NORTH & SOUTH LAKES paddling & camping in the southwestern Adirondacks

 


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 says:

    Twenty-two drive up campsites at North Lake are open for public use and have been only 30% occupied on weekends. (2016)

    Six of the ten water access sites on the east shore of North Lake are rarely used. Vegetation has begun to grow in on the six sites making them harder to find. (2016)

    No summer logging operations are planned on the North Lake Tract Easement Lands.








Aug 21, 2005 - NORTH LAKE in Atwell near Forestport (SW Adks.). 3.5 mile long lake - some development on S half - dirt road with campsites along W shore - I take one near N end of lake. Several backcountry campsites on E shore all unoccupied. Loons; snake eats frog. 4 motorboats, 2 PWCs over an afternoon - all quiet after dinnertime. Some deer flies; no skeeters. Slept under the tarp. Merrimack Traveler, a 17' tandem canoe, paddled solo using kneeling thwart - nice, handled well in breezy conditions (some credit goes to the paddler); heeled it over til gunwales 2" from water, firmed up nicely, very good initial & secondary stability. 

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