Allagash 2019

[dcloots]

After my solo trip through the Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area in early Spring (one week after ice-out) http://www.canoetripping.net/forums/...anoe-loop-solo, it was time to start planning the family trip to the Allagash. We called it the 2019 "Bash at the Gash". My Dad "Pistol Pete Cloutier" has had the luxury of paddling almost every Maine River with his usual suspects back in the day. I had always listened intently to his stories and it is these stories that I honestly believe were the foundation of why I enjoy paddling to this day. This 2019 Allagsh trip, however, was very special to me since it may have been Pistol Pete's last trip (back issue, and if that is the case then I am certainly happy to have spent that quality time and great experience with my mentor and above all "Dad".

June 28th we made the long drive, departing Southern Maine, with my three children Isabela, Olivia, Camden, Camden's friend Alex, my father Pistol Pete, my cousin Paul and his son Abel. We would drive to see Norm Latalien at Pelletier Campground and hunker down for the night and prepare for our transport the next morning. We couldn't have been more pleased with the campground with the beautiful high ground over-looking the St.John River. It was a sight to behold especially with the setting sun. The next morning the temperature was 32 deg. We got a fire started and prepared bacon, moose sausage, eggs, potatoes and english muffins. Coffee was the first thing on the boil!!

At 6am Norm arrived at our site and we began loading our gear for our 3.5 hour transport to Bisonette Bridge (Put-in). We bypassed Chase Rapids for many reasons. When we arrived at Bissonette Bridge you would have thought we were at Funtown Splashtown. Day trippers running Chase Rapids all came at once and the put-in / take-out was extremely busy. Very surprised having never been to the Allagash.

We paddle to Sandy Point Campsite for our first night camping. Caught some brook trout, ate some brook trout and enjoyed eachothers company with a nice long camp fire.

The next morning we packed up and headed out with our hopes to camp at Squirrel Pocket on Round Pond. We enjoyed saw moose, loons and eagles on our morning paddle. Wind was not an issue on this particular morning and the weather seemed to be on our side so we thought we would beat the crowds to Round Pond. Long Lake paddling was beautiful as well, but very shallow. We scouted and approached Long Lake Dam and all decided to run it. I believe we really shocked a group of people camping at the Long Lake Dam site as they saw us heading for the dam. Their arms were waving and they were shouting to pull out. In most cases (from what I've read) this dam should not be run due to the hazards with the spikes used to secure the dam in the old days, but what we observed was high enough water to pick a deep V and run it. We all ran the same line and we all made it out beautifully. Heck...it saved a portage!!!!!!

All sites were taken on Round Pond and we needed to find a site fast since there were also others competing for campsites. Eventually we ended up at Croque Brook and spent the next few nights there. A very quiet site with a nice river view and sunsets. This holdover allowed lots of fishing and swimming and overall relaxation. Multiple cribbage games were played (all won by the Pistol) and many stories were shared. Having all my children with me on these wilderness trips melts my heart (my wife is not very interested in these trips....at least not yet). I am the camp chef so we had a YETI full of treats....steaks, hamburgers, moose burgers, fresh veggies, fruit and lots of water. We really enjoyed the time just to pause and reflect on the beauty of the Allagash for two days.

Day 5 we ran the rest of the river taking in the majestic Allagash Falls and then leisurely paddling to our takeout at Allagash village to our awaiting vehicles. I can not say the portage around the falls was easy since I had to do double time with not only my canoe but my fathers canoe as well. Portaging a YETI is not a lot of fun either, but hey those are the type of luxuries you can bring with you on the Allagash. We figured we paddled 30 miles on day 5. Most of the crew was tired and we rewarded ourselves with a dip in the river at Allagash Village. With all vehicles loaded up we headed back to see Norm and spent our last night camping and having a feast in preparation for a return back to reality the following morning.

All in all I am very happy to have paddled this section of the Allagash. I hope to one day complete the 10-day adventure and I will most likely do that solo, but that will have to wait. Having had this great experience with my father, my children, Camdens friend, as well as my cousin and his son made this a very enjoyable trip. I did find that the Allagash was extremely crowded, but Norm said that he has never seen anything like this particular week before. He was extremely busy the week of June 28th. I hope to find more solitude in the Allagash on a solo trip and when the Allagash is not busy at all. I don't know when that is....but I would like to find out some day.

Great trip....great memories....lots of laughter, stories and a trip that I will always remember.

 

[sweeper]

Nice trip report and great pictures

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Robin]

That was a nice report, what a great family trip. Lots of smiles, looks like a lot of fun. My two brothers and I did the Allagash in 78', I have it on Super 8 film and watch it every few years, great memories. Thanks for sharing, I bet your Dad thought it was special too.

