September 2020
Saranac Lakes
  Floodwood Pond to Saranac Lake Village

Participants

Bob Alspaugh
Bill Yacovissi

Mike Alspaugh
Hans Krohn
Greg Grego

 

 

Click the map and the pictures for a larger view 

We drove to Lake Placid and camped at Draper Acres just south of town.  A good location for camping but very basic.

Drove into Lake Placid for the evening..

 

 

 

 

 

In the morning we drove to the Adirondack High Peaks Center for a hike up Mt. Nye and Mt. Street

I didn't expect to make it to the top of the mountains and I didn't.


The trail was very rugged as well as being uphill.

Bob and Mike made it to the top.

 We went back to Lake Placid for dinner that night.

 

 

 

 In the morning we packed up and headed to Saranac Lake to drop off a car and continued to the St. Regis Outfitter base on Floodwood Pond. 

We loaded up the canoes to start the trip.

The 3 seater canoe worked out very well for paddling and for carrying gear..

 

 We paddled out to the campsite on Upper Saranac Lake.

The wind was heavy and the waves large.

Getting across the lake took some effort.

Fortunately we made it across and set up camp on Buck Island.

 

The campsite was large with nice views of the lake./

 

 

 

Rain was forecast so we set up a tarp to have cover for breakfast.

 

 

 

Fortunately it never really rained so we just had to contend with a little mist..

 

 

 The  thing I like about the morning fogs is that they almost always clear into a brilliant sunny day in a very short time.

Calm winds allowed us to quickly paddle the 7 miles down Saranac Lake and reach the one portage on the trip.

 

 

 

Hans makes it over the portage with his pack..

 

 Mike still does a double carry over the portage.

You would think a man his age would have better sense.

Truthfully I'm jealous that I can't do it.

 

 

 Greg looks like a man who is just where he wants to be.

 

They have locks between Middle Saranac Lake and Lower Saranac Lake.  The first on is hand operated.  The second one has a motor.

We weren't exactly sure what was going to happen when they opened the gates.  It was a gentle ride out of the lock after all.

 

The campsite on Lower Saranac Lake was outstanding.

Simply spacious with good scenery all around.

 

 

 A nice sunset on the lake.

 

 Hans and Greg like to build a fire and they do a good job of it.  I'm to lazy to do it but I like it when its done,

We knew overnight temperature was going to drop.  Accu Weather said 25 in Lake Saranac.

It was cold in the morning..

 

Once the sun got up and mist burned off it was a very nice day.

 

 

You paddle to the docks in Lake Saranac, then have to carry a few hundred yards across the street, then put in for a final few hundred yard to St. Regis Outfitter.

 

It would be nice if you could just keep going on the river.  Then again some nice lady gave us warm garlic butter biscuits at the dock.

All in all the trip went well. Weather could have been warmer but it didn't rain..

 

 

The End