Category: Paddling

Essex Chain Lakes - by Doug

10/14/2013

From here the road gets rough.

On Thursday, October 10, 2013 I got my first glimpse of the Essex Chain Lakes. Most recreational users of the Adirondacks are likely familiar with the recent activity concerning the Essex Chain Lakes tract, which is part of the former Finch, Pruyn & Co. lands purchased by New York State from The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The State Land classification of this tract has been in the news for several months and the decision is now in the hands of the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and will be subject to approval by the Governor.

Kiosk & register box at Deer Pond parking lot.

The day was slightly overcast, warm and dry. The mornings have been cold, so my two friends and I took our time
getting started. It was 11:05 AM by the time we signed in and started carrying
our lightweight solo canoes the 0.25 miles to Deer Pond. Still waters and no
bugs made ideal conditions for exploring the Chain Lakes.

Second Lake outlet.

Leaving Deer Pond we carried
0.5 miles to Third Lake, paddled into Second Lake and then carried to First Lake. The carry to First is flagged and lightly brushed out, but it has not been cut or developed yet. We paddled the length of the lake then down the outlet as far as the first beaver dam. Wanting to explore the other lakes in the chain we retraced our strokes to Third Lake.

A glimpse of Vanderwhacker Mt.

We stopped for lunch and watched as a member of the Gooley Club trolled around, fishing from an aluminum boat power by an electric motor. Although I am pleased to have a new portion of the Adirondacks to explore, I couldn’t help but think about the sense of loss members of the Club must be
feeling. These lakes have been a special part of their lives for a long time and now that is all changing. For the next five years this group will have lease access to the camp buildings and will be able to use motor boats on Second through Sixth Lakes. The DEC’s Interim Plan allows Club members to use electric motors from July 1st to September 30th and ten hp gas motors from October 1st to the end of the big game hunting season and from ice out until June 30th. As the day went on a few more fishing boats appeared on the water. Another paddler we encountered made a comment about eliminating motorized boats from the tract. I on the other hand did not find the boats to be bothersome. My earliest experiences in the wilds were fishing with my grandfather in boats like these.

This sign was not posted when we entered the tract.

After lunch we resumed exploring
lakes Fourth through Seventh. As it was getting later in the day we did not have time to investigate Sixth or Eighth Lakes. We will save those for future trips. The sun was setting as we retracted our route to the Deer Pond carry. We arrived at the parking lot before needing to break out the headlamps. We talked to some mountain bikers at the parking lot and discussed the potential for riding that the logging roads on the tract would provide.

The day’s paddle was an enjoyable experience. I am grateful to have the opportunity to explore this
beautiful area. While we were paddling we discussed the classification options currently being decided by the APA. I think we all had preconceived ideas about what classification we would favor. The area certainly is a great addition to the Forest Preserve; many people will enjoy experiencing it. Having seen the
tract first hand has provided me with a much better idea of the recreational use potential available. Given the character of the land I favor a Wild Forest classification over Wilderness. The
road network was constructed for extracting timber and can easily withstand the impact of mountain biking which would be allowed as Wild Forest but not as Wilderness. As far as motor boats, I think the current restrictions that apply to Gooley Club members would work for me. I know that some paddlers would disagree, but the area can certainly withstand this level of use. In addition, the Wild Forest classification would allow appropriate development of accessible facilities for use by people with disabilities.

Map from DEC Interim Plan

I hope that those deciding the final classification have had
a chance to explore and discover what the tract has to offer for the people of New York State.

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Spring Conditions on Adirondack Lakes, Ponds and Trails - by Doug

4/21/2013

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Upper Saranac Lake, Thursday, 4/18/2013.

This time of year, people that like to boat and hike in the Adirondacks start asking about the snow and ice situation here. Questions this week have ranged from people asking about ice on specific lakes and ponds, to questions about snow and mud on the trails and one that asked about hiking
the Northville Placid Trail from Lake Durant to Route 28N.

