FLOODWOOD PONDS & FISH CREEK loop ski

 

Mar 1, 2023 – FLOODWOOD PONDS & FISH CREEK loop ski from Middle Pond (parked on side of Floodwood Rd - no trailheads were plowed). Up & over canoe carry, little-used snomo trail along E side of Floodwood Pond to the outlet, Fish Creek (open water). Little Square Pond. Fish Creek to Follensby Clear Pond. N on blue – just old ski tracks. Spur to the point on Horseshoe Pond for lunch. Continued on the blue trail – wet channel between Horseshoe & Little Polliwog so skied out onto the pond & picked up a spot on the other side of the carry trail. Polliwog Pond. L on carry trail to Middle (watch out for a 1.5' drop). Very good skiing, a little sticky in the pm. Temp 28-34F, minimal wind.  8 miles, 4.2 hours.












May 6&7, 2012 - FISH CREEK LOOPS from Floodwood Rd.  Floodwood Pond (camp), Fish Creek, Little Square, Copperas, Whey, Rollins, Rock Ponds.  Fish Creek, Follensby Clear, Horseshoe, Little Polliwog, Polliwog, Middle, Floodwood Ponds.  Mostly undeveloped, clear water, some other folks out paddling but very few camping.  Mostly bad bug free - a few blackflies on land in the late afternoon - one tried to bite me in the parking area - she is dead now...  Music by loons, white-throated sparrows, owls, pileated woodpeckers, spring peepers...  

May 8&9, 2011 - FLOODWOOD POND LOOP canoeing - just S of St. Regis Canoe Area. Floodwood area's ponds are closer together making for very short portages. Most ponds & most of Fish Creek are motor-free. Clear green water is common. Sunday - Put in on FLOODWOOD POND (some cottages on W shore but rest of pond is wild) - 15 min. to nice campsite - set up the MSR Hubba in fly-only config. Paddled down FISH CREEK (high mixed evergreen shores incl. red pine stands, some bog, small turtles). Carry to HORSESHOE POND (2 loons, grackles). Carry to POLLIWOG POND (2 loons, headwind). Short carry to FOLLENSBY CLEAR POND (broad-winged hawk) - rode tailwind S. Carry back to Fish Creek (beaver, osprey) & back to camp. 11+ miles. Mostly cloudy skies cleared, starry night. Monday - Fish Creek to LITTLE SQUARE POND. Fish Creek to COPPERAS POND (2 loons). Carry to WHEY POND (3 loons). Short carry over campground road to ROLLINS POND. Over railroad tracks into ROCK POND OUTLET (snapping turtle, marshy shores) to ROCK POND (pine shores with leafless hardwood hills, Floodwood Mt. to W). Back to Rollins then take outlet (narrows into a rocky 4' wide mini rapid) into Floodwood Pond. 13+ miles. Sunny, warm (70F) day brought out some blackflies but they weren't too hungry yet. Merrimack Baboosic, a 14' solo canoe. Strapped my 2 paddles (a Foxworks Foxtail & a Mitchell) to thwarts to make a yoke. 

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