Northville - Placid Trail

[Bob Smith]

I plan on backpacking the Piseco to Long Lake section of the Northville Placid Trail in August with a group of 15-16 year old scouts. Were planning on spending only 4 nights with a short hike into Long Lake for breakfast. Please help with any info on this section, please include swim spots, side hikes, fishing, etc.
By my calculations it's under 60 miles from the Town of Piseco. I'll take any and all advise.

Thanks

 

[stoopid]

60 miles over 5-6 days with 10-12 miles a day hiked is certainly reasonable, but I'd have more fun if I were a scout doing 4-6 miles a day with time to stop and fish, etc...

I haven't done that stretch, but I thought I'd share my little thought.

 

[woodstrider]

Northville/Placid Trail- Long Lake section

I've hiked that section- it' really beautiful and there are alot of lakes to swim in, but not "legally", unless you go off the trail to a beach with a lifeguard. But, personally, that's one of the best things abot this trail, besides it's great beauty, is the swimming oppurtunities. The river's tend to be too cold for my taste.
Happy Trails

 

[Bob Smith]

I agree on the part of taking our time but the boy's want to accomplish the 50 miler award and they have options of either water skiing or rock climbing back at base camp. We did the Placid to Long Lake section last year. Our group does a lot of hiking so the extra distance is not so bad. Were up and on the trail by 7 so we get a chance to kick back later in the day.
Is there another spot I could start with say 40 miles and end up in Long Lake?

 

[Rick]

Bob - Send me a PM with your email address and I will send you the trail data laid out with section miles and Cum miles in an Excel spreadsheet - You will find it extremely helpful with your planning.
Rick

 

[Holdstrong]

Hey Bob - sounds awesome. Planning a repeat trip of my own this year.

Here is my website with journal and pics from my last NP hike. May find some good info on the stretch of trail you will be doing.

Avatar12

 

[WBB]

While it is doable in 4 nights that would put you out of step with some of the very things you are asking about “swim spots, side hikes, fishing. etc.” We did Piseco to Waklely in 5 days with 3 of those being half days. Then the next summer we did Wakely to Long Lake in two days on our way to Averyville Rd. for our BSA 50 miler. While the 60 miles divided by 5 days seems reasonable the problem is that the nicest, and sometimes only, camp sites are not evenly spaced.
I think 5 nights/ 6 days would be a better plan, Spruce Lake #2 or #3, then Cedar Lake #1 the, next night, Wakely Dam, then Stephens Pond, and finally Tirrell Pond North. With the exception of Wakely Dam these are all very nice spots on water with good swimming as I don’t fish I can’t comment on that. The section between Piseco to Wakely should not be rushed, in my opinion this is the best part of the trail.

 

[nazdarovye]

Holdstrong - nice site; I enjoyed reading your trip journal.

I had to laugh, reading about the little detour you took between Tirrell Pond and Long Lake Village - I did *exactly* the same thing this past October, except Southbound.

I must have missed the detour on the northern side of the meadow, and went through it and across the collapsed bridge, then came to a weird junction that was aggressively posted to make me think I needed to head off the trail. I did...and about twenty minutes later popped back out on the trail near the northern end of the meadow. Doh! Fortunately I caught it right there and sped back across the meadow and bridge and still made it to Tirrell Pond by dusk.

I think they've got a signage problem there!

 

[lumberzac]

It all depends on how fast everyone hikes. A friend and myself did the entire trail in 9 days. We generally left camp and headed on the trail be 7 or 8 most mornings and got to the next camp around 2 or 3 in the afternoon. We didn’t do any of the side trips but did stop to do some fishing. We had good luck fishing at Sampson Bog stream and at Cedar Lakes where the trail first meets the lake. The only section I didn’t really enjoy hiking was the section from Wakely Dam to Sephens Pond. I didn’t like hiking on the road.

Look for my trip report titled "Northville - Placid Trail 8/29/03 - 9/7/03 Trip Report" in the Trips & Events section on this site.

 

[TCOZCO]

I've hiked the section you chose and I'm also an ASM for a troop in upstate. My only suggestion is to seriously look at the section you chose. Are you aware of all the road miles? Before arriving at Wakely Dam you walk 1.5 miles on dirt road. After Wakely you walk approximately seven miles on dirt and paved road.
Have you considered hiking from Upper Benson to Wakely? You'd only have 2-3 miles on roads. I'm not sure of the total distance but I'd bet its 50 miles.

 

[iceNsnow]

Long Lake to Placid

If anyone is interested in doing a key swap some day this spring (when the snow moves to higher elevations, of course), please contact me.

