Adirondack Traverse

[EagleO-10]

Hey guys!

First off, I wanted to apologize for my post the other day on the ADKHighPeaks forum. Having just come out publicly with our plans, I was just excited to share what we're doing with as many people as possible and unfortunately forgot the no fundraising rule on a couple forums. I totally understand the rule and once again apologize for posting in that way.

So, I wont get too far into it or risk this post also getting taken down. But my best friend Gabe and I are participating next summer in a fundraiser called Summit For Someone by the charity, Big City Mountaineers which takes inner city kids on backpacking and other outdoor trips, changing their lives. After raising a pledged amount for the charity, Gabe and I will be climbing Mount Rainier next August.

Earlier in the summer though, in an effort to raise awareness, we'll be taking on a 200+, 21 day bisection of the Adirondack Park, blue line to blue line. It's something of a logistics mess and we've been route-finding and pouring over the details of just how we would do it for nearly the last year. We had a few standards we wanted to hold ourselves to...

• Move ourselves completely and solely under our own power.
• Spend as much trail time as possible. Roads stink.
• Use as many pre-established campsites as possible.
• Hike, paddle, bike.

So, we think we've come up with a pretty decent route...we think. It's broken into 17 sections, each of which can be tackled in a day. It includes 14 lean-tos and two improvised tent sites. Worked within the route are the nearly complete Northville-Placid Trail and the Seven-Carries Canoe Route.

Once we had those 17 sections and a line on a map that we thought would work, we broke the 17 sections up even further into seven larger parts, each separated from one another by a location where we could meet up with support, take on food, offload garbage, etc. The route has also been designed so that it is at these points that methods of transportation may change, allowing us to meet, pass off our bikes and pick up a canoe, for example. Within most larger sections we are also allowing ourselves one weather/rest day ensuring that we have ample time to enjoy our surroundings or hunker down in case of bad weather, without compromising our pre-planned meet-up date. So, 21 days total.

We have a .gpx file and a table with the 17 sections broken down on our website here. This is where we need your help. We've been exhaustively researching this but we know we're not perfect and we could even list a couple rough spots for our route. So, we're looking for people who might have more experience in some of these locations that we do to help us perfect it. Thats you.

One of those so-called "rough spots" are Parts 16 and 17, our final paddle up the St. Regis. My research on this part had been restricted by a general lack of information. The best info I got was from right here (and even more on the second page). My issue is with the small section of the St. Regis closest to Azure Mountain. Someone told me it could not be paddled, so is a portage possible along the road to the parking area just to the north by Duck Pond?

Anyway, if you guys could help out by taking a look at our route and critiquing it for me, we would greatly appreciate it. Everything matters, all the little tiny thoughts and issues. We want to make this as sound as possible before next summer. If you have any other questions on it at all, please let me know. I'm looking forward to your suggestions and ideas! Thanks guys!

Ryan
AdirondackTraverse.org

[DSettahr]

The Black Pond Lean-to is part of the Paul Smith's VIC, and camping is not permitted there- it's a day use only lean-to. There is a lean-to on the St. Regis River, just upstream of the St. Regis Mountain trailhead, at which public camping is permitted.

EDIT: Here's a map that I made a little while ago for another thread. It shows all of the lean-tos in the Paul Smith's area that are open to public camping (per normal forest preserve regulations): http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=44.43372,...e%20Clear%20NY

Note than none of the VIC lean-tos shown on the NG map (Black Pond, Long Pond, and Heron Marsh) are open to public camping.

[Wldrns]

Anyway, if you guys could help out by taking a look at our route and critiquing it for me, we would greatly appreciate it. Everything matters, all the little tiny thoughts and issues. We want to make this as sound as possible before next summer. If you have any other questions on it at all, please let me know. I'm looking forward to your suggestions and ideas! Thanks guys!

I applaud your charity efforts to set inner city kids on the right track. A very good friend of mine is involved in a similar program out of Albany, which I may assist with after I retire in another short couple of years.

You will have a great time on your Adirondack traverse. I made a similar solo trip a few years ago following a much different SW/NE diagonal 185 mile trip beyond the blue lines. I also labeled it my Adirondack Traverse across the Adirondacks. Quite a bit of bushwhack, some roads, lots of portages between paddling.

One bit of advice that worked out very well for me, if you are considering journaling in detail your trip... bring along a small digital audio recorder. For me it is much easier to use and provides much more detailed dimension than a written journal. I kept it in my shirt pocket and recorded a few words anytime virtually anything of interest came up as I was walking or paddling, I simply spoke what I saw and felt into the recorder without having to stop.

I never would have had nearly so complete a journal if I waited until I could write in a notebook. After the trip it reminded me of all the other associated happenings that I did not record, interestingly including the various intonations in my voice, especially as I suffered the 90 degree heat and incessant deer flies, but also the wondrous frog chorus as I recounted my day at night. As a result I ended up later writing a 100 page document of the entire trip with extracts from the recorder and additional memories of the trip that it recalled.

[UpstateIrish]

Really great idea. When are you thinking about doing this sucker? I have run across BCM out here as well, they are a great org to be affiliated with. Best of luck with everything!

[EagleO-10]

DSettahr...Thanks so much, this is exactly the kind of information we're looking for! Instead of Black Pond, we'll probably do one of the ones to the south of it, then (D or H on your map). Thats right where we were looking to pull out, anyway.

Wldrns...Thanks for the support! We were definitely looking at doing something along those lines, an audio recorder is a very interesting idea. Gabe and I thought it would be cool to each have some sort of personal record then afterward compile them and compare how we were thinking/feeling at the same time. An audio recorder sounds like a great method, thanks! By the way, did you ever do anything with your writeup? I would be interested in reading it if it's out anywhere.

