Northeast Wild

Spring arrived early this year and I was  anxious to get out and paddle in the  Adirondacks before blackflies made  their presence known. I chose to start out  on Utowana Lake, then carry 0.4 miles on a  trail to the Marion River. In most of North America, the act of carrying a watercraft over land, either between  two bodies of water or around an obstacle  in a river, is referred to as a “portage;” in the  Adirondacks it is simply called a “carry.” From a gravel pull-off on NY Route 28,  between the hamlets of Raquette and Blue  Mountain lakes, I shouldered the canoe and  walked about 200 feet on a path, which led  past a huge boulder to the shore of Utowana  Lake. I do not like to carry a canoe, even a  lightweight one, for longer distances on my  shoulder because the gunwales tend to dig  into the shoulder and hip bones.  Not long after I pushed off from shore,  a pair of loons swam nonchalantly...

Sat Sep 25. 2021 - Half-hour drive on the bumpy 5.6-mile dirt road.  ~20 vehicles in the parking area.  0.3-mile carry to the lake is mostly downhill, lots of roots so not cart friendly, nice sandy beach at the end of the carry.  All my favorite campsites were taken so we settled into #7, the E-facing lean-to, has a thunderbox.  A vehicle drove by - landowners in the Partlow area have access but not the general public.  Hiked 1.7 miles to the lookout on Mt Frederica - half the time on dirt road, half on trail.  Views were lovely - maples were close to peak color.  Clouded over for sunset, then cleared revealing the starry sky.              Sun Sep 26 - took a walk & found the spring across the road from campsite #9.  Packed up then paddled around the W side of the lake over to Shingle Shanty Brook, wind picking up.  First beaver dam came quickly.  Shores of grasses & alders, very twist...

Sep 25-27, 2016 - MASSAWEPIE MIRE - a large boreal peatland bog, or a "poor fen". Massawepie Boy Scouts Camp & Emporium Easement lands. Paddled counterclockwise 3.5 miles to Bayview (#10) campsite on Massawepie Lake passing some boy scout buildings & yurts along the way. The lake is fringed with red & white pines. The campsite is located at the tip of a peninsula at the end of an esker, a trail follows the high land. Short sunset paddle. Loons, bald eagle. No other campers on the lake - quite peaceful. Day 2 - Under a footbridge & down the outlet for 3 miles going over quite a few beaver dams. In the last mile, the stream was extremely narrow & twisty that my 15' canoe felt too long - the 12-footers had an easier time making the turns. Reached the S Br Grass River after 2.5 hours. Paddled under a bridge & went downstream on the S Br for 1.5 miles (3 or 4 beaver dams) & stopped for lunch just past Jocks Pond Outlet. Paddled upstre...