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Kayaking the Adirondacks

Destination: Adirondacks State Park, NY

| Activities: Kayaking and Camping Skills

The Adirondack State Park in northern New York is one of the premiere spots for kayak tripping on the East Coast, with countless lakes and streams of all sizes. We'll be kayaking part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail that stretches from Old Forge all the way to Fort Kent, ME. We, however, will only kayak a short part through the Saranac Lakes. Following the route of early loggers and hunters, our trail winds along rivers, crossing a half mile carry (aka a portage), and across open lakes, where century-old, hand-operated locks still carry paddlers between waterways. While this is not remote wilderness, much of it has a wilderness feel. We're likely to see beavers, martins, and deer, and moose sightings have become increasingly common. For sure we'll hear the wild and haunting call of the loon. We'll be taking our time on this trip, with many options for additional paddling, swimming, or just relaxing into the peace of wilderness. Maximum group size: 8

Highlights

Kayaking through the Saranac Lakes on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail
Swimming in clear water as often as we choose
Four nights of camping on lake shores in the Adirondacks
Listening to the haunting call of the loon as we sit around the campfire
Learning about the unique private/public partnership that keeps this area "Forever Wild"

Departures and Prices

July 11 to July 17, 2021

$1895.00 - FULL

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Inclusions

1 - 2 experienced AGC guides based on group size
Two nights lodging in double occupancy rooms and four nights camping
All kayaking and group camping equipment
All meals from dinner Sunday to breakfast the following Saturday
Transportation once you arrive in the Albany, NY airport (ALB)

Not included: Travel to and from Albany, alcoholic beverages, personal camping equipment (sleeping bags and pads can be rented), guide gratuities, and travel insurance

Trip Documents

Trip Summary

Packing List

Trip Intro

The trip requires some aerobic conditioning, such as walking vigorously up hills, jogging, cross country skiing or stair stepping for 30 - 45 minutes at least 3 - 4 times a week. Additional endurance exercise may be suggested. There are typically 4 to 6 hours of daily activity.

This trip is designed for women with some prior kayaking experience who love camping and the feeling of being out in nature for several days at a time. The trip is rated 3. Prior to beginning the trip, participants should be engaging in aerobic conditioning, such as walking vigorously up hills, jogging, cross country skiing or stair stepping for 30 - 45 minutes at least 3 - 4 times a week. Upper body strength training is also recommended. Rating: 1 2 [3] 4 5.

On this trip we will be kayaking and camping from lake to lake, with one half mile portage. While experience with camping is not essential, you need to have sufficient kayak experience to be comfortable in wind and waves and to spend up to 2 - 3 hours at a time in your kayak.

We will be staying the first and last night at a motel in Saranac Lake Village. In between we will be camping in two-person tents in designated state wilderness campgrounds with composting toilet facilities, but without electricity.

Below is the proposed itinerary for the trip. As is true on any adventure travel trip, plans for any specific day may be modified due to weather considerations, unforeseen circumstances, new opportunities, and group interests.

DAY 1

Our trip begins today at the Albany, NY airport where we'll pick you up at 12:00 p.m. After loading our gear into the van we'll drive 2.5 hours to the west central part of the Adirondack State Park. This State Park is unique: bigger than Yellowstone and Yosemite combined, it is a mix of publicly and privately-owned land which means that state owned access and campgrounds co-exist with towns, summer cottages, and motorboats.
We'll only see a small section on our way to the town of Lake Saranac Village. We'll spend the afternoon sorting our gear and getting packed up for an early start tomorrow. After finishing up we will go out to dinner and watch our first Adirondack sunset over the lake.
Overnight: Saranac Lake (D)

DAY 2

We start the day with a shuttle from Saranac Lake Village to our put in spot on Upper Saranac Lake. After getting our gear loaded and reviewing some basic principles for kayaking efficiently, we'll set off for a fairly short paddle to a designated campsite. "Wild" camping isn't allowed here, which is a good thing because the beauty of the area would result in it being overrun with paddlers.

After setting up our camp, we'll have time to explore the lake further. The sixth largest lake in the Adirondacks, there are many bays and inlets to explore. It is also the home of several "Great Camps" that are visible from the lake. After having our fill of paddling, we'll return to our campsite for the first delicious camp dinner. Tonight, we'll be lulled to sleep by the sound of waves lapping the shore.

DAY 3

Waking up to the haunting call of the loon and the mist slowly rising off the lake, the beauty of the area seeps into our bones. After a hearty breakfast, we start paddling for Middle Saranac Lake. About five miles into the paddle, we'll experience our first (and only) portage, traditionally called a "carry" in the Adirondacks because we need to carry our boats and gear from one lake to the next. The half mile carry is along a forest road and our kayak carts make it easier. The carry ends in Middle Saranac Lake, the smallest of the Saranac Lakes, and tonight and tomorrow night we'll camp at a campsite that is accessible only by water.

