Anyone with experience on NFCT ? Is this a place for a Wee Lassie style canoe? Just thinking - dreaming - ahead several years.

I have no first hand experience but only heard good comments. The scenery is awesome. This is not the Canadian shield but both the Adirondaks and the Appalachians.

Now is it suitable for a wooden canoe? Why not!

If you plan on travelling this way... Just take a look north of the border: supersized canoe country.

I had in mind the 13 pound Savage River Wee Lassie - not a wooden canoe. Thinking my large CCS Pioneer and a 13 pound canoe would allow single portages.

740 miles - that would b e 60-70 days for me in the Q or BWCA. How different would the NFCT be?

Probably about the same especially with a 13 lbs canoe.

Besides, the trail crosses several communities and the trip style can be lighter on the hardship side compared to "regular" park canoeing. In some sections you can even find inns...

If you are looking for a remote wilderness experience then consider that civilisation quickly fades into not much just a few hundred miles up north.

I think the only thing that worries me about civilization is leaving my gear somewhere - like I do without a thought about it in the Q.

Looks like an interesting route.

Leaving your gear unattended is probably as safe as in the BWCA. In doubt, the safety measures to follow hiking the Appalachian Trail should be the same on the NFCT.

I once visited Goram, New Hampshire, and was amazed to see a glass jug full of money from tips left unattended by the side walk at the entrance of a cosy inn...

quote billconner: "Anyone with experience on NFCT ? Is this a place for a Wee Lassie style canoe? Just thinking - dreaming - ahead several years."

I think/dream about it too. The Wee Lassie would be tempting for the long portages. There's a combination of lakes, rivers (up and downstream) and long portages. The portion that I would be most concerned about would be Lake Champlain. I would want a canoe that would make me the least uncomfortable there. I thought I saw that the MN II is a popular boat for the trip (for 2 paddlers). Not great for the river sections but efficient for the long distances.

Yes, crossing Lac Champlain can be a challenge in a canoe of any size even if the route allows canoeing alongside shores most of the time.

Let me know if you do it. I would be glad to meet and Lac Champlain is only 1 hours from where I live. My parents used to have a cottage on the Baie Missisquoi and I have found memories of the mouth of the Missiquoi river, the Hog Island.

I was surprised when I checked outfitters that they had Souris River Tranquilities - since I can't find on in the US around BWCAW - or couldn't till Priagis added one. Even Joe at Redrock doesn't like them. I think the Tranq - perhaps with a cover from CCS - might be a good choice for me, since I liked it in the Q so much. I assume a Wee Lassie is about as slow as a canoe can be but 14 pounds?

I saw Champlain as a special challenge as well - and figured you just campout in Plattsburg until you have confidence of a couple of calm days. Plattsburg to Swanson is in the 30-35 mile range - so two longish days? Several options for camping - Knights Island looks especially interesting.

This is a couple of years away for me.

Sorry but I cannot be of much help for specific canoe models since I have limited experience with variety in canoes. In my neck of the wood outfitters usually offer 2 types: "Lake" fiberglass canoes and "White water" Royalex canoes. With brutes in the 75-85 lbs range, single portaging is mostly unknown of. You may end up finding exotic Royalex canoes but chances are slim they will carry several different models.

Wind conditions will dictate how much time is required to safely cross Lac Champlain. Factor in that you can be wind bound for several days.

It appears that most people use portage wheels on the NFCT, so I wouldn't get too hung up on the weight.

quote RAFA Ranger: "It appears that most people use portage wheels on the NFCT, so I wouldn't get too hung up on the weight."

I wondered about that. So the sight of someone with a solo Kevlar over their heads would be uncommon?

Some of the NFCT portages are cartable. Some are decidedly not. The Mud Pond Carry is a two mile long one foot wide ditch. People have tried carts, that is for sure.

Because of upstream travel and lining and sometimes poling, Royalex canoes predominate though its possible to use Kevlar for sure at good river levels.

I would take a Wee Lassie type of canoe on part of the NFCT. I live near the Maine segment and I have a Rapid Fire. I live close enough to watch Allagash water levels. If they are too low I would not take RF.

There are pictures of Rapid Fires on Lake Champlain at the Placid Boatworks home page.

A few years ago a gal did the NFCT in a Swifty rec kayak..that is until she got to the Allagash. She had to use another boat as the Swifty did not meet AWW length to width requirements ( some regulation that does not make sense to me)

Depends......what section are you interested in doing? I have a few done and could maybe help you.

We looked into this route some time ago....I think there are some sections w/ some major portages (ie miles)....that may help determine what boat you take...or....what route you take.

740 meals with 62 portages totaling 55 miles by the web site. One review talked about the hardest portage being around Raquette Lake - 1.3 miles. I figure it's at least 60 days so less than a mile a day on the average?

It is why it makes me think of the Savage River Wee Lassie at 12-13 pounds.

I live near the NFCT but have only done segments in Maine and New York. Raquette Falls isn't IMO the hardest carry (and its not near Raquette Lake). Granted it will get you thinking 20 lbs or less. Yah I have done it several times on ADK canoe trips.

The Mud Pond Carry at two miles is in Maine. So far I have avoided it :). For most double carrying it takes the whole day. One of the problems is resupply in some areas. Now the raison d'etre for the NFCT is to promote not only paddling but tourism in towns the "trail" passes through.

I got this topic and my yen for doing it back out of the freezer. Been reading the guidebook. Still seems tough to through in one solo canoe. I think is rather go very light and single portage, but just no experience to know if Kevlar solos are feasible for the whole thing, specifically and white water. I'm sure I'd portage/bushwhack around anything greater than class 2 and maybe even class 2. Just not my thing. So, current solo canoe thoughts?

Snap! Just added to my early retirement bucket list. Perhaps this will be done the year after I complete the northwest passage.

I recall seeing a video of some younger folks paddling the whole trail.
I can't find it, but here is a thru paddle video

I just joined the NFCT and got the guidebook. I can tell you from experience that below 1500 cfs on the Allagash below Churchill Dam is touchy for Kevlar. ( You can get a shuttle around Chase Rapids for a nominal fee. Ranger supplied)
So lets ignore Chase which is water release dependent. Churchill stops releasing at noon. After that you walk or get the shuttle.

river levels. Below 1500 sketchy for Kevlar

Its not so much rock gardens but gravel and small rocks that pop up. Not above class 2 white water.

I live near Umbagog-Allagash but know the Dead River the least. That is a whitewater run.

Look to blogs on the NFCT website. Laurie Chandler did it all in a Kevlar Canoe

I met her two weeks ago , what an unassuming persona.. you'd never know.
paddler blog

a tale