Looking for an 8 day route

[badtolz]

Any recommendations on an 8-day route with solitude and fishing would be greatly appreciated.

My BWCA trip will probably be canceled due to ongoing fires and I'm looking to travel up to NY in the middle of September for a solo trip.

Prefer to spend 2 nights on some lakes and would like to also fish.

I don't mind long portages or bushwhacking. I have a Swift Packboat, hammock, and go light/ultralight.

thanks
Dan in Pittsburgh.

[montcalm]

Probably the only thing that will tick all those boxes is Little Tupper to Oswegatchie traverse.

DSettahr posted a great trip report on this last year, I'd look that up. You'll obviously need to be shuttled.

[badtolz]

Originally Posted by montcalm

Probably the only thing that will tick all those boxes is Little Tupper to Oswegatchie traverse.

That's what I thought. I purchased the maps and book and have gone over this route a few times. I'll have to figure on fishing gear since everything I had was dialed in for the Boundary Waters.

[DSettahr]

Yeah, I was planning also to mention that same route- Little Tupper to the Oswegatchie. Over 8 full days, parts of it were fairly relaxed. Also a good mix of lakes and ponds combined with sections of winding streams and rivers. For the most part, it's motor free (with a few small exceptions), and in September much of it should be super quiet (especially on any week night).

Montcalm linked to only the first part of my post, here's a link to the full trip report: https://www.adkforum.com/showthread.php?t=27963

The only real other option for a lengthy paddle trip in the ADKs is the Northern Forest Canoe Trail... but that's very rarely remote and solitude is not commonly found along that route.

[Wldrns]

Stillwater Reservoir. Aim to portage and/or bushwhwack to several smaller lakes off the sometimes motorboat busy reservoir by heading to the north, such as on the Red Horse Trail to and through Salmon Lake, Witchhopple, and Clear, with possible side bushwhacks to include Walker, Willys, Hawk and Dismal. Or a bit farther west taking the trail below the dam will completely byapss the reservoir itself to access Raven, Lyon, Muskrat, Sunshine and Bear. Much more likely to find complete solitude on these than on the Oswegatchie traverse.

[montcalm]

If shuttling is an issue, you can also start at Lows, or Lila and make a loop using Cranberry lake. There's some long carries going this way. I've never done this personally, but there was a trip report about it on this forum using this as part of an even longer route using the lower Bog River, which I would avoid.

[Viking]

I have over 50 rods in my basement, and I used the same ones on the Traverse as I did in the BWCA.

I went in the spring before the black flies hatched - which they chose to do about mid way from Rock Pond to Hardigan Pond.

I finally gave up and just ate and drank them. Really couldn't avoid it.

When I got to Low's lower dam I called an outfitter to pick me up as the flies were now chewing through my head net. Stand on the concrete by the rail and get a signal.

Good luck!

[stripperguy]

How about the Essex Chain Lakes with a trip down the Chain Drain to the Rock River, thence to the Cedar River and hop over to Pine Lake. Mid September would have to be an out and back...likely too little water to continue to a take out on the Hudson, shuttle is cumbersome too.

[rickhart]

Of course other loops can take more days if you do layover days at some of the nicer lakes. The Whitney loop would work for that. But I don't know how the fishing is on that route.

[montcalm]

Originally Posted by montcalm

using the lower Bog River, which I would avoid.

Originally Posted by rickhart

The Whitney loop would work for that. But I don't know how the fishing is on that route.

I think this thread has run its course, but just to clarify, I mentioned avoiding the lower Bog River which is part of the Whitney loop simple due to carries and rapids. It's definitely an option if you feel capable of those aspects.

[billconner]

The reasons so many say to not do the Lows Lower Dam to Round Lake portion is of most interest to me. More than a day? It does solve the shuttle problem.

[rickhart]

Originally Posted by billconner

The reasons so many say to not do the Lows Lower Dam to Round Lake portion is of most interest to me. More than a day? It does solve the shuttle problem.

It can be done in a day, though for me it's long. There are carries around the rapids. If one is willing to do a long (but smooth) carry from Pa's Falls over to the bridge on the Round Lake outlet, the entire lower part with the main rapids can be avoided (this is described in the Paddler's Guide). With either choice, it is a good way to make it a complete loop instead of shuttling or car spotting. It would also be very possible to stash a bike near the lower dam access, and bike back to the car. There are some rocks & riffles in the lower Bog which I would find alarming in high & fast water conditions, but I'm a very cautious flatwater paddler. They're fine in normal flow, even for me.

[billconner]

Thank you. It looks like a somewhat long first day starting at lower dam and getting to a site on Round but doable. About 10 miles, not counting double portage if needed. And maybe on site where the Bog joins the Round outlet, the rest primitive opportunities.

[montcalm]

Originally Posted by chairrock

After Labor Day Cranberry Lake is quiet, 40 plus water access campsites, and access to many portages to small trout ponds....with campsites...

This is true, but with the popularity of the CL50, I would expect to see some people where you encounter that trail.

I typically like to visit at the end of September, but anytime mid-September to early November is usually pretty great:





Cranberry is a difficult lake. At times you can get around easy; at others it's a windy, rough, nightmare. And it can change quick. But I feel like any of the big reservoirs can get this way i.e. Lows and Stillwater.

[mgc]

Not in the park but with all of the traffic it's getting this summer, I would (did) head to Maine and do the Penobscot from the NE carry (Moosehead) to the Allagash and the St. John to Allagash or Ft. Kent. It's a bit late in the year but the stretch from Chase rapids is controlled release. Once you carry into the Allagash waterway there will be tons of folks but it still sees less traffic than many parts of the park. You could easily stay on the Penobscot side and visit several of the nearby lakes. If you can tolerate big water, start in Greenville.
Another option is to look at all of the options around Grand Lake Stream.

[DSettahr]

Did you do this trip, badtolz? If so, where'd you go and how was it?

[badtolz]

Originally Posted by DSettahr

Did you do this trip, badtolz? If so, where'd you go and how was it?

I unfortunately got sick right before I was supposed to leave and had to shelve the trip until 2022

[stripperguy]

Mr tolz,
When the water gets soft again, are you going to the ADK's? Or will you head to the Boundary Waters as previously Planned. Not knowing where you're located, I'm curious if the drive distance is any factor in your decision.

[Steelhead]

Even if you fish a lot more than you travel each day, to put together 8 consecutive days of tripping in the Adirondacks most routes not yet mentioned would take you through some settled areas= lakes with campgrounds or cottages. No one mentioned the St Regis Canoe Area. Gets traffic. Some bass, some brookies. Check that out. 8.5 hrs from Pittsburgh though. Algonquin Provincial park's over an hour closer to you than the St Regis, Little Tupper or Lows Lake, same distance as Stillwater. Brookies and Lakers, camp sites tend to be nice, unlimited routes for 8 day trips, almost no development within the park that you'd see. Not nearly as much rock as Quetico, so less visually dramatic.
I'm looking at the Lake Superior Provincial Park, only 2 hrs more for you than the St Regis. Brookies, some lakers and gets very limited traffic.