Although I took 53 days, the route can certainly be traversed much faster. Even so, the trip passed by too fast. A sense of urgency pushed me along in order to stick to the itinerary. Yet traveling at the speed of a canoe still allowed me to move much more slowly through the varied environments as the miles flowed by.
I still don't know exactly why the NFCT captured my imagination back in March 2010. Surely the idea of being able to utilize the canoe and camp for a trip lasting more than several days was appealing. And I loved the chance of being able to spend more time in a part of the country I've only passed through. Ultimately I was probably motivated by the idea of a physical challenge doing something I love and having the time and resources to be able to do it. I didn't feel compelled to set any records or eschew accepting rides. I spent time with friends and family in the outdoors and I experienced the kindness of strangers.
My trip was unusual in that I had to coordinate six people. And I had the occasional access to a vehicle that allowed me to regularly restock and avoid some portages that followed roads. I know there are purists (definition please?) out there, but I honestly don't know (or care) why following the trail that actually uses a road as the connecting segment makes any difference what means is used.
But to accurately reflect my experience, keeping in mind that the conditions were unique to the time I traveled, I present my trip synopsis.
Wherever the trail takes you, may you enjoy many miles of happy paddling!
Katina Daanen
October 12, 2011
- - - - - - - - -
Trip Summary
Skipped Sections/Total Mileage
Map 3: 9 Miles
Between Union Falls Dam and Claysburg, NY
Reason: Avoided Class III-IV Tefte Pond Falls with limited or no portaging options besides walking the same 9 mile stretch.
Maps 4: 11 Miles
Lake Champlain crossing from Plattsburg to N. Hero Island, Lake Champlain, VT
Reason: Car had been shuttled to Plattsburg where we were intending to head to Burlington, VT to pick up Beckie (leg 2); getting the hole in the canoe repaired put us behind a day and so we started from N. Hero Island rather that return to Plattsburg in order to continue on schedule. In hindsight, we had great conditions and, at the completion of Beckie's leg, we ended up being ahead of schedule, something we couldn't foresee on that first day.
Map 5: 7 Miles
Richford to East Richford, VT
Two reasons: 1) Water levels were very low with the promise of more gravel bars until the border. I felt like I had pushed Beckie enough going upstream and 2) We had connected with Russ, who was able to spend a particular morning paddling into Quebec with us and could pick us up in Richford.
Map 5: 7.5 Miles
Mansonville to Perkins Landing, Quebec
Reason: Took the Canoe & Co. Shuttle over the Grand Portage and was picked up at our campsite at Sectuer Nautique. Includes the 5.6 mile portage.
Map 6: 10.5 Miles
Newport to West Charleston, VT
Reason: Always intended to avoid the Clyde River Class II-III rapids near Derby Center, but missed more because Beckie and I utilized Clyde River Recreation for our shuttle when we took it to Island Pond and paddled DOWNSTREAM on the Clyde to West Charleston where the outfitter was located. We were able to leave the canoe and some of the gear overnight in West Charleston and got a ride back to our motel in Newport. Includes two portages (1+ miles total) around the dams.
Map 6: 18 Miles
Nulhegan River from Island Pond to North Stratford
Reason: Nulhegan was unnavigatible after Wenlock Crossing after consulting several sources including the Northwoods Stewardship Center. Had to utilize a single ride offer out of Island Pond that we begged for and thereby missed the opportunity to paddle the deeper section. Includes a 3.3 mile wheelable portage along highway 105.
Map 7: 7.3 Miles
West Milan to Great Northern Moose Lodge (lower section of Thirteen MileWoods)
Reason: Had taken a shuttle to Errol in order to paddle the Androscoggin downstream. Had reservations at the Great Northern Moose Lodge as a rendezvous point and Linda's sons picked us up at the closest take-out section to the lodge. Includes 3.8 miles of the wheelable portage along Hwy 110A between West Milan and the Pontook Reservoir.
Map 9: 23.5 Miles
South Branch of the Dead River: Rangeley to Stratton, ME
Reason: It was dead. Includes 4.5 wheelable Dallas Carry along Hwy 16.
Total portage miles missed: 18.5
Total paddling missed: 75.5
Total: 94 Miles
Regrets:
Missing the Lake Champlain crossing, the Nulhegan (especially the Silvio O. Conte NFWR), and paddling the full length of the Androsoggin.
No Regrets:
Avoiding the Tefte Pond Falls, taking a shuttle over the Grand Portage, not attempting to paddle a very bony, dry S. Br. of the Dead River and wheeling any portage along a highway.
Gear Performance
Took a beating on the rockier rivers and punched a hole in it in Plattsburg on a ledge. Once fixed, it still performed well. After the initial damage, I still was leery of boney rivers. The 54# weight was light enough for easy carrying.
