Hi dcloots. I have been paddling the ADKs for 40+ years and as others have said, this year is like no other. One friend up there who has been an outfitter for nearly 30 years told me recently, 'Every day is a Saturday." That being said, I have always enjoyed October because there are fewer people encountered with the possible exception of Columbus Day weekend in the more popular spots. However, I would expect those encounters to be at the put-in, as even at popular sites such as the Bog River/Lows Lake, Little Tupper Lake, Lake Lila, the Oswegatchie River and the Cedar River Flow, campsites are dispersed, enabling one to get separation. I think the key to getting the prime sites is to arrive early and if possible, mid-week. Colder temps and less than ideal weather will decrease the numbers. Add a significant carry (the ADK term for a portage) to a trip and you further decrease the numbers. The St. Regis Canoe Area is a unique location; it is the only one of it's kind so it draws a lot of attention. An outfitter has an outpost right in the heart of it, so that also draws a lot of visitors to it. As opposed to places like Little Tupper Lake and Bog River/Lows Lake, some of the bodies of water in the SRCA are smaller, so the campsites are closer together, bringing about more encounters. Of course there are visitors who lack or forget etiquette; on a visit to Long Pond this summer, I had people fishing just offshore from my campsite very early in the morning (just after sunrise), talking loudly and banging their paddles on the canoe as moved about when I was still asleep in my hammock. Likewise, on that trip, two people were out cruising the shoreline in their solo boats around 6:30 am and again talking loudly. That is something that I have had happen in SRCA and not at places like Little Tupper or Lows Lake if I choose a campsite that is not on the route in/out of the area. My practice is to try to camp at different sites each trip anyway, so that in and of itself gets me away from the more popular sites. However, there have been times where I have gone to these popular sites and been presently surprised by how few vehicles there are in the parking area. BTW, I really enjoy your videos. I watch them all the time. Keep them coming. Happy paddling!
