Following Nessmuk, Canoeing the Adirondacks with GGTBod

[GGTBod]

Some of you may have heard me mention that this august i will be heading to USA, specifically I will be heading into the Adirondack state park, firstly i'll be using a kevlar Old Town kayak to spend six days with family on and around Forked Lake

On the 7th day my family will be heading back home to Massachusetts and me and my basic camping kit will be left with the Old Town open canoe and the portage trolley for the solo adventure of a lifetime

The rough plan so far is to find some areas that Nessmuk wrote about in his letters to Forest and Stream in the 1880's, to do this firstly i have to head south from Forked lake into Raquette lake, i plan to spend a good while exploring the coast and the islands, there are many old lean to shelters and ancient wild camp areas dating back to when Nessmuk explored this area in the 1800's.

Gradually i'll be working my way south and then east into Marion River, the river snakes it's way eastwards into Utowana Lake (with the occasional portage), heading gradually east in no particular hurry i will pass the famous Eagle Nest Seaplane Base before reaching Eagle Lake and eventually making my way into Blue Mountain Lake to explore the history within and visit its many islands and ancient wild camp areas before eventually getting out on the eastern shore and making my way to the Adirondack Museum to see all of Nessmuk's old gear and the famous Sairy Gamp canoe that resides there as well as everything else they have in there.

There will be plenty of camping, fishing and foraging and hopefully a little bit of wood carving here and there to bring back some mementoes of local wood, if i can get the permits i may also do a little bit of trapping to supplement the supplies i will be taking with me.

Has anyone been around this area? Any advice on things i should definitely see or do? I am genuinely so excited i can hardly think about anything else, just gotta wish away the next 2 months. My plans will be made more accurate once i visit the ranger station and get my hands on local maps and plug him for local knowledge.

 

[OldJimbo]

That should be an incredible trip, as it's beautiful country. Just make sure that you know the rules for permitted camp-fires really well, and how to deal with the bugs if bug season is on.

 

[Dave]

Envious! Get in touch with Lloyd on SOTP. Hes on here as well with a slightly different name, cant remember it...

 

[GGTBod]

For fires if there is not a firepit at the lean to or cleared camp area i will be using my folding Aldi bbq/firepit.

It is the tail end of bug season so the blackfly are not half as eager to eat you as in mid summer but i will have my Beaton's bug jacket just incase it gets bad. I'm not a member of SOTP but i might join up, cheers gents

 

[OldJimbo]

I was just trying to be helpful - - but while the huge issue is black-fly, there's also late season deer-fly. Same deal, you might have to wear a head net, and while they lap up mosquito repellent, a bit of a smudge works wonders. People even use buckets in canoes filled with sand so they can build a little smudge fire.
Back in the 80's I had my family from Britain out to my sister's place in Ontario, and flew my Brother in Law out west so we could have an adventure and drive back east together. We sure zigged and zagged and I got to see places I'd never have thought of visiting, so it was great. In N Manitoba we parked and went for a walk and on our return my BIL said, "Jim, someone has painted your truck!" And the truck was where we had left it but instead of being dark brown was light brown. As we got close we saw that the whole truck was covered in deer-flies which are light brown. I'm not sure what was going on there but we got out without them being too aggressive in vast numbers but enough caused issues that yep, that's what they were.
Here we use coffee cans with smudge fires suspended from trees around the camp-site, and then no problems. Just a light smudge works wonders so you are not choking. All repellents act like putting chilli sauce on a taco.

It's going to be great and I'm just trying to add suggestions. No you're not going to get "et" by bears or bugs with a little forethought. It's going to be the trip of a lifetime.

 

[GGTBod]

Thanks Jimbo i seriously appreciate all the advice from your experiences, that image of your truck covered in bugs is right out of a horror movie from my childhood, hopefully the bugs are not that heavy in the areas i will be in.

