Allegash in September?

[chinooktrail]

Ok, I really want to do a week long kayak trip next September.

I really wanted to go to the San Juan Islands in Washington, but have been convinced that this trip would be better earlier in the year.

Soooo, the other trip I have always wanted to do is to kayak camp the Allegash.

Has anyone done this trip? And how about in September?

I don't want to go when there are bugs, and seeing some foliage would be nice, even though September could be a little early.

Can anyone reccomend a service to get us and our gear and kayaks up to the start, and where to leave the vehicle?

Good guide books or informational sites and or maps?

I have a Delorme map from about 15 years ago, when I had planned this trip several time, only to be told at the last moment that we couldn't go for some work related reason... Long story and we are now divorced, so I won't have any lame excuses this time! : )

I know I have asked this question here before, but I also know that things have changed pretty drasticly in the north country of Maine, and want the most up to date information I can get, so as to be comfortable and have sites lined up and so on and not be stranded or paddeling long after I am wiped oput trying to find a spot.

Thanks!

Christine

 

[roadtripper]

Amazon has a guidebook (with a couple good reviews) called the "Allagash Guide", but I can't personally recommend this or not. It's also 2004 so there may be some changes since then as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Allagash-Guid...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232327399&sr=1-1

There's also a travel essay on canoeing the Allagash that came out last year as well. It's called "Alone on the Allagash". It's on my list of things to read:

http://www.amazon.com/Allagash-Guid...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232327399&sr=1-1

I believe the latest Delorme Map on the Allagash is 2002. You can find used copies of this edition on Amazon.

The "Northern Forest Canoe Trail" map series may also have a portion (or all) of the Allagash Waterway on it as well. I'm not sure though.

Another thing you could do is make copies of the pages of the Maine Delorme Atlas & Gazetteer and take those with you. The latest edition of this map is 2007. This alone is probably not enough, however.

 

[Stan]

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showpost.php?p=237102&postcount=6

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?p=237102#post237102

I'm sorry, I meant Gil Gilpatrick that peakbagger mentions.

Here is his email address: [email protected]

 

[DougPaul]

The AMC River Guide has over 20 pages on the region. (Or at least my old copy does...)

IIRC, low water in the fall could be a problem at some spots. And there are some sections of class II white water with one section of III in the lower river.

Doug

 

[peakbagger]

I have not used the book, but have talked to others who recomended it. His writing style is typically easy to read and to the point.


http://gilgilpatrick.com/self-guide.html

 

[Amicus]

Ten of us paddled the 61-mile length of the Allagash, from Churchill Dam to the St. John at Allagash village, over Memorial Day weekend, 2006. My detailed account preceded my camera - words only.

We had good results with Allagash Guide Service - Sean Lizotte. He has a big cottage he'll rent you for the night before, but let us sleep on its porch for no extra charge. It took us two and a half days of fairly easy paddling to cover that distance. Chase Rapids, near the beginning at Churchill Dam, are a bit challenging, but there is a put-in just below, where many start, to avoid them. We didn't, since we like Class II/II+ whitewater, but we had Sean drop off our gear at that put-in, and thus were able to run the Rapids with canoes that were empty (except for us).

The water may be low in Sept., with some bony rapids and bumping. On the other hand, you'll avoid the blackflies who greeted us, in quantity. We had a great time anyway - a beautiful River. That whole stretch is part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, and their map was by far the best of the several we used - it showed all the campsites, for one thing.

 

[Papa Bear]

For some time I've thought about getting up to the Allagash from Baxter State Park. This would be part of my own aqua-blaze version of the IAT.

I'm guessing the lakes portion (Webster - Telos - Chamberlain - Eagle - Churchill) would be fairly easy (if perhaps windy or boring) but poling up Webster Brook from Metagamon might be something between tedious and impossible.

Without totally hijacking this thread, has anyone any experience either on those lakes or on going up Webster Brook?

 

[Amicus]

Without totally hijacking this thread, has anyone any experience either on those lakes or on going up Webster Brook?

