I’m thinking I might try to enter the ADK 90 next fall.
I understand that even non competitive paddlers must make the cutoff each day. I wonder if anybody can tell me what the cutoff distance and time from the start is each day?
Thanks,
Tommy
I am on the road today, and have that
– Last Updated: Jul-29-09 10:35 AM EST –
info at home.
If someone doesn't hop in here with it, I'll let you know either tonight or tomorrow.
If you want an experience that you will want to keep coming back to, I highly recommend it.
[http://thumb10.webshots.net/t/75/75/5/67/90/2199567900088080270qGdvBH_th.jpg](http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2199567900088080270qGdvBH)
That is our boat in the forground
[http://thumb10.webshots.net/t/64/664/0/78/0/2907078000088080270bDDwsI_th.jpg](http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2907078000088080270bDDwsI)
C-1 racing on the start line with Minn-4 class on deck. - That is Bill Millers crew.
Unless you are a real slow lilly dipper you won't have any problem with the cut-off time.
It is the portages that I have a love/ hate relationship with. You look forward to them for the break they give you, and then after climbing for a mile over boulders, stumps and logs on a mountain "goat path" you can hardly wait to get back in the water.
Cheers,
JackL
Not that bad
Tommy,
Enter in Open Touring class. That is the non competitive division. They start in the first wave every day to have the maximum time to complete the course.
On the first day there are several cut-off points and they separate the totally unfit paddlers before they get way into the wilderness where extracting them from the course gets difficult.
Going solo is a tough way to do your first 90 Miler. You need to have your gear rigged so you can manage everything in one trip over the portages. Going back to double carry will eat up too much time. You will walk an extra 6 miles on the first day alone.
Practice portaging, walk around your neighborhood with your canoe and gear. Practice getting out and rigging your yoke. Practice taking the yoke out and getting into your boat quickly. With 250 boats using the same trails and put-ins it gets crowded.
Like Jack, I have a bunch of old Paddlers Guides at home. They list the cut-off points and times for each day. The first day is the worst day, its 37miles from Old Forge to Blue Mountain Lake beach. You have small lakes, big lakes, tight streams, and a very rough carry. You need to be able to do this in about 9 hours, and around 8 is much better. Anything slower and you won’t have a safety margin for bad weather or delays on the carry trails, or equipment malfunction.
Best way to start is to try to land a seat in a C-4 or War Canoe. Then you won’t have to worry about logistics as much and can see what it takes. War canoes can run with 6 or more and many times at the start line teams are looking for paddlers to fill in seats. Most of the war canoes are set for 8 to 10 paddlers as a full crew and some run just the minimum six with empty seats.
Any other questions feel free to email me. Being over 60 now and having run it 13 times in 5 different classes, i have a pretty good idea what it takes to survive" 90 miles of hard work and 90 miles of water, 90 miles of family and friends" (from the official song written and recorded by a longtime paddler).
Bill
Would you believe
I just came in the door from Lowes, and was listening to it on the way back.
It keeps me psyched up!
We listen to it on the way to all the races, and going to and from training.
cheers,
jackl
Charlie’s Chant+
Jack,
What keeps us going when its hot and we are bone tired is remembering Charlie’s little chant that spurred us on…ice cold beer,ICE COLD BEER,.
Bill
ADK 90 miler
So about what time do they start arriving at Blue Mountain Lake Beach on Friday afternoon?
Adk canoe Classic Day #1
It’s about a 6 hr paddle from Old Forge to BML beach if you’ve a fast craft & fitess level to make it go
finish line times
The first wave start time is 8am. But often there is fog delay at Old Forge and the start is delayed. Taking Glen L’s 6 hour time for the fastest boats and an 8am start, the first boats should be coming in around 2pm. I am usually somewhere on the Marion River about then, with miles to go.
Open touring class with 8 to 9 hours on the water will still be coming to the finish line at 5pm. Even though i have done this 13 times i could not tell you without looking at the results when i finished at Blue Mountain Lake. Fatigue wipes out memory.
Bill
Cut-off times
I had to do some searching and found them for 2004.
I assume they are about the same still.
