SOLO Backpacking ADIRONDACKS in BUG SEASON | West Canada Lake Wilderness | Remote Lakeside Camping

This was an overnight backpacking trip I did in the West Canada Lake Wilderness in the Adirondacks of New York. I had a great lakeside campsite on Spruce Lake, that featured Loon calls all night. The West Canada Lake Wilderness is also home to deer, black bear, and occasionally moose. Solo camping always provides a deeper means of connecting with nature, and that is why I love it SO much. Hiking and camping in the Adirondacks is something I continue to love more and more every day. Some of the other wilderness areas that make up the Adirondack Preserve include the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness, Siamese Ponds Wilderness, The High Peaks Wilderness, and more. As always, shout out to my early inspiration Joey Coconato of My Own Frontier. His backpacking trips and videos are still a huge inspiration in my life.
Music by Epidemic Sound

[@peterdisbury]

Yeah the black flies are abundant for sure, Off Deep Woods does a good job too. You're a Trooper keep the videos coming 🎉🎉

[@mikewanders]

Thank you! Will do!

[@rjmlakota]

What a video and what a camping spot! I'm heading up to Algonquin in 2 weeks for a back country canoe trip... can't wait...

[@MrCSayT]

This is one of the greatest videos I have ever seen

[@mikewanders]

Dude I love you

[@pams1324]

I just found your videos and love the ones I have seen so far. I used to love to hike & camp but since I’m older I would rather sleep on my soft bed at night but still live to go on adventures. I enjoy seeing the beautiful places you hike to. Thank you for taking us along on your adventures 🙂

[@mikewanders]

Thank you for watching!

[@rninusa1980]

Thank you Mike for another great Adventure video!!! 😊I Love these. They are all unique and that is what is so very special about nature is that no trip is ever the same. It really struck a cord for me when you said how you would love to return to that spot but there are SO many special places to see that it’s just OK to land anywhere and make the most of it and appreciate all it has to offer. You went during a heavy bug season which is tough but you find the beauty in these trips no matter what and bring them to light. I look at my adventures like that too. I drove once through the ADKs like that on my way to Toronto and I never saw true wilderness like that before!! It blew me away. And I was just driving. I fondly recall Speculator as I had to stop and get gas at the little general store there. What a great spot . It was just turning dark and I went on my way around the corner past the library on Lake Pleasant when a HUGE black bear ambled so very slowly in front of my car heading towards the lake. I swear he stopped to look at me to peek at me as he walked past and I have never seen a bear that big. What a beautiful animal. Hope u bring a locator emergency beacon for safety! Make more videos. Thank you, Linda 🏕️🌙

[@mikewanders]

Wow thank you so much Linda. Yes I wish I could always return to these places constantly. But there’s just so much more to explore! And I love driving through these areas just as much as hiking. Hiking and camping you’re really immersed, but in a smaller area. Driving through the Adirondacks like you did is great too! That way you get an idea of the scale of the wilderness, as you get to see SO much. That’s an awesome bear sighting you had-im jealous!!

[@brantwilson3279]

I enjoy your videos, hope you keep them coming.

[@mikewanders]

Thanks so much! Many more on the way

[@peterdisbury]

Robin belting out tunes

[@donaldhussar2830]

Great video! Those bugs were relentless! Whatever happened to My Own Frontier? I really miss his videos. It's cool that he's an inspiration for you

[@mikewanders]

@@donaldhussar2830 thank you!! Yeah Joeys def an inspiration. I think he had a falling out with KZbin lol. He’s temporarily on Patreon until he gets his website up. He’s badass.

[@rninusa1980]

I will have to find these videos!

[@rninusa1980]

Thanks!

[@mikewanders]

Wow thank you so much!!!

[@MrCSayT]

Oh, thank god you gave us another one 🙏🏽

[@mikewanders]

🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@jaswan79]

Another great video! I’m the exact same way, while I’m at a place I always think to myself I gotta come back here, and then every time I realize there is so much more to explore. Question, wife and I are driving from Mississippi to Maine early October for our 20th with our two little pups. We are staying in Hancock around Acadia. Any must explore places around there that a New Englander might know about that tourists wouldn’t?

[@mikewanders]

Thank you appreciate that! I’m actually somewhat unfamiliar with Acadia. It’s the last great place in New England I seem to be saving. I do know that the Rangeley Lakes area of Maine aren’t touristy at all, and feature some great wilderness, with good fishing and camping opportunities. Moosehead region is also spectacular and very wild. Coastal Maine seems to be something that I’m saving for a later date, but ya man grab some lobster dinner and head out on some great foliage hikes with the dogs-as good as it gets!

[@scarn3241]

Sasquatch are in those woods

[@mikewanders]

Definitely seems like it! 👀👀

[@nickviviano4486]

Love the video, man. I'm a seasoned day hiker spending most of my time in the Dacks, but very new to backpacking. I just completed my first overnight (Solo) at Pharaoh Lake and it is safe to say I am addicted! Do you have a location/map readout for this spot?

[@mikewanders]

Thanks man!! An overnight in the pharaoh lake wilderness is definitely a great way to get started. I basically winged this trip in the west Canada lake wilderness tho lol. I do know that I backpacked to the campsites along Spruce Lake. You take Jessup River road to get to the trailhead. Thanks for watching!

[@peterdisbury]

Barred Owl possibly 🤔

[@user-rb2]

Is that a loon in the beginning?

[@mikewanders]

Yes it is!

[@user-rb2]

@@mikewanders Thanks for your response! After listening to the video and you mentioning loons I realized it most likely was. 🙂