Cranberry,Lowes,Oswagochie loop advise please

[Rich Lockwood]

I'm really getting the fever for trips this summer,and my most ambitious one will be this loop.I will be using my new Hornbeck,single tripping light and will have the time not to need to push and to be able to enjoy the route and wait out the wind if necessary.
I thought I would park in Wannakina,as I have heard of some parked car trouble at inlet and wouldn't want that worry.Where in Wannakina would be a good spot?I have read the posts on the route.I see on the latest DEC Cranberry map the trail to lowes is marked as a carry,so should hopefully be easier to follow.I have been up to high falls and back and plan to take my time on the way down the Osswagochie to enjoy what should be my favorite part.
How would you break this trip up?Camps ect.How long should I plan the trip for?How about th Ideal time of year?After Labor day to miss the crowds on the Osswagochi?
Thanks,see you on the water, Rich

[gmagnes]

Additional Suggestion for Exploration

Rich
I've done the Bog River-Lows-Oswegotchie through trip and been up and down the Oswegotchie a few trips from Inlet to High Falls. Your newer approach sounds like a great trip. I haven't been on the trail from Cranberry to Lows yet. I don't have any special suggestions for breaking up the trip, but wanted to make one additional route suggestion. About a mile below High Falls the hiking trail crosses the river and heads south further into the 5 Ponds Wilderness area. This is a beautiful hiking trail which passes a series of pretty backcountry ponds terminating at Sand Lake, which has a leanto and beautiful sandy beach. A few of the others have leanto's as well. There's also old growth forest in there. With a Hornbeck, that's a perfect detour to take from the Oswegotchie, especially if you have some time, as your post indicated. Fall (early Sept-thru mid October) would be a great time, but almost any time afer the black flies have gone would be great I think.

One other hint I might offer is that the section of the river between where the portage trail hits the Oswegotchie and High Falls doesn't look very far, but it's loaded with beaver dams and blowdown types of obstructions, many of which will probably require you to get out of your boat and pull over. On my through trip there in 16.5' tandem canoe a few years ago, I stopped counting at about 20 obstructions/dams. Maybe you'll be able to get through some spots easier with the Hornbeck, but be prepared for a longer trip than you might expect on that section. From High Falls out to Inlet is relatively smooth in that sense.

Hope that's helpful. Have a great trip whenever you decide to do it and be sure to post some pictures.

Gerry

[forevrwyld]

Where in Wannakina would be a good spot? You can park at the tennis courts on the opposite side of the river as the Village. Might want to also check with Ranger School about long term parking. You may also be able to park long term at the State Camp Ground.

I have heard of some parked car trouble at inlet and wouldn't want that worry. Parked there too many times to recall and never had a problem.

the latest DEC Cranberry map the trail to lowes is marked as a carry Yup. And once into Lows (Grass Pond) there are several nice sites on your left. I would have to look at the the map to get the site #'s.

How about th Ideal time of year?After Labor day to miss the crowds on the Osswagochi? Go after Labor Day. Late September or early October.

Sounds like a great adventure. PM me if you want more. I am sure Wldrns, ChairRock and others will weigh in.

-george-

[Wldrns]

I don't have much to add. In some earlier thread there was more detail discussed. I have never had any problem parking at Inlet. You will be carrying rather than paddling your Hornbeck along the trail viturally all the way to Cranberry. The Chair Rock Trail is well marked until you get to the marsh to the west of Darning Needle ponds. Once you get there don't take the trail on the map to Darning Needle, follow the marsh SW instead. It is a gorgeous marsh, just make sure to look for the trail to the SW, heading S passing to the E of Fish Pole Pond. Then it is easy down to Grass Pond. A large campsite, #32 is on the NW side of Grass Pond is overused by float plane cllient. A much prettier site in tall pines on a point is in the NE side, site #31. It has the advantage of catching any breeze off the water, helpful in bug season.

On a clear day I wouldn't miss the view from the top of Grass Pond Mountain. You can see the whole of Low's Lake in one view, plus a gorgeous distant mountain horizon all around. It is (mostly) a bushwhack up. Find your own way (study the map for the best obvious route).

The trail to the Oswegatchie will seem much longer than it ought to. Be sure to take the "shortcut" across Big Deer Pond for a break from the carry. Take another break at the mailbox to read the comments a bit further on. A beaver flooded section is best crossed floating in your Hornbeck rather than carrying on the unstable dam. Once you reach the river, see how long you can stand in the ice cold water welling up from an underground spring at the put-in. It really is numbingly cold.

[John P]

In some earlier thread there was more detail discussed.

I think that was one that I started, titled "Lows Lake to Cranberry Lake?"

http://www.adkforum.com/showthread.php?t=5695

The last posting was in late February. I was asking if there's a realistic carry from Lows Lake to Cranberry, based on what I'd seen on the topo map and knowing how trails tend to get created. It seems that there is such a trail, quite new or at least newly official. People here have a lot of good information to offer!

Note that it's Lows Lake, not Lowe's Lake. The apostrophe usually seems to be dropped, but the spelling isn't the same as the hardware stores.

[chairrock]

In some earlier thread there was more detail discussed.

I think that was one that I started, titled "Lows Lake to Cranberry Lake?"

http://www.adkforum.com/showthread.php?t=5695

The last posting was in late February. I was asking if there's a realistic carry from Lows Lake to Cranberry, based on what I'd seen on the topo map and knowing how trails tend to get created. It seems that there is such a trail, quite new or at least newly official. People here have a lot of good information to offer!

Note that it's Lows Lake, not Lowe's Lake. The apostrophe usually seems to be dropped, but the spelling isn't the same as the hardware stores.

Its a nice hike from CL to Lows.You have good info from everyone here and the older posts you found.BTW, don't eat the trout in those ponds, too much mercury.

[chairrock]

In some earlier thread there was more detail discussed.

Note that it's Lows Lake, not Lowe's Lake. The apostrophe usually seems to be dropped, but the spelling isn't the same as the hardware stores.

I believe it is in Jamisons canoe guide that he gives a brief history of Lows Lake. Seems the Lows tried to make a fortune in there. I am glad they built those two dams, despite all the land that was covered with water!