It was 1990 the last time i was in that area and i never seen a single bear, still not sure if that is a good or a bad thing as i'd love to see a bear but i'd like to see a placid bear who has just had a huge meal and has no interest in me, all in i am just looking for a great adventure in some big nature and posted this thread in the hope of getting advice and nuggets of wisdom from folks like yourself, many thanks

 

[GGTBod]

Over the last couple of days I have been getting advice from folks who know the area and have done a lot of more in depth reading about the directional flows of certain rivers and advised routes through it all, during all this reading i found this suggested pathway through a series of lakes and rivers from Blue Mountain Lake to Floodwood Pond in St Regis area covering approx 70 - 80 mile with 9 portages, much more scope for wild camping off in bear country lol

Clicking the image will take you to an active zoomable map with extra info

 

[GGTBod]

Well folks i fly out on Monday if i don't end up as bear, cougar or wolf scat i'll report on my adventures on my return

 

[Harvestman]

I was just trying to be helpful - - but while the huge issue is black-fly, there's also late season deer-fly. Same deal, you might have to wear a head net, and while they lap up mosquito repellent, a bit of a smudge works wonders. People even use buckets in canoes filled with sand so they can build a little smudge fire.
Back in the 80's I had my family from Britain out to my sister's place in Ontario, and flew my Brother in Law out west so we could have an adventure and drive back east together. We sure zigged and zagged and I got to see places I'd never have thought of visiting, so it was great. In N Manitoba we parked and went for a walk and on our return my BIL said, "Jim, someone has painted your truck!" And the truck was where we had left it but instead of being dark brown was light brown. As we got close we saw that the whole truck was covered in deer-flies which are light brown. I'm not sure what was going on there but we got out without them being too aggressive in vast numbers but enough caused issues that yep, that's what they were.
Here we use coffee cans with smudge fires suspended from trees around the camp-site, and then no problems. Just a light smudge works wonders so you are not choking. All repellents act like putting chilli sauce on a taco.

It's going to be great and I'm just trying to add suggestions. No you're not going to get "et" by bears or bugs with a little forethought. It's going to be the trip of a lifetime.

Vehicles get hot, and then make effective attractants to biting flies, as they form a big heat-radiating mass.

 

[Macaroon]

Have a great trip and let us know all about it when you return. Be safe, be happy!

 

[GGTBod]

Cheers Macaroon, who told you about my secret plan to be safe have fun and be happy and tell you all about it when i return?

 

[Twodogs]

Wow what a trip ,,,,Photos when you can ,,,,

Twodogs

 

[Macaroon]

Cheers Macaroon, who told you about my secret plan to be safe have fun and be happy and tell you all about it when i return?

You've been talking in your sleep mate, very loudly, and I had my window open last night!

 

[Macaroon]

Cheers Macaroon, who told you about my secret plan to be safe have fun and be happy and tell you all about it when i return?

You've been talking in your sleep mate, very loudly, and I had my window open last night!

 

[Goatboy]

There's no way you can get "et" an end up as scat with your tremendous mountain man beard. If nothing else it'd stick in the craw of anything trying to scarf you down.
Sounds a brilliant trip, I think you're going to have the time of your life and will have stories to tell for years off of it.
Have a great time mate, will.be thinking of you while you're off and wishing your safe return.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[GGTBod]

Damn sleep talking i have given away all my greatest plans at riches that way and remain a pauper.

I hope to get plenty of pics and vids Twodogs, i have 150gb of memory cards for my cameras and a replaceable battery pack with a solar charger and an energy storage pack so as long as they all keep working i should get summick, so even if i get eaten by bears and they retrieve them the footage might make a good made for tv movie about crazy people wandering off into the wilderness with no firearms and nothing but a small rucksack of supplies

 

[GGTBod]

Cheers Colin i like the thought of my beard saving the day, there goes that halfarsed plan i had for a trim and haircut out the window

 

[bopdude]

Have a great an' safe trip fella, look forward to the report, and am very envious of the forthcoming trip

 

[copper_head]

Sounds like a trip of a life time, very envious. Hope it's everything you want it to be.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Have a great trip, can't wait to hear about it when you get back.