Paddling

Not everyone has it in them to wake up before sunrise, load the car, and head out for an adventure. But Saranac Lake’s Keith Braun makes the argument that one should do exactly that in the latest episode of Dawn Patrol. By plying the lakes, ponds, and streams of the North Country as the sun comes up, Braun finds zen, peace, tranquility, and exercise - before most people have their... [Read More]

So much to do Summers are busy for all of us; getting together with friends can be difficult even if we are retired! When I am able to paddle with a couple of friends, Gretchen and Patti, it is a special day. On this day we agreed to paddle Lake Kushaqua in Onchiota. Lake Kushaqua is an Algonquin word which means, “beautiful place to rest,” and it is also a beautiful... [Read More]

We set out early for a morning paddle on Fish Creek. We planned to paddle a half day, then head into town for lunch at Left Bank Café, followed by a massage. We really needed a break from our hectic lives, a day or two to completely let go and just relax, so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be out in nature. We wanted to soak in the amazing views and look for wildlife. We were amazed... [Read More]

Sumitted by guest writer Rivka Cilley Our dog Raquette starts getting excited the moment we take out our paddles. He knows that he is in for a long day of relaxing on the water.  We are expecting an easy day on the water with plenty of sunshine and fresh air. The paddle from State Bridge to Ampersand Bay on Lower Saranac Lake is a great trip for kayaking on open water in a scenic, island... [Read More]

Last spring I was invited to take a much-overdue trip up the Saranac River from from Lake Flower to Kiwassa Lake for some family-fun activities on the water. I jumped at the opportunity since I hadn’t been on a boat trip on the Saranacs in years — that's way too long!  [img:camp.jpg] Setting out We loaded up the coolers, towels, kids gear, and adult gear, and headed out on Lake... [Read More]

A time of year to be savored Fall in the Adirondacks is meant to be experienced. It is a time of cool nights and warm days. It is a time of frosty mornings, the icy coating soon to be burned off by the bright sun. And it is a time of bright leaves which paint the landscape in a kaleidoscope of color. And so fall must be savored. After all, the warm days offer us a throwback to summer, and we... [Read More]

The End of a Beautiful Day A splendid summer afternoon was turning to evening as Wren and I pushed off onto the waters of Lake Clear Outlet – one of my favorite local paddles. As I almost always do when I paddle, I skirted the outline of the waterbody, hoping to find birds and other wildlife tucked along the edge of the water. After all, the outlet is outlined in many places with a marshy margin... [Read More]

The Saranac Chain of Lakes packs a lot of special Adirondack fun into six lakes and two ponds. Launch from the town boat dock on Lake Flower and watch the Victorian homes and small family camps fade into the mostly uninhabited Oseetah Lake. Paddlers here will find plenty of options for exploration. Follow the western shore of Oseetah to discover a river that leads to Kiwassa Lake, or paddle... [Read More]

A Chilly Start to Spring While winter held off the arrival of spring this year with both hands, warm weather is finally coming on in full force – and birds are coming with it. After all, even with the chilly weather we’ve had this spring, birds have been on the move – with ducks like Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Lesser Scaup, and both Hooded and Common... [Read More]

The beauty of this 'Round the Mountain race is... it doesn't have to be a race. You don't even have to be in it to revel in the fun. It's a great way to kick off the paddling season and get those competitive juices flowing, or be a spectator, cheering the first boats and experiencing the scenic and picnic possibilities along the shores of Lake Flower. Any time, it can be a... [Read More]

Amazing Fall Weather Our weather as of late has been nothing short of amazing, and so my friend and I decided to take advantage of our sunny streak by squeezing in an evening paddle after work the other day. That’s one of the best things about living around here – there are so many lakes and ponds to explore that you can easily add a quick paddle in on a busy day. And at this point in the... [Read More]

My favorite place to be has always been on the water. Sure, mountains offer a great trip and spectacular views from above. But being on the water is an experience unique unto itself. Each pond or lake is a ‘valley’ which gives you a new perspective on the woods that surround it. Far enough away from the tree line to take in the view, but close enough to still notice the smaller things. I love... [Read More]

Below you will get a small taste of paddling the Adirondacks and the Saranac Lake region during the fall foliage season. With peak season coming fast, you don’t want to waste time planning — just get out there. I have selected four locations of the many available to recommend, so take a gander. There's a backcountry lake, a backcountry pond, a big water lake, and an Adirondack river. [img:... [Read More]