I don't, but as I recall, Thoreau did. His "Allagash" segment of The Maine Woods (his third and last trip up there) covers a lot of that. as I recall. He and Joe Polis, his remarkable guide, turned around a little before reaching the Allagash River. So, if you haven't read that in a while, you might find it interesting.

 

[Fitz]

Water Levels

I have not done the river section of the Allagash, but I have heard that 1000 cfs at the gauge at Allagash Village is a good rule of thumb for a minimum water level. Lower than than and you may run into shallow conditions.

If I recall correctly, Thoreau traveled down Webster Stream on one of his trips. It is typically a whitewater run and they traveled in birch barks, so they would have taken it easy. Most folks travel down stream, and I haven't heard of anyone poling up, but that doesn't mean it couldn't be done. I think there is a woods road or trail paralleling most of it, which would allow carry options. I have only seen a small section of the stream below Telos Dam.

 

[chinooktrail]

Wow! All great information, thanks!

I will certainly be purchasing the books from Gil Gilpatrick, always happy to support another 'Mainer'.

I will be doing this trip in a kayak, rather than a canoe. I think the kayak has an easier time dealing with low water levels. But of course the trade off is you can't bring nearly as much gear.

Amicus, I rember reading your TR back then, good to reread it as a refresher, thanks for the link.

I've been wanting to do the Allagash since I was a kid, I believe the time has finally come to just get out there and paddle!

 

[MarshallM]

Papa Bear, i have never ascended Webster Stream but have paddled down it 5 times with the last trip being about 15 years ago (so my experience is a little dated). BTW, it is a beautiful section of river.

A couple of things might conspire against you and make the trip up river a little challenging. First, the average river gradient on Webster Stream and the 1-mile canal below Telos Lake is not trivial for an upstream trip and secondly Webster Stream has a fair amount of ledge on the river bottom above Grand Pitch. The good news is that you have the BSP Freezeout hiking trail (not sure of current status) on river right that you should be able to use as a portage trail as a last resort.

The total drop from Telos Lake on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway to Grand Lake Matagamon is close to 290 feet. That is not much for a hiker, but you will earn every foot of that while poling, wading/dragging or tracking upstream. A river looks very different when going upstream.

My guess is that the section from Grand Pitch (falls) up above Indian Carry (class 3 rapids) will most likely be a portage as much of the drop is in this section.

Your best poling opportunities might be in any shallow rapids above Indian Carry up to Webster Lake and also the canal below Telos Lake.

Ledge, as you can imagine, is not the best river bottom to get a good pole plant on as it can be very slippery. You would want a good spike on your pole for this.

And of course, it goes without saying, that you would want to attempt this trip in fairly low water levels.

By all means, let us know how the trip went if you end up doing it.

Hope this helps,
marshall

 

[Papa Bear]

Papa Bear, i have never ascended Webster Stream but have paddled down it 5 times with the last trip being about 15 years ago (so my experience is a little dated). BTW, it is a beautiful section of river.

A couple of things might conspire against you and make the trip up river a little challenging. First, the average river gradient on Webster Stream and the 1-mile canal below Telos Lake is not trivial for an upstream trip and secondly Webster Stream has a fair amount of ledge on the river bottom above Grand Pitch. The good news is that you have the BSP Freezeout hiking trail (not sure of current status) on river right that you should be able to use as a portage trail as a last resort.

The total drop from Telos Lake on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway to Grand Lake Matagamon is close to 290 feet. That is not much for a hiker, but you will earn every foot of that while poling, wading/dragging or tracking upstream. A river looks very different when going upstream.

My guess is that the section from Grand Pitch (falls) up above Indian Carry (class 3 rapids) will most likely be a portage as much of the drop is in this section.

Your best poling opportunities might be in any shallow rapids above Indian Carry up to Webster Lake and also the canal below Telos Lake.

Ledge, as you can imagine, is not the best river bottom to get a good pole plant on as it can be very slippery. You would want a good spike on your pole for this.

