Northeast Wild

New York offers the paddler a mindboggling variety and quantity of paddling destinations, from small streams to big rivers, diminutive ponds to expansive lakes, and whitewater as well as flatwater. Fortunately for us, these destinations are well-documented in the plethora of guidebooks available today. At the cost of a movie ticket or dinner at a restaurant, a one-time purchase of a guidebook can bring you many years of pleasure, whereas the movie or dinner offer just an hour or two of satisfaction. If you can’t be out there paddling, you can at least spend time with some of the following guidebooks and start planning that day paddle or weeklong camping trip. In my comments I will try to give you an overview of the content as well as my thoughts on each book’s strengths and weaknesses. *Recommended for paddling in the Adirondacks. Quiet Water New York by John Hayes and Alex Wilson – This is perhaps the best flatwater guide to the whole state with 200 trips listed in an informative,...

Indian Lake is a 14-mile long body of water in the south-central Adirondacks. Seventy-five percent of the lake’s 49-mile shoreline is state land and comprises the Indian Lake Islands Campground. The primitive (no showers or running water) campsites are scattered around the 4,365-acre lake, primarily on the east shore and on the islands. In summer, these accessible-by-boat only campsites are much in demand and can be reserved through ReserveAmerica.com. The camping season is mid-May through Columbus Day – before and after that the camping is free. The campsites have a picnic table, fire pit, and outhouse. The fact that there is only one public boat launch on the lake limits the number of boats, whether motorized or not, that can be on the water at any one time. The paddler will not have to deal with a lot of motor-boat traffic and noise especially compared to other larger lakes like Lake George and Great Sacandaga Lake. There is a parking fee in-se...

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 d...