So I thought I'd get some opinions from the forum on my failed solo attempt at paddling the William Whitney loop. I was told this is a "do-able loop". Its a suggested route on many outfitters web pages.
I started at the Bog river lower dam around 10am. Carried my Hemlock Peregrine canoe and my Cabela's portage pack across the dam and put in at the stream at the bottom of the dam outlet. Water was deep enough to paddle for roughly 15 minutes. All was going smoothly,the water was warm, sun was out, and the gear I brought was a touch heavy but I though I had things under control. Im in good shape, 39yrs old, comfortable outdoors, and good at navigation. As I paddled East and headed down stream, the rocks started to appear and paddling soon became impossible. I hefted my pack and put the canoe on my shoulders looking for the portage trails which were shown on the map. There were none. Trying to walk up stream with roughly 110lbs combined weight(canoe and pack) was a real struggle. Especially since most of it was like moss covered bowling balls. Really hard on the ankles and knee joints. This went on for a few hours. Finally finding sections of what looked like portage trails, I followed the river where I could and avoided large sections of boulder fields. These trails were marked XC Ski trails on the tree markers. Finally made my way to the Round Lake outlet confluence.
At this point I was thinking the rough stuff was behind me. I was wrong. Turning upstream at the intersection and going towards round lake, it became worse. Boulder fields became unending. Every turn of the river I hoped I could find flat water but there was none. My right knee felt like I pulled a tendon and I was getting a sharp pain on the outside of my knee. I looked to the woods for a trail. I saw what looked like an opening in the trees to get off the river. As I moved toward this gap in the trees, disaster struck. My pack straps ripped out of the bottom of my pack. Totally exhausted and dumbfounded at this current situation I contemplated turning around. But then I thought, how could I go back through all that. i thought I was at the half way point. Roughly 7-8 kilometers still to go. I hoped looking at the map that there was navigable water just ahead. Nope... all rocks. So I figured I'd have to push on to the lake. I bear hugged my bag and decided to make two trips upriver. Once with my pack, and then going back to get my canoe. This was very hard on the back trying to carry my pack in my arms. The canoe carrying was just as difficult. The bow of my boat was constantly getting snagged in the overgrown limbs and bushes, which made my portaging excruciatingly slow. My knee was killing me causing me to limp along. Sweating out more water than I was drinking, I started to feel really crappy. I eventually came upon a section of trail that followed the east side of the river and was able to make better time on my there and back and there again carry. I figured i did 8kms x3 (24k = 14.2 miles) of this. Finally I saw the gap in the trees that opened up to the vastness of Round Lake. It was 7:00pm and I went to the first campsite that was unoccupied. Number #3.
I strung up my tarp and hammock, and started boiling some water to make some food. I dont know if I've ever been so tired in my life. I went down to the water and laid down in the lake to cool my body. I was overheating internally from the effort of the day. I couldnt stop sweating.
After eating and cleaning up, I laid down to sleep and could not. My heart was beating so fast and I was still just so hot. I laid there all night listening to the thunder and lightning getting closer and closer. I couldn't sleep in the hammock and cursed myself for not bringing a tent. I hadn't had enough practice in the hammock to get the hang just right I guess.
The next morning I was struggling with what to do. I wanted to continue my loop but my pack was ripped and there was no way I could repair it. My knee was still shooting pain at every step.
I paddled out of round lake and under the bridge to Little Tupper through pouring rain. Rain so hard I was bailing out my canoe every couple minutes because it was filling up so fast. What else could I endure on this trip i thought?
My spirits were so low at this point I decided to "call it off" at the rangers station at Little Tupper. The rest of the loop looked easier from this point on, but with my current gear and knee issues, and I didn't want to go through another night in that damn hammock. I thought it best to call it quits. There were no other points on the loop that had an exit option. I was beyond disappointed because I felt I had gotten through the hardest part of what this loop entailed. Two nice DEC interns offered to give me a ride back to my car at the bog dam. I took them up on that offer.
What could I have done differently to make this a success? I would like to finish this loop next year. Im going to paddle from the ranger's station at Little Tupper clockwise around the loop to Lowe's and down to the lower Dam. I suggest never trying that river section. Well thanks for reading all of this if you got through it.