The "Highway of the Adirondacks" began a long time before our present two-lane roads. It was much easier to paddle a birchbark canoe through a waterway, which offers fewer barriers than a dense forest. These were the abundant river and lake routes that were joined by varying length of carries, also known as portaging, or as I think of it, the option of "carrying a canoe on... [Read More]

A Place I’ve been wanting to Explore I had been planning to check out Quebec Brook (part of the Madawaska complex) with my canoe ever since the DEC managed to renegotiate the access with a local landowner, so when a friend of mine contacted me that she and a couple other folks were hoping to go there, it was an easy choice to join them. The access which had been in question comes off Rt. 458... [Read More]

Warm Fall DaysSoaking everything we could out of our recent warm days, Wren and I paddled Lake Clear Outlet the other evening. The sun shined through the glowing trees as we wound our way along Forest Home Road to the small put-in on the side of the road. Forest Home is one of those windy, forest-lined roads everyone should drive in fall. Wren sat in the car while I unloaded the gear and we set... [Read More]

[img:je158runaboutrendezvous.jpg]Summer in Saranac Lake is a festival in itself. The village has created a seemingly endless stream of events and happenings in the parks, on the water, and in the historic downtown area.Celebrate natureStop by the Paul Smith’s Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) for the seasonal Teddy Roosevelt Bird Walks, held throughout the summer. The VIC also offers a wide range... [Read More]

The Best Way to Cool OffOur warm weather of late has found me chatting with friends and family further south who are complaining of the hot and muggy conditions where they live. To be sure it has been warm here and very hot elsewhere – but Wren and I have a solution that eludes many others thanks to where we live. After all, the region is dotted with seemingly countless numbers of lakes and we... [Read More]

A Morning Start on a Hot DayWith another hot day coming, Wren and I headed out for a morning paddle on Jones Pond before the sun began to bake the landscape. The day was cool, but rapidly warming as I prepared for our outing, listening to a singing Blue-headed Vireo and White-throated Sparrow. As I fiddled with my gear, I chatted with a couple from Georgia who were camping in one of the campsites... [Read More]

A Great Place for an Evening PaddleI made sure to take my nieces and nephew paddling the other week when they came to visit – it's an integral part of an Adirondack adventure, after all. Lake Colby is a great spot for an easy outing, so we all loaded into my large boat and set off. My niece Emily paddled in the bow, I was in the stern, and Rebecca and Tyler sat on Crazy Creek chairs in the middle... [Read More]

Looking back at 2014 in the Adirondacks, there were so many memories of Saranac Lake. I decided the only way to narrow them down was to look at each of our lovely, distinctively different, four seasons. Each one has its own events, traditions, and activities. Each one has its own special charm. MAGICAL WINTER The 2014 Winter Carnival “Ice Palace” (the term we use regardless of... [Read More]

When you talk about having an Adirondack adventure with your dog, most people immediately think hiking or camping. Well, I can’t argue that, it makes sense - but paddling? Not that paddling with a dog in your canoe or tandem kayak is totally out of the ordinary, but it’s much less seen than on a trail. As you may be able to imagine, the issue is keeping your dog settled in the canoe and removing... [Read More]

Enjoying summer to the endThe final summery days of the season are gold for us all and so Wren and I took advantage of a splendid afternoon earlier this week and set out for Little Green Pond. We started with a swim and as we approached the sandy beach area, I noticed two distant Hooded Mergansers flying along the far shore of the lake. I threw the ball a few times for Wren who plunged in after... [Read More]

Above:  Be sure to check out the video above, featuring the Saranac Lake Region portion of the 3 day 90-Miler Canoe Classic from Old Forge to Saranac Lake, finishing on Sunday, September 7 in Saranac Lake. By all accounts, September in Saranac Lake is a very busy time for events. The leaves have barely begun to show colors at this point and as they do change, there'll be several events... [Read More]

The Saint Regis Canoe Area is one of only a couple designated Canoe Areas in New York State. Located in Franklin County it spans three towns and over 18,400 Acres. The St. Regis Canoe Area includes St. Regis Mountain, St. Regis Pond, Long Pond, sections of the east and west branches of the St. Regis River, and 56 other water bodies, of course not all is perfect for paddling - or even feasible,... [Read More]