I like that Old Town Charles River, nice canoe.

 

[Boreal Birch]

Good write-up and great pictures, my favorites were of "Pistol Pete" yawning while playing cribbage on a canoe cribbage board & brookie fishing.

 

[dcloots]

That was a nice report, what a great family trip. Lots of smiles, looks like a lot of fun. My two brothers and I did the Allagash in 78', I have it on Super 8 film and watch it every few years, great memories. Thanks for sharing, I bet your Dad thought it was special too.

I like that Old Town Charles River, nice canoe.

Robin, this trip was special indeed and one I will always remember as will my children. Having done this trip with my Dad made this extra special.

The Charles River was the fastest canoe out of the group and had a nice tumble home. I have been looking for one ever since Alex brought the Charles River with him. Great canoe.

Eyeballing La Verendrye Robin. Actually just watched your Video again on YouTube. Can’t decide on a circuit.

 

[dcloots]

Good write-up and great pictures, my favorites were of "Pistol Pete" yawning while playing cribbage on a canoe cribbage board & brookie fishing.

Boreal, Pistol Pete is yawning since there was no significant competition for him. Not sure how he does it, but the man just doesn’t lose.

 

[goonstroke]

Great trip report and photos. Those pictures make me ask myself why here and not there (well, work, snow, ...)

The Allagash is a great place for family trips, and the flip side of that is if there aren't any school age kids in the party, early September is optimal. I tried to scheme that one year with a buddy from the west coast and we couldn't make it work until October, which was lovely but dang cold. The ranger to paddler ratio was about 1:1, only one other canoe on the river.

A great solo trip is the Allagash Lake loop (w/Chamberlain, Mud Pond Carry, Umbazooksis, Caucomgomic, (other) Round Pond). Like the Debsconeag loop trip times about 3. I love loop trips, no muss no fuss.

 

[alsg]

I was there June 22-29. The black flies were thick and we had a monsoon on the 27th!! And I wish I was back there right now! Thanks for the trip report and photos!

 

[dcloots]

Great trip report and photos. Those pictures make me ask myself why here and not there (well, work, snow, ...)

The Allagash is a great place for family trips, and the flip side of that is if there aren't any school age kids in the party, early September is optimal. I tried to scheme that one year with a buddy from the west coast and we couldn't make it work until October, which was lovely but dang cold. The ranger to paddler ratio was about 1:1, only one other canoe on the river.

A great solo trip is the Allagash Lake loop (w/Chamberlain, Mud Pond Carry, Umbazooksis, Caucomgomic, (other) Round Pond). Like the Debsconeag loop trip times about 3. I love loop trips, no muss no fuss.

Goonstroke, you had mentioned this Loop in other posts and it is very intriguing. The other Round Pond, then Allagash Lake, Allagash Stream and back onto Chamberlain. Do you just park at Chamberlain Bridge? What does Allagash Stream look like? How aggressive is the stream other than Little Allagash Falls that will be portaged.

 

[dcloots]

I was there June 22-29. The black flies were thick and we had a monsoon on the 27th!! And I wish I was back there right now! Thanks for the trip report and photos!

The bugs were thick for sure. I was swimming in Bens so they didn’t bother me much though. My blood isn’t as sweet as the others I guess.

 

[Penns Woods]

Great write up. Really enjoyed the pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[goonstroke]

Goonstroke, you had mentioned this Loop in other posts and it is very intriguing. The other Round Pond, then Allagash Lake, Allagash Stream and back onto Chamberlain. Do you just park at Chamberlain Bridge? What does Allagash Stream look like? How aggressive is the stream other than Little Allagash Falls that will be portaged.

Yep, I parked at Chamberlain Bridge. That's about 3 hours from home for me, so I could head up in the afternoon, camp (Gravel Beach) and get an early start on Mud Pond Carry. I did it clockwise but you can do it either way, choice of Caucomgomic or Allagash Stream for the upstream. On a different trip I went up Allagash Stream for the first time last summer and I was surprised at how hard it was, but the water level was really low, whereas when I did the loop everything was runnable (except the falls, of course).

I spent 5 nights doing the loop, but it could easily be 7. I'd like to do it again starting from Chesuncook, which would add a day or two. One cool thing is you can hike up Allagash Mtn and see your entire route -- and some of it looks pretty far away! It's a difficult trip, but very satisfying.

