Allagash - September 8-13, 2025

The crew ready to head out

Every paddling trip is an adventure, and this one was no exception. Jonathan, Bill, Dan and I accepted the challenge of bad roads, blown tires and low water, and had a great trip on the Allagash. We ran the section from Churchill Dam to Michaud Farm with a day to explore Churchill Lake.

The State of Maine established the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in 1966 to preserve this unique section of the North Maine Woods. It is a 92.5-mile state park along the Allagash River that begins at Telos Lake and ends in Allagash Village. It is also one of the original "Wild and Scenic" rivers. While surrounded by commercial woodlands, logging is prohibited within 1-mile of the river. It can be reached only by traveling for miles on dirt logging roads.

Campsite at The Jaws

We met at Jonathan’s house in Wiscasset on Sunday to load the boats and consolidate our gear. On Monday morning we were up early and heading north. We made a quick stop at Dunkin Donuts in Augusta for breakfast. As I was drinking my coffee in the parking lot, I noticed a screw in my passenger side rear tire. That meant a stop at Tire Warehouse for a repair before we moved on.

We got back on the road at around 10:30 and headed north to Greenville where we started our trip down 90-miles of dirt logging roads. We registered at the Telos Checkpoint and continued on to Churchill Dam. We managed fine until we reached the road down to the dam – McCluskey Brook Road. It was filled with huge ruts and pot holes. About a mile from the dam I blew out my driver’s side rear tire. Fortunately, I had a real spare tire in addition to the donut. We got it changed and continued down to the dam.

Running Chase Rapid

At the dam we checked in with the ranger, packed up the boats and headed off to our first campsite – The Jaws. It was late and we debated staying at the dam, but Jonathan’s 1-hp trolling motor (the "put-put") made quick work of the crossing. The campsite was open and we got to work unloading the boats, setting up camp, and gathering firewood. Dinner was Jonathan’s Fried Fish and Maine Guide Potatoes. It was a chilly night, but we all sat around the fire until 10:00.

On Tuesday we planned to motor down to Eagle Lake to see the trains and tramway, so we had an early breakfast and headed out. It was calm as we started, but the wind was picking up as we got to John’s Bridge at the end of Churchill Lake. Its a 20-mile round trip, so we decided not to chance it. We turned around and stopped at Scofield Point for lunch on the way back to camp.

Crossing Umsaskis Lake

We were back in camp in the early afternoon, so we decided to walk down to the dam to check out the Churchill Depot History Center Museum. We were back in camp again in time for our sunset G&T’s and dinner -Jonathan's pan-fried salmon. We sat around the fire and enjoyed the stars until it was time for bed.

It was a chilly morning on Wednesday as we were to begin our trip down the river. Dan brought a bunch of fresh peaches that he got from a neighbor, so we made blueberry-peach french toast bake in the Dutch oven for breakfast. Then we packed up camp and headed back the Churchill Dam to run the Chase Rapids. We met the Ranger at the dam who shuttled our gear down to Bissonette Bridge so we could run the rapids empty.

Sitting around the breakfast fire

Chase Rapids is a short set of class II rapids just below the dam. Water level is controlled at the dam, and it generally runs around 500 cfs. After the rapids, the river alternates between quickwater and class I rapids. Everyone made it through fine.

We collected our gear at Bissonette Bridge and continued downstream to Chisholm Brook for lunch. From there, it is a short paddle down the river, and an easy trip with the put-put motor across Umsaskis Lake and into Long Lake. Our campsite for the evening was Grey Brook. We had planned to camp across Long Lake at Jalbert, but another group beaten us to it.

Clouds over Long Lake

We settled into our familiar routine – unload the boats, set up camp and gather fire wood. Dinner was Dan’s gnocchi with zucchini and pesto. We were all tired, but still managed to sit around the fire until around 9:00.

It was another chilly morning on Thursday as we got up to light the fire and start the coffee. After breakfast we packed up the boats for the trip down to Round Pond. Jonathan’s putt-putt motor made quick work of the remaining section of Long Lake.

Passing the American Elms

At the bottom of Long Lake is the Long Lake Dam. Due to metal spikes in old timbers it is recommended that you portage on the right. We portage all the gear and Jonathan’s Explorer, but Bill ran the Penobscot 17 down the left side and made it through fine.

We were paddling into a strong headwind below Long Lake. It was a bit of a slog, but we continued downstream and stopped at Sweeney Brook for lunch. Before long, we paddled under the Henderson Bridge, past the American Elm trees and into Round Pond.

Heading out from Round Pond

Our campsite for the night was Outlet. We would have preferred Inlet, but once again it was taken. The firewood crew went to work collecting and cutting wood for the night. Dinner was steak tips and scalloped potatoes. We sat around the fire until 9:00, then called it an early night.

Dan was up early on Friday to light the fire and start the coffee. I rolled out of the tent at around 6:15. Breakfast was pancakes and home fries in the Big Daddy skillet, and we were soon packing up our gear and heading out.

Visiting the Lombard Log Haulers

We paddled out of Round Pond into the Round Pond Rips, which were low and scratchy at around 450 cfs. We were out of the boats often to wade through the shallows. Eventually, we arrived at the Musquacook Deadwater where we fired up the put-put motor for the trip down to Five Fingers Brook. We stopped for lunch at Bass Brook, and stopped at Cunliffe Depot to see the Lombard Log Haulers.

From there it was a quick run-down to our campsite for the night at Ramsay Ledge. We were hoping for Cunliffe Depot, but the same group of paddlers beat us there again. Maybe it was just as well. Ramsay Ledge was a bigger site with with grass and lots of sunshine. Dinner was hot dogs and beans. We enjoyed the fire one last time before tuning in for the night.