-Day one: is 3:00 pm at the Raquette Lake Bridge and 4:30 Pm at the Marion river Carry
-Day two: 1:00 Pm at the entrance to the Raquette River at the end of Long Lake and 3:30 Pm at Axton landing (just past Stoney Creek which is about six miles down river from the put in after the Raquette Falls carry)
-Day three: Evidently there is no cut off
After all day three is only 22 miles and I guess they figure any of us lilly dippers should be able to do that before midnight !
Cheers,
JackL
BML Finish times
Thanks for the info I will be spending the week paddling in the Daks out of a base camp on Lake Abanankee and will catch the Friday arrival at BML.
Gary
what’s your itinerary ?
Gary
Where are you planning to paddle in the Adks ?
There’s some good paddling witin range of L Abanakee but IMO best places are to the N. Enjoy !
what's your itinerary ?<br />I'm planning on paddling Abanankee, The southern end of Indian Lake, Lake Adirondack (I know it's kind of small). I may take a run over to Blue Mountain plus I want to go up to Newcomb to check things out ther. I'll be kayaking.<br />
Gary
90 mile support crew
I’ve done the 90 twice in tandem canoe in Open Touring. One of the things you need to think about when planning to do the race is the driving/ camping logistics. The camp grounds are not close to the end of each days race. My support crew broke camp and found the space at the next campground while we were racing. They also met us at some points along the way to refill our drinks and give us encouragement. They also drove all the cars to the right places. My crew is just the best and make the race very fun and easier. I was lucky to get in with a great group of people.
Pit Crews
Yes indeed they are important. Without the old gear truck and shuttle buses, it is almost impossible to go unsupported.
Having a good pit crew is as essential as having the right boat. A good reason for a first timer to get into a long boat team with an established crew to learn the logistics and to have a pit crew member of your own along to learn the pit crew trade from an established team.
My original pit crew learned the first couple years by tagging along with people we met who were experienced. And they were nice enough to show my crew the essentials, like where to go to find us on the portages the first day, and what bridges to see us go by, and where to find the next nights campsite.
Take really good care of your pit crew, buy them the official pit crew Tee shirts, take them to dinner when you recover, let them stay Sunday night to relax before the drive home, whatever it takes to keep them coming back. Make sure they know they are appreciated!
Bill
Pit Crews
I couldn’t agree more on the importance of a good pit crew.
I sent in for the 90 miler, whether I’m in or not is yet to be determined. This will be my first go at it, solo canoe. My wife has agreed to be my pit crew. She did an outstanding job at my first ever 24hr mountain bike race last year. Such a great job we won the darn thing. There is no way I could have done that without her support. We understand that and realizes that we are a team, even though I’m the one racing.
It is truly a team effort and we must praise and thank our pit crews. Oh, I got her the shirt.
Can’t wait to here the news if I’m in or not. Got to start training soon, lol.
Mike
You C-1 paddlers are my heros !
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that has got to be the hardest boat to race.
Probably the easiest to portage, but to face the wind challenge on some of those large lakes has got to be a bear!
We are also eagerly awaiting to hear if we are in, and if we are, we have the best pit crew in the world with Red Cross Randy and his lovely wife Patty.
If you are in C-1 racing and start behind the C-2 stock as they usually do, we'll be cheering for you as you come flying by us each day.
cheers,
jackL
I’m in
I just checked the list on the website, I’m in! C1 Stock Masters, no race guy here. Just like to paddle long ways at a nice steady pace.
Actually I did a solo trip up there this weekend. Put on at the dock at Mountainman on the Middle Moose Friday wee early and headed north. Pretty much rained all day. My plan was to go to Utawana and camp at the Lean-to, since there was no campsites beyond that. Figured that would give me a good idea as to what time I should expect for day 1 of the race. I got to the portage from the Marion River to Utawana and there were 4 Grummans with a group of young people unloading. I asked where they were headed and they said The Lean-to. Now being solo and quite efficient at portaging I could have easily got there first, but kindly said enjoy the evening and turned around back down the Marion. Camped at the mouth of the Marion at Raquette Lake. No record pace for sure, but I covered the distance and felt pretty good. And that was with 3 days worth of food and full gear, and in the rain, and with a slower heavier boat. I didn’t want to bust out all my tricks on the first trip.
Saturday I paddled back down to my truck at Mountainman, against a nice strong head wind from Seventh on down. And some decent chop and wakes. Again, not a very fast pace by no means. I don’t expect to win any prizes, just happy that I am able to do it.
All was good!