down to the foot of the lake. The winds are always favorable there.....you can continue down the river if you decide that carrying is "OK" or turn around and head back to the top of the lake.

                  I'm really curious to know what kind of boat your buddies dumped? There are not too many tandem boats that are that tender......

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by yardsale View Post
                    My party of 6 are looking for a simlar option. I wanted to confirm the route from Long pond to Ledge pond. Do you head up the stream to Pink Pond, then to along another stream to an unamed pond further north, and then there appears to be a carry trail to Ledge. Would that be feasible to do as a day trip from a campsite on Long?
                    Thanks for your feedback.
                    The beaver dams between Long and Pink come and go...
                    Last time I was there (2012) it looked like this:



                    And this was the end of the line...carry from here to Ledge:



                    There are multiple routes to Ledge, choose carefully, I slipped thigh deep in mud in one spot.

                    Ledge is a beautiful spot and well worth the effort. As wldrns says, it's an easy day trip from anywhere on Long.
                    Here's some ledges on Ledge:

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                    • #25
                      Guys,

                      Difference between Long Pond to Ledge Pond and Blue Mountain
                      to Forked is the motor traffic on Raquette during the high season
                      is the boat traffic on Raquette. That nightly cruise in the moonlight
                      by the SS Durant and its loud speaker for the tourists on board
                      ain't my idea of camping.

                      Skid

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