I put up a trip report on a late September trip to Bog River, Hitchins, Lowes, and Bog Lake. Here is the link:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/chipwalsh/ADK05/TR-Lows-Bog.htm
This brings up a couple of questions I have as a p-net newbe. Is this the place for TR’s? And is there a way to post links in a shorthand way (other than listing the whole URL)? I will appreciate any advice, or comments on the TR.
~~Chip Walsh, Gambrills, MD
Great Low’s TR !
Much enjoyed the report & excellent pix.
Low’s is one of my favorite local destinations especially combined w/ float down the Oswegatchie. What a hoot that would be w/ your 20 footer !
Portage to Osgewatchie
We had hoped to get over and check out the portage trail to the Osgewatchcie. The Wontonah doesn’t have a carry yoke, and even if it did, I’m not sure how practical it would be to carry. Could we get over that trail with the canoe on a cart?
~~Chip
?
I would not try it, but it is possible. You have obsticals, and could not just roll from end to end.
With sufficient time & patience …
most anything’s possible.
However, taking that 20 footer over the “carry” (not “Portage” in Adks)trail to the “Oswegatchie” River (not Osgewatchie or Osgewatchcie) would be a real struggle. Couldn’t quite tell from your pix if those are inflatable or solid wheels on your cart & I’ve almost no experience using one in any case, but think you could find an easier way to make the carry. Trail’s not hilly but it’s fairly narrow, w/ lots of roots to bounce over, & encroaching trailside brambles thanx to '95 microburst to avoid. Also an old beaverdam & blowdown to negotiate. Making tight turns w/ 2 axles & 20 ft load might get old. Besides, once @ river getting around the many (many) tight meanders would also detract from what would otherwise be a magnificent trip. My advice, for what it’s worth -definitely do the trip but w/ a different canoe. Enjoy.
Thanks
Good advice. Meanders not too big a problem, as the 20 footah is nimble enough once you lean her over. We took it on the Batso River in NJ this spring, a river where you often look to the side and see, through the brush, the boater in front or behind you going 180 degrees different direction than your boat. But the big boat doesn’t have a carry yoke and, even if it did, it would be a looonnngg 3.5 miles if you had to carry it.
The cart wheels are pneumatic rubber.
~~Chip
We tried to use a cart last year
when we did the trip… very nice cart, inflatable wheels, yadda yadda… it didn’t work though, at least in our case.
The problem is that when they cut many of the fallen trees, they cut openings wide enough to comfortably walk through, but not to wheel through. So we had to lift the canoe, wheels and all, over dozens and dozens of fallen trunks, even though the path itself is well cleared.
Barrier on Bog River
That barrier on the Bog River looks a lot like a barrier on the lower Yahara River not far from my home. In that case, the barrier blocked all but the center of the channel, and apparently this concentrated the current through the opening to provide power for a mill (I’m guessing that a paddle wheel was located at the opening in the barrier). In the area you describe, I suppose there might have been a sawmill in the past (I once found a gigantic bandsaw blade up in the Boundary Waters). I doubt that concentrating the current of a slow river to turn a paddle wheel could provide enough power to run a sawmill, but I bet it could run a pump to deliver water to a steam engine. This is pure conjecture on my part, but the human history of places like this always fascinates me.
By the way, that was a mighty fine trip report, and that looks like wonderful country for paddling. Thank you.
zzzzzap!
Mr. Low developed the dam for Hydro-electric generation.
I don’t think we are talking about the…
– Last Updated: Nov-30-05 9:39 PM EST –
... same thing. There's a picture of it in the trip report, along with the author's comment that its purpose is not known. Are you talking about an actual dam, or that thing that looks like a broken-down fence?