Northeast Wild

  Sep 14, 2003 - LOWER ST. REGIS, SPITFIRE, UPPER ST. REGIS LAKES kayaking. Put-in above outlet dam on Keese Mill Rd opposite parking area for Jones & Black Ponds. Despite threat of showers in the forecast, we got ourselves a mostly sunny & warm late summer day. Paddled up the 2 mile long W arm (Main Branch of St. Regis River) of Lower St. Regis Lake & soon see an osprey & a deer - this is a very scenic section to start & end the trip. Out on the main lake Paul Smiths College stands out to the NE. A wide channel with boggy shores leads into Spitfire Lake. St. Regis Mtn stands clearly to the W. Passing Rabbit Island (site of a Trudeau TB experiment) a short channel leads into Upper St. Regis Lake. We go to the E of Birch Island to stay out of the wind. Stop at the carry to Bog Pond for lunch - not many places to rest on this trip because much of the shoreline is private. Many fancy camps are passed - most are reasonably tastefull & blend into the woods well. ...

  July 15, 2022 (Fri) - UPPER ST REGIS LAKE paddling from the end of St Regis Carry Rd.  Paddled around clockwise admiring the camps & the contents of the boat houses.  Good view of St Regis Mtn.  Spent a fair amount of time ogling the boat houses of Camp Topridge.  Undeveloped North Bay was nice & mellow.  A few motorboats, lots of paddlers.  Vocal loons.  6.8 miles, 2.8 hours. Drove over to Keese Mill Rd & put in above the dam (parked across the road at the Black Pond trailhead) on MIDDLE BRANCH ST. REGIS RIVER.  Headed toward LOWER ST REGIS LAKE, minimal development.  Explored a narrow bay at the N end of the lake then crossed over to Peter's Rock where there is a lean-to.  Paul Smiths College takes up a large area of shoreline.  Back down the wide river.  2 motorboats, 2 sailing canoes, a few paddlers, loons.  6 miles, 2.5 hours.       Sep 28, 2008 - UPPER & LOWER St REGIS & SPIT...