Canoe Tripper Gathering

[yknpdlr]

I like the idea of secondary regional events at different times and places, and may, uh, do something like that next fall.

The 3 day Adirondack 90 miler always (except for this year) starts the Friday after Labor Day each year. Even if you don''t directly participate, there are many places to watch up to 275 boats paddle by observation points at crazy speed. Large sections of state campgrounds on the route are reserved for participants each night. The route is basically the first 2/3 of the NY section of the NFCT.

 

[LanceR]

Of course North Carolina State Parks are no-alcohol-permitted, but I’ve never seen a Ranger at the paddle in sites, only at the office when getting a permit.

[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the info on Hammocks Beach SP, Mike. We've camped at several NC State Parks and State Park Rangers and other staff sometimes do cruise the campgrounds but aren't at all intrusive in my experience. Like most places their general attitude is along the lines of "Unless you do something really dumb or obnoxious I'll never know will I?" We use insulated cups for adult beverages in NCSPs and have never heard of anyone who was behaving as they should ever being questioned let alone busted.

As far as the ADKs go I have a brother and two sons in Central NY, a daughter outside Binghamton and family all over Western NY so a trip there isn't too bad as I get to see at least some of them so that makes it less of a haul than going to Maine. On the other hand, my only visits to Maine in my adult life were to inspect Bangor Air National Guard Base ground defense preparations in the two years or so after 9/11 and one overnight hit and run trip to pick up a motorcycle with one of the sons. We've kind of daydreamed some about paddling there but with now living 650 road miles further south it likely won't happen without the motivation of something like a CT gathering....

Best regards to all,


Lance

 

[yellowcanoe]

Beer has never been an issue on Maine Public Lands. We will strive to clean up so it we don't contribute to it ever being an issue.

I am still favoring Lobster as we have to entice Robin onto the Yellow Brick Road.. aka Golden Road. He has been too house busy. Sure its is two hours from Millinocket but a gem. The Golden Road is well graded except for one mile where you founder in the sand.. drive faster. Also with 21 campsites you can always find a place to park your tent tush.

Another lake I like but it is small with quite a bit of hiking is Nahmakanta. Three campsites right by parking.. It involves 24 miles of driving on good logging road. Just a little south of Sebeois. Also some half a dozen sites just before the lake . There is a road charge. The sites are free

In order to get a free road pass you have to be 70 and a Maine resident.
Camping is free as the sites are managed by the State. Same for Sebeois.. Fees can get your head spinning.. Sometimes there are charges for Public Lands sites ( as on the Penobscot River Corridor which included Lobster Lake) and sometimes there are not as on Sebeois and Nahmakanta or Donnell Pond. Traveling on logging roads always involves gate tolls : this is where you need to be over 70. Then it is FREE.. And Man Have we been liking and making advantage of FREE this year.

However to narrow it down
1. Are toll roads OK?
2. Are Campsite fees OK?
3. Both OK?
4. Neither OK? ( aka I need FREE)

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

https://www.whatshalfway.com

 

[yellowcanoe]

https://www.whatshalfway.com

Trenton NJ sounds lovely. I picked Raleigh NC as one starting point
Using Ocala as another Assateague is not bad but it is 12 hours away.. My rule is the event must be three times the duration of the round trip drive.

 

[LanceR]

However to narrow it down
1. Are toll roads OK?
2. Are Campsite fees OK?
3. Both OK?
4. Neither OK? ( aka I need FREE)

Not knowing what kind of charges they might levy makes this hard to answer. Reasonable fees don't bother me much as they are almost always the least expensive part of a trip and I remain hopeful that the $$ will go to the agency providing the services. On the other hand there are some state park systems that are pretty abusive in general about fees and then add hefty up-charges for non-residents. What sort of price range might we be looking at in Maine?

BTW, for the US folks age 62 or older the one time $80 fee for an America the Beautiful Inter-agency Lifetime Senior Pass is not just a mouthful to say it is a bargain. It gets you free or discounted access to nearly all federal parks, recreation area, monuments etc and generally 50% discount on the camping fee at federal facilities. Ours pays for itself several times over every year. Even with at least four reservations cancelled this year due to Covid shutdowns the pass will save us about $300 this year alone.

https://www.recreation.gov/pass/atb

Best regards to all,


Lance

 

[yellowcanoe]

Seboeis is free free.
Anything else in the North Maine Woods ( which is private timberland) involves fees
https://www.northmainewoods.org/aww-prc-fees.html

For me fees are inconsequential. Of course for others younger and non resident the fees can mount up

It does get confusing.. There are also Bureau of Public Lands campsites ( such as on the Moose River Bow trip ) that are free. Speaking of that,
Attean Pond near Jackman is more west than Seboeis and perhaps closer for most.
And free.. entirely free
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/docs/maps/holeb.pdf

 

[goonstroke]

Seboeis is free free.
Anything else in the North Maine Woods ( which is private timberland) involves fees
https://www.northmainewoods.org/aww-prc-fees.html

Where the fees become nontrival is when someone is from out of state and there's a double pump between NMW and a state entity, like the Penobscot River Corridor or Allagash Wilderness Waterway. So e.g., if an out of state adult wanted to spend three nights on Lobster Lake driving in and out via Lobster Trip Rd, that would cost two NMW day-use fees (2*16) and three PRC camping fees (3*13), so $71. While that's still in the realm of beer money, it sounds like a lot when you can sleep for free on nice ponds like Soboeis, Donnel and Attean.

...
It does get confusing.. There are also Bureau of Public Lands campsites ( such as on the Moose River Bow trip ) that are free. Speaking of that,
Attean Pond near Jackman is more west than Seboeis and perhaps closer for most.
And free.. entirely free
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/docs/maps/holeb.pdf

Speak of the devil, I actually woke up on Attean this morning, after doing a backwards Bow. Wish I could have stayed, but the winds were a commin' and I had to get home.

Attean might be another good pond for a gathering. It has the paddle-hike thing going for it, whether the hike is Sally Mtn or a 1.25 mile carry to Holeb. It can be crowded at times, but so can the others. Some people might want to come for the get-together and then do a longer trip. Attean to Fort Kent? Why not, it's all NFCT.

 

[memaquay]

I did the halfway thing between Geraldton ON and Florida, and I got Monroe, Butler County, Ohio. I hope to be able to take a trip down there at some point, but out of retirement and back to work for me for a while.

 

[dramey]

Just about anywhere would be too far for me to travel to since I live in Alaska.

 

[Boreal Birch]

Ya, to far to go for a gathering of people that I don't really know that well. However 3200 miles to Greenstone from here, for a ride in Memaquay's big freighter to catch some fresh fish and a grouse would be worth it though. Seeing what kind of Grannie's the Plaid Prancer Review is attracting these day's, would be icing on the cake. From there it is only another 1133 miles to Robin's place, which is on my to do list. I'll have to flesh this trip out with couch surfing along the way or camping in some members back yard.

 

[Black_Fly]

I volunteer lodging in NW Wisconsin for whenever herd immunity arrives. Plenty of wild rivers to paddle (including one in my back yard) and shallow lakes full of fish. BWCA is 3-4 hours away. My cabin has 4 bedrooms I have some nice cots and Mondo King mattresses if necessary. Waders and a fly rod would be advisable.