DAY 4

We'll pack up this morning and continue our paddle, down the Saranac River to Lower Saranac Lake. In contrast to the open lakes we've been paddling, the Saranac River twists and winds through a wide and marshy channel to the Upper Locks. Yes, locks! Not too many wilderness areas have the convenience of being assisted through a three-foot drop and this one is definitely a holdover from an earlier time. Once through the lock, we continue through the channel that gradually opens onto Lower Saranac Lake. We'll be paddling and exploring most of the lake tomorrow, so we'll camp overnight and have some time to explore further.

DAY 5

Layover days are a marvelous thing in the wilderness - no packing up, no destination, just a chance to do as you please and really soak in the wilderness. After the previous few days we will be delighted to have one, and a more relaxing start to the morning. There are many choices for how to spend the day exploring Lower Saranac, we'll let the weather and our energy dictate our final choices. This will be our last night of camping and we'll take time to savor the beauty and quiet of the area.

DAY 6

Our last day of paddling is an excellent sampler of river, lake and mountains. We'll paddle through First Pond, Second Pond, Oseetah Lake and into Lake Flower, arriving back at the same place we started five days ago. Really, could it only be five days since we were here? But this time we'll suffer the inevitable re-entry shock that occurs after a week of quiet without cars or Wi-Fi. At the same time, we'll also deeply appreciate the hot showers and soft beds. After cleaning up we'll head into town for a final farewell dinner, celebrating our accomplishments and our camaraderie.

DAY 7

The Adirondack State Park really is a unique area and we hope you have gained an appreciation of it, but unfortunately, it's time to leave. If you drove to Saranac Lake you can leave any time after breakfast, otherwise we will pack up for the two-and-a-half-hour drive back to Albany. We'll have you back by noon and you can plan to fly out any time after 1:30 p.m.

*These are the unfiltered reviews of women who have been on this trip in answer to the question "Did this trip meet your expectations?". We take reviews very seriously and often tweak itineraries based on feedback. Please feel free to contact us about any questions you have.

All of it. It was just great summer fun - kayaking, camping, swimming, bonfires, smores, hammocks, mosquitos, and good company! And the LOONS, the LOONS!!!

Kayaking the Adirondacks 7/14/2019-7/20/2019

The beauty, the guides, paddling all day, the other women on the trip

Kayaking the Adirondacks 7/14/2019-7/20/2019

Peace quiet . Camping . Food . Great companions .

Kayaking the Adirondacks 7/14/2019-7/20/2019

Group fun, experiencing the natural world in a beautiful place, with great weather, and a amazing guides who provided support and excellent planning/organization.

Kayaking the Adirondacks 7/14/2019-7/20/2019

The trip was the best AGC trip I have taken. We were able to unplug and experience the peacefulness and beauty of the Adirondacks. Falling asleep to the loon calls and waking up to the loon calls was amazing. Paddling out to watch the sunsets from the lake was memorable. Floating lunches and spontaneous swimming made the trip fun. The hand operated locks were an engineering marvel. We had a mixture of calm paddling and enough chop and wind to make it challenging. The teamwork and supportive nature of the participants and guides was the best I have seen on a trip.

Kayaking the Adirondacks 7/14/2019-7/20/2019

being in wilderness, great people

Kayaking the Adirondacks 8/19/2018-8/25/2018

The guides, fellow travelers, food, scenery, location

Kayaking the Adirondacks 8/19/2018-8/25/2018

Kayaking the beautiful Adirondacks! I loved the simplicity of the trip, the guides and NO driving around!!!

Kayaking the Adirondacks 8/19/2018-8/25/2018

Time with friends in an awesome location doing what I love to do.

Kayaking the Adirondacks 8/19/2018-8/25/2018

Kayaking the Adirondacks 8/20/2017-8/26/2017

I really loved the food at all of the places we went, the fact the Ann was a local and could tell us so much about everything was very cool and her and Karen were both confident and helpful and kind through the whole trip (and the food they made was good too!) I liked that we had options sometimes to rest if we needed to but I was having too much fun to skip anything!

Kayaking the Adirondacks 8/20/2017-8/26/2017

I gotta admit the carries were a bear. ?? It was a treat to be out in nature during the eclipse. Such a nice variety of paddling conditions - out on the larger lakes and then gliding through the narrow passes through the quiet shallows.

Kayaking the Adirondacks 8/20/2017-8/26/2017