Goal Distance: 20-25 miles
Actual Distance: 23 miles
Kelly's Point on Long Lake to Upper Saranac Lake (site #19)
Weather: Sunny, 70s, tailwind; brief thunderstorm during the first portage
Portages: 2
#1: 1.3 mile wheelable (?) portage. We carried per the map information, but parts, especially nearer the end seemed as wheelable as the carry between 8th Lake and Brown's Tract. Steep inclined at beginning and the usual roots and rocks. No down trees as of this writing. Some may disagree or curse me if they think otherwise, but this portage sure didn't feel like it was over a mile. And I don't think we're in that great of shape this early on.
#2: 1.1 Indian Carry. First .5 miles from Stoney Creek Ponds is NOT wheelable. Only second .6 stretch along the road. We did this at the end of the day, probably around 6 or 7 pm. It seemed much longer than the 1.3 portage in which we did carry* all of our gear.
Wildlife: Great Blue Heron, loons, rabbit that stretched just like our dog (who knew?)
Dinner:
Corn chowder with potato and can of crab meat, Gorp
Started the day a little later, probably around 8 or so, after a bigger breakfast of scrambled eggs and hashbrowns. Had a terrific tailwind that carried us the rest of the length of Long Lake. Paddled up a lazy section of the Raquette River, then took out at the mandatory portage marked by the symbolic broken canoe sign. A Quaker-based youth group (we find this out later), was there ahead of us. Sam and I took two bags and started off. We met three of the group heading back to pick up more of their gear. We jokingly suggested that they might want to pick up our canoe and third bag when they return. On the map, there are three falls listed and a camping and lean-to area. We stopped at lean-to, thinking we were only halfway done and went back to get the second load. We met one of the boys who told us that they had brought our canoe and bag up to the top of the hill for us! (*This may be why the portage seemed shorter?) I told him we had REALLY just been joking and asked if they were a church group. That's when we found out that, why yes, they were, and a Quaker-based one at that. So we were feeling a little guilty. Which is when we heard the thunder. (Coincidence???) Nothing like the threat of a storm and the knowledge that there is a lean-to along the way to really make you hoof it. Sam and I made it exactly as the first drops exploded. Now we know that there are a bunch of people out there in the rain--and it was lunch time, so instead of granola bars, I got out the campstove and started baking the skillet bread we always bring and water for hot chocolate that we hadn't used. The group showed up soaking wet and we had the hot food and cocoa ready for them to share while we waiting for the storm to pass. The kids were from all over the world--literally. Virginia, Chicago, DC, Florida and one girl was from China.
Also found out that we really were at the end of the portage, only about 500 feet from the river. I still say it's less than 1.3 miles...
The afternoon continued to look threatening, with scattered sunshine. At one point, we pulled over at the Stoney Creek campsite (didn't see the lean-to) and set up the tarp to wait out another potential cloudburst. 15 minutes later, no rain and the sun was out, so we continued upstream to Stoney Creek Ponds. We found the second "bridge note" from Justine, another through paddler, in this area. (Kind of like going on a treasure hunt. As if the maps aren't enough for us...)
I think the NFCT map in this section is a bit misleading. Stoney Creek is depicted very generalized as if it is wide and has a big island. While we found the entrance to the creek easily enough, there were so many "S" curves that I was just beginning to think we had accidentally went up Ampersand Brook, which on the map DOES show curves. I was giving us just a few more turns before I thought we should turn around, when the Stoney Creek pond opened up ahead of us.
We wanted to end, instead of start the day with a portage, so we forged ahead and took the Indian Carry into Upper Saranac Lake. The day was really fading and we took the first campsite we found. It was pleasant, lots of pine trees, but by dusk, also lots of mosquitos. Sun DID set by the time we ate dinner. I took a quick swim and then we dove into the tent. It started raining again. Perfect sleeping white noise. Best night's sleep yet.
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| Tailwinds at the north end of Long Lake |
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| Raquette Falls Portage |
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| Back on the Raquette River |
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| Indian Carry Portage |
