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| Loaded up and ready to go |
This would be my second trip on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway with Jonathan and Conrad. For this trip we would be joined by Bob and Ellen. We would be running the river from Churchill Dam to Michaud Farm with a layover day that we used to explore Churchill Lake.
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| We made it to Fort Kent |
We arrived at Jonathan’s house in Wiscasset around 5:30 and enjoyed cocktails on the deck until Conrad and Ellen arrived at 7:00. Dinner was the traditional sausage and noodles. We turned in early to be rested-up for the big trip.
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| Norm loading the boats |
We arrived at Fort Kent and checked-in at Northern Door Motel for the night. We had some time before dinner so we took a walk around Fort Kent, which has a border crossing to Canada across the St John’s River. We also checked out the Fort Kent Blockhouse – built during the Aroostook War of 1838-1839. The day ended with dinner at Swamp Buck.
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| Crossing Churchill Lake |
After arriving at Churchill Dam we checked in with the ranger, packed up the boats and headed off to our first campsite – The Jaws. Surprisingly, everything fit in the boats and Jonathan’s putt-putt engine 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 Jonatan’s Fried Fish and Maine Guide Potatoes. We sat around the fire until it was time for bed.
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| Checking the flow at Churchill Dam |
After hiking back, we had lunch and spent some time gathering firewood before taking a quick tour around Churchill Lake. Jonathan and Bob wanted to catch a fish, and Ellen wanted to see a moose, but neither were successful. We were back in time for cocktails and to cook dinner. It was my turn to cook and I made lasagna in the Dutch Oven with sausage on the side. I played a game of cribbage with Bob (I lost) and we sat around the fire and enjoyed the stars.
One thing you learn when you are camping is patience. I rolled out of my tent at around 6:00 on Tuesday to start the fire and the coffee. I sat in front of the fire and waited for the coffee to perk. Jonathan got up at around 6:15, and we sat in front of the fire and waited for the coffee to perk. Conrad got up at around 6:30, and we sat in front of the fire and waited for the coffee to perk. The coffee finally started perking at around 6:45 and we had our coffee at around 7:00 - it was worth the wait.
Jonathan was on for breakfast, and he cooked home fried potatoes from the left-over Maine Guide Potatoes and eggs-in-a-hole – a traditional breakfast for this trip. We packed up camp and headed back to the dam to meet the ranger at 10:00 for the shuttle around the Chase Rapids. For $10, the ranger with shuttle boats, gear and people down to Bissonette Bridge. Jonathan Bob and I would be running Chase Rapids. Conrad and Ellen took the shuttle.
Chase Rapids is about 2-miles of class I/II whitewater. Jonathan and I ran it tandem in his Explorer. Bob poled it in his Camper. The first rapid bounces down a 200-yard rock garden. The second is a rocky S-turn, and Jonathan and I got hung up on the rocks about half-way down. Bob ran it clean. From there, the river alternates between quickwater and class I rapids. It was a fun run, and we soon met up again with Conrad and Ellen at Bissonette Bridge for lunch.
After lunch, we loaded up the boats for the trip down the river, across Umsaskis and into Long Lake. Jonathan’s putt-putt motor made quick work of the crossings and we were soon at our campsite for the evening – Jalbert. We settled into our familiar routine – unload the boats, set up camp and gather fire wood. Dinner with Conrad’s smoked salmon with grilled vegies. We were all tired and were in bed by around 9:00, except Jonathan who always stays up later.
It was a foggy morning on Wednesday as I got up to light the fire and start the coffee. I was up for breakfast, so I made potato, onion, pepper and cheese frittata in the Dutch Oven. 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.
At the bottom of Long Lake is the Long Lake Dam. Due to metal spikes in old timbers it is recommended that you line on the left or portage on the right. Due to high water, there was really no place to land on the left, so we decided to portage. Its a short portage, and we made quick work of it in spite of all the gear.
Just as we finished, an unnamed poler (name withheld to protect the innocent) approached the dam. After a long look, he also decided to portage. After emptying his boat and looking from above he changed his mind. He poled the shoot on the left in an empty boat and made it through fine. It was probably good that we didn’t see that before we lugged our boats.
