LOCALadk Magazine
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34 Summer 2017 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk Rich and Harris Lake... and beyond Having paddled every route in Dave Cilley's Adirondack Paddler's Guide, I was excited for new accompaniments in the 3rd Edition, including the section from Rich Lake to Harris Lake. A side trip up Fishing Brook is also described in Phil Brown's Adirondack Paddling, another fantastic resource for this route. Rich and Harris Lake lie just outside the town of Newcomb, with Harris Lake visible from Route 28N and Rich Lake tucked far enough away from the road for a passerby to be unaware of its presence. On a sunny July day my paddling partner, Nick, and I arrived at the parking area for Rich Lake. After a short carry to the water, we were greeted by one of the most magnificent beaches in the Adirondacks. The temperatures that day were slated to climb into the upper 80s, and it was already hot for an Adirondack morning. The temptation to go for a quick dip was quite strong. However, we were meeting another friend, Dylan, in a few short hours, and we didn't want to shortchange our time exploring Fishing Brook. Within 20 minutes we had reached the head of the lake and were soon navigating the twists and turns of Rich Lake Marsh, choosing the wider of two distinct channels on the way upstream. We encountered a few beaver dams, but since the By Tyler Merriam Have you ever driven one of the main roads in the Adirondacks for years, only one day to discover a gem that has been there the whole time, hidden just a few hundred feet from the pavement? How about a time when you spent the afternoon exploring remote side roads of the park and stumbled across a beautiful body of water, a superb mountain view, or a pristine waterfall? I hope you've felt the excitement of such a find, complete with the curiosity to learn more and the anticipation of bringing an adventure buddy back to experience it with you. The waterways around Rich and Harris Lake and the meandering flows of the Oswegatchie West Branch provide many opportunities for such discoveries. The Path Less Paddled Johnathan Esper