Doug at Whiteface, Friday, 4/19/2013

Believe it or not, Whiteface Mountain just closed for skiing and riding. I went Friday, April 19th and again today, Sunday the 21st, but this was the last day of operation for the season. This past week we have had warm temperatures and strong winds mixed with some rain and snow at times. Pretty typical stuff for April in the Adirondacks and even those of us that are diehard skiers have to say goodbye to winter.

So based on my ramblings during the last week or so, here is the unofficial report on outdoor conditions for the Tri-Lakes region.

Trying to save a dock from shifting ice.

Ice out: At the start of the past week the ponds and lakes were starting to turn gray, but they seemed to still be locked tight with ice. On Thursday, April 18th extremely high winds started to blow from the west-southwest and on the larger bodies of water the ice started to shift. On that day I watched as one of the local caretakers and her family tried to keep the moving ice from destroying a permanent dock that was ill-advisedly built two years ago. It seems like they may have had some success, but I’m sure the ice will win one of these years. It always does on the west facing shores.

Shell ice on Upper Saranac Lake, 4/20/2013

On Friday April 19th, Lake Colby was about 1/3 covered in the morning, but clear by mid-afternoon. Lake Clear seemed tight that afternoon, but was on
the way out by evening. Saturday the 20th, Upper Saranac Lake cleared completely except for about 200 feet of rolling shell ice in the Northeast Bay and about the same amount of weak ice around the boat launch in Back Bay.

Some shoreline ice lingering on Folensby Clear Pond.

As of Saturday, April 20, 2013 here is what I have seen:

Ice free are;
Lake Colby, Upper Saranac Lake, Lake Clear, Folensby Clear Pond, Fish Creek Pond, Square Pond, Whey Pond and Rollins Pond.
The smaller ponds without much wind exposure still have some ice; Church Pond and Osgood Pond in Paul Smiths are still ice covered.

Lake Placid from Little Whiteface Mt. Still frozen, Sunday, 4/21/20013

While skiing today I looked down on Lake Placid to see it frozen
everywhere except the far western end. Rumor has it the lake trout are active near the edge of the ice shelf there.

Our friends at St. Regis Canoe Outfitters have been checking the ponds along the Floodwood Road. Contact them or check their Facebook posts for updates.

Ice on the first 100 yards of the Baker Mt. trail.

Snow in the woods and on the trails.
A week ago winter was still locked in fairly tight with only the south facing slopes free of accumulated snow. I climbed Baker Mountain, one of the Saranac Lake “6”, on Thursday, April 11th and except for the first 100 yards the trail was almost all ice free. As the trail was very muddy, I kept my microSpikes on for the entire hike; they were helpful.

The only patch of snow on the Poke-O-Moonshine trail.

This past Wednesday, the 17th I climbed Poke-O-Moonshine down in the ChamplainValley. My friends and I picked this trail because we knew the trail would be relatively dry and there would be little or no snow on this lower elevation trail. It was a beautiful day and we only encountered a few small patches of snow and ice; we never needed to break the spikes out.
Looking at the north facing slopes of other mountains from the summit of Poke-O-Moonshine we could still see large patches of snow. In the upper elevations there is still substantial snow that likely requires traction
devices or snowshoes.
If we have some nice days in the next week I hope to hike Haystack and/or ScarfaceMountains, both are Saranac Lake 6er peaks.

The Eastern High Peaks still snow covered on Sunday, 4/21/2013

Trails with mud or water running on them can be easily eroded, so choose your routes to avoid these conditions.

Wearing PFDs on a spring paddle.

Cold Water Safety
Cold water can be extremely dangerous. For about a minute after entering the water, Cold Shock Response will affect your breathing. In response to rapid skin cooling initially there is an automatic gasp reflex. In a capsize situation if the
head goes underwater, water may be breathed into the lungs during the gasp causing drowning. A life jacket or PFD helps keep your head above water and can prevent this.
Hypothermia is also a danger, depending upon the person and what they are wearing. Moderate hypothermia will occur between 5 and 30 minutes after submersion in cold water. A wet suit or dry suit will provide thermal protection and minimize the Cold Shock Response and hypothermia.

