8-20-10

Friday we would spend the day in Lake Placid doing the tourist thing but before getting to the tourist trap we stopped at Placid Boat Works to test paddle 2 ultra light pack canoes the first one is the 12’ Spitfire which tips the scales at 20lbs with its longer brethren the 15’ Rapidfire is a mere 25lbs.
A few things I learned on this trip is that carrying those seldom used items such as a first aid kit and an emergency repair kit for composite boats is a must as I needed both. I had good maps but on occasion I relied on the GPS to get us back to the take out with the absence of visible landmarks in unfamiliar territory. On the flipside one of the smaller bodies of water we paddled did not show up on the GPS at all so we relied on the maps to find our way to the destination. We traversed eight different bodies of water covering 37.5 miles in six days with many more available but the clock ran out for this year. Saranac Lake is a small city in the Adirondacks with much to offer with 2 outfitters in town, real supermarkets and numerous dining options for those so inclined. Cell phones (ATT, Verizon) do work there if you must stay connected. The two bedroom cabin was spacious (about 800 sq.ft.) with a full kitchen, phone, and cable TV.

Find all the photo's here.

Gary

8-19-10

Today would be our last day paddling as we wanted to spend an entire day in Lake Placid on Friday. I had talked to the outfitter in Saranac Lake and made arrangement to demo two Placid Boat Works pack canoes at their Floodwood Pond outpost. After driving four miles on a dusty dirt road we arrive at the outfitters and finalize the arrangement to test paddle a Spitfire 12’ (20lb) pack canoe. The ultra light canoe handles like a dream with excellent speed, maneuverability, a super comfortable seat plus easy entry/exit. Carrying the boat back to the outfitters I see the longer 15’ Rapidfire being loaded onto a car so it I will not be able to test that boat today. Getting back into our kayaks we begin exploring Floodwood Pond heading in a direction that will lead us to the small brook that flows between Floodwood and Rollins Pond. At this point we exit the kayaks enabling us to walk the boats through the narrow, shallow channel before reaching Rollins Pond where there is a state campground directly on the water offering easy water access. The shorelines of both Floodwood and Rollins Ponds are very kayak friendly offering many places to stop for a lunch break. Paddling away from the campground we can hear the call of loons spotting four of them as we get closer. Exploring several arms of the pond I only see one camp on the forested shoreline before we head back to Floodwood Pond. FloodWood has primitive campsites sprinkled around the pond and only a couple of camps are visible from the water. Both Ponds are located within the Saranac Wild Forest Preserve which has some of the best paddling in the Adirondack Region as you can pond hop very easily making for a fun adventure.

8-18-10

With a lighter breeze in the forecast today’s paddling adventure would take us to Middle Saranac Lake with a destination of Weller Pond. Launching from South Creek once again we paddle towards Middle Saranac Lake where the surface just has just a few ripples as we begin our crossing. The Lake is fairly large so I navigate with a combination of maps and GPS to find our way. About half way across the Lake a large bird begins circling in the sky gradually drifting closer to both me and the surface of the water. In a moment’s notice this immature Bald Eagle makes its final approach diving towards the water’s surface. With its feet thrust forward this majestic bird briefly dips them into the water and pulls up with a fish in the grasp of the talons. I marvel as the eagle fly’s off into the distance with the lunch time quarry. Having made the sometimes treacherous crossing we enter some of the smaller bays encountering other paddlers on there remote campsites. Finding the channel leading to Weller Pond we meander through marshes and bogs before entering the Pond. This pristine area has several campsites including island sites and a lean-to. We eventually find the lean-to site which was vacant to take a lunch break. On the return journey we decide to take a more straight line approach since we wanted to keep the distance to about 8 miles. Along the way we sight loons and in passing a very small island I come across a mink swimming to the rocky island. Having reached the main body of the Lake it can be difficult to locate the South Creek channel for those not familiar with the area so I rely on the GPS to guide us back. What makes Middle Saranac special is the variety of paddling options available on this heavily forested lake. There are only a few cabins on the lake and did I mention the Mountain views no matter where you look however the lake can also be windswept from the typical blow out of the west. Campsites must be reserved at the Second Pond DEC headquarters on RT 3.

8-17-10

Looking for a shorter paddle on Tuesday we decided on Follensby Clear Pond which lies totally within protected lands. With a narrow, busy put in we preload the boats before bringing them to the water’s edge minimizing our time at the put in. Paddling out we leave the road noise of Route 30 behind as the first of several islands that populate the pond comes into view. We can see island campers as we skirt the island attempting to stay out of the strong westerly wind but to no avail. With temperatures in the 70’s you don’t mind getting splashed some. Continuing into a quiet bay we stop at one of the many primitive campsites for lunch, this particular one offered a nice level site under a canopy of spruce and pines plus its own outhouse as most do. Exploring further I come upon my first loon sighting of the trip, this one is not people shy as it swims closer to my kayak allowing me to get several good photo’s before it disappears under the water. Turning around we pass another large island and a trio of loons before calling it a short day covering only 4.2 miles.

