Long Pond and Long Pond Mt

Another post ….  Clearly Bob

     So a friend of mine some time ago, after hearing me go on incessantly about camping trips, decided he wanted to get into it.  Being somewhat excessive – compulsive he dived into extensive research to gear up for his first trip. Before he knew it he had become one with his pieces of possible equipment.  He was having illusions  that he had actually become the MSR Whisperlight stove, or whatever.  Finally, he decided to consult a psychiatrist.  “Doc”, he told the doc, “It's gotten really bad.  Why just recently I truly felt I was a light weight backpacking dome tent and then a couple of minutes later I was a large family tent.  I'd go back and forth – dome tent, family tent.  It was awful.”   “Well”, said the psychiatrist, “your problem is obvious.  You're too tense”. 

     Sometimes you can't decide whether to go paddling or hiking.  Paddling, hiking.  Hiking, paddling. Don't have a breakdown.    Here's a day trip sure to be a tension tamer.  Long Pond and Long Pond Mountain are a nearby, complete backcountry experience.  But, you do have to portage about ¼ mile from the parking lot to the pond.  Which brings me, brace yourself, to my short rant about kayaks vs canoes.  I can appreciate that kayaks are probably very comfortable, the longer length models are fast, they don't have a lot of surface area (“windage” in nautical terminology) that can cause them to be pushed around by a cross wind, and are very good in those 3 to 5 foot breaking seas that are so common on small Adirondack ponds.  But there are many, very enticing trips around here that include portages between a literal stones throw  to over a mile in length.   (I can only think of one of the latter.)    A kayak, especially a common Tupperware type material one, is a huge pain to carry because of its weight.  There are certainly many routes that require either no portage or only a very short one or two.  But you're going to miss out many others.  That said,  you can still lug your kayak over the portage trail (almost all are in very good shape so using wheels may mitigate the pain) or, for a better option,  rent a light weight canoe for the day from a local outfitter. (St Regis Canoe Outfitters in Saranac Lake and on Floodwood Road at Floodwood Pond or Mac's right in Lake Clear.)

     To get to the parking lot drive south on route 30 from the Lodge.  The road goes  though a golf course and, shortly thereafter, make a right turn onto Floodwood Road.  There is a St Regis Canoe Outfitters sign there also.  (I'm told by my golfing couple friends that the Saranac Inn golf course is a very good one.  To me it looks -  well, simply very green.)  Stay on Floodwood Road for quite a while.  You'll pass several ponds along the way which will be mentioned in a future blog post.  Just past the railroad tracks (the same tracks that go past the Lodge) is the Outfitters shop – get your map!  About 1 mile past SRCO look for a turn off to the right and a NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) sign for Long Pond.  The good portage trail heads down to the pond.  Long Pond has a lot of  good, well spaced campsites.  We've camped there many times.   I remember on one trip watching a loon take off from the water.  It is the one and only time I've seen one in flight.  It took a very long runway for the loon to finally get in the air.  I've read that what makes the loon a good diver makes it  not such a good flier.   There are some sandy beaches for a post climb swim if you want.   Paddle down the length of the pond and pass through a narrower section after which the water is much wider.  Turn left and continue to a very narrow gap.  After passing through the gap turn to the right, paddle toward the far shore and look for the rectangular white “portage to Mountain Pond” on a tree.  Don't worry, you don't have to portage again. 

    This marks the beginning of the trail up Long Pond Mountain.  Stash your canoe away from where others may need to get off or on the water.  In 0.6 miles the trail brings you to Mountain Pond where you can be thankful you didn't have to carry even your light weight canoe this far.  The top is about a mile further and, since after all it is a mountain, there are some steep sections to the trail.  There is a rock with good views of Long Pond and many others.  Enjoy your lunch.   I'd recommend the free range, organic, natural chicken sandwich on wholegrain brick oven baked homemade with love bread.    Imported from China.