CEDAR LAKES paddling, hiking, & camping

 

Aug 26-28, 2024 - CEDAR LAKES backpacking & packrafting. West Canada Lakes Wilderness. Day 1 - The drive into Sled Harbor was good, & to the Pillsbury trailhead was mostly good but 3 bumpy spots needed some care. The first couple of hiking miles were smooth flat sections mixed with rough rocky uphill sections. Things got muckier after that - not helped by the fact that someone had driven an ATV in*. Crossed the Cedar River on a bridge below the old dam. 2 campsites were vacant, 2 people were in lean-to #1. Started to rain before we made it to lean-to #2 (aka Beaver Pond Outlet), our home for 2 nights - has a filtered lake view & a sand/rock beach, & nice wood pegs to hang things on (better than nails). 6 miles, 705' gross el gain, 3.9 hours. Skies cleared. Blew up the packrafts & went out for a paddle to Noisey Inlet which gets shallow quickly. Water level on Cedar Lakes looked about 4' lower than when the dam had been in operation. Lots of loon calls, bald eagle. Some stable flies (aka ankle-biters). Went over to the nearby bridge over Beaver Pond Outlet for sunset. https://dec.ny.gov/places/west-canada-lake-wilderness

*We later found out that rangers had gone in for a rescue on an ATV:

Town of Arietta, Hamilton County

Wilderness Rescue: On Aug. 23 at 5:05 p.m., Forest Ranger Milano received a text from the Inlet Fire Chief regarding an off-duty paramedic who encountered an injured hiker on the Northville Placid Trail near Cedar Lakes. Six Rangers and an Assistant Forest Ranger hiked in and located the 34-year-old from New Jersey. The injured hiker was being helped by another group of hikers and the off-duty paramedic. The paramedic had a GPS and satellite communication device that allowed Ray Brook Dispatch to track location and progress, making it easier for Rangers to find the group. Rangers and the paramedic wrapped the subject’s ankle. At 10 p.m., they made it to the trailhead where the hiker decided to seek further medical attention on her own.

Aug 26-28, 2024 - CEDAR LAKES backpacking, packrafting, plus a bushwhack to French Louie's cave. West Canada Lakes Wilderness. Day 2 - Lots of songbirds flitting about at camp, still lots of loon calls. Paddled from camp to the SW corner of the lake. There was smoke coming from a campsite so I took a look - the bad camper was gone, I did my best to out the fire, an empty Spam can sat in the firepit. The campsite was just off the NPT - I found soiled tp right in the trail! I decided not to examine more closely & I'll spare you the pics. Bushwhacked a little S of W thru dense woods for 0.8 miles (0.5 miles as the crow flies) & found French Louie's cave after gaining 140' from the lake. Took a long break there. Someone has left a logbook there now. 0.7-mile whack back to the NPT & lake. A leech in the water helped me get in the boat promptly. Paddled back to camp & admired the surrounding mountains, many in the 3000'-3900' range, the lake is at 2440' el. Across Pillsbury Bay, could see the fire tower on Pillsbury over a shoulder of Noisey Ridge. Blue Ridge stood out to the ENE, Manbury to the NW. Survived a low-flying helicopter attack. Perhaps Snowy way in the distance to the NE. 5.9 miles, 5.3 hours. Osprey near camp. Sunset over Beaver Pond again. Day 3 - Light rain showers overnight but stopped by sunrise. Packed up & hiked out. Passed & chatted with rangers & trail crew going in to fix the ATV tracks

 

Sep. 2-4, 2000 - West Canada Wilderness hiking & canoeing. Cedar Lakes, Beaver Pond, French Louie's cave, Pillsbury Lake. Bell Bucktail & Sawyer Cruiser. Drive in on progressively worse dirt roads (but doable in most vehicles - wouldn't take the Porsche or either of my Ferraris) from Rt.30 near Mason Lake passing by Perkins Clearing & Sled Harbor. Parked at gate to wilderness area (also trailhead for Pillsbury Mtn.) Carried in 4.5 miles to Cedar Lakes over old roads & narrow trail - used wheels some of the way, probably wouldn't bother next time - wheels only seem to work on the smoothest of trails (rare in the Adks.) Stayed in northernmost leanto in clearing with nice view of lake. Artifacts from logging times are scattered about but do not detract much from the wilderness feel. Little shower activity in the afternoon but evening was a nice time for a paddle into Beaver Pond - quiet & remote. Only sounds were from 1 loon & a whitetail deer I spooked (sounds like a cross between a snort & a sneeze.) Due to a dam at the north end of Cedar Lakes, Upper, Middle, Lower Cedar Lakes & Beaver Pond are all connected into one large lake. Sunday was a nice day with dropping humidity. Half the gang paddled to the southwest end & parked the canoes near the Northville-Placid Trail. From here we bushwhacked west 0.5 mi. & came upon Adirondack French Louie's cave. FL was a hermit, trapper, guide, logger who roamed these parts about 100 years ago. The cave is a large overhang of a giant boulder. Although we found makeshift beds here, I doubt they were FL's. Climbed around nearby cliff to top of nubble & got some views to the south of the West Canada Wilderness & Cedar Lakes to the east. Bushwhacked back & came out a few feet from where we started. Hiked the almost 3 miles on N-P Trail back to leanto - paddling was more scenic. Evening paddle into Noisey Inlet; saw a beaver. Loons everpresent all weekend. 

Monday paddled into Pillsbury Bay & hiked an unofficial trail to Pillsbury Lake; about 1.5 mi. each way. Start on trail marked with rust-colored paint blazes; right along grassy shores of Whitney Creek (looks like good moose habitat); left across old beaver dam; thru some confusing blowdown & then left on trail with blue paint blazes. Saw 1 adult loon with 2 chicks at Pillsbury Lake & a great blue heron. On return from Pillsbury Bay to leanto, I saw 5 adult loons + 1 chick. Chick unfortunately had what looked like a good-sized lure stuck in the area of the throat. Although it still dove ok I have doubts about its longevity - in about a month it has to migrate to the ocean. Packed out in the afternoon; getting cool out. Only bugs were biting flies the first day, a little bit of no-see-um action & some skeeters in the woods near leanto - freezing temps in some Adk. areas this week should take care of what's left & we can enjoy Sept. & Oct. Bucktail is a 12', 29lb. sporty pack canoe & worked very well for this trip; paddled with 30 oz. Werner Camano kayak paddle. Sawyer Cruiser is a 17'9", 46 lb. canoe able to carry 3 people although a little tippy for some - you could call it a fast recreational canoe (i.e. a cruiser)- nice comfortable tractor seats.

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