In New York State, paddlers are required to wear a PFD between November 1st and May 1st.

Be safe out there and minimize your environmental impact. Let someone know where you are going and practice Leave No Trace (LNT). Have a fun spring.

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Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, MN – Part 3 of 3 by Doug

10/31/2012

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Canoe Trip with Broadwing Adventures guides Doug Fitzgerald and Jack Drury - August 30 to September 13, 2012

Likes and learns from the trip

Jack & Phyliss enjoying our last sunset

Towards the end of a trip and afterwards are the times for contemplation and taking stock of the experience. There are lessons learned about gear, food, travel, the area, other people and ourselves. There are aspects of every trip that the members like and dislike. In the final installment of this blog series, I will reflect on these things and attempt to
give the reader an idea of what we are left with after the journey.

Light boat with a balanced load

Thoughts about gear
Our canoe - In 2007 we had Swift Canoe from
Ontario make us a 16’6” Kipawa tandem touring canoe. It is light, but has a limited payload.
This works fine for us, because when we need a light canoe we also carry a light load. We ordered bow and stern skid plates, which were a definite plus for protecting the boat from the rocks in the BW. On a couple of previous local
trips I have overloaded this boat and have been nervous about how it handled, on this trip the boat and load were well matched and it performed well.

Gourmet meals prepared on reliable stoves

Our stove – I have relied on a Coleman Peak 1 for years. They are bombproof and work like a charm. Coleman has moved away from this model, which is unfortunate. As readers may recall I used an MSR Pocket Rocket canister stove on the Northville Placid Trail (NPT) and really liked it, but on this trip we planned to do more complex cooking, plus frying some fish. Thus, the Peak 1 was our stove of choice. In addition, the other two cooking groups were using liquid fueled stoves, so it made sense for all of us to carry the same type of fuel.

Water purification – On the NPT we used Leo’s Steri Pen to treat our water, it worked great to treat 5 to 6 liters per day with just 2 sets of batteries. The device uses ultraviolet light to eliminate pathogens in the drinking water. Unfortunately on this trip, battery life for my pen was an issue. The pen worked fine with fresh batteries, but after a few days it became less reliable. It eventually required us to take out the batteries and keep exchanging them with others, it was frustrating. On a recent weekend trip the group I was with used a Katadyn Base Camp water filter. I liked how it worked and think that while the Steri Pen worked well for backpacking, for paddling trips I might try a hanging bag filter like the Katadyn.

Communications – For our Thelon River trip two years ago, Karen and Ed bought a satellite phone to use for emergencies and contacting our charter flight service. They renewed the service for this trip and brought it along. In a world where all of us are connected at all times, it seems natural that we should have that connection even in the wilderness. While it might make sense to be able to be contact the outside world “in case of an emergency”, having a phone along does have an effect on my wilderness experience. Generally I would prefer to not have a phone. Even though I have started to carry a cell phone when I paddle in the Adirondacks, the effects of never being completely separated from civilization is a factor to be considered.

GPS and BW map

Travel
Navigation – In all three canoes we used the National Geographic, Trails Illustrated Map, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness West.
There is also an East version. There are at least 3 different makers of maps for the BW, but I am used to the NG maps and like how they represent the area. Jack, Ed and I also use GPS units, Jack prefers to use the GPS as his primary navigation tool, while I rely more on map reading, as I like the larger perspective it provides. I use the GPS to set waypoints, track time and distance to destinations and to record distances traveled. My 10 year old Garmin tends to lose signal under tree cover, while Jack and Ed’s newer units work better in poor signal areas.

Potential for future trips – The unbroken wilderness allows for a lifetime of potential trips. I want to return again and hope to do it sooner than I did this time. I would like to go with a group that is willing to travel more, take on the tough portages and cover greater distances. As a guide, I think the BWCAW would be a good area to lead a group of adventure travelers.

