Hi, I'm Mark and I love all things outdoors. I'm not a "bushcrafter" or "survivalist." I'm just a regular guy who loves to get outside, relax, learn, and inspire other to get outdoors and love their lives.
I have done this river about 10 times. My favorite time is Memorial day weekend as the warblers and other bird song are amazing. Not to be missed is the hike into the old growth up the 5 ponds trail. It's a 40,000 acre old growth area, biggest in the NE. It's not very difficult this trip to paddle. It does feel like real wilderness when off season.
Thank you for showing and sharing your fun and your mistakes. I was inspired to get out there and I will bring more socks! Also, that was a lot of beaver dams.
I am an adult leader with a youth development program that incorporates lots of outddor trips and community service projects and we take the boys out on week long hiking and canoeing/kayaking trips and I cant find anything wrong with your setup. I do carry the exact same hatchet and even have some survival gear stashed away in a tin foil wrapper in the handle and have a long piece of fishing line to pull it out geld to the outside with a wrap of high quality duck tape. Being a retired Paramedic I do carry a few more items and recommend you add a tourniquet and/or an Isreali bandage to your kit along with some blood clot stop powder or bandages. I also carry a small colapsible shovel for digging worms and for calls of nature (150 ft minimum from water) along with a machete for clearing a spot for camping if needed and a package of immodium for just in case.
@southronjr1570 as a first responder myself I totally agree with your assessment. For one thing, I really should have a tourniquet in my first aid kit. Thanks for bringing that and your other suggestions to my attention. It's appreciated!
No offense, but a Garmin InReach is a 2-way satellite messager, not a PLB. PLBs transmit to satellites operated by government entities. InReach transmits to a private network that piggybacks on the Iridum private network. PLBs have certain advantages in a real emergency, especially in signal reliability and speed of rescue.
@rawveganfoodforthought2333 sure can. I just got a comment the other day that mentioned rinsing the bottle with a little lemon juice. They said it works perfectly! Hoping to try it out before & after my next trip.
HI YA MARK, PARDON THE CAPS TEXT, IT'S JUST A VISION CONVENIENCE FOR ME. I CAME ACROSS YOUR CH. TO FOR THE FIRST TIME & I'M REALLY ENJOYING THIS VIDEO, RELAXING AS I WIND DOWN FOR BED. YAP, GONNA APPRECIATE GRANDMA'S CHILE RECIPE, GOD BLESS ALL THE GRANDMAS & GRANDPAS IN THE WORLD, MINE RAISED ME. IT WAS SHARP, USING ONE NESTED CONTAINER LIKE THAT. THIS VIDEO HAS A GOOD VIBE, I LOVED THAT YOU INVITED YOUR PERSONAL FRIENDS TO JOIN YOU IN THE FUTURE, EXCELLENT GOING TO INCLUDE THAT! I HOPE YOU'LL RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION: WHAT ARE YOU USING UNDER YOUR SLEEPING BAG TO PROTECT IT, DID I MISS THAT? I SCROLLED BACK BUT DIDN'T SEE IT. REALLY LIKE YOUR HOST DEMEANOR BUDDY, I'M SURE I'LL BE BACK, YOUR FILMING AND EDITING WERE BOTH EXCELLENT!! BLESSINGS YOUR WAY FROM OREGON BUDDY, ... MIKE.
@OregonMikeH HI MIKE, I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR KIND WORDS! I BELIEVE I USED A KLYMIT STATIC V SLEEPING PAD ON THIS TRIP (IF IT WAS ORANGE). IT WAS EITHER THAT ONE OR MY EXPED. BOTH HAVE A HIGH R VALUE FOR THOSE COLD NIGHTS! HOPE TO HEAR MORE FROM YOU, MY FRIEND! CHEERS, MARK
A little practice with a pole and you can push right up many of those beaver dams with the "fast" water. It's great for changing positions on long days. I probably pole about 60%-70% of the way going up and down the Oswegatchie.
@karenrobinson1819 so.. my buddy and I were there one night and we kept hearing this loud bang every couple minutes which sounded like someone swinging a baseball bat at a tree. There was no wind, there was nothing in the water and it was coming from the woods. This went on for an hour or 2. 😬
@@BackcountryPaddler sounds like there’s a squatch! I would love to go on a trip like that. I’m trying to convince my sister to go with me. We have kayaks not canoes though. Your videos are great!
I swear I'll never forget that rack of lamb. It was sooo good! I've tried replicating it at home and it never turns out that got. Campfire for the win!
That was a rough little trip but roasting that lamb made it worth it... haha. I remember it took me about an hour to get that fire started too. Everything was soaked. So even sweeter.
do you know if any cheap plastic bottles fit the be free water filter threading? My be free bag also broke, and i’m looking for a quick cheap fix, the bottles you mentioned seem like a great purchase, might grab one.
I hang my bear bag, so not really. I can't say I've ever really been concerned about it. I don't bring bear spray, but it's also never a bad idea to have it just in case.
Thanks for the map view of the itinerary! I, otherwise, would have no idea where you are and I don't like when videos give no geographic context. Thank You! John
Are you still using this system? Just got back from a canoe trip using the Lifestraw Go bottle. It was really difficult to get a reasonable amount of water through and almost ruined the trip. It was so hard to get any water out that it felt like I was constantly drinking in order to maintain any hydration. Does this have an adequate flow rate?
The flow rate on the BeFree is the best thing about it. I've had trips ruined by a bad water filtration setup (Sawyer Squeeze) but everything changed when I went this route. I just suggest keeping a separate bottle for after you filter the water. When the water sits in the Hydrapak for a while it can taste "plasticky"... hope that helps! Mark
I really like a jet boil or rocket stive for the mornings that i want to get moving if i have to lay down some distance i can quickly make some coffee and some oatmeal with out having to get a fire going
Man you’re the first guy I’ve seen with the same solo stove as me. Awesome little unit eh 👍🏼 great video. I just got back from my first Algonquin solo and definitely need to reconsider everything I packed due to the weight … lots to learn but glad there’s video like yours. Thank you!
That really reminds me of my first trip there! Amazing experience nonetheless. I love that little Solo Stove it's just a good as the Bush Buddy and about half the cost of less.
@@BackcountryPaddler ya man… I really over did myself by packing too much and trying to carry it all over a nasty portage 😂 I will be back and I will do better for sure. 👍🏼
@@BackcountryPaddler St. Andrews to high falls… I honestly struggled just walking it without gear plus raining and wet rocks/mud… I actually was concerned I’d break a leg. Wasn’t even that long just the elevation was all over the place
@@dari6336 I did watch it to the end.. beautiful trip..now come to my lake.. reindeer lake Saskatchewan.. paddle from Southend to kinoosao and brochet..
Nice video. I paddled that same trip in the late 70s in the spring. My memory is it is a bit of a slog. Consider rubber boots or tingles, sleep in your socks, they will be dry by morning. We generally try to paddle until mid afternoon and then camp. Allow an extra day and don't bite off more than you can chew. Maybe carry a tarp so you have a place to lounge around in camp. Glad you are getting out there. Its a wonderful passtime. Maybe work with a pole for those upstream slogs. Pole is the way to go.
Dude why did you quit making videos? Your content is awesome. You seem like a way down to earth guy! I’m hoping you make new content soon! looking forward to it!
Hey, I appreciate that! I have a trip scheduled in a few weeks with a friend. Kinda hoping I can also make a "where have I been" type video to catch everyone up on well... where I've been.
