Just when you think you've seen everything. . .

[J&J]

We headed up the Ammonoosuc Ravine trail to hike Mt Monroe on Sunday July 17. As we gained some altitude, people were telling us that we'd be catching up to the canoe soon. We weren't sure what they were talking about.

When we were nearing the brink near the hut, we happened to spot on the skyline what they were talking about. There was an aluminum canoe being hauled up the Ammo trail!

As we later found out, it was the Dartmouth Outing Club hauling a canoe up to the lower lake to go canoeing. One guy told me they've been doing it for anywhere from 5 to 15 years, he wasn't quite sure. They all took turns having a paddle about the lake. There were about 20 or so guys and gals participating in this fun event.

From there they were going to carry the canoe up to the summit of Washington where they would have a truck haul it down and back to the van at the Ammo parking lot. Talk about a rough portage!

 

[NewHampshire]

Hmmm, maybe I should take my Coleman Scanoe on up there for a paddle..............................OMG what am I, CRAZY!!!!
Hilarious though!
Brian

 

[David Metsky]

Ah, the 5th or so re-enactment of the Bicentenial Portage.

The first version of this was in 1976 to celebrate the Bicentenial and it has been done periodically ever since. I was marginally involved in a few, but never as a canoe carrier. One year a USFS ranger was threatening to arrest them but couldn't come up with a reason why stupidity was a crime. They did prevent them from paddling in the lakes that year. One of the Lakes croo photos was taken in the boat.

The first one had two boats, most years have only used one. It's been done by as many as 20+ people, and as few as 4.

The name Schlitz is from the movie "Schlitz on Mt Washington", a great skiing film that you can buy from the New England Ski Museum. It's shown at Moosilauke during Freshman Trips and is a ripping yarn. The old boat was the S.S. Pussbag, but it appears to have been retired. It also sported a bumper sticker. Both boats were used by the Dartmouth Forestry teams.

In response to the first Bicentenial Portage, Ed McNeirny '80 decided to do a full Presidential Portage in 1977, having arrived at Dartmouth too late for the previous year's festivities. With a light kayak, he hiked up and paddled in Star Lake, Lakes of the Clouds, and Saco Lake, on an epic dayhike.

-dave-

 

[Heather]

That is Awsome.

 

[poison ivy]

Here I am cutting ounces out of my pack and there's a group carrying a canoe up Mt. Washington! Great story!

Thanks to Dave too for sharing the history behind this.

- Ivy

 

[spencer]

I didn't go on either of the 2 portages during my time, but Joanna did. She had a grand old time.

The Schlitz is indeed a beast. That boat has taken a beating and still goes strong, although the mid section isn't even close to symmetrical.

Here are a bunch more pictures. Use the drop-down box to select from the pictures for "Mt. Washington Portage Spring 2000" - note the ice!

spencer

 

[JohnL]

Last summer we met a group going up Ammo who took one (or two?) small inflatable boats and paddled around Gem Pool. Not sure if they went on up the Lakes or not. If I remember tonight, I'll drag out a couple photos of the boats in Gem Pool.

JohnL

 

[MichaelJ]

Next time someone tells me *I'm* crazy I'm going to point them this way...

 

[Artex]

That's cool! I bet it was quite a workout hauling it up there. Neat!

 

[1ADAM12]

That is pretty cool!!!! How big is the lake? I have never been up there but you would think they would carry a lighter canoe although with an older aluminum you would not have to worry about wrecking it. OH YEAH....Where are their lifejackets......

 

[David Metsky]

That is pretty cool!!!! How big is the lake?

Not very big, just an acre or so. It's also very shallow in most spots, you can stand so not much call for lifejackets. Although they have been carried on some trips.

I have never been up there but you would think they would carry a lighter canoe although with an older aluminum you would not have to worry about wrecking it.

The canoes get pretty beat up on the trip, lots of slamming into rocks, the occasional fall, trees and roots down lower, it's not pretty. A light boat would be easier, but might not be pondworthy by the time you reached Lakes. We use those aluminum canoes for the forestry team portage events so they've seen all sorts of abuse.

Besides, aluminium canoes sound great in a rainy portage.

-dave-

 

[shizzmac]

And people laugh at me because of all the beer that I bring on trips. Thats like hauling a keg up a mountain!

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Makes me think of an attempt I made on Washington a few years back. We made it up Boott Spur in light rain, a stiff breeze and thick, one-cairn-ahead fog before we called it quits. I checked the weather report from the Obs the next day, and the observer remarked about the fog having been thick enough "to float a canoe". "Damn", says I. "I knew I'd forgotten something".

 

[TrekMan]

Dartmouth-ians

It may not top-a-canoe, but it was also something coming out of Hanover. Last Labor Day we were at Greenleaf and saw some unusual backpack attachments and hiking clothes. I had to ask. The girls were upper classmen helping on the freshman initiation outing. They set up a lemonade stand on the top of Franconia Ridge Trail. This explains the full size solid wooden TV tray!!