Page 12 - Aug_2014

Northern Forest

Canoe Trail

Still loving it after 740 miles & 28 soggy days

By Phyl Newbeck & Zach Despart

Addison resident Peter Macfarlane, top, spent 28 days paddling the 740-mile trail, which goes from Old Forge, N.Y., through Vermont and New Hampshire and into northern Maine.

Photos courtesy of Peter Macfarlane
W
hitewater,flat water, up- The proprietor of Otter Creek fact that Macfarlane had just turned 50, food supply at the midway point when
stream, downstream, and Smallcraft in Vergennes, Macfarlane giving him the opportunity to celebrate he rendezvoused (and fiddled) with his
portaging. If your ideal pad- said a love of traveling under his own a milestone.
support team. He was able to single-

dling trip involves all of the above power was the impetus for heading out Macfarlane took 28 days (27 pad- carry each portage rather than carry his
then maybe you should check out the on the trail. A former kayak racer, his dling and 1 “rest” day during which his gear and then return for his canoe; im-
740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail previous canoe camping experience had support crew brought him to Lancaster, portant since several portages are over
which travels from New York to Maine. been limited to 15-mile days for a week N.H. for a musical gig) to complete the five miles long. “It’s a canoe trip and the
Approximately 70 paddlers have sub- at a time but on this trip he averaged trail in the spring of 2013. He went with carries are a necessarily evil,” he said.
“Anything I could do to minimize the
mitted paperwork showing they have 28 miles a day with one 40-mile day. a lightweight boat of his own creation;
completed the entire trail. Two such “The challenge is no small part of it,” a 37-pound, 14-foot cedar-strip solo discomfort in carrying, I did.”
through-paddlers are Vermonters Peter he said. “Being able to travel from A to canoe. In addition to one short and one The biggest problem for Macfar-
Macfarlane and Sam Brakeley. The two B under my own steam and pitting my long paddle, he brought two ski poles lane was that both May and June of
had completely divergent experiences on wits against something bigger than my- to double-pole in shallow water. Mac- 2013 were the wettest on record for
the trail but both finished with smiles on self with no guaranteed outcome made farlane carried 48.5 pounds in his pack Vermont and he frequently had to battle

their faces.
it an adventure.” Added to that was the
to last half the distance, replenishing his
strong currents when going upstream.

12 VTSPORTS.COM
AUGUST 2014