LOCALadk Magazine

Bill Frazer launching his way down the non-stop ledges of John's Brook Photo by Matt Young well before the day's first rapids. Paddling for these two has become a family affair, as their daughter Carly has become an ambitious paddler as well. The Sacandaga region A drive into the Sacandaga region can be like stepping back in time. Far away from any major highway, and not being a draw for typical Adirondack tourists, paddlers can find a zone where they can roam freely. It is where you'll find legendary Adirondack paddler Mike Feldman. He considers this drainage his own. He knows every single nook and cranny of the place, and even employs the use of specific craft like an inflatable kayak called a "ducky" to extend his paddling options in his area. If you ask him, he says he loves this area because most of the time when he gets to a river there is not another soul there. But don't mistake this attitude for exclusivity; Mike would love it if you came to paddle with him. This drainage has a little something for everyone. There is a classic big volume run on the East Branch, a short hike-in wilderness style run on the Upper East Branch, and a casual, incredibly enjoyable hike-up creek run called County Line Creek. These runs can all 20 LOCALadk Magazine Spring 2013 be paddled separately, but with a little bit of flat water, and the chance to run a fairly intimidating section called Griffon gorge, they can be combined into one incredible single day of paddling. There are two other stretches of river in this area that boast some of the most reliable flows in the whole Park. They are seldom traveled due to the presence of several mandatory portages and one massive shuttle, but they are worth exploring when many of the other rivers in the park have dropped out. The West Branch Gorge on the Sacandaga is a full day mission with a 40-mile one-way trip back to the car when you're done. The river is mellow to begin, flows through some spectacular rapids as the walls close in, and then the portage begins. This stretch is about the experience not the glory. The wilderness along the West Branch gorge is awe inspiring and unmatched by other rivers in the park. The Middle Branch of the Sacandaga is a favorite amongst commercial rafting guides working on the Hudson as an after work springtime run. There are some fun rapids leading up to the seldom run, consequential Austin Falls, flat water beyond, and then things ramp up again as the river gets close to the cascading, always portaged Auger Falls.

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