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I found an extendable magnet at the dollar store, on a similar 'tube', took off the magnet and worked a bit on smoothing the end so it doesn't cut and doesn't get pushed in too far, and it works fine at 1/16th the price. I agree; well worth carrying.

Wind from front, load front heavy. Reverse if rear wind (within reason... I recently got hit by a couple waves from the back and took water on, because I was too heavy/low). Beyond that, since I solo a sit-on-bottom and use a double paddle, I sometimes shift my center of paddle to one side or...

I tend to solo trip almost exclusively, and ration myself pretty closely. There is seldom leftover cooked food (cold meal parts, like landjaeger, candy, bread, cheese, but you can easily save them for the next day). One of the easiest ways to ensure this is with dehydrated food; measure out...

I don't carry either/or... it's always both or none. I have various combinations for various means of transport and portage difficulty. When backpacking, I seldom carry either, as I'll generally be WAY deep, and then it's easy to find good firewood that doesn't need cutting and splitting, just...

I grew up in NYS. If I were to pick a location solely based on canoeing, it would be along Hwy 30 from Saranac Inn to Lake Clear to Paul Smith's. If I factored in the winters, it would be either Potsdam (above the Tug Hill/Ontario snowbelt) or Utica/Little Falls/Gloversville (also out of the...

Very nice... Looks like you had a great time. Like the mouse story... I carry a couple mousetraps sometimes, when I plan to stay in a lean-to. I will also set figure-4 traps loaded with firewood if I have to. Had one chew a hole through a bandanna once; that was enough. I was out later that...

I have two. The one I use most often is a West Marine inflatable. Light, doesn't interfere with my back rest, not hot (this was more an issue when I lived in LA), fairly comfortable neoprene neck liner, and for short portages (1/4 mile or less), I can stand wearing it with my backpack and...

A few years back, I experimented with building and using some traditional equipment.... a couple "side opening" duffle bags (like Warren Miller used), as well as some waxed muslin bags for things like dried fruit, bannock mix, and sugar. I also made up a couple pot sacks for my various cooking...

I really like that pic of the pack, and the other of your canoe, parked. Clamshell, Fish, Little Fish, Lydia, Little Long, and Kit Fox are my favorite part of the Wilderness... very few people. I was up there around then too... but having pulled a tendon, I elected to stay on the...

I have a couple methods of sitting. The simplest, and despite my age (60) what I still bring on exceptionally hard (for me) backpacking trips, where I'm moving every day (AT sections, mostly), is a basic green foam pad, roughly 9x14. It rides against my back as padding, is easy to pull out to...

One of my favorite points about the Journals of Lewis and Clark is how excited they get about finding new animals, to include the grizz... within weeks, maybe days, however, there was an entry about how tired the men were becoming of running into Br'er Grizz, because it was so hard to kill them...

That spot, if it's the one I'm thinking, is the nicest campsite on Fish Pond... it's on the North shore, which means it gets the sun, and also a beautiful view of the sunrise... there is also a really nice stream to pull water from nearby, vs dipping it out of the pond... the streams flowing...

Looks wonderful... I have a lot of fond memories of my daughter and me south of there on Hoel, Long, Slang, and Turtle Ponds... we never got into St Regis or Fish Pond... she still likes to canoe camp with me, just still hates portaging (at almost 30yo now). But the St Regis (especially Fish...

This applies more to non-camping, but my wife will pack weeks in advance. I travel 1-2 weeks a month for work, and typically pack the night before a business trip (if for the week), sometimes even the morning of, if I leave late-morning. For camping, I'm about the same way; pack all at once, no...

The sound of mice chewing is probably the worst... you come awake, knowing that the little buggers have damaged something somewhere, but you don't know what, and probably can't kill them.... kinda like when you can hear your wife's cat getting sick somewhere nearby the bedroom at home. I've...

Wow... that's a tough one... "top 3". What was once luxury is now necessary. I'm 60 now, and a bit creaky in the morning, but I usually limber enough after a hot beverage, getting dressed, and walking down to the water. A couple days of good fresh air, exercise, and fewer sugary snacks (and...

That's also a nice one. I have seen mergansers surfing that stream, seeming to enjoy themselves as they navigated the run. Funny to watch. There is also an amazingly heavy pot hanging on a tree by the firepit there... cannot believe someone carried it all the way in; possibly skiied/sledded...

If it's below waterline, why not get some Rustoleum enamal? I bought a can each of green and red to touch up my Chestnut and Old Town W/C canoes. They're a close enough color match, and iirc, the pints are about $10 at Home Depot. For tape, it's hard to say... I use Gorilla Tape on my Hemlock...

Pete, Bundick Lake, LA, c. 2009. Pete grew up neglected, hence the bare spot at the base of his naked tail... He was 6 when we got him in 2008.

Sounds: Loons, red squirrels, and white-throated sparrows Trout flipping around the bottom of a canoe Wooden paddle on wooden gunwale Water dripping of a paddle The lap of water against the shore Wind in the pines and leaves Water as it falls Crackle of fire, especially when it's cold/wet and...