R-2016-9-15
Start:
Campsite on Flagstaff Lake
End:
Put-in at the start of Spencer Stream.
There’s a picnic table and fire ring and “no camping” signs
everywhere. I think I’m fine on account
of it being the Thursday after Labor Day and being in the middle of
snowmobiling trails, but I pitched my tarp in the woods and covered Dieter in
brush, just to be safe.
Map: 9
On the
Way: Flagstaff Lake, Long Falls Dam, Dead River, Grand
Falls, Spencer Stream
Miles:
20.5. Milepost: 478.5. At least 5/8 done!
Weather: A bit cloudy in the AM, all clear now!
Hard to imagine that I’ll be at my last Post-Drop, in
Jackman, ME, in less than 2 days. I’ll be
able to dump some of the stuff that’s no longer useful, like my dead camera,
and get some really cozy clothes. Also,
don’t know how to where but I’ve managed to lose my nice ½ finger paddling
gloves. Guess there’s no time like now
for getting some quality paddling calluses.
I also have some full neoprene gloves in my box that would do, if a
little overkill.
Today’s paddle was one of the first where I didn’t see
another living soul. Maybe the
first? I haven’t been keeping track, and
it frankly didn’t even occur to me until I stopped to think about it. Let’s hope it stays that way, rather than
ruining the tranquility with a chewing-out and a forced move from a hut
warden. I think the reason they’re so
uppity about the camping is that about a mile away, there’s a snazzy hut run by
the Main Huts and Trails system. It
sounds great on paper: It’s a cabin with bunkrooms and showers and dinner and
breakfast included, plus booze and desserts for sale. It’s like a modern-day answer to the Sport
Camps of old. In practice, I’ve been
told it’s $95/night. Yowza. I could stay in a hotel all weekend for
that. I guess it’s the location, and an
example of scarcity economics in action.
But I’m curious: I might stroll down there in the morning and see if I
can snag some breakfast leftovers or coffee and see the place. I’ll have to lie and say I stayed along the
Spencer Stream, though, and not this nest of notoriety and stern signage that
I’m currently occupying.
I’m sooo rich in food right now. No more buying: It’ll be an exercise in using
what I have. Plus it’s sooo heavy. Gotta learn to lighten up for future
backpacking.
Things
Learned:
+ Don’t stuff yourself at lunchtime. No matter how tasty those sesame sticks are,
it leads to some indigestive paddling.
+ Grand Falls. They
were Grand.
 |
| Grand Falls. They were Grand. They're not the tallest falls on the Trail: Allagash Falls are 40 feet tall, which these are 30. But they're still pretty spectacular. |
Trail
Magic:
+ Lovely patch of whitewater coming on to the Dead River! It was a nice chute, followed up by six miles
of wide and glassy quickwater. Really
nice.
+ LAST BIT of upstream paddle tomorrow! Well, last significant bit. Hoo-rah.
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