Outfitter Publishes 2 New Maps For Paddlers

St. Regis Canoe Outfitters recently published two full-color, waterproof maps for paddlers: “The Whitney Wilderness” and “The Raquette River.”

Both are a convenient size—24 inches by 18 inches—and fold up like a brochure. The scale for both is 1:50,000. Though less detailed than U.S. Geographical Survey topo maps, they are more than adequate for paddlers.

The maps show roads, parking areas, put-ins, campsites, lean-tos, and carry and hiking trails as well as natural features such as summits, wetlands, and, of course, waterways. Forest Preserve tracts are shaded green, whereas private lands are shown in white.

The first map shows the William C. Whitney Wilderness on one side, including Little Tupper Lake, Rock Pond, and Lake Lila. Also shown are Round Lake, most of Lows Lake, the Bog River, Hitchins Pond, Horseshoe Pond, and the southern end of Tupper Lake. The flip side shows all of Lows Lake and Cranberry Lake.

You could use this map to paddle the 50-mile Whitney Wilderness Circuit. Starting at Little Tupper, you can paddle to Rock Pond and thence, via a mix of portaging and paddling, continue to Lake Lila, Lows Lake, Hitchins Pond, the Bog River, Round Lake, and back to Little Tupper. The trip entails 17 or more carries.

The second map shows the Raquette River from Raquette Lake to Tupper Lake. Other water bodies include Blue Mountain Lake, Eagle Lake, Utowana Lake, Forked Lake, the Sargent Ponds, Long Lake, Stony Creek Ponds, and Follensby Pond.

You could use this map for the popular canoe trip from Long Lake to Tupper Lake. If you are really gung-ho, you could put in on Blue Mountain Lake, paddle to Raquette Lake, take the Raquette River to Tupper Lake, cross Tupper to the Bog River, and then use the other map to navigate the Whitney Wilderness Circuit. You may be the first to do it!

Both maps sell for $9.95.

St. Regis Canoe Outfitters also has updated its “Adirondack Paddler’s Map North.” It is the same scale as the new maps but covers a greater area and hence is four times as large. The map encompasses the Saranac Lakes, St. Regis Canoe Area, Whitney Wilderness, Raquette River, Cranberry Lake, and much more. It sells for $19.95.

The big map is great for planning trips, though you might find it a bit bulky to wield in a canoe. You can do it, but if you’re planning to paddle in just one area, a smaller map is more convenient. St. Regis Canoe Outfitters also publishes small maps for the St. Regis Canoe Area and the Saranac Lakes.