CHUBB RIVER paddling

July 16, 2022 (Sat) - CHUBB RIVER paddling.  Most of the route is in the High Peaks Wilderness.    120-yard carry from Averyville Rd to the put-in.  The log "dock" was under water.  At first, dead trees line the stream - I dubbed this "Death Row".  1.5 miles to the carry - the old camp on private land is now a big fancy house - 2 beaver dams have been breached (humans suspected - it is not very nice to mess with nature).  Very muddy landing at the carry.  The trail is very rough with roots, rocks & mud.  Upstream there were some shallow sections that could use some beaver dams to raise the water level.  Superb views of Street & Nye Mtns to the S, & the Sawtooth Range to the SW.  Stopped for lunch near the end of a straight section, "Rocky Road", that was lined with rocks on its N side - I could not find the campsite that I had stopped at the last time I was here.  Continued further upstream to a beaver dam which did not hold back any water - it looked very shallow above it so we turned around.  View of Whiteface on the way back.  I shortened the carry by putting in early but this required getting out & lining the boat thru a rocky area.  Saw 3 other people in kayaks.  White-throated sparrows called out.  frequently.  Banks often had alders, some grasses & Queen Anne's lace.  The surface of the water was often covered with watershield & small-leaved bullhead lilies.  10.5 miles, 7 hours.

    

Sep 17, 2006 - CHUBB RIVER. 120 yd carry from Averyville Rd, Lake Placid to put-in with log "dock". Half hour to 0.25 mile carry around rapids. Above that, the stream & views open up - Street & Nye Mts. rise over 2,000' above the river, Sawtooth Range. Lunched at small campsite. Turned around when stream narrowed & trees blocked the way. Good views of Whiteface Mtn. on return. Saw no-one else on a Sunday - most of hiking trail parking lots were full on drive over. Fall foliage season is well on its way. Light mosquitoes on land, some biting flies on water. 9 miles, 5.3 hours. Bell Merlin II, a 15' solo canoe.

Aug 10, 2003 - CHUBB RIVER canoeing. One of the few places one can paddle in the High Peaks Wilderness near Lake Placid. From Averyville Rd it is a short carry to the upper Chubb & its tea-colored tannin-rich waters. 1.5 miles of flatwater between swampy shores to 0.25 mile carry around rapids - mostly flat but a bit rough & muddy. Mts. Street & Nye slowly come into view & other minor mounts dominate the view. Stop at a small campsite by a tall white pine (easily missed) with a view south across the marsh. Black spruce & tamarack are the dominant trees along the way. Continue for about 3 miles above the carry over 2 or 3 small beaver dams - eventually the river narrows to but a few feet, overhanging alders & downed trees make progress difficult altho water depth is good. Coming back down over a couple of beaver dams was so much fun that we repeated one 4 times & another twice - remember, when running beaver dams downstream, keep paddling even if it means a stroke or 2 lands on the dam - you don't want to stop with the narrow stern of your canoe teetering on the dam while your bow paddler is grabbing the gunwales (forward strokes act like braces & speed minimizes the time you are on the dam). That said, Hombrua & Kaboose managed to tip over twice. Just about as scenic a paddle as there is in the Adirondacks. Bell Northwind RX, a 16'6" tandem canoe made of Royalex (not to be confused with the 17'6" composite Northwind - Royalex� is a resilient canoe material consisting of a stiff foam core sandwiched between rigid ABS shell layers clad in a vinyl inner and outer skin. This durable, flexible laminate is available in select Bell models. Its forgiving nature makes it ideal for rocky, moving water applications where impact and abrasion are inevitable. Bell's design engineer works closely with their Royalex� molding team to ensure strength and durability are maximized without added weight.) - lots of primary & secondary stability (feels steady when flat, firm on edge), not as fast as the composite Northwind & Northstar (can't get as fine an entry with Royalex as you can with composites, or in other words Royalex will have a blunter bow which does not slice thru the water as cleanly) but nice blend of tracking ability & ease of turning (which we come to expect of Dave Yost's asymmetrical designs anyway) - able to switch from kneeling to sitting pretty easily - half the price of composites. Personally, I just wish Bell would give this canoe a different name so as to not confuse us all.

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