Paddling, Climbing --- 8/2/2020 --- Adirondacks

Chug and Dump 2020 (aka Drones Don't Float)

Started Sunday in Old Forge. Shuttling cars in the pouring rain, conditions were ominous. But the weather cleared as we started paddling. Choppy water and a short paddle brought us to Alger Island and our first camp site. The final 20 minutes of paddling was in a downpour, so it was nice to have a leanto for cooking and drying.

Monday was beautiful weather. Choppy lakes, long twisty river, tailwinds, and swimming at a beautiful campsite.

Tropical Storm Isaias on Tuesday. At least the lakes weren't crowded. Continuous rain, some high winds, long portages. A challenging day. Close to 12 hours of paddling.

Another long day Wednesday. Much better weather and a nice river. But we passed up some sites earlier in the day and ended up paddling late into the evening, finishing with a long upstream section of Stony Creek. Two hard days in a row.

Thursday was another long day, but mostly easy paddling. Five portages! Though one had a drainage culvert option that obviously Jay and saw as the best option. Might have been one of the trip highlights for me :) Great campsite on Long Pond with excellent swimming.

Sad time Friday morning as we learned that drones don't float. If anyone has scuba gear and motivation, I've got GPS coordinates for you. Finished early at the last free campsite on Upper Saranac. Great afternoon of swimming and finally reading the book I've been lugging the entire trip. Highlight of the day was watching loon babies and their mom.

Awake at 4:30am Saturday for a sunrise paddle in the mist. Through the lock and finishing at the north end of Lower Saranac just as the heat of the day was beginning to feel unbearable.

Trip totaled exactly 100 miles! 90 miles of paddling and 10 miles of portaging.

Coda to the trip: Since I was in the Dacks with a canoe, I convinced Jackie and Calvin to join me at Roger's Rock. Rough paddle out, some water in the boat (Jackie!) Very rough paddle back, but stayed upright! Climbed to The Matrix and Little Finger. Been wanting to climb that slide forever, so it was fun to finally get an opportunity.

No low bridges! (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

No low bridges!    Ithaca -- 8/2/2020

First night dessert can be heavy. (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

First night dessert can be heavy.    Adirondacks -- 8/2/2020

Sun showers on Alger Island (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Sun showers on Alger Island    Adirondacks -- 8/2/2020

First portage (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

First portage    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Anna (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Anna    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Let's go that way (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Let's go that way    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rain (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rain    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rainbow photo shoot (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rainbow photo shoot    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

The last of the heavy food before the first big portage (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

The last of the heavy food before the first big portage    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Octogimli (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Octogimli    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

62lb canoe + pack (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

62lb canoe + pack    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Team J-Stroke! (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Team J-Stroke!    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Team Rawbanana? (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Team Rawbanana?    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Paddling (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Paddling    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Paddling (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Paddling    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Paddling (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Paddling    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Paddling (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Paddling    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Wide angle makes arms look long (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Wide angle makes arms look long    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

1.3 mile portage (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

1.3 mile portage    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

1.3 mile portage (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

1.3 mile portage    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

1.3 mile portage (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

1.3 mile portage    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

1.3 mile portage (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

1.3 mile portage    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Camping (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Camping    Adirondacks -- 8/3/2020

Rain all day (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Rain all day    Adirondacks -- 8/4/2020

Resting tropical storm faces (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Resting tropical storm faces    Adirondacks -- 8/4/2020

It's like having an umbrella (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

It's like having an umbrella    Adirondacks -- 8/4/2020

Finished a portage (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Finished a portage    Adirondacks -- 8/4/2020

Tropical Storm Isaias. We paddled for nearly 12 hours. (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Tropical Storm Isaias. We paddled for nearly 12 hours.    Adirondacks -- 8/4/2020

Sunny morning! (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Sunny morning!    Adirondacks -- 8/5/2020

Much nicer! (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Much nicer!    Adirondacks -- 8/5/2020

Until it started raining again :( (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Until it started raining again :(    Adirondacks -- 8/5/2020

But it eventually cleared (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

But it eventually cleared    Adirondacks -- 8/5/2020

And we paddled all day (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

And we paddled all day    Adirondacks -- 8/5/2020

And FINALLY reached a gorgeous site (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

And FINALLY reached a gorgeous site    Adirondacks -- 8/5/2020

Ahhh (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Ahhh    Adirondacks -- 8/5/2020

camping (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

camping    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

camping (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

camping    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

camping (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

camping    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

I poke you in the head! (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

I poke you in the head!    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

Culvert portage! (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Culvert portage!    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

River paddling (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

River paddling    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

River paddling (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

River paddling    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

River paddling (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

River paddling    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

River paddling (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

River paddling    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

Lit tent on Long Pond (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Lit tent on Long Pond    Adirondacks -- 8/6/2020

Misty morning (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Misty morning    Adirondacks -- 8/7/2020

Misty morning (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Misty morning    Adirondacks -- 8/7/2020

Upper Saranac camping (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Upper Saranac camping    Adirondacks -- 8/7/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Early morning paddling in the mist (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Early morning paddling in the mist    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Bird poop island (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Bird poop island    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

No low bridges! (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

No low bridges!    Adirondacks -- 8/8/2020

Roger's Rock with Jackie and Calvin (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Roger's Rock with Jackie and Calvin    Adirondacks -- 8/9/2020

Roger's Rock with Jackie and Calvin (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Roger's Rock with Jackie and Calvin    Adirondacks -- 8/9/2020

Roger's Rock with Jackie and Calvin (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Roger's Rock with Jackie and Calvin    Adirondacks -- 8/9/2020

Party on Little Finger (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Party on Little Finger    Adirondacks -- 8/9/2020

Calvin leading The Matrix (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Calvin leading The Matrix    Adirondacks -- 8/9/2020

Party on Little Finger (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Party on Little Finger    Adirondacks -- 8/9/2020

Calvin and Jackie (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Calvin and Jackie    Adirondacks -- 8/9/2020

Jackie in airplane mode (Category:  Paddling, Climbing)

Jackie in airplane mode    Adirondacks -- 8/9/2020