Thanks!

 

[rtrimarc]

N-P trail

Two of us will be doing the trail from south to North in early October. All advice(and company) will be appreciated. Rick, thanks for the spreadsheet, i am finding it very helpful for use in planning. My one question is bear avoidance. Has anyone used a canister? I never have. I have concerns obviously about the added weight, but it seems the only foolproof method of securing days worth of food.

Any suggestions? I know that competently hanging a bag should be ok, but if we mess up, or meet Yogi we are hosed. I have also heard rumors of a new 1 pound canister, but have seen no info on that yet.

RVT

 

[Rick]

RVT,

I wouldn't worry so much about Bears - THe NLP is nothing like Marcy dam or Flowed Lands - The bears are really trained to look to humans for food.

I was fine with 50' feet of bearbag rope on both trips through, though my thruhikes were '91 and '95.

I did BP UB to Piseco in 2001 and then maintained a couple of Lean-tos on the Ward Brook Truck Trail in the Mid-90's, not far from Duck Hole, but bears were the least of any worries.

Good luck
Rick

 

[Rick]

Tcozco,
Right on !!!! UB to Wakely Dam is 57 miles.

 

[rtrimarc]

N-P Bears

Ok, Rick thanks. What were your worries?! We will probably go with hanging an Ursack. Mostly to keep the red squirrles and chipmunks out!

We chose a fall trip for fewer bugs, less heat, and less mud.
i have done a few sections in July, and both the heat and skeeters were unbearable. I would rather bring my warmer 20 degree bag than deal with those issues. Hopefully the crowds will be down too and there still still be some foliage to peek at.

We are very much looking forward to this trip.

Again, thanks all for your advice

 

[Rick]

I should restate that- I didn't have any REAL worries in my hikes other than the mosquitoes, no-see-ums & midges were pretty brutal in June/July, whereas I hadn't recalled any insects in September, 91.

In fact, in '95, they were biting through my shirt and the only pants I had were rainpants, which were hot, but as soon as I slathered the deet lotion on, the rain or sweat washed it away. I ended up picking up an aerosol can of Off and twice daily I sprayed my clothes and legs that worked well.

My biggest problem in '95 was that parts of the trail had not been brushed out in a while - Perhaps a couple of years. After a day of of solid rain, I thought I would dry out but thenext day, I had to go about 6 miles pushing through soaking wet overgrowth between Piseco and West Canada Lakes. I was wetter than I was from the rain the day before.

It then rained straight for 2 more days, the sun finally peaked out at Wakley Dam, where I spread all my earthly belongings out to dry in the sun before I started my roadwalk on now broiling pavement.

It may sound like complaining here, but I love that trail and I hold it as well as the fond memories dear.

 

[Bob Smith]

WOW! I got alot of replys, I was at the Yankee home opener yesterday and had not checked back until today. Rick, I'll send you PM and thanks. Holdstrong I printed your trip report(It's Great!) Thanks again

 

[Holdstrong]

I was at the Yankee home opener yesterday

Oh I'm jealous.... Javy pitched a gem.

I'm glad ya liked the site - I'm really looking forward to doing the next one

 

[erd]

Re: N-P Bears

A friend & I did the Northville-Placid trail in 2003. You may view the trip record at:

http://www.wilsey.net/Northville/index.htm

We had not one, but two Ursacks destroyed at Duck Hole by an especially energetic and accomplished bear. In defence of the Ursack, we were not using their odor barrier bags and they have also redesigned the section of the bag that failed in this case, but the northern end of the trail does seem to be having some problems with the infamous High Peaks bruins. Had this occurred earlier, we could have had a hungry time of it. As it was, we merely missed breakfast and lunch and had a good story out of it.

Ted.

Ok, Rick thanks. What were your worries?! We will probably go with hanging an Ursack. Mostly to keep the red squirrles and chipmunks out!

We chose a fall trip for fewer bugs, less heat, and less mud.
i have done a few sections in July, and both the heat and skeeters were unbearable. I would rather bring my warmer 20 degree bag than deal with those issues. Hopefully the crowds will be down too and there still still be some foliage to peek at.

We are very much looking forward to this trip.

Again, thanks all for your advice

 

[rtrimarc]

Ursack

erd,

Were the Ursacks hung up like a normal bear bag, or were they left on the ground like a canister. We will hang the Ursacks and hope they would stand up to a bear if we failed to hang them appropriately. Just a 2nd line of defense.

Thanks for the input. As October gets closer, i am sure i will have many more questions.

Rob