15 miles / 24 km Casey Road Access - Bakers Acres Campground
Cold and windy
Decision - Road or River
Due to the low water levels we have decided to use the road. It is a difficult decision and we analyse why.
We have paddled a lot in Canada and Scandinavia and in similar river and water conditions we would have chosen the river in those places. We feel happy as a single boat paddling up to Cl. II+ and if it is more difficult then we line or portage finding a way through the land on the banks. If it takes a long time, then we stop, make camp and continue the next day. Here in the US it is SO different. The land is private and we cannot just walk or camp at will. That is why we are choosing the road, for the certainty of reaching a permitted camping spot! Today our choices are Separator Rapids or Bakers Acres Campground. Bakers Acres is our goal.
It is cool, dry and windy today, not a bad day for doing a long road portage.
We are up at 6am and away by 7.30 am. At 8 am we are up on the tarmacked Casey Road and by 10.30 we reach the put in at Clayburg.
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We walked 4.5 miles today and that is not even included in the miles you have to portage to do the NFCT trail.
When the river came into view in Clayburg, we were glad of our decision to walk. The river was so shallow it was hardly possible to paddle and we scraped off loads of plastic coating from the bottom of the boat.
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Upstream view in Clayburg |
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Downstream view in Clayburg |
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En-route to Separator rapids |
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In no time we were at the take out for Separator Rapids. The first rapid was just not shootable. We contemplated getting in again below the rapid and paddling to and scouting the second drop but since we did not know if there was an official access to the second drop we portaged around as per the description. As we viewed the second drop from the road bridge we regretted not having taken the time to scout because there was an easy route river L at this water level.
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We scraped even more coating off the boat paddling down to High Falls Dam.
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During the portage along the Dam access road two large dogs circled us, barking , jumping and frightening us. The owner turned up later and assured us they would not bite but I think she should have been more in control of her dogs.
Another short paddle and around 4pm we landed at Bakers Acres. Sharon showed us to a site and we are now clean, the tent is pitched, our clothes are rinsed and hanging out to dry in a good drying wind. I hope the wind calms shortly as within two days we will be paddling on Lake Champlain.
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Approaching Bakers Acres |
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