8-16-10

Greeted by a light morning thunderstorm the skies soon cleared meaning our one way paddle from South Creek to the Second Pond was a go. Today we would be spotting a car at the take out on Second Pond which is a popular access point. We arrive at the South Creek put in which offers access to Middle Saranac Lake, after paddling though the narrow swamp like channel Middle Saranac Lake appears before your eyes. Enjoying the pristine scenery we begin paddling towards the Saranac River channel which can be difficult to find for those not familiar with the area. Getting further out into the lake a strong wind from the west pushes us towards where I believe we have to go according to the GPS. Scanning the horizon I cannot find the outlet leading to the Saranac River. Zooming in with GPS I discover we are about 100 yards off from our mark and now in a difficult position of getting pounded by waves from the beam while be pushed into the thick reed like vegetation. Quickly I pull up the rudder and paddle hard till I spot the channel markers. Just after entering the channel we find a nice place to pull out for lunch prior to beginning our journey towards Lower Saranac Lake. The river section offers a pleasant experience as it meanders it way though forest and swamp occasionally passing a motorized vessel but no other paddlers. About midway through the river section we enter the upper locks which lowers our kayaks 2.5 feet as revealed by the gate keeper .Eventually the river put you on Lower Saranac Lake and the strong wind blowing from the west once again allows us to ride the waves. Lower Saranac Lake is dotted with many islands that allow camping so is very popular with mostly canoers. This time we locate the outflow of the Saranac River with ease encountering numerous fully stocked canoes heading towards the lake. Shortly we arrive at journey’s end the Second Pond take out paddling eight miles total distance.

8-15-10

Sunday morning we decided to do a little a waterfront renovation by redistributing as many hazardous rocks as possible creating a safer put in at the base camp. Upon completion we set off toward Oseetah Lake carefully following the channel markers as the area tends to be home to numerous hidden ledges. We marvel at the beauty imposed upon us by nature with beautiful mountain views along with the thick northern forest. Oseetah Lake greets us with the wind in our face under partly cloudy skies, we continue to follow the channel but soon decide to leave it and all the power boat buzz behind. Carefully paddling though the shallow water we pass several islands with homes until we locate the channel markers leading to Kiawassa Lake. The channel starts off fairly wide but eventually narrows to a mere twenty feet at which point you had better stay within the channel or risk boat wrecking rocks. Paddling into a quiet section of Kiawassa Lake we encountered a friendly pair of mergansers who entertained us for several minutes with their unique behavior. Since we had already paddled four miles we decided to head back this time hopefully with a tailwind! Later on in the day while checking out some put in/take outs we crossed paths with some other paddlers from CT loading up to begin there week of island camping. One of the canoes was loaded to a height of two feet above the gunwales I certainly hope they made a safe passage.

8-14-10

After a pleasant five hour ride we arrive at the camp situated on the Saranac River in the Village of Saranac Lake. The camp offers direct waterfront access although the shoreline is very rocky and log strewn. A two bedroom cabin, which offers a clean up to date environment for a lovely Adirondack feeling.
Before dinner we decide to go for a short paddle towards Lake Flower, we quickly learn that launching can be challenging as I fail to make a clean entry into the yak and get dumped into the water. A minor inconvenience as I empty the boat and relaunch from a slightly different location. We paddle towards the Village of Saranac Lake until the historic Hotel Saranac comes into view before reversing direction. Once again the take out proves a challenge as I slip on a rock as the boat crashes into another rock doing some significant damage to the gelcoat exposing a large section of Kevlar fabric. Fortunately I carry an emergency repair kit enabling the show to go on until permanent repairs can be made.

Adirondack Adventure 2010 Saranac Lake, NY

August 14-21, 2010 myself and a friend spent a week at a camp on Lake Flower which is part of the 25 mile long Saranac Chain of Lakes. We paddled each day with the exception of Friday which we spent touring Lake Placid but I did test paddle two pack canoes at Placid Boat Works while I was there so I guess that counts. The variety of paddling opportunities in the area is unequaled within this aquatic playground with a plethora of public access sites. I must admit this is canoe country as some people camp in the wilderness for a week or longer at the numerous primitive camp sites that are available. Quite often we saw canoes loaded to a height of 2’ above the gunwales. I much prefer indoor camping as I refer to it but still do the campfire ritual. We had great weather with only few light showers early one morning that cleared the skies by 10am. Temperatures were in the 70’s cooling to about 50 in the evening.