The crew at the take out at Michaud Fram

On Saturday, we needed to be down to Michuad Farm by 9:00 to meet Norm L’Italien from Pelletier's Campground for the shuttle back to our cars. Since my good spare was already on the car, we decided to head out by a shorter route through the Six Mile Checkpoint in Ashland.

About 10-miles in to the 50-mile trip over dirt logging roads, I blew another tire. This time, I had to put on the donut. We drove 40-miles down dirt logging roads at 10-miles per hour hoping the donut would last. It did, but by then it was too late to get tire fixed. We ran the donut another 100-miles on the highway to get to Jonathan's house in Wiscasset. The "little donut that could" pulled us through. I was able to get a new tire on Sunday morning, and headed home.

Links:

My Pictures

Allagash Wilderness Waterway from Maine.gov

Allagash Wilderness Waterway Brochure

Allagash National Wild and Scenic River

Gage at Allagash Village

North Maine Woods
Chase Rapids – American Whitewater
Pelletier's Campground and Shuttle

Slatersville with Narraganset AMC - August 31, 2025

I was back at the Slatersville Reservoir - this time with AMC Narraganset Chapter. It was a nice afternoon for a leisurely paddle, and I picked up the RICKA Volunteer of the Year trophy from Sharon.

Links:
My Pictures

Slatersville Reservoir from RI Blueways

Fife Brook in my Millbrook Outrage - August 22, 2025

Running Zoar Gap

I knew I was going to have a busy weekend, so when a saw a post for a Friday afternoon trip on Fife Brook I decided to join. This would be the first whitewater run in my new Millbrook Outrage, and I got Paul to come along as well.

We met at 12:30 at the take out below the Gap. I was surprised how many people were around for a weekday trip. We had 11 in our group – 4 canoes and 7 kayaks – and there were 3 other groups organizing to get on the river. The release was 800 cfs – an OK level, but a little boney in spots.

Running Zoar Gap

We got on the water at around 1:15, and I could tell right away that the composite Outrage was different than its Royalex cousin. It’s hard to describe, but it made the Royalex version feel a little sluggish. The composite boat was definitely faster, the turns were crisper, and it was really dry. I've always admired the Millbrook guys who were bailing out their boats with sponges – now I know why.

We worked out way downstream, and the boat felt more comfortable the more I paddled it. When we finally got to Zoar Gap I was the last one to go through. I caught a couple of eddies on the left on the way down, and the two big rocks on the right before heading in. I took the line from right to left, and made it through fine. 

Links:

My Pictures

My Video - Open Boats on Zoar Gap

Charlemont Gage

Fife Brook Release Schedule

River Description from American Whitewater

Running Zoar Gap over the Years

Routes through Zoar Gap over the years

There have been three different versions of the "Gap" since I started paddling in 2006. Back in the old days there was an easy "sneak" route on the far right (red). That got filled with rocks during Tropical Storm Irene in 2012. After that, I usually eddied out at the top and tried to go right or left of "Oh Shit Rock" in the middle of the second drop, with mixed success (yellow going right). After flooding in 2023 things got moved around again. The eddy at the top got squirrely, the right line got blocked by rocks, but cutting directly from right to left got a lot easier (blue). There has always been a kayak line of the far left (green). Here are some of my runs over the years:

Zoar Gap Runs over the Years from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo. 

My Zoar Gap record now stands at 21 attempts with 13 successful, 6 swims and 2 walks. I’ve made it through successfully on my last 5 runs.

Slatersville with the BVPC - August 20, 2025

I had a nice night with the Blackstone Valley Paddle Club at the Slatersville Reservoir. I paddled tandem with Cheryl. We put in at the State Boat Ramp and paddled up the Branch River until it got too shallow.

Lincoln Woods Again - August 16, 2025

I have my grandson’s birthday today, and a visit to Rehoboth and my brother’s cookout in NH tomorrow, so there will be no paddling trips for me this weekend. I did get out this morning for a quick trip to Lincoln Woods in the Millbrook. It felt good on flatwater, but I need to get it out on some whitewater - maybe Fife Brook next week.  

Planning another Allagash trip

I'm planning another Allagash trip with Jonathan in September - this time with Bill and Dan. As usual, we'll do five nights on the river with a spare/layover day to explore the lakes. Here’s the schedule:

• Sunday, September 7th - assemble at Jonathan’s in Wiscasset in time for dinner.
• Monday, September 8th – leave Wiscasset early for the 5-hour drive to Churchill Dam - camp at the Jaws.
• Tuesday, September 9th - spare day to explore the lakes – another night at the Jaws. I would love to get down to Eagle Lake to see the trains and tramway if the putt-putt engine is working - 20-mile round trip.
• Wednesday, September 10th – run Chase Rapids - camp at the Ledges on Umsaskis or Jalberts on Long Lake.
• Thursday, September 11th - Long Lake Dam (portage) - camp at Inlet or Outlet on Round Pond.
• Friday, September 12th - Round Pond to Five Finger Brook - camp at Five Finger Brook or Cunliffe Depot. I wouldn’t mind seeing the log haulers at Cunliffe Depot again.
• Saturday, September 13th – early start down to Michaud Farm to meet Norm L’Italien (Pelletier’s Campground) for the ride back to Churchill Dam. Drive back to Wiscasset for dinner, or the long drive home.

We'll paddle tandem in Jonathan's Explorers. We’ll bring coolers with real food for as long as possible. Lunches and drinks are BYO. Jonathan will bring cooking gear and G&T for the 6:30 sundown meeting. Everyone will bring their own chair, camping gear, coffee mug, and other refreshments. We'll have to figure out who’s doing what for meals, and the remaining group gear.

The last time we were there the river was between 2,500 and 3,000 cfs. Today it is at 451 cfs - about what it was when we were there in 2022. 

Hopefully they will get some rain.