And of course, it goes without saying, that you would want to attempt this trip in fairly low water levels.

By all means, let us know how the trip went if you end up doing it.

Hope this helps,
marshall

Thanks Marshall
It sounds like I should start my trek at Webster Lake, not Matagamon. The idea (just an idea) was to attach a water leg to the AT. Instead of the mostly road walk of the IAT through Maine, it seemed like the Allagash Wilderness Waterway was just saying "Hey this water course is way better than a road walk". And who knows how I would get further north towards the IAT in Quebec once I hit the St. John. There's always the St. Francis River, but there's another upstream endeavor, although hardly white water. Then there's how exactly to switch back to hiking mode. Quite a bit of logistics to put it mildly.

Again thanks. If I ever work out a real plan, I will let this forum know.

 

[Amicus]

For some time I've thought about getting up to the Allagash from Baxter State Park.

I just consulted the Northern Forest Canoe Trail maps I have for Maine. The NFCT traces an enticing route through the Rangeley Lakes and Falstaff, to Moosehead and from there, by the West Branch of the Penobscot, to Chesuncook Lake.

That is the beginning of Map 12, which offers three alternate routes north. The easternmost comes closest to Webster Lake, starting at Chamberlain Bridge on Telos Road and proceeding north through Chamberlain, Eagle and Churchill Lakes. This fine-looking map shows plenty of campsites on all three of the routes, as it does on Map 13 (most of which I have actually paddled, not just looked at).

 

[chinooktrail]

I just picked up maps 12 & 13 myself of the NFCT routes. They seem to have a good deal of information on them, but have not had the time to really read them through.

Still planning on purchasing the Gil Gilpatrick books also, never have enough info for a week or so trip!

Would you all suggest getting some USGS charts for the area as well?

I've been on Lake Umbagog at times where I litterally couldn't see the front tip of my own kayak... Like paddeling through cotton balls, the fog was so thick. The river is probably less likely to be this foggy, but you never know!

How about campsites and so on, are they easy to find? I figure I will try to figure out how far I can comfortably paddle in one day, and know that the winds seem to pick up substantially after 3pm. It is my understanding that you can reserve campsites, but what if you get to your reserved site and there is a party there already? This has happened to me twice on Umbagog, and it is just a real drag...

And finally, has anyone done a lot of paddeling with their dog? My dog is pretty small, 40#s, and learning how to swim, she is only one and a half years old. I've seen people with dogs in canoes of course, and occasionally in kayak cockpits. Right now I am considering bringing a canoe instead of the kayak, because it would be more comfortable and less like a backpack trip. (ok, I can eat way better food and have a few beers!)

Has anyone here done this trip alone? Another good reason for me to consider bringing my dog.

Thanks again, and happy trails!

 

[Amicus]

Would you all suggest getting some USGS charts for the area as well?

I can't see the need for those unless you plan to disembark and explore terra firma.

How about campsites and so on, are they easy to find? . . . . It is my understanding that you can reserve campsites, but what if you get to your reserved site and there is a party there already? This has happened to me twice on Umbagog, and it is just a real drag...

The campsites on the River were all right where Maps 12 and 13 showed them - couldn't miss them. News to me about reservations, however, which were not possible in 2006 on the River, at least. Strictly first-come, first-served, and one mildly annoying incident was paddling hard for our desired campsite on our first day, only to be overtaken about 500 yards from it by a group in motorized canoes (which I gather have become permissible only in recent years). There were two group campsites at that spot, however, and the other was about as good. That was not a busy weekend, maybe thanks to the blackfly specter, and on Day Two, we had the whole Allagash Falls site, a popular one which has many units, to ourselves.

Has anyone here done this trip alone? Another good reason for me to consider bringing my dog.

We shared our big van with a guy who was going to paddle the River solo for at least the second time, in a small canoe. We noticed that he picked a nice campsite for himself at around 2 in the afternoon, hours and many miles before we stopped.