Some familiar CT characters wrote it up a while back, and the 'net never forgets:
https://www.oocities.org/yosemite/rapids/2772/Allagash/Sidetrip.htm

 

[dcloots]

Yep, I parked at Chamberlain Bridge. That's about 3 hours from home for me, so I could head up in the afternoon, camp (Gravel Beach) and get an early start on Mud Pond Carry. I did it clockwise but you can do it either way, choice of Caucomgomic or Allagash Stream for the upstream. On a different trip I went up Allagash Stream for the first time last summer and I was surprised at how hard it was, but the water level was really low, whereas when I did the loop everything was runnable (except the falls, of course).

I spent 5 nights doing the loop, but it could easily be 7. I'd like to do it again starting from Chesuncook, which would add a day or two. One cool thing is you can hike up Allagash Mtn and see your entire route -- and some of it looks pretty far away! It's a difficult trip, but very satisfying.

Some familiar CT characters wrote it up a while back, and the 'net never forgets:
https://www.oocities.org/yosemite/rapids/2772/Allagash/Sidetrip.htm

Thanks for sharing that write up. Witty but yet informative. Enjoyed reading it.

 

[sweeper]

There is a Carry on the left at the campsite a short distance upstream from Black Pond that eliminates the lining up Caucomgomic Stream much of it cartable.

 

[dougd]

That was from VoodooCanoe.com a website started years ago. My buddy Hal and I got it going after getting caught in a little flood on the Pemi back in 95' I think it was. I know he's trying to move it to another site but it's been a bit of a challenge for him.

dougd

 

[Robin]

Eyeballing La Verendrye Robin. Actually just watched your Video again on YouTube. Can’t decide on a circuit.

Let me know if you need any information, better yet, post any questions here about LaVerendrye. Yellowcanoe and Gerald Guay know the parks routes also. I like the area up around Lac Cawasachouane

 

[yellowcanoe]

Robin, this trip was special indeed and one I will always remember as will my children. Having done this trip with my Dad made this extra special.

The Charles River was the fastest canoe out of the group and had a nice tumble home. I have been looking for one ever since Alex brought the Charles River with him. Great canoe.

Eyeballing La Verendrye Robin. Actually just watched your Video again on YouTube. Can’t decide on a circuit.

Ask away here. My mind is getting foggy as the last trip was six years ago. I lent out my maps to a fellow CT member who was contemplating a summer 2019 trip to La V. And don't have them back yet to jog my memory.. I hope Bob had a good trip but I do need to pay him a visit to remind him that I need them back! ( however they are old enough perhaps not to be reliable)

I too liked the area around Lac Cawaschouane. There are alot of other C lakes in the area that are very nice.

 

[dcloots]

I guess my first question would be how busy is this park since it appears La Verendrye is a no reservation park and is on a first come first serve basis. However, what is misleading per the photo attachment is that the website provides a number to call for a reservation. What gives? Am I missing something?

 

[yellowcanoe]

I guess my first question would be how busy is this park since it appears La Verendrye is a no reservation park and is on a first come first serve basis. However, what is misleading per the photo attachment is that the website provides a number to call for a reservation. What gives? Am I missing something?

They take reservations for livery equipment. Horrid heavy canoes! Also group campsites must be reserved. Most are pretty close to access points. Otherwise they don't take reservations at least the last I was there. Not that busy. You won't see people every day away from access point lakes.

 

[dcloots]

Yep, I parked at Chamberlain Bridge. That's about 3 hours from home for me, so I could head up in the afternoon, camp (Gravel Beach) and get an early start on Mud Pond Carry. I did it clockwise but you can do it either way, choice of Caucomgomic or Allagash Stream for the upstream. On a different trip I went up Allagash Stream for the first time last summer and I was surprised at how hard it was, but the water level was really low, whereas when I did the loop everything was runnable (except the falls, of course).

I spent 5 nights doing the loop, but it could easily be 7. I'd like to do it again starting from Chesuncook, which would add a day or two. One cool thing is you can hike up Allagash Mtn and see your entire route -- and some of it looks pretty far away! It's a difficult trip, but very satisfying.

Some familiar CT characters wrote it up a while back, and the 'net never forgets:
https://www.oocities.org/yosemite/rapids/2772/Allagash/Sidetrip.htm

Goonstroke, in this thread Sweeper indicated that there was a carry a short distance up from Black Pond on Caucomgomoc Stream. Curious to know if you waded, poled or carried the length of this stream to Caucomgomoc Lake. Also, do you have a trip report for your Mud Pond Carry Loop. It seems that if parking is available and the roads are decent enough that Chesuncook village would be an ideal put-in and take-out spot for the Loop. Curious how fees get paid for this trip as well, since time is spent on the Penobscot River Corridor and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Any input on that would be helpful as well.