A Packrafting Adventure at Cedar Lakes

By Rich Macha

Have you ever hiked to a beautiful pond or lake and wished you had a boat to further explore its scenic or its fishing offerings? Folks have been carrying canoes and, more notably, lightweight pack canoes into Adirondack waterbodies for decades now, but what if I told you there are even lighter craft weighing under 10 pounds and as low as 3.25 pounds that can be carried more easily to achieve the desired goal.

At first, inflatable packrafts were made for downriver whitewater trips where durability was paramount. Since then, manufacturers such as Alpacka, Kokopelli, and NRS have discovered that there is a market for lighter and a bit less durable models intended for flatwater use. Packrafts will never replace canoes or kayaks when it comes to on-water performance and efficiency, but they come with other advantages which include packability and weight. A packraft can be stowed inside a vehicle when traveling with the added benefit of better car mileage without the drag that is created by car-topped boats. A packraft can also be carried on a bike without much effort.

Packrafts are not going to win any races on the water. They are typically short, wide, and flat-bottomed – characteristics that create a lot more drag when compared to longer and narrower boats with rounded hulls. Hence, for me at least, they are best suited for shorter distances on ponds and smaller lakes. Someone I know has recently paddled Avalanche Lake in the heart of the Adirondack High Peaks after a five-mile (one-way) day hike while carrying in a packraft. I have skied into Avalanche Lake several times and often wondered what it would be like to return in summer and paddle between those steep-sided mountains that rise on both sides of the lake. Unfortunately, recent landslides have blocked Avalanche Pass and the trail is closed for the time being.

About 25 years ago, a group of us took turns carrying two canoes – a 46-pound tandem and a 29-pound solo – into the Cedar Lakes in the West Canada Lakes Wilderness for a three-day trip over Labor Day weekend. Many years ago, Cedar Lakes used to be three separate lakes until a dam was built for logging purposes, raising the water level a few feet to create one big lake out of the three. I was able to paddle around most of Cedar Lakes and also the adjacent Beaver Pond; plus, hike to Pillsbury Lake and bushwhack to French Louie’s cave. Adirondack French Louie was a trapper, guide, logger and hermit who spent time in the area over 100 years ago. 

In late August of 2024, my friend Dave and I revisited the area for three days, this time with packrafts packed away in our backpacks. A report and some thoughts follow.

We arrived at the trailhead, the same as the one for Pillsbury Mountain, after a 6.3-mile drive on dirt roads from NY Route 30 between Speculator and Indian Lake. The last mile or so has recently been improved. We donned our heavy backpacks which were filled with camping and paddling gear. Dave had rented a nine-pound Alpacka Classic with extras such as a spray skirt and seatback. I carried a 2.8-pound Klymit LiteWater Dinghy (no longer made) that I had purchased on sale for $120. Expect to pay a lot more for good packrafts from reputable manufacturers. A double-bladed paddle (mine was a four-piece), a PFD (a plain featureless one can be over a pound lighter than a fancy one with pockets), and water shoes added about five or six pounds to the total.

We gained 300 feet in the first 1.6 miles; after that, the terrain was rolling but extremely muddy. The outlet of Cedar Lakes was reached at 4.5 miles. A bridge below the now-compromised dam brings hikers to the Northville-Placid Trail on which we headed south, and soon passed a lean-to with two occupants, so we moved on about another mile. A rain shower caught us a little prior to arriving at Cedar Lakes Lean-To #2. The solid shelter was a welcome sight.

After settling in, we inflated our rafts – mine took about five minutes, Dave’s longer. The inflation bag that came with the Klymit also doubled as a dry bag. We paddled across the lake and poked into the shallows of Noisey Inlet. Loon calls were the only noise we heard. Later, we walked over to the nearby bridge over the outlet of Beaver Pond to watch the sunset.

The next morning, we paddled about two miles to the southwest corner of the lake. In a craft that is 6’4” long and 45” wide, that took more effort than you might have thought. In the Dinghy, I could not keep my upper body upright for more than about five minutes at a time and spent most of the time leaning back. With a seatback, Dave fared better in this respect. You must also be careful to use good technique to aid in tracking – the paddle blade should not be carried past your hip to minimize yaw (the tendency for the front and back of the vessel to move in opposite directions sideways).

We exited the boats, switched to hiking boots, and bushwhacked over a half-mile through dense woods to French Louie’s cave. A makeshift bed and some artifacts can be found under the overhang – I doubt if these date all the way back to Louie’s days. Someone had recently left a register there for folks to sign in.

After hiking back to our rafts, we paddled back to camp while admiring the surrounding mountains, many in the 3,000-3,900’ range. The lake itself is at an elevation of 2,442’. The fire tower on Pillsbury Mountain could be seen over the shoulder of Noisey Ridge and across Pillsbury Bay. Blue Ridge stood out to the east-northeast, and Manbury Mountain to the northwest. We survived an “attack” from a low-flying military helicopter that made a brief appearance. An osprey greeted us as we approached camp.

After a peaceful night serenaded by loons, we packed up and hiked out.

A note about boat capacities: manufacturers often state the maximum capacity and I find that, in practice, paddlers plus gear should generally not exceed 70% of the stated amount. For example, Klymit stated the maximum capacity of the LiteWater Dinghy as 300 pounds, whereas, I have found that 210 pounds (myself plus day gear) seems to be the practical limit. On another note, I always have to get my feet wet when getting in and out of the Dinghy; I also tend to get my rear end wet from the resultant water that gets into the raft.

People I know recently carried and dragged a 75-pound canoe 1.8 miles, mostly uphill, to explore a wilderness lake! You can do it their way, or you can get yourself a packraft and have a more pleasant experience.

A lover of wild places, Rich Macha has led many trips for the Adirondack Mountain Club and has spent 20 years in the paddle/snowsport business. For more of Rich’s adventures, visit: northeastwild.blogspot.com.