Paddle Gatheringin the ADK?

[coldfeet]

Just thought i'd throw out the idea....pro's - con's

During the summer months July, August?

Large enough sites?

Just curious...the only place I've ever been to was with Jay, Daxs and other to little tupper Lake....I liked that very much because there aren't any motor boats....are there other places like that?......I am going to long Lake this weekend...seems like there are some areas with many lean to's...

Has this ever been done?

 

[daxs]

Maybe everyone could rent their own site at Rollins or Fish Creek ponds and do day paddles out of this area

 

[adktyler]

I'm sure we could find a site if we wanted to.

I'll be living in Saranac Lake and working here for the summer, so I'd be happy to help coordinate something like this if there is enough interest.

 

[Peakbagr]

How about a Henderson Lake paddle?

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

How about a Henderson Lake paddle?

Henderson Lake is nice, but you can paddle the full length of it in less than 30 minutes. Lots of great paddling in the Adirondacks; I'll be doing an Old Forge to Lower Saranac trip in May, and some paddling on Lake George in June. Rollins Pond is a good place for a group paddling camp - Fish Creek campground (Square Pond) is loaded with PWC and other power boats.

 

[Peakbagr]

I suppose we could do that, but H'derson's shore lines can be explored and there is fantastic scenery and we can portage into Preston Ponds.
This area is wild and just came into state hands a few years ago.
A few of us have been talking about this paddle for a while and I thought it might be fun for a paddler's gathering for people of all skill levels.
I was more suggesting it as a paddling site than a camping area as everyone would need tents at the UW.

 

[coldfeet]

Indian Chris and I just got back from paddling long Lake.....wow!....we put in north of the bridge...paddled app 10 miles to the lean to where the cold river meets the raquet river..and camped out....beautiful place....got back at 2am this morning....will write a trip report in the paddle section tonight.....keep the suggestions coming...sounds like we can try a few things....we also hiked part of the northville/placid trail (?)..saw beautiful beaver dams....it was worth the 600 mile round trip

 

[coldfeet]

this looks pretty cool because they show different routes...just wanted to throw out the idea that was suggested..
i'm sure there are a few others....wonder about water levels in late July?


http://fishcreekpond.com/canoeing.html

 

[coldfeet]

I'm sure there are a zillion back country camping areas with lean to's or tenting...just wondered how hard core it should be....also depends on boats people use....boy, I'm getting a little carried away here...just had so much fun this weekend...

 

[daxs]

The routes looks nice. The only thing about back country camping could be group size. I am not sure what the lean tos and camping areas can accomodate in terms of numbers. It could also be hard to gt a bunch of campsites at Rollins too in the summer. Rollins pond is nicer than FIsh Creek. How about Lows Lake? I would need help portaging I'm sure depending on the distance.

 

[Jay H]

I've daypaddled Long Lake, put in at the state ramp just north of the bridge, I didn't go all the way to the raquette river but wandered up the east side, did a bushwack til I hit the Blue trail (I know the NPT goes along the east shore) and paddled back to my car, I was on my way home from Star Lake so I only had a few hours...

I think there is/was kind of a group campsite on Little Tupper at the very very far western tip of the lake.

Lows would be cool as that's another lake I'd like to check out. Though don't know of the group sites or availability on a nice weekend.

Jay

 

[Peakbagr]

"just wondered how hard core it should be"

Guess is depends how large a cross section of participants you're looking for.
The more hard core, the less like a gathering. On the other hand, like other board gatherings, a variety of trips can be done to pick up all sorts of paddlers.
I now longer have my Mad River Royalex tripper and only have a solo Hornbeck. Big water or fast paced paddling would tend to be less attractive for Hornbeck type boats or new paddlers.
Its a great idea, though, David.

Alan

 

[mudhook51]

Lows is a very short portage, and there are lots of sites, but its a busy place in the summer.

 

[Nessmuk]

Lows would be cool as that's another lake I'd like to check out. Though don't know of the group sites or availability on a nice weekend.

Jay

I don't mean to throw water on the plans, but you should note that maximum group size (hiking or canoeing) is no more than nine persons at Lows and most of the other wilderness areas. With a permit obtained in advance from a ranger you may get permission for up to twelve, at the discretion of the ranger - though that prospect is becoming ever more unlikely. In the eastern and western high peaks drop that max to eight, with separation between two common groups of at least one mile. Check the UMPs. A ticket for each violation is worth $100, which for combining groups really means $100 for each group leader. I've seen those handed out to leaders who should have known better.

 

[coldfeet]

Wow, $100 fine, I'm certainly not looking for one of those....just thought about getting folks together to hang out and enjoy nature...

I thought all you had to do was book a campsite for a group and launch the boats....see I'm new at this and that's why I put out the message for the members who know how it works. All this info is really helpful.

So here's my trip idea...

No motor boats or jet skies (sp?)
large open water leading to narrow river
I guess lean-to or tents
Nice looking area
No rapids
No bugs!

Here's some type of idea..
Arrive Friday night or Sat morning.....paddle at or near that campsite....
Have some type of evening pot luck dinner..
Sunday morning drive to another launch site and do another day paddle for a few hours....canoes, rec boats, larger boats...anything that you can float on....I don't know, I just want to go out and have fun...

 

[coldfeet]

I posted my short Long Lake report on the other thread for reading..pics will follow hopefully on Wed..

 

[IndianChris]

I remember being up at High Falls on the Oswegatchie once and there was about 10 canoes staying there for the night at the lean to. Not sure if it was a "legal size" group gathering or not but it was a nice location for canoes and rec boats...not a place for sea kayaks though. Just a thought.

 

[coldfeet]

Pics from Long Lake..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coldfeetspics/sets/72157623782157909/

 

[DSettahr]

I remember being up at High Falls on the Oswegatchie once and there was about 10 canoes staying there for the night at the lean to. Not sure if it was a "legal size" group gathering or not but it was a nice location for canoes and rec boats...not a place for sea kayaks though. Just a thought.

I don't think that the regulations are the same on the Oswegatchie, but I do know that larger overnight groups (up to 12 instead of 9) are allowed on the Raquette River between Long Lake and Coreys if they are traveling by canoe/kayak.

Also:

I don't mean to throw water on the plans, but you should note that maximum group size (hiking or canoeing) is no more than nine persons at Lows and most of the other wilderness areas. With a permit obtained in advance from a ranger you may get permission for up to twelve, at the discretion of the ranger - though that prospect is becoming ever more unlikely. In the eastern and western high peaks drop that max to eight, with separation between two common groups of at least one mile. Check the UMPs. A ticket for each violation is worth $100, which for combining groups really means $100 for each group leader. I've seen those handed out to leaders who should have known better.

Permits for group sizes larger than 9 are no longer being given out for Wilderness Areas; they are only being given out for trips in Wild Forest Areas.

Maybe everyone could rent their own site at Rollins or Fish Creek ponds and do day paddles out of this area

Given the potential head-aches of trying to organize a large trip, and opening it up to the general public, this is probably your best option.

 

[Stan]

I don't know how many people would be drawn to a paddlers' gathering but, for comparison, the September VFTT Hiker Gatherings have drawn from 9-40 hikers.

If you want to get a backcountry group site find your preference and then limit the group to capacity, with the first ones to pay getting to play.

If you want to open it up to a larger group, look for a campground with group facilities on a waterway. I'm not familiar with the Adirondacks but one that comes to mind in Maine is Lily Bay State Park on Moosehead Lake in Greenville. There are also some campgrounds on the coast of Maine for sea paddlers ... which Moosehead can be like ... but there are plenty of fairly protected rivers, streams and ponds near there.