The most exciting thing – at least from Wren’s perspective - about the paddle we took on Moose Pond in Bloomingdale this week was the tennis ball she found at the boat launch. I unloaded gear while she played with the ball in the sandy gravel, shoveling it between her legs and then chasing it. Once I was unloaded and ready to push off, I gave her a few throws into the water and she happily... [Read More]

Adirondack PaddlingChoosing the right boat for canoeing & kayakingBoat lengthIf you are just getting into canoeing or kayaking first you need to decide where you will be paddling the most, but not to limit yourself either. First off, will you be navigating rivers with tight oxbows and narrow passages? Will you be on small ponds and lakes? Will you venture off onto larger lakes like the... [Read More]

This week I was in search of an activity during which I could take advantage of our recent late morning and afternoon breeze. This is the time of year when the black flies come out and the wind may be the best repellent I have found so far. The weather was great and I headed to Lake Colby in Saranac Lake, which is my go-to paddle when my time is limited.I unloaded my boat from the car and grabbed... [Read More]

Roadside GemsPaddling the Saranac Lake RegionThe Saranac Lake Region is a mecca of paddling opportunities for all skill levels and rewarding destinations. Questions I often receive are in regards to, where to go. But more deeply, places with easy access, and for new paddlers. Again, not narrowing it down too much, since Saranac Lake has many destinations that are road side, I often think of three... [Read More]

Cold water paddling, preparation & fun I might be a little on the early side for talking about cold water paddling, but it’s better to get the thoughts rolling early so you can plan ahead and be ready when the time comes. I hated to put my paddle away for the season but I did stretch it out for as long as I felt comfortable doing so, and now it’s time to dust off the old canoe and get ready... [Read More]

            I see muskrats almost every day that I’m out walking with Wren or looking for birds.  I find them in most streams, lakes, and marshes in the region from Bloomingdale Bog to the waterways which empty into Lake Champlain.  This is particularly true during the fall as our days grow shorter and after we change our clocks to... [Read More]

What exactly is the trifecta, well, it’s nothing official by any means, but something I made up a few days ago. I would paddle Panther Marsh (unofficial name of wetland east of Panther Mountain), then paddle Panther Pond, and then hike Panther Mountain.  The sky was free of clouds but there was a slight cool breeze in the air, sounded and felt like a perfect autumn day.I started with Panther... [Read More]

            At this time of year I begin to check out the back side of Lake Colby in Saranac Lake for ducks and other waterfowl passing through our region on their way south.  We have not had a significant cold front in a while, so when I went to Lake Colby the other day, I wasn’t expecting much.  I was correct in my forecast.... [Read More]

I am sure by now most everyone has heard of the Saranac 6. But if you haven’t it’s a hiking endeavor to climb six distinct peaks in the Saranac Lake Region; Ampersand, St. Regis, Baker, McKenzie, Scarface and Haystack.I had previously climbed all these peaks but have only done one since the start of the Saranac 6ers. A few weeks back I made way to the summit of Ampersand Mountain for my first... [Read More]

What a great august for paddling, there seems to be a nice cool breeze in the air – with almost the smell of autumn in there as well. The sun was high this past Saturday so we decided to head to Osgood Pond.I called my friend Mike Lynch to see if I could take him up on his offer of borrowing his Old Town Penobscot Canoe - kind of a test drive before we sprung any money on getting one for... [Read More]

As the skies clear and a mid-July weekend approaches, area visitors and residents alike will be entertained by numerous fun events and cultural offerings this coming weekend.Take a drive over to The Adirondack Interpretive Center in Paul Smiths to check out their Birds of Prey Demonstration with Mark Manske. Spend Saturday afternoon immersed in the lives of birds of prey. Mark Manske of... [Read More]

Our recent weather has left a lot to be desired, but this year it still didn't stop me and the ladies I go camping with every year. As a matter of fact, this was our 14th annual! We become more and more creative when dealing with inclement weather and accumulate a lot of gear after 14 years. Luckily we usually have absolutely beautiful weather. This year was not the case, weatherwise. Buck... [Read More]

This was a nice surprise for a short afternoon paddle on Follensby Clear Pond. It seems as though I have half day offs to go play, so I find myself on small excursions.  For some reason I chose Follensby Clear Pond as my destination on this day. I typically stay away from larger ponds where motorboats are allowed to power through, but I had never been on this pond before and wanted to check... [Read More]