Millinocket Carry
An Extraordinary Adventure in the Northern Reaches of Maine's Backcountry
A friend and I recently headed out into Maine's backcountry on a "canoeing" trip that was inspired by a traditional, but long forgotten, route that we learned about in a publication by Ron Canter. The journey promised to include lots of upstream travel; difficult portages, including bushwacking with the canoe and a questionable treck through a marsh; and of course the infamous Maine black flies, which with the suddenly and unseasonable warm weather, were beginning to show themselves in force. But the challenges were all just a part of, and enhanced, the adventures! I went from thinking "OMG, can we do this?!" to thinking "OK what is the best way for us to get around this challenge?" Below is a pictoral and spatial documentation of our epic journey.
Millinocket Carry-Overview
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Hmm... we can’t seem to find the map
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And we're off!
We put in near Matagamon Gate in Baxter State Park, and headed north on Great Lake Matagamon.
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East Penobscot River
At the north end of the lake, we headed upstream on the East Penobscot.
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First Portage!
As we headed up the river, we very quickly came upon our first challenge, and unnavigable falls. Neither the right nor left bank looked particularly hospitable for lining the canoe, so we portaged around, through the trees, over a backwater, along and old road, and back over the bank through the trees to the river.
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Truth...
There's the pretty picures, and there's the reality of this trip...
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Log Jam!
As we approached this monstrosity of downed trees across the river, it seemed rather daunting and impossible to get across/around with the canoe, but we found a way!
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Log Jam Conquered!
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Trekking Upstream
There was lots of this... exhausting on the legs, fighting the current dragging through the water upstream. Here it's only knee-deep, but as often as not was thigh- or even waist-deep.
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Trail Detritus!
Accumulated rather a lot of detritus along our way of paddling and portaging through tight spots!
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Dubious Campsite Ledges
A former campsite from days gone by, no longer actually a campsite in any way, but that didn't stop us from making good use of the ledge by the falls that we named "Dubious Campsite Ledges." Found just enough flat-ish ground for our tents, and there was a nice spot overlooking the falls for cooking up a late dinner before crashing hard to our respective tents.
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Evidence of the long-forgotten campsite
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First Challenge of Day 2
To get the canoe up the bank from the river! Though rather easily accomplished (relatively speaking).
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Woodland flowers along our portage
Stopped to enjoy the flowers as we tried to figure out our route bushwhacking through the woods, on our ~0.6-mile portage.
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Through the Woods We Go!
Just with gear this trip, then went back for the canoe.
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Finishing Dubious Portage
At the end of the crazy-difficult portage, connecting to some open water through a marsh, the easiest route was UNDER the logging road! (All those specks that look like dust? Those are black flies!)
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Ahhh...
To be paddling again was heavenly (even if only for 1.5 miles)!
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Heart-Shaped Pond Marsh
It was quite the pretty marsh. We kept scaring away but then coming upon again a pair of ducks.
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Our "trail" ( or lack of) through the marsh
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Rest Stop on Huber Road
After a LOOOONG day, we decided to push on another 1.5 miles to Moose Pond, with our gear, and go back for the canoe (left at the marsh) the next day. A breif food/water/sitting break was just enough to keep us going after navigating and buskwhacking through the woods from the marsh to the old logging road. We were SOOOO tired!
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Moose Pond
The marsh just east of Moose Pond, by campsite where we tented for the night. The peepers were crazy loud, but enjoyed their chorus, and was so tired the ear-piercing chorus did nothing to keep me awake!
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Night 2 Campsite by Moose Pond
Chris carried the canoe on our long portage, while I found our route through the woods and led the way. But I definitely got the better deal, so I figured the least I could do was to gather and saw wood for, and build, a campfire for the evening.
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Another Bushwhacking Portage with the Canoe
The next morning, it's a return to the marsh to carry the canoe to Moose Pond.
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Woodsy Portage
Carrying a canoe through thick woods with no trail is quite the challenge - the long boat and close-together trees does not make for easy turning!
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Trillium
Most of them were just beginning to bud, but I found one trillium that had already bloomed!
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Entering Millinocket Lake from Little Millinocket Lake
We had portaged the canoe in a remarkably short time that morning, and were back on the water by 10:30 AM.
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Lunch Stop
Once we were back paddling on lakes, and with little breeze, it was pretty smooth sailing. Moose Pond to Little Millinocket Lake, to this gravel bar on Millinocket Lake for a lunch break.
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Post-Portage around Millinocket Dam
There was actally a TRAIL (a snowmobile trail) on which we could portage around the dam!
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Campsite Day 3
After a bit more upstream paddling/wading/lining on Millimigassett Stream, we spent out last night at an actual, official, campsite! On an island in Millimagassett Lake.
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Lake Afternoon on Millimagassett Lake
View from our island campsite the 3rd and last night.