UpstateIrish...Thanks! As of now, we've got the traverse set for Saturday, June 8 through Friday, June 28 and we're signed up to be out in Washington August 8th to be on top of Rainier August 11!

Thanks for all the help guys, we really appreciate everything!

[Wldrns]

Wldrns...Thanks for the support! We were definitely looking at doing something along those lines, an audio recorder is a very interesting idea. Gabe and I thought it would be cool to each have some sort of personal record then afterward compile them and compare how we were thinking/feeling at the same time. An audio recorder sounds like a great method, thanks! By the way, did you ever do anything with your writeup? I would be interested in reading it if it's out anywhere.

No, I should have but unfortunately I never really pursued publishing it anywhere, though I have given disks away. With all the included photos it is nearly 100Mb in size.

[DSettahr]

I also notice that you've have an "Oseetah Lake lean-to" listed in your itinerary. I've never heard of a lean-to on Oseetah Lake, and I don't think one exists there. That lake is largely privately owned, lots of camps. There are lean-tos nearby on Kiwassa Lake, and on the Saranac River (between the lower locks and the state boat launch).

[EagleO-10]

I also notice that you've have an "Oseetah Lake lean-to" listed in your itinerary. I've never heard of a lean-to on Oseetah Lake, and I don't think one exists there. That lake is largely privately owned, lots of camps. There are lean-tos nearby on Kiwassa Lake, and on the Saranac River (between the lower locks and the state boat launch).

I guess it's not really on Oseetah Lake, its on the Saranac River to the south-south-west of Kiwassa LT. The NG TrailsIllustrated map doesnt give it a name so I guess that was just something arbitrary by me.

[DSettahr]

I guess it's not really on Oseetah Lake, its on the Saranac River to the south-south-west of Kiwassa LT. The NG TrailsIllustrated map doesnt give it a name so I guess that was just something arbitrary by me.

Yeah, that's the Saranac River lean-to, aka the Douglass A. Beck Memorial lean-to.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that lean-to might actually be part of the Saranac Lake Islands campground, meaning that you'd need to reserve it in advance and pay a fee to stay there during the summer. My understanding is that any campsite above the lower locks is part of the campground. I would contact the campground (soon, before it's closed for the season) to find out for sure.

I also notice that you've got a lean-to on Middle Saranac as a destination- that is definitely part of the campground, so you'll need to make reservations and pay a fee to stay there too.

[EagleO-10]

Yeah, that's the Saranac River lean-to, aka the Douglass A. Beck Memorial lean-to.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that lean-to might actually be part of the Saranac Lake Islands campground, meaning that you'd need to reserve it in advance and pay a fee to stay there during the summer. My understanding is that any campsite above the lower locks is part of the campground. I would contact the campground (soon, before it's closed for the season) to find out for sure.

I also notice that you've got a lean-to on Middle Saranac as a destination- that is definitely part of the campground, so you'll need to make reservations and pay a fee to stay there too.

I knew Middle Saranac was part of that, we were planning on making reservations soon. I didn't think the other one was, but I'll definitely check that out too.

[DSettahr]

I knew Middle Saranac was part of that, we were planning on making reservations soon. I didn't think the other one was, but I'll definitely check that out too.

Yeah, like I said, I'm not 100% sure. I used to think it wasn't part of the campground. But it's above the locks, and there are signs at the locks clearly stating that all campsites from that point upstream are part of the campground.

[EagleO-10]

Ok, so we're much closer (I think) to having this route 100% ready to go. I've updated it from when I last posted here. I also finished something we're calling our "Guide Book." It was designed so what we only needed to carry one guide book on the traverse and includes the relevant excerpts from the ADK NPT guide and the Adirondack Canoe Waters North Flow guide as well as a detailed, part-by-part outline of what we'll be doing. It anyone has the time to just look over our route one more time, we would really appreciate it. The combined experience on this forum is many many times what I have personally or what I've learned while designing this trip and we could use all the help we could get to make it perfect. Thanks a ton guys!

Ryan

[TBPDPTI]

Make certain that you take lots of pictures and provide a nice map and the like with what should be an exhaustively long write-up when you return from your trip! It should be a fantastic read

[EagleO-10]

Make certain that you take lots of pictures and provide a nice map and the like with what should be an exhaustively long write-up when you return from your trip! It should be a fantastic read

We have some interesting ideas for what do to record all of this, but, rest assured, there will be a nice long post on here! Thanks so much!

[AdkDoug]

A few thoughts on your route:
1. The lean-to on the Saranac River above the locks is not part of the SLI Campground, but it is often occupied. Last I knew the roof leaked at that lean-to. There are limited sites other than that, although in June you might be OK if you are not there on the weekend. A sure bet would be to reserve a paid site on First Pond, Second Pond or Lower Saranac Lake.
2. Upstream navigation on Hatchery Brook is possible, but not very easy. Be prepared to drag some and fight the alders while paddling against the current. You could also takeout at the first bridge on Hatchery Brook and carry on the dirt road to the next bridge and go upstream from there. An alternative would be to take off Upper Saranac at the boat launch and carry to the highway, then through the woods on unmarked roads to Little Green Pond, then carry into Little Clear Pond. The roads are on the NG map, but there is no signage. Some people just carry along the highway, but it is almost 2 miles of road walking. Anyway you look at it, Middle Saranac to St. Regis Pond is a long day, but you'll be hardened to backcountry travel by then so it should be OK, just get an early start.
3. The lean-to on St. Regis Pond is often occupied, note that many of the other sites there were relocated in 2010, so make sure your map is up to date.
4. I hiked the NPT last June. You may find it helpful to read my three part blog series at –
http://www.broadwingadventures.com/1...irondacks.html

Enjoy the trip, it sounds like fun. Keep us posted on you progress. Good luck.