Northeast Wild

  Sep 20, 2015 - LAKE DURANT & ROCK POND. Put-in at end of dirt road past trail-head for Cascade Pond, at W end of LD. Channel W to lift-over at low footbridge. Into RP & its boggy islands. Paddled inlet a short distance going over 2 beaver dams. Back to LD & paddled it counter-clockwise. Blue Mtn to the N, Blue Ridge to the S, mostly wild shores, road noise, 3 loons (1 juvenile), ducks. Fall foliage ~10% color change. No bad bugs. 7.3 miles, 3.5 hours.  Visit us on Facebook Welcome to the Adirondacks NYSDEC Info

  Aug 17 & 18, 2008 - SAND LAKE & INLET canoe camping from Powley-Piseco Rd (a 20 mile dirt road).  0.5 mile rough & muddy carry on unmarked trail to Sand Lake.  Couple of campsites at end of trail & 3 little-used sites out on the lake - took out some beer cans that others had left (slobs drink lousy beer - Bud Lite, etc.; we sipped on some Creme Brulee Stout).  A large sloping rock is a nice place to spend some time.  Paddled up the inlet at the lake's S end.  Soon doing a 100 yard bushwhack carry thru the woods.  Back on the stream, thru a marsh, over 10 beaver dams, a short carry around a rocky area.  Poked up the outlet of Mud Pond.  Snapping turtle crawling over a beaver lodge; loons (1 chick) very vocal in the morning.  Moonrise paddle.  Some biting flies; light mosquito activity.  Bell Northstar, a 16.5' 40lb tandem canoe. Visit us on Facebook Welcome to the Adirondacks NYSDEC Info

  May 5/6, 2002 - W. Br. Sacandaga River, Good Luck, Spectacle & Dexter Lakes canoeing. Put-in on the W. Branch at westernmost (of 2) Rt.10 bridge between Canada Lake & Piseco. Paddled 300yds. upstream against noticeable current & then R into Good Luck Lake Outlet, often there is a beaverdam to go over but not today. Good Luck Lake is a popular camping spot due to its ease of access - did not notice any loons. Start carry at the SW end next to the marsh; a path leads SW gently uphill to a trail junction. Go straight on snowmobile trail which occasionally has some nasty muddy spots. Doubled the carry (i.e. carry the pack over then come back for the canoe) for a total of 1.5 mi. (4.5 mi. of actual hiking) from Good Luck to Spectacle Lake - 2 hrs. including lunch stop. Spectacle is about 1.5 mile long but has many bays, peninsulas, islands & bogs to explore. Headwind, so I place my Sealline ProPack in the bow & have an easy time of paddling into the wind. See 2 loons.

  July 10 & 11, 2016 - NORTH & SOUTH LAKES in the southwestern Adirondacks.  Black River Wild Forest.  Camped at one of the primitive car camping sites on North Lake, elevation 1,823'; paddled most of the perimeter of the lake; interesting inlets incl. Ice Cave Creek, N Branch Black River, E Br Black River, Jocks Brook; high water due to recent rain.  Lean-to on E shore is not a regular DEC type.  Islands.  5 motorboats.  Loons, mergansers.  Lightly developed.  8.6 miles, 4 hours.  Short drive to South Lake, elevation 2,020'.  Paddled most of the perimeter.  South Branch Black River, an outlet, flows below a 350' earthen dam.  Went 0.4 miles up Raymond Brook, an inlet, going over 2 beaver dams & turning around at a 3rd.  2 motorboats; 3 kayakers; 1 SUPper.  Loons, mergansers.  Over 90% of shoreline is state land.  Lots of rock below & above the water's surface.  9.2 miles, 5.3 hours.  Spruce/fir shores.  Minimal bad bugs, no need for protection.  DEC say

  Nov. 4, 2001 - Hudson River kayaking, between Corinth & Glens Falls. Weather forecast called for cloudy; radar showed no rain; satellite showed possibility of break in the clouds. 1st put-in at boat launch a little over 1 mile W of Spier Falls Dam on Spier Falls Rd. Paddle NW upstream, river about 100 yds. wide. S shore has mostly evergreens, N shore mostly deciduous (oaks & beech). Go about 3 miles along S shore with no development then see smokestack & International Paper mill. Water a bit squirrelly here paddling against noticeable current. Palmer Dam around the corner, turn around. Watch out for shallow rocks in the turbulence. Follow N shore back & stop for lunch, lots of signs scream no swimming, no camping, no fires! See fish jump right out of water. 2 whitetail deer come to drink. Starting to see more & more blue sky. Ridge of Palmertown Range dominates to the SE rising over 700' above the river. Saw 2 small motorboats. 8 mi. 2.5 hrs. 2nd put-in at She