Overnight Trips in ADK This Week?

[ReluctantFarmer]

I’ve ended up with a free day and half next week, and want to get value out of my new dry suit. Thus, trying to plan a cold April overnight within, say, 5 hours of Boston. It looks like most of Maine and New Hampshire isn’t iced out yet, so the Adirondacks seems like a good candidate.

Anyone have any recommendations for routes? Thinking Floodwood Loop is the top contender (seems like it’s unlikely to be popular when the water’s this cold and roads might be closed), but also thinking about an out-and-back to St. Regis Pond or a slow overnight paddle to Raquette Falls and back. My understanding is that neither Floodwood nor the Raquette River feel that remote, but maybe April will help with that?

Are there other areas I should be considering? I’ve had my eye on the Moose River Loop, Flagstaff Lake and the Rangeley lake region but looks like there’s still plenty of ice there, whereas the ADK looks clear.

 

[Pseudonym]

I paddled the Raquette River on April 11, or thereabouts, a few years ago during the total eclipse. I only saw one other person the whole time. It doesn't feel especially remote but you should mostly have it to yourself that time of year and it is easy to get to given your parameters. I enjoyed it.

 

[Neophyte]

I’ve done Rollins Pond loop in mid September during the off season, which overlaps some with the Floodwood loop. Saw a few other paddlers but it was pretty quiet and the campsites looked pretty empty. Given your time constraints the ease of access is certainly a perk, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. I would agree that parts of it do not feel particularly remote.

 

[Patrick Corry]

My preference would be to visit St. Regis Pond via two options:

1) Start at the St. Regis Yacht Club off NYS Rt. 30 (there's public parking there) and go through Upper St. Regis Pond, Bog Pond, Bear Pond, Little Long Pond (East) into Green Pond, then into St. Regis Pond. All relatively short, benign portages. Reverse the route the following day.

2) Start at Little Clear Pond behind the NYS Fish Hatchery complex on Rt. 30, portage into Green Pond, then St. Regis Pond. You'll have time to explore beyond St. Regis Pond- maybe float the stream beyond the fish dam (at the western extremity of St. Regis Pond) into Ochre Pond. There should be plenty of water in the stream at this time of year- in summer, not so much. There's an interesting site to camp on the east shore of Ochre- it's ideal if you're a hammock camper, not so good for tents. Following day portage back to St. Regis Pond from Ochre Pond, then do the portage from St. Regis Pond back to Little Clear pond via the southern outlet of St. Regis.

This link: https://moshannonfalls.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/stregiscanoearea.gif shows the route to Ochre Pond.

 

[ReluctantFarmer]

My preference would be to visit St. Regis Pond via two options:

1) Start at the St. Regis Yacht Club off NYS Rt. 30 (there's public parking there) and go through Upper St. Regis Pond, Bog Pond, Bear Pond, Little Long Pond (East) into Green Pond, then into St. Regis Pond. All relatively short, benign portages. Reverse the route the following day.

2) Start at Little Clear Pond behind the NYS Fish Hatchery complex on Rt. 30, portage into Green Pond, then St. Regis Pond. You'll have time to explore beyond St. Regis Pond- maybe float the stream beyond the fish dam (at the western extremity of St. Regis Pond) into Ochre Pond. There should be plenty of water in the stream at this time of year- in summer, not so much. There's an interesting site to camp on the east shore of Ochre- it's ideal if you're a hammock camper, not so good for tents. Following day portage back to St. Regis Pond from Ochre Pond, then do the portage from St. Regis Pond back to Little Clear pond via the southern outlet of St. Regis.

This link: https://moshannonfalls.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/stregiscanoearea.gif shows the route to Ochre Pond.

I’m tempted by the idea of paddling a normally unavailable route to Ochre pond (and I’m hammocking when solo). Is your preference for St. Regis Pond due to it being more wilderness?

 

[Patrick Corry]

Yes, absolutely. I have never had ‘traffic’ there. The float to Ochre is quite a departure from the pond paddling; it’s an intimate view of the wetland joining the two ponds.

Here's what it looks like:

 

[stripperguy]

Little tupper lake has early season access and you could even go back to Rock Pond, or beyond. Rock rarely gets busy even on warm holiday weekends.
Keep in mind St Regis is trout water, and a lot of early season fishermen may be there too.

 

[ReluctantFarmer]

I’m re-arranging a little, but my current plan is half a day driving, then Little Clear to St. Regis then over the fish dam to Ochre by nightfall. It looks like there’s two sites on Ochre which I’m guessing will be fine in the middle of the week when it’s literally freezing at night.

I might try to fit a second night on St. Regis but I likely have to get back to my car by dawn on day 3 to make the schedule work. Maybe I’ll go fishing on day 2. I know literally nothing about fishing but I do have a pole and hook and a plastic worm.

I’m not very happy to see snow in forecast but at least it’s not very much.

 

[Jmharrick]

Yesterday I did a shuttle trip with the family from Little Clear pond, stopped at the big Island on St. Regis Pond for lunch, and then continued through Green Pond (passed a couple who had caught a splake there), Little Long Pond, Bear Pond, Bog Pond, and finished up at the launch on Upper St Regis Lake.

We saw 3 canoes all day.

Ochre pond is special. I travelled through there two years ago and wished I had enough time to camp on it. I like the idea of paddling that stream that is normally too low to pass through.

I’m sure you’ll have a great trip. Picture below from yesterday. We had the whole crew out.

 

[Jmharrick]

Yes, absolutely. I have never had ‘traffic’ there. The float to Ochre is quite a departure from the pond paddling; it’s an intimate view of the wetland joining the two ponds.

Here's what it looks like:
View attachment 154119View attachment 154120View attachment 154121

@Patrick Corry, Have you ever been able to float the section between Ochre and Fish Pond?