I picked these up at a rummage sale for $5. I think we have the model 260 which has the smaller, fatter tires and a low clearance, but worked well over roots and rocks. It was very sturdy. When the trails were really rough in places, we'd sometimes pick up the canoe with the strapped on wheels, (and without the gear bags) and lift it over the bigger boulders. I used two old Thule straps to hold it on to the canoe (which also helped when I got rides and needed to strap the canoe down.) I had no issues with my wheels, but I also missed 18.5 miles of portaging and I carried the canoe on a few portages that were technically wheelable. We also had little rain or mucky trails. The only thing I did was top off the air once in Errol.
Mountain Hard Wear Lightwedge 3 Tent
I bought this tent new in 2010. It wasn't lightweight, but I like extra space. It worked out great (easy to set up and we stayed 100% dry even in downpours), until one of the aluminum poles snapped after 23 days on the trail. This model is no longer available.
Physical Preparation
Beginning at least 15 months before I left, I upped my yoga classes from twice a week to three to five times a week, continued participating in my usual two to three weekly YMCA circuit classes and added swimming 50 to 80 laps once or twice a week beginning in January. The first few days of the trip were still tough, which was the case for each of the paddlers who subsequently met up with me as well. When I weighed myself on the same YMCA scale two weeks after the trip was over, I had lost 11 pounds.
- - - - - - - - -
Resources
Shuttles
St. Regis, Saranac Lake
1) Transported our car from Old Forge to Saranac Lake and on to Plattsburg, NY
2) Once in Saranac Lake, we determined they could shuttle us around Tefte Falls: We used our car to drive to Franklin Falls Pond, where we left it at the boat launch. They picked it up and then us at Union Falls Pond taking us past Tefte Falls and dropping us off at Clayburg to pick up the Saranac River which took us the rest of the way to Plattsburg.
Canoe & Co, Glen Sutton, Quebec
Grand Portage shuttle. Made a late decision to get the shuttle and was able to call from a phone booth in Mansonville (50 cent Canadian coins), arranging to be picked up the next morning from our campsite.
Clyde River Recreation, West Charleston, VT
1) Picked Beckie and I up in Newport and dropped us off in Island Pond to paddle the Clyde downstream.
2) Two days later, repeated--bringing Linda and I to Island Pond to continue heading east on the trail.
Island Pond (begging)
From Island Pond to North Stratford
A reliable shuttle resource/contact would be helpful out of Island Pond when the water levels of the Nulhegan are less reliable.
Gordy's General Store, West Milan, NH
We used them to pick us up from Stark to paddle the Upper Ammonoosuc back downstream. They also would have taken us up to Errol. (Instead we got a ride from a neighbor of the Stark Inn B & B to Errol. Another shuttle source for taking the Androscoggin downstream is Northwoods Rafting out of Milan, NH.)
Stratton Motel, Stratton, ME
1) Joyce and I drove my car to Stratton, where we left it at the Maine Roadhouse. Susan shuttled us back to Errol where we picked up the trail again heading toward Rangeley/Stratton.
2) Also utlized the services to have Kay picked up at the Bangor airport.
Ectopelagicon, Rangeley, ME
Instead of waiting for a ride from the Stratton shuttle back to our car sitting at the Maine Roadhouse, we got a ride to the car from Ectopicon, who also provides rides for paddlers and AT hikers.
Other resources for holding the car:
Quality Inn, Burlington, VT (Sleep, Fly, Park)
Sam stayed here when he flew back to Wisconsin and we left the car here for several weeks until Joyce flew in and picked it up.
Bangor Airport, ME
Longterm parking. Car was left here for 12 days.
Approximate cost for shuttles: $1100
- - - - - - - - - - -
Lodging
Total nights camping: 34
Total nights lodging: 20
(11 were breaks we took on the trail; 9* were part of the paddler rendezvous or swap overlaps or began/end of the trip.)
Lodging costs ranged from $50 – $90 per night (for two). Grand Falls Hut charged us significantly less because we didn't eat there. Only a bed charge.)
*The Forge Motel, Old Forge, NY
Fogarty's B & B, Saranac Lake NY (2 nights)
* Quality Inn, Burlington, VT (2 nights)
* Holiday Harbor Lodge, North Hero Island
Somerset Inn, Enosburg Falls, VT
Gray Gables Mansion B & B, Richford, VT
*Newport City Motel, Newport, VT
* The Lakefront Inn & Motel, Island Pond, VT
Stark Inn B & B, Stark, NH (2 nights)
*Great Northern Moose Lodge, Dummer, NH
Maine Roadhouse Hostel, Stratton, ME (3 nights)
Flagstaff Lake Hut
Grand Falls Hut
Rockwood Cabins, Rockwood, ME
* Sally Mountain Cabins, Jackman, ME
*Northern Door Inn, Fort Kent, ME