I started at the Bog river lower dam around 10am. Carried my Hemlock Peregrine canoe and my Cabela's portage pack across the dam and put in at the stream at the bottom of the dam outlet. Water was deep enough to paddle for roughly 15 minutes. All was going smoothly,the water was warm, sun was out, and the gear I brought was a touch heavy but I though I had things under control. Im in good shape, 39yrs old, comfortable outdoors, and good at navigation. As I paddled East and headed down stream, the rocks started to appear and paddling soon became impossible. I hefted my pack and put the canoe on my shoulders looking for the portage trails which were shown on the map. There were none. Trying to walk up stream with roughly 110lbs combined weight(canoe and pack) was a real struggle. Especially since most of it was like moss covered bowling balls. Really hard on the ankles and knee joints. This went on for a few hours. Finally finding sections of what looked like portage trails, I followed the river where I could and avoided large sections of boulder fields. These trails were marked XC Ski trails on the tree markers. Finally made my way to the Round Lake outlet confluence.
At this point I was thinking the rough stuff was behind me. I was wrong. Turning upstream at the intersection and going towards round lake, it became worse. Boulder fields became unending. Every turn of the river I hoped I could find flat water but there was none. My right knee felt like I pulled a tendon and I was getting a sharp pain on the outside of my knee. I looked to the woods for a trail. I saw what looked like an opening in the trees to get off the river. As I moved toward this gap in the trees, disaster struck. My pack straps ripped out of the bottom of my pack. Totally exhausted and dumbfounded at this current situation I contemplated turning around. But then I thought, how could I go back through all that. i thought I was at the half way point. Roughly 7-8 kilometers still to go. I hoped looking at the map that there was navigable water just ahead. Nope... all rocks. So I figured I'd have to push on to the lake. I bear hugged my bag and decided to make two trips upriver. Once with my pack, and then going back to get my canoe. This was very hard on the back trying to carry my pack in my arms. The canoe carrying was just as difficult. The bow of my boat was constantly getting snagged in the overgrown limbs and bushes, which made my portaging excruciatingly slow. My knee was killing me causing me to limp along. Sweating out more water than I was drinking, I started to feel really crappy. I eventually came upon a section of trail that followed the east side of the river and was able to make better time on my there and back and there again carry. I figured i did 8kms x3 (24k = 14.2 miles) of this. Finally I saw the gap in the trees that opened up to the vastness of Round Lake. It was 7:00pm and I went to the first campsite that was unoccupied. Number #3.
I strung up my tarp and hammock, and started boiling some water to make some food. I dont know if I've ever been so tired in my life. I went down to the water and laid down in the lake to cool my body. I was overheating internally from the effort of the day. I couldnt stop sweating.
After eating and cleaning up, I laid down to sleep and could not. My heart was beating so fast and I was still just so hot. I laid there all night listening to the thunder and lightning getting closer and closer. I couldn't sleep in the hammock and cursed myself for not bringing a tent. I hadn't had enough practice in the hammock to get the hang just right I guess.
The next morning I was struggling with what to do. I wanted to continue my loop but my pack was ripped and there was no way I could repair it. My knee was still shooting pain at every step.
I paddled out of round lake and under the bridge to Little Tupper through pouring rain. Rain so hard I was bailing out my canoe every couple minutes because it was filling up so fast. What else could I endure on this trip i thought?
My spirits were so low at this point I decided to "call it off" at the rangers station at Little Tupper. The rest of the loop looked easier from this point on, but with my current gear and knee issues, and I didn't want to go through another night in that damn hammock. I thought it best to call it quits. There were no other points on the loop that had an exit option. I was beyond disappointed because I felt I had gotten through the hardest part of what this loop entailed. Two nice DEC interns offered to give me a ride back to my car at the bog dam. I took them up on that offer.
What could I have done differently to make this a success? I would like to finish this loop next year. Im going to paddle from the ranger's station at Little Tupper clockwise around the loop to Lowe's and down to the lower Dam. I suggest never trying that river section. Well thanks for reading all of this if you got through it.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire