The 22nd Annual Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Adirondack Canoe Classic is set to begin on Friday, September 10, 2004. Also known as the 90 Miler, the race begins in Old Forge, N.Y. at 7 a.m. Racers will be traveling the route that the early guides used as a passageway through the Adirondacks.

Again, this year the Chamber will be working with McDonnell's Adirondack Challenges (MAC'S) to organize the race. There will be nearly 2,000 volunteers, competitors and spectators on the shore in Old Forge when the race begins. This race will see 250 canoes, kayaks and guideboats begin the race, with approximately 450 competitors.

The Adirondack Canoe Classic is one of the most popular races in the country, attracting people from California to Florida. The competitors will cover 90 miles in three days. Along with the paddling and rowing, there are also several miles of carries (or portages) that the racers must negotiate. The race is so popular that the 250 boat limit is always reached in July.

The race organization provides information and support throughout the weekend. There are meal plans, shuttles, water stations, transports canoes, kayaks and guideboats from the finish of each day's race to the next day's start. Over one hundred volunteers make the race happen! Technically, the race starts on Thursday when paddlers check in. The Race Organization is fortunate to be able to use the Old Forge Visitor's Center as the registration station. Many of the paddlers start the day in Saranac Lake and are transported via a van or bus to Old Forge.

The first day is sponsored by Old Forge Camping Resort, where most of the paddlers stay the night before the Classic. Participants will paddle and carry their boats 35 miles to Blue Mountain Lake. Competitors rest up for the next day's racing that begins at the Adirondack Marina in Long Lake. The second day is sponsored by Whitewater Challengers, a whitewater rafting company that provides the majority of the shuttle and transportation vehicles for the event. The second day, paddlers head North up Long Lake to the Raquette River and finish at the NYS DEC Route 3/30 boat launch near Tupper Lake.

The final day begins at the Fish Creek Campground and goes through the Saranac chain of lakes into the Village of Saranac Lake.A barbecue is held at the finish line for racers and spectators alike. This day's race is sponsored by MAC'S Canoe Livery in Lake Clear. MAC'S coordinates all aspects of the race with support from the Chamber.

The Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and the proud men and women of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation are your hosts for the Adirondack Canoe Classic.

The Adirondack Arc is the major sponsor of this event. The Arc works to enrich the lives of people with developmentally disabilities. They provide a lot of the volunteer and logistical support before and during the race.

Other sponsors include: Whitewater Challengers, Inc, Old Forge Camping Resort, the Town of Long Lake, Cold River Coffee, Grasse River Boatworks, Inc., North Country Natural Spring Water, Tickner's Moose River Outfitters, Paul Smiths College, The Adirondack Museum, Chris Woodward's Guideboat Shop, HIS Delivery Service, Raquette Lake Navigation Company, Big Moose Yamaha, Old Forge Visitor Information Center, Town of Long Lake, Town of Indian Lake, Curry's Cabins in Blue Mountain Lake, The U. S. Coast Guard Auxillary, Leading Edge, Lake Flour Bakery, Mallard Hill Cottages, Adirondack Marina and many other businesses along the way.