We continued downstream and stopped at Cunliffe Island for lunch. The level was high (between 2,500 and 3,000 cfs.) and the river was mostly slow moving water. It was still a quick trip, and before we knew it we ran past the American Elm trees, under the Henderson Bridge and into Round Pond. Our campsite for the night was Inlet, and we unloaded the boats and set up camp. Jonathan went off to replenish our water supply at the spring while the firewood crew went to work collecting and cutting wood for the night. Dinner was Ellen’s Magic Chili. It was another early night.
I woke up at 5:30 on Thursday to the sound of a Bard Owl somewhere near our camp – “who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all”. It reminded me of the time at an owl parked himself over Jim Cole’s tent at the Pawcatuck River Boot-leg site and hooted most of the night. He was a little grumpy the next morning.
I finally rolled out of the tent at around 6:00 to start the fire and the coffee. By the time Jonathan got up at 6:30 the coffee was ready – amazing the difference good wood will make. Breakfast was eggs-in-a-hole and sausage, and we were soon packing up our gear and heading out.
We paddled the short distance down Round Pond to the Round Pond Rips, which were running at a great level. Running Chase Rapid was fun, but Round Pond Rips was the highlight of the trip. The water was high, the scenery was great, and the rips continued for a couple of miles – you don’t get that combination very often. Eventually we arrived at the Musquacook Deadwater. Even there the water was moving, but we still decided to fire up the putt-putt engine for the trip down to Five Fingers Brook. We stopped for lunch at Fiver Fingers South, and Jonathan tried his hand at fishing – no luck.
From there it was a quick run-down to our campsite for the night at Deadwater South. We were hoping for Deadwater North, but an unnamed poler beat us to it. We pulled into camp and went through our usual routine. Dinner was Bob’s chicken and dumplings with cheese cake for dessert. We enjoyed the fire one last time before tuning in for the night.
On Friday we knew it would be a quick trip down to Michaud Farm, but we had no idea how quick. As usual I was up around 6:00 to start the fire and the coffee. Breakfast was eggs-in-a-whole with bacon and sausage – a treat for our last day. We were packed up and on the river by 9:40, which is a record for us.
The current was fast, and we quickly floated past Cunliffe Depot. Realizing that our trip was quickly ending, we rafted up and let the current take us downstream for the last mile. We still arrived at Michaud Farm at around 10:30. Everyone packed up, Jonathan signed us out at the ranger station, and we were quickly on our way.
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| Home fries for breakfast at the Jaws |
Jonathan was on for breakfast, and he cooked home fried potatoes from the left-over Maine Guide Potatoes and eggs-in-a-hole – a traditional breakfast for this trip. We packed up camp and headed back to the dam to meet the ranger at 10:00 for the shuttle around the Chase Rapids. For $10, the ranger with shuttle boats, gear and people down to Bissonette Bridge. Jonathan Bob and I would be running Chase Rapids. Conrad and Ellen took the shuttle.
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| Running Chase Rapid |
After lunch, we loaded up the boats for the trip down the river, across Umsaskis and into Long Lake. Jonathan’s putt-putt motor made quick work of the crossings and we were soon at our campsite for the evening – Jalbert. We settled into our familiar routine – unload the boats, set up camp and gather fire wood. Dinner with Conrad’s smoked salmon with grilled vegies. We were all tired and were in bed by around 9:00, except Jonathan who always stays up later.
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| Frittata for breakfast at Jalbert |
At the bottom of Long Lake is the Long Lake Dam. Due to metal spikes in old timbers it is recommended that you line on the left or portage on the right. Due to high water, there was really no place to land on the left, so we decided to portage. Its a short portage, and we made quick work of it in spite of all the gear.
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| Entering Round Pond |
We continued downstream and stopped at Cunliffe Island for lunch. The level was high (between 2,500 and 3,000 cfs.) and the river was mostly slow moving water. It was still a quick trip, and before we knew it we ran past the American Elm trees, under the Henderson Bridge and into Round Pond. Our campsite for the night was Inlet, and we unloaded the boats and set up camp. Jonathan went off to replenish our water supply at the spring while the firewood crew went to work collecting and cutting wood for the night. Dinner was Ellen’s Magic Chili. It was another early night.
