Deep remote wilderness exploring - by canoe

[twochordcool]

Hello my friends!

I am not new to exploring the Adirondacks on foot - have been exploring the wilderness there since the eighties -

but I have not as of yet explored the Adirondacks by canoe.

I love the Adirondacks every season of the year, but as far as backpacking goes, Summer is my least favorite season - TOO hot to carry a 50 pound pack for 4 days and get all sweaty and stinky - unless of course there is water to jump in at every overnight destination!

For this reason, and for something entirely different, I AM DYING to get into deep, remote wilderness exploration by canoe!

So, could any of you ladies and gentleman help me get started by listing some of the best?



Wildlife viewing and gorgeous scenery is a plus!



Thanks!

[Wildernessphoto]

Hello my friends!

I am not new to exploring the Adirondacks on foot - have been exploring the wilderness there since the eighties -

but I have not as of yet explored the Adirondacks by canoe.

I love the Adirondacks every season of the year, but as far as backpacking goes, Summer is my least favorite season - TOO hot to carry a 50 pound pack for 4 days and get all sweaty and stinky - unless of course there is water to jump in at every overnight destination!

For this reason, and for something entirely different, I AM DYING to get into deep, remote wilderness exploration by canoe!

So, could any of you ladies and gentleman help me get started by listing some of the best?



Wildlife viewing and gorgeous scenery is a plus!



Thanks!

Hi TCC,
3 Trips come to mind right off the bat.

1-Raquette from Long lake to Tupper
2-Low's lake with a portage to the Oswegatchi and out at Inlet
3-St. Regis canoe area with portages between ponds

That will keep you busy a while!
-Gary-

[Wldrns]

I AM DYING to get into deep, remote wilderness exploration by canoe!

So, could any of you ladies and gentleman help me get started by listing some of the best?

If I tell you of my favorite remote areas in a public forum then they may no longer be so remote.

If you want somewhat remote, you have to make up your mind to do at least a few portages. The more remote you desire, the lighter your equipment, especially your canoe, must be. Eventually you will be drawn far off trail to the truly remote and isolated waterways and ponds, and the better your skills and conditioning must be as well. Many of us here can help answer more specific questions.

[twochordcool]

If I tell you of my favorite remote areas in a public forum then they may no longer be so remote.

Er, well they may not be so secret anymore, but I doubt you can make them any less remote by telling people about it!

[Wldrns]

Er, well they may not be so secret anymore, but I doubt you can make them any less remote by telling people about it!

Well, perhaps it is a matter of perception. To me, a populated place sure seems less "remote" than a place that may not be visited once in several years. Low's Lake and the trail to the Oswegatchie, for example, was considered deeply remote several years ago. It no longer is. Many nationally published articles on it didn't help.

[Cold River Bob]

You might look into Duckhole , The portage from Henderson to upper Preston ponds is tough, A group of us did it last year but the views are worth it.

[redhawk]

You might look into Duckhole , The portage from Henderson to upper Preston ponds is tough, A group of us did it last year but the views are worth it.

Yeh but we are hard a** nuts a couple of cold cuts short of a sandwich too.

[Hakuna Matada]

The suggestions given are good and going off season (like now) will help give popular areas a remote feeling. A lot less traffic now. (They are still the same distance though)

[Glen L]

"remote" wilderness paddles

The suggestions given are great ones but, as stated, can be very busy in season. The Raquette, SRCA & Low's are all crowded. Bugs keep crowds down on Oswegatchie from May-July. Go off or bug season - I paddled Low's - Oswegatchie yesterday & saw no one.
If you want some solitude check out East or Middle branches of St. Regis, Deer R, Raquette below Piercefield, Little Tupper -Lila (crowded both ends but empty between), Chubb, Middle branch Oswegatchie, S. branch Grass(e), Little R., Bouquet R ............

[Wldrns]

I paddled Low's - Oswegatchie yesterday & saw no one.

Glen... did you do the whole loop in a single day once again? First of the season as usual for you?

[Glen L]

No, not the entire loop this trip - just lower dam to Inlet. (But was 1st across for season per registers) The many obstructions on upper river, a few of which I cut out, made trip take 9 hrs w/ breaks. Loop thru Cranberry L. & back to lower dam via Grassy Pond is a 16 hr affair, best done closer to solstice w/ more daylight

[Grey-Jay]

There is some irony here that some of the outfitters have mentioned to me. Many of the more distant and seemingly remote destinations (some mentioned above)can end up being crowded and not-remote feeling while there are less visited bodies of water of the main road that are rarely visited. One could spend a fair amount of effort to get to the inner St. Regis Ponds as I did one summer weekend, to share the sounds of boomboxes and loud campers. This can happen at Lows Lake, Oswegachie R. remote locations of course attract the crowds due to their remote nature. In the mean-time, I have visited smallers ponds and creeks not far off the highway and found pristine solitude with otters, beaver, deer, loons, etc.

The secret of experiencing remote wilderness is not to go where everyone tells you to go, for that's where everyone goes. Instead, obtain some good maps that clearly identify what is state vs. private lands, and explore places that you select.

[Wldrns]

The secret of experiencing remote wilderness is not to go where everyone tells you to go, for that's where everyone goes. Instead, obtain some good maps that clearly identify what is state vs. private lands, and explore places that you select.

Dang... the secret is out now. Two things to keep in mind when looking for isolated and wild places - you either have to look for the small and unobvious nearby locations, or do some work to get back to where it's just too much effort to bring in the boom boxes. Both techniques will filter out a lot of those who you would rather not camp near, and is why you need to look for your own rewards, not expect to be told where to go for solitude. If the pond is small and there is no trail or herd path to it (i.e. you will have to bushwhack), it can be quite close to avoid the crowds.

[twochordcool]

In the mean-time, I have visited smallers ponds and creeks not far off the highway and found pristine solitude with otters, beaver, deer, loons, etc.

The secret of experiencing remote wilderness is not to go where everyone tells you to go, for that's where everyone goes. Instead, obtain some good maps that clearly identify what is state vs. private lands, and explore places that you select.

I think you are absolutely right -

I was only asking because I am inexperienced, but I guess canoing is a lot like hiking and backpacking - and when I started that I really did not ask - I just looked at maps to find the highest mountains and the most remote places.

One thing though, if I canoe in rivers I will need to do some research to find out which ones are navigable - especially if I plan on going back the same way!

I imagine it's easier to find solitude in a canoe in the Adirondacks than hiking in the High Peaks in the summer?!

Probably less "trampled" looking also?

(I'm really sick of seeing tree stumps at lean-tos in the Adirondacks - you would think that the type of people that would make an effort to go to these places would be the type of people that would not s#!t where they eat, er, I mean, cut down trees where they camp - for one thing it's unsightly - for another, "green" trees make lousy firewood. Common-freakin'-sense.)

[bridgeman]

Bog River Lows Lake area is one of my favorites. Racquette River From Long Lake Village to Tupper is another with a side trip to Shattuck clearing