Moose River Bow Trip

[SherpaKroto]

Starting to make plans for doing the Moose River Bow Trip during the coming summer. I know quite a few details about it, but have some specific questions:
1) Anyone here done it?
2) Am thinking of buying a new yak for touring, likely a 16-17 footer. Would I be better with that or my trusty 11.5 Dagger Blackwater (which seems to love to go anywhere!)
3) How is the fishing? (bass or trout?)
4) Skill level? I'm a low intermediate (i.e. good enough to get in and out of most trouble)

 

[Jay H]

What time are you looking at? I might be doing a baxter trip in August, if I can swing it, it sounds fun. What kind of water? Shallow/flat/class 1&2? Sharks, crocs?

Jay

p.s. Happy New Year SK!

 

[daxs]

I am going to be in Maine is early Sept. Am looking at some paddling in this area.

 

[coldfeet]

I'd like to try some of that, I'm free around August 17..

 

[Fitz]

It is a nice trip.

I've done it a few times in wood and canvas canoe. If you are going to do the portage between Attean and Holeb, take whatever kayak is easier to carry. Portage carts are probably not worth the effort because of the uneven ground and terrain.

The winds on Attean and Holeb can be strong and they always obey the first law of canoeing, "Thou winds shall be in thy face!"

Water levels are good most of the time, but some of the small rips and rapids are better run in higher water. There are a few well placed boat eating rocks to look out for.

It is largely a flatwater trip. There are a few well spaced rips that can be fun at the right levels or you can carry them.

It can be done in 2 or 3 days. I like to take my time and do it with 3-nights out.

Mosquito Rips got it's name for a reason!

It can get crowded and I have never gone in the summer when school is out etc. If you seek solitude, maybe start mid-week if you can swing it. We ran into a few heavy drinkers in June this year. One of them thought he was god's gift to the music industry or something and he was howling all night....I think this might be outside the norm. The other times I have gone we have seen only a few people. Timing is everything I guess.

The campsites are very nice for the most part.

We have caught brook trout at Holeb Falls.

It is an easy trip. If you are not comfortable in the rips, there are easy carrys at each one. The mile long portage between Holeb and Attean can be tough with a lot of gear.

Any other questions, give a shout. Have a great time on your trip.

 

[MarshallM]

Very Scenic Trip

SherpaKroto, i've done the full loop trip a couple of times in the fall season and in 2005 did the Spencer Rips (Moose River) to Attean Lake section of the Bow Trip as part of a longer NFCT section trip (started at western end of Flagstaff Lake) with Tramper Al, who i believe is a friend of yours.

Fitz offers some excellent advice, particularly the part about starting mid-week in the summer as the Bow Trip is a very popular canoe route -- for good reason. One challenge that you may have if you start on the same day as other groups, particularly on a holiday weekend, is finding a reasonable campsite on day 1 on or near Holeb Pond after finishing the mile-long portage from Attean Lake.

It is a little difficult for me to judge kayaking skill level as i'm a canoeist and know very little about kayaking. What i will say is that you will ideally want class 2 skill level, depending on water levels, to paddle the upper and particularly the lower Attean Falls (really rapids and not falls). FWIW, we have been able to easily paddle them with loaded canoes each of the three times though, but as Fitz mentions, you have the portage option if in doubt. Spencer Rips and the other short rapids are pretty trivial compared to the two sets of Attean Falls.

Of course, since the NFCT goes over a section of the Bow Trip, it would be very easy to plan a "non-standard" Bow Trip if you were so inclined to spice things up a bit.

At any rate, have a great trip! It is a Maine classic.

marshall

 

[IndianChris]

Sounds like an awesome trip. Hopefully you can dodge the crowds.

I've never done it but the map looks real cool.

I can only comment on your question 2. Since it looks like a wilderness river trip rather than a coastal tour, you're probably better off NOT getting a 16-17 foot touring kayak...you'll expend a lot of energy making the meanders in the river since such a long boat is "harder" to turn. With a touring kayak, you're also likely to lose out on initial stability that you'll wish you had when it comes to putting the paddle down for a minute or two to look at a bird, cast a line, drink a beer, smoke a ...you know what I mean. Go with something shorter. A solo canoe would be my craft of choice for that sort of trip.

Anyway...enjoy it!

 

[Stan]

That's on my list, too, but I have not done it. For good reason I read and hear it is a very popular trip so if you can pull it off during the week and avoid holidays you will have better choices of campsites and probably better fishing.

With a one mile portage it makes for a rare paddling loop. I've been curious about scouting the logging roads shown in the Delorme Atlas to see if there is road access to that portage route, my preference being two half mile portages.

I also understand there are some rapids which may need a short portage ... rent a kayak and run the rapids ... what the heck!

 

[SherpaKroto]

Thanks everyone! I've been down south since the 10th so haven't had much time to get to VFTT.

Not sure when I plan to try it, but it may be right after (or before) BL'08 (late Jul/early Aug). I do plan to take my time, and hope to do a ton of fishing (thx elbagr!). I've been wanting to try this for a long time, and this year should be it. Sounds like the trusty Dagger Blackwater 11.5 is the boat for me on this one.

Jay/coldfeet/daxs: keep me posted on your plans!

 

[Jay H]

Sure, I think I may be headed back to baxter sometime in the august timeframe... though not sure yet... would be great to hook up with some paddling, although actually, the Maine coast appeals to me more (at the moment) than the inland rivers...

Jay

 

[daxs]

We are planning on some ocean kayaking, inland lake and or river kayaking and then hiking some 4000 ftrs. we are driving up on 9/6 and driving home on 9/16 or 17.

 

[coldfeet]

My summer camp job is over 8/16....It's to long of a drive for me to go for a weekend before that....but I'm still thinking of going somewhere NE for a few days.....I'm going tomorrow to buy the kayak....but last night at a meeting someone made a comment about the new guy (me) buying a kayak to big to start in..I wasn't thrilled about his comment and just smiled and said that I was going out to have fun...cleaning out the garage now...

 

[IndianChris]

Gettin' that Tempest you told me about?
Congrats!!! Don't listen to that guy.

 

[coldfeet]

SherpaK, clean out your private messages...

2007 NFC Champions NY Giants

I'm waiting....

 

[SherpaKroto]

coldfeet: cleaned. I was on vacation!

coldfeet/Jay H/daxs: September sounds like a great time for a Maine coastal trip, especially with folks who know the lay of the land (I know the roads, but not the water). I have access to a nice touring yak, so I could be coaxed into this for sure... weather permitting And it would sure be nice seeing you while the Sox go for the repeat!