Adirondack Creeking Adventure

[Riosacandaga]

Yesterday my paddling compadre and close friend Dennis [Author of the Guidebook series: NY the Whitewater State, see: www.whitewateroutlaw.com ] embarked on an adventure to explore a new creek. The weather was wet and forecasted to become more on the solid side. Our plan was to paddle Raquette Creek, a tributary to the Hudson River. From were we started it was 1.8 miles to the Hudson River and fell 600’. Cascades, granite slides and waterfalls are too numerous to mention. But there is one 20’ waterfall where the face has partially calved away leaving about a 6’ gap. The water funnels down a sluice way and explodes on the cap of rock before falling another 16’ into the pool below.
There is a short section of fast moving water and we thought we were nearing the Hudson River. As we came around the bend there was a horizon line and very much to our surprise we encountered a long sinuous canyon with more slides and waterfalls.
Somewhere in the middle of the run there are some interesting rock erosions, where the wall of the stream has cut away leaving pillars.
Time to complete the trip was about 4 hours and we paddled Thrillseeker® inflatable kayaks. One of the advantages of the inflatable, besides cushion bouncing off rocks and down steep slides, is the ability to hop out in a moments notice. We exercised the technique numerous times as we approached log jams with no eddies to stop in.
This creek would be rated class V+ to paddle AND to hike. The banks are steep, loose rocks, boulders and especially this time of year; very slippery.

[hillman1]

I paddled for a few minutes with Dennis on the hudson a few years back. I have his first guidebook. Just knowing that you paddle with him means you are a seriously better boater than I am. I ended up swimming on the salmon last week at 1700 cfs. I've paddled that river over 100 times. I never swim there. I doubt I'm ready to hit the cold with you, much less anything else you're paddling. Maybe in a few years. I've been thinking about picking up an inflatable for awhile now. Have you run Johns brook? I know of a section of creek I doubt has ever been paddled too. If you start at the loj, and hike in to the dam near scotts clearing near the wallface area, the trail runs along the side of a pretty neat creek. I hiked along it thinking how great it would be to paddle it the entire way.