NFCT Map 4: Enosburg Falls to Kings Bay, Lake Champlain

Date(s): June 20th – 22nd , 2008
Paddlers: Deb and JR

Campsites:
June 20th – Highgate Center Campsite
June 21st – Lake Champlain, ?? Cliffs Campsite

Trail Notes:
(1) The portage for Highgate Center Dam is right in front of the buoys, VERY close to the dam. The sign is almost hidden behind trees, but stick to the right shore and you will see the portage.
(2) The dam is not quite as obvious at Swanson. It is just before the bridge but there are no caution buoys or signs. Again the portage is quite close to the dam on the right shore.

Paddle Report:
Click Here for Pictures from the June 20th-22nd Trip

In Progress...

NFCT Map 2: Long Lake to Lower Saranac Lake

Date(s): May 24th - 26th, 2008
Paddlers: Deb and JR

Campsites:
May 24th- Lost Channel Lean-to on the Raquette River
May 25th- Stony Creek Ponds Campsite

Trail Info: No Updates.

Paddle Report:

Click here for a slide show of pix from this trip (using a waterproof camera bag).

After only a few hours of sleep we set out on Long Lake. (JR works night shift and we drove up after he got out of work to get an early morning start.) Before too long we heard an engine behind us. We turned around to see a seaplane! Wow! We pulled over to the side of the lake so he could go by and got out our cameras. He zoomed by and then we continued to paddle. The lake was calm until about 10:30 am. We were paddling with ease and talking when almost instantly the wind picked up and we were again paddling for every inch of progress. No more time to talk, just paddle! I saw the lean-tos at Plumleys and wanted to stop but JR was ahead of me and there was no way he'd hear me yelling through this wind. I was trying to figure out how to tell him to stop there when I noticed he was heading for the lean-tos anyway. Good thing because even though he was only a little ways ahead of me, with the wind I would never have been able to catch up to him to tell him to stop there. Good thing we think alike!

We got there and enjoyed some famous JR snacks and tried to enjoy the sunshine. The blackflies were ravenous on shore! We set back out and paddled most the rest of the day on Long Lake. When we finally came to the end of the lake, it almost didn't seem right to be leaving Long Lake. But we entered the Raquette River once again and enjoyed the different scenery. It was still windy but a little more sheltered than the open lake. We passed by the Lost Channel Lean-to on our way to Deep Hole. Just as we were coming around the corner to Deep Hole Lean-to we smelled campfire. JR paddled up ahead and when I saw him just sitting there in the middle of the river I knew someone else had the lean-to. So we started back to Lost Channel since no one was there when we went by. However, I started paddling fast because I didn't want to get back there just as someone else was taking it. We passed Cold River inlet and there were 2 paddlers there. I didn't know what their intentions were but I knew that if they were headed for Lost Channel I was going to make sure I got there first! We made it back there and pulled our boats in on the muddy shore. We set up camp, got the fire going, ate and then went back out on the river for an evening stroll. JR saw a couple beavers but they were gone by the time I got there. We saw a lot of birds but no loons this trip.

The next morning was so calm compared to the day before. The water looked like glass and it was so quiet we felt like we should be whispering. The sun was out and we started out real lazy. We just coasted down the river basking in the sun. Other paddlers passed us, including Eileen McCue and William Hafford on their through paddle. However, we caught up to and passed most of them on the portage. Even though it is difficult to just roll your kayak through this section, we still used our wheels. There were parts where we had to help each other list the boat over obstacles but we made it through in one trip. Most people were taking multiple trips to carry their boat and gear. After that rough bit it was time to get serious about paddling if we wanted to make it to camp. So we kept us a consistent pace and after the surprise of going upstream in Stony Creek, we made it to camp at the Stony Creek Ponds campsite. What a gorgeous little spot! Mark that down as one of my favorite campsites. And plenty of wood for camp fires too!

The next morning we had grasshopper pie for breakfast because we didn't eat it for dessert the night before. Then we got a late start on the water but just dashed across the pond to our first carry of the day. More uphill over rocks and roots but our homemade wheels are holding up well. We are amazed at what these wheels will drive over. We put in at Upper Saranac Lake and paddle for a bit until we get to the next portage just as it starts raining. We get our wheels back on and it stops raining for the most part, but then the bugs are relentless. Even multiple layers of 100% deet doesn't seem to keep them away. Lets hurry and get back in that water so we can paddle away from them!

Middle Saranac Lake was beautiful and the waves were going somewhat in the right direction. We had fun paddling to ride the waves. We weren't sure what to expect as we came up to the lock on the Saranac River between Middle and Lower Saranac Lakes. Just as we got there, a DEC boat came by and went into the lock so we followed behind him. What a weird experience being in a lock in a kayak! As we left we noticed the lock tender was leaving as well. Guess we got there just in time! I made sure to watch carefully though so if we have to operate one of these ourselves in the future I'll know what to do.

As the DEC boat and the lock tender got to the edge of Lower Saranac Lake it looked like they were trying to race. But the DEC boat was no match for the speed boat the lock tender had. We continued through Lower Saranac Lake and back into the Saranac River to the State Bridge Boat Launch where we took out, cleaned up and discussed where to get pizza and chicken wings from!