Our group planning the day

Other people
Even with a restrictive permit system we saw a number of people, especially near the entry points. On the southern end of Lac La Croix we struggled to find an empty campsite, but we spent 3 nights on remote Pocket Lake and never saw anyone. Like in the Adirondacks, the farther you are willing to travel away from access points, the less people you will see. Even after days of travel in the BW you will likely see more people when your route comes near other entry points. Almost everyone we saw carried fishing gear and there were many serious anglers out there. For us the fishing was an added bonus to the canoe trip, for some groups the camping is a necessary part of a fishing trip.

The help of others – Our second portage on day one was rough, there was a group of fishermen traveling in our direction and they pitched in to move our gear across. This happened on other occasions too. To try and pay-it-forward, when we encountered a group traveling the opposite way on a portage, I carried one of their canoes across. Unfortunately, I did it without asking and they did not appreciate it. They were from an elite canoe camp and I think I injured their pride. Lesson learned; read people better and ask before helping. Elite paddlers are interesting, but some take the sport a little too seriously for me.

Phyliss's leadership skit

Leader of the day (LOD) – As our group is made up of peers; decisions are generally arrived at by consensus. Although this works much of the time, there are instances where it is more expedient to have someone take a leadership role, make decisions and guide the group. Jack suggested we try a
technique known as Leader Of the Day. Not everyone was willing to accept the role, but this leadership style was fairly successful. Jan and Phyliss did a
great job when each of them was LOD and Phyliss’s skit to start her day was hilarious.

Simple living in the wilderness

Life in the wilderness
In my July blog about the NPT, I expounded on the simplicity of living and traveling in the wilderness. Instead of repeating myself here, I thought I’d use a couple of excerpts from The Lonely Land, by Sigurd Olson. He wrote extensively about paddling in the Boundary Waters and Quetico and is considered to be one of the nation's best nature writers.

After a trip of nearly 500 miles on the Churchill River of Canada he wrote about the final days on the river.
... “One more camp, perhaps two, and we would be at Cumberland House. It became increasingly hard to realize that the trip was drawing to a close and that this was the end of many things for all of us. ... At the moment it seemed as though we had always been together, that our old life was nebulous and unreal. This way of existence, living in tents and traveling together each day, seemed the way life should be. We had shared wind and storm, rapids and portages, and all of that had been good.”...

Unpacking the "outfit"

After Olson’s trip he had this to say,
... “By the time I reached home the whole expedition had begun to seem a little unreal. I spread the equipment out in the yard to give it a final airing before putting it away. ... As I worked over the outfit, the Churchill River seemed far away, ... I knew it would soon be hard even to imagine the music of huskies around the Indian villages or the wild calling of the loons on the open lakes.
I also knew there were some things that would never be dimmed by distance or time,
compounded of values that would not be forgotten: the joy and challenge of the
wilderness, the sense of being part of the country and of an era that was gone, the freedom we had known, silence, timelessness, beauty, companionship and loyalty, and the feeling of fullness and completion that was ours at the end.” ...
Sigurd Olson expresses these sentiments so well.

We take on journeys like this to experience the joy of the moment and to savor the memories for the rest of our lives. People that have truly experienced living and traveling in the wilderness understand the value it adds to life. As always, this trip has become a part of who I am and I look forward to my next
adventure.

To see part one of the series CLICK HERE
To see part two of this series CLICK HERE
Additional photos are available on our PHOTO GALLERY

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CONTEST – Win a Broadwing Adventures – Outdoor Products water bottle

10/28/2012

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Friday was a beautiful day for paddling. Warm, sunny with light winds. Doug took an awesome paddle in his Spitfire and explored a couple of less visited ponds. Here are a few pictures from each pond. Can you identify them? Take a guess or two. The first correct guess for each pond will win a Broadwing Adventures – Outdoor Products stainless steel water bottle. Please, only one winner per household.
You can submit your guesses as comments here or on our facebook page. Be sure to “like” us while you are there. Click on a picture below and scroll through to enlarge each one. Submit your guesses for pond #1 and pond #2. Good luck and have fun.