Lows Lake Sept 27/28/29

[southcove]

Maybe, I have tried camping there right after ice out.. half of the sites were mostly underwater.and the ground too soft to drive on without a winch.

You are right of course, even in season in a good rain, most of the drive-in sites can be miserable boggy places. (Robin) I hadn't though of the Ranger recommending that open turn around area, sometimes the snow berms take a while to melt away, leaving that whole area pretty wet too. The options up there are pretty limited.

I am working again on a winter group campout and hope to get agreement from a different ranger (and planned camp area) with a permit pulled ahead of time...sometimes though what works for 3-5 in a small group is not palatable for them if 10-20 folks are planing on being in attendance (parking, garbage, sanitation, etc). And mud season; bad for everyone, roads, people, campsites. I'll report back when it all comes together, or not.

We had a scout group interested in doing a late fall campout and I was surprised to find not one single ADK NYS campground open after about the 23rd of October. That is pretty late in the season, gonna get cold, dark early, maybe even some snow, but that is exactly what the group is looking for...heck, even CT has at least one campground open until New Years Eve...been there done that!

 

[yellowcanoe]

Southcove you might check the White Mountains.. Hancock Campground off 93 near Lincoln is year round as well as Barnes Field in Gorham. Barnes is a group campground
Both these campgrounds are plowed and have primitive outhouses and it says a handpump..I've not camped in either. We wintercamped in Blueberry Crossing till the management group decided to close it in the winter..

 

[Odyssey]

It was a beautiful harvest moon last night. We sat on the back porch with nary a mosquito to drive us indoors. The temperature sure dipped pretty quickly though. I wonder what it's like on Lows in late September? And what of the fall colours?

 

[yellowcanoe]

Well thats usually getting into high color season. But read here. Not looking good.. Here either. We have about 25 percent color change now and it aint bright and vibrant. Rather dull and dowdy
The tradeoff is you have higher than usual odds of being paid a visit by a bear? Isn't that a good tradeoff? Or perhaps not. As the Adirondacks are open to bear hunting they may hide as you will be in the middle of early bear season. Only late bears should show up in camp
http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/tag/drought

 

[Robin]

It was a beautiful harvest moon last night. We sat on the back porch with nary a mosquito to drive us indoors. The temperature sure dipped pretty quickly though. I wonder what it's like on Lows in late September? And what of the fall colours?

It will cool fast after the sun goes down, but I think the colours will be excellent. Lots of hardwoods in the forest to mix it up with the pines. Don't bring you bug spray or head nets, add some warm clothes and gloves to extend your time around the campfire...it's a long winter, looking forward to this.

 

[yellowcanoe]

To compare Algonquin to the Adirondacks and the area around Low's.
The Adirondacks is cooler the base elevation is a good 300 meters above the west side of Algonquin. It's colder

Frost is here and in the Adirondacks now. Expect a freezez

 

[southcove]

Southcove you might check the White Mountains.. Hancock Campground off 93 near Lincoln is year round as well as Barnes Field in Gorham. Barnes is a group campground
Both these campgrounds are plowed and have primitive outhouses and it says a handpump..I've not camped in either. We wintercamped in Blueberry Crossing till the management group decided to close it in the winter..

Thank you for that information...we have tended to stick with the ADKs because two of the group come from the Finger Lakes area and we just plain know the ADKs a lot better, but I sure would be willing to keep my mind open to other areas. And we'd been into Dolly Copp a few times so are familiar with that area, at least in summertime.

 

[Robin]

Just an update, still planning on being at Lows Lake lower dam put in at 9 am on Tuesday, the 27th, paddle in hand by 10am. See ya there.

 

[Odyssey]

We're expecting to arrive on Monday, after grocery shopping in Ogdensburg. (Can't bring fresh groceries across the border.) I guess we'll set up camp around sites #17 or 18? We'll leave the choice spots for the rest of you. I'll scrounge for firewood that afternoon and get a tarp up, if the beers aren't cold enough to distract us.

 

[Robin]

We're expecting to arrive on Monday, after grocery shopping in Ogdensburg. (Can't bring fresh groceries across the border.) I guess we'll set up camp around sites #17 or 18? We'll leave the choice spots for the rest of you. I'll scrounge for firewood that afternoon and get a tarp up, if the beers aren't cold enough to distract us.

That's great, very much looking forward to seeing you and Miranda.

 

[yellowcanoe]

We're expecting to arrive on Monday, after grocery shopping in Ogdensburg. (Can't bring fresh groceries across the border.) I guess we'll set up camp around sites #17 or 18? We'll leave the choice spots for the rest of you. I'll scrounge for firewood that afternoon and get a tarp up, if the beers aren't cold enough to distract us.

Shaheens Grocery in Tupper Lake IMO is better than Price Chopper or Aldi. I havent shopped Walmart for groceries But Shaheens is about three blocks east on rt 3 and you want to keep going south on Rt 30

 

[Odyssey]

Shaheens Grocery in Tupper Lake IMO is better than Price Chopper or Aldi. I havent shopped Walmart for groceries But Shaheens is about three blocks east on rt 3 and you want to keep going south on Rt 30

Thanks YC. That actually works better for us. I don't want to cross the border early and have to wait for stores to open in Ogdensburg. The 90 minute drive to Tupper L should work out better time wise. And then there's the beer/wine shopping?
AAaaand maybe a park map from an outfitter would be a handy thing to find. Tupper L has one of those I see.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Liquor store on your left opposite the big park. Wine and beer there. Beer at Shaheens too
http://www.tupperlake.com/blog/2016/01/7-wonders-shaheens-iga

By the time you are at Raquette River outfitters on 30 you will be three miles out of town heading for Low's. They may not be open on a weekday. I don't know

You only need the map linked in this thread .. before your trip. The entire park map is just too enticing.

 

[Odyssey]

Oh for Pete's sake, Shaheen's has a deli and craft beer. We'd better take the 60L barrel.

 

[sweeper]

Odyssey When are you planning to put in? I'm going up on monday also but had planned to camp on Rt 421 but will paddle down with you. I'm headed to NH tomorrow to paddle with my mother and take advantage of the cheap liquor prices.

 

[Odyssey]

Odyssey When are you planning to put in? I'm going up on monday also but had planned to camp on Rt 421 but will paddle down with you. I'm headed to NH tomorrow to paddle with my mother and take advantage of the cheap liquor prices.

Hey Sweep, I wish I knew what we were doing (how often I've wished that). I'm not exactly sure when we'll leave for the border, but I'd like to cross around 7 am, meaning we'd roll in to Tupper Lake before 9am? Groceries etc (the etc worries me) might put us at the lower dam by 10am??
We drive a maroon coloured minivan and paddle a pale green canoe. Hope to find you there.

 

[sweeper]

I won't make it by then so I'll spend the night up on Horseshoe Lake and wait for the main party on Tuesday.

 

[Odyssey]

We can leave later if that helps. I was reminded we'd be stopping for breakfast somewhere first. Our timing is just a guessing game at this point.

 

[sweeper]

I can't see getting there until well after noon. The reason I'm going up on Monday is to have an easy day and take in the sites.

 

[Odyssey]

Okay sweeper, I'm sorry we won't meet up on Monday. It would be nice to paddle in with somebody who knows the place.
We'll see you on Tuesday.