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| Running Round Pond Rips |
I finally rolled out of the tent at around 6:00 to start the fire and the coffee. By the time Jonathan got up at 6:30 the coffee was ready – amazing the difference good wood will make. Breakfast was eggs-in-a-hole and sausage, and we were soon packing up our gear and heading out.
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| Rafted-up on the Musquacook Deadwater |
From there it was a quick run-down to our campsite for the night at Deadwater South. We were hoping for Deadwater North, but an unnamed poler beat us to it. We pulled into camp and went through our usual routine. Dinner was Bob’s chicken and dumplings with cheese cake for dessert. We enjoyed the fire one last time before tuning in for the night.
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| Chili for dinner at Inlet |
The current was fast, and we quickly floated past Cunliffe Depot. Realizing that our trip was quickly ending, we rafted up and let the current take us downstream for the last mile. We still arrived at Michaud Farm at around 10:30. Everyone packed up, Jonathan signed us out at the ranger station, and we were quickly on our way.
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| The crew at Michaud Farm |
Bob and I left early the next morning for the long drive home. After a quick stop at Debbie’s Deli for breakfast, we were on our way. The only moose that we saw on this trip were on the moose crossing signs on the ride home. It was still an amazing trip!
Standing Deadwood on the Alagash from Erik Eckilson on Vimeo.
Ellen put together this poem about our adventure.
The Ballad of the Allagash
by Ellen Jean Keiter
Way up in Maine, in the North Country
Went three good friends, Conrad and me.
With three canoes and food for a week,
The aim was to paddle the Allagash Creek.
Well, it’s not a creek, but a river wide—
With lakes and whitewater to be tried.
The water was a-runnin’ and the weather was fine
And we five folks had a mighty good time.
We paddled the river, loaded with gear,
But didn’t see a moose or even a deer.
The loons were vocal on big Round Pond,
Callin’ to their mates and singin’ their songs.
Great blue herons we did see,
And huge bald eagles—at least three!
Barred owls woke us in the middle of the night,
And a pointy-eared hare was a very strange sight.
We paddled each day and camped each night
In the many well-provided river campsites.
With lots of standing deadwood all around,
The guys sawed up all the wood they found.
The Ballad of the Allagash
by Ellen Jean Keiter
Way up in Maine, in the North Country
Went three good friends, Conrad and me.
With three canoes and food for a week,
The aim was to paddle the Allagash Creek.
Well, it’s not a creek, but a river wide—
With lakes and whitewater to be tried.
The water was a-runnin’ and the weather was fine
And we five folks had a mighty good time.
We paddled the river, loaded with gear,
But didn’t see a moose or even a deer.
The loons were vocal on big Round Pond,
Callin’ to their mates and singin’ their songs.
Great blue herons we did see,
And huge bald eagles—at least three!
Barred owls woke us in the middle of the night,
And a pointy-eared hare was a very strange sight.
We paddled each day and camped each night
In the many well-provided river campsites.
With lots of standing deadwood all around,
The guys sawed up all the wood they found.
Dinner on the fire and cocktails, too!
Hot breakfast in the morning with a beautiful view.
Blueberry bake and lasagna too—
Oh, what that Dutch oven can do!
Hot breakfast in the morning with a beautiful view.
Blueberry bake and lasagna too—
Oh, what that Dutch oven can do!
Where the water was still and the flow was low,
Our leader pulled us through with a putt-putt-motor tow.
But best of all were the whitewater parts
That made us whoop! and cheered our hearts.
Our leader pulled us through with a putt-putt-motor tow.
But best of all were the whitewater parts
That made us whoop! and cheered our hearts.
A wonderful time was had by all,
Even though we never heard the moose’s call.
A treasure of a trip it was for sure.
Wilderness is a mighty fine cure.
Links:
A treasure of a trip it was for sure.
Wilderness is a mighty fine cure.
Links:
