Mini-manly trip Clockmill Pond, ADK's

[stripperguy]

I have been trying for a while now to travel from Sand Lake to Clockmill by canoe.
This past Saturday, my son Josh and I nearly made it, save for a navigational error that was not entirely my fault.

We started at a campsite along Powley - Piseco Rd, in the Ferris Lakes wild forest area. We carried a half mile to Sand Lake. Josh paddled MDB's Swift Pack 12, and I paddled my freshly painted Kite. Josh, being much more of a gentleman than I ever was, graciously offered to carry my Kite, the heavier of the two boats. Of course, he is half my age and twice my strength!



The trail had quite a bit of blowdown and could use a little work.



The weather was misty and very humid, with a low cloud ceiling. We headed across Sand Lake towards the inlet.



We worked our way up the inlet for a total of about 3.5 miles...searching in vain for the channel that leads to Clockmill Pond.
Along the way, we carried around two rock dams, lifted over 10 beaver dams, and scooted over 3 beaver drags and several deadfalls.
It was a nice, secluded paddle.








Ultimately, we followed my printed map, and the GPS map, to this channel...if you look close enough, uhmmm, nevermind, just know that Josh is really in there, about 50 yards in.



And that was it! We couldn't float on mud and vegetation, nor could we walk through that marsh, we were sinking up to our hips in spots.
Later, when we got home, I realized that we took a wrong turn at the 2nd rock dam...foolishly following the maps. What I didn't know was that a navigable channel did exist, just not where it is depicted on every map ever published!
Any satellite image shows the channel clearly, if only I had looked before starting out!
So we retraced our route back to the car, still a nice day of paddling with my favorite son.
Oh, and at the very last (on our return trip) beaver dam, Josh was standing on it, lowering his mom's boat carefully over the edge, when WHOOSH, a big chunk of the dam washed out! He had to quickly move that Swift, lest it be swamped. As quickly as I could realize what was going on, another WHOOSH, and I was suddenly standing 18 inches lower! The part of the dam where I was patiently waiting also washed away. Sorry, little beavers, you've got some repair work to do.

Here's that dam on the upstream trip.



And here it is again, in need of repair!

 

[stripperguy]

After returning to the car, we drove a few miles down the dirt road, and hiked/bushwhacked the 1 1/2 miles to Clockmill Pond. The boats stayed on the car roof racks.
We bushwhacked to the northern bay of Clockmill, where the remnants of an old dam was, along with some left over industrial something or other.



We walked the outlet of Clockmill, to another marsh...in the distance I could see the rock outcroppings that marked the waterfall where we almost paddled to.
This marsh was once a pond, with the waters held back by a sturdy beaver dam. Not sturdy enough to last forever. There is a navigable channel, with enough water to paddle...So, I guess I have to go back again, maybe in the spring.



Here's a look at the northern bay at Clockmill, the southern bay has shores that have these cool fingers of rock that slide into the water.



And here's the outlet of Clockmill, a nice little cascade. Look carefully and you can see that chunk of left over industrial whatever..



Lastly, here's a look from a few years ago when MDB and I hiked to the rock fingers on Clockmill.



The attraction to paddle to Clockmill is that there are 2 more water bodies connected to it, so once on the water, there's much to explore.

 

[Adk Keith]

Someone needs to push this one through!

 

[stripperguy]

Keith,
It's been a week now and I'm still pissed off at myself!! John and Jamie (from the other forum) said they couldn't make the carry from near the 2nd rock dam to the meadow (former pond). It was steep, the rocks were slippery and they weren't confident in their footing, and the trees were too thick. If Josh and I had traveled the right direction, I'm sure we wouldn't take no for an answer.
It sure would make for a nice day and a bargain in terms of carry vs paddling.

 

[Iskweo]

That is some fine paddling country for sure. I could enjoy something like that.
As we are fond of saying...next year for sure.

 

[stripperguy]

Yeah, that's what I keep sayin'...
I now have much more, or some, free time. I have mostly retired, MDB and I need only keep up with vacancies and improvements in our income properties.
I need to cram in as many of the strenuous trips as possible as soon as possible, I keep shrinking!!
When my kids were younger, I was thrilled when they could carry their own gear, then help carry a canoe, and now they carry my canoe!MDB has become less and less enamored of wilderness tripping, but I still get away alone and with the youngsters.

But ever still, I say...next year for sure!

 

[Mama]

Nice pictures, especially the pretty canoes. Thanks for sharing.