SOLO PADDLE & CANOE CAMP: Essex Chain Lakes Adirondacks

[@kennethhope7458]

Awesome to see you back!! You’re the best Christian! Great vid! Thank you!

[@srenlertraine7431]

Beautiful place. Thanks for making this.

[@Leslieluvbackpacking]

Thanks for the fun video, Christian. Hope to paddle here next month.

[@jaytheurbanviking]

The Adirondacks are a gem unlike any other. Great video!

[@MeetMeOutside]

Incredible ! Thanks for sharing this area. I’m headed up to the Adirondacks in October, this might be my destination ! Looks like a great place to spend a few days ! Peace ✌️

[@christiandenniston7177]

I definitely recommend this location. I need to get back up there as well.

[@johnnyoh63]

Great shot at 15:40!

[@robertsmallwoodjr7640]

Terrific video, Christian! I didn't know you had a channel. Glad I found out, have to check out the other ones. Hope there's many more enjoyable trips upcoming for you. Chat soon, brother.

[@broadsidebarnes]

Nice video dude. You make the lakes look great on camera.

[@merchantmariner6132]

Great video. Thanks for bringing us along!

[@dirtbagoutside]

Yet another great video and location!! Would be cool to get out there one time with you. My schedule is so wonky and hard to predict, but if everything ligns up one time.. would be awesome.

[@jwblaser]

In July of 2021, I stayed at that campsite after checking out all the campsites on Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth lakes. Every night I was visited by a pair of loons who would come by and call out (I actually recorded one of their calls and use that on the intro for all of my videos. For many reasons, it was a memorable trip. I'm glad you had a chance to experience it as well. Did you get a chance to paddle Seventh Lake? Although it's small, I'd recommend that as part of a trip to the Essex Chain.

[@MeetMeOutside]

Great to see new content from you ! I will enjoy this video later ! Love the Adirondacks, heading out that way this upcoming season for sure ! Peace ✌️

[@christiandenniston7177]

Thank you! I need to catch up on your videos. I want to watch the Bourn Pond video, that’s an area not too far from where I stay in VT.

[@MeetMeOutside]

@@christiandenniston7177 Nice, I really enjoy that area, plus it’s only about an hour and a half from our home. I find it’s best in the autumn, less people ! Branch pond is also beautiful and easy to get to . Have a great weekend !

[@amodelersfilebox2652]

Great video Christian! Best so far

[@christiandenniston7177]

Thanks Boss! We will need to take the canoes up north this spring.

[@KevinBalch-dt8ot]

I didn’t know that the campfire prohibition at the Essex Chain was rescinded. Glad yo see it!

[@christiandenniston7177]

It was (somewhat controversially) rescinded a few years ago. They weren’t getting many visitors due to the ban apparently which is understandable. I can take or leave campfires. But when I have the time and energy it is nice to enjoy my evening and pass time building and tending a campfire. Just feels right.

[@tomg4892]

@christiandenniston7177 Cool, just when I thought I had watched all the ADK canoe camping videos, you popped up in my feed with excellent videos and different locations. Wonder why you changed from the Bending Branches carbon shaft wooden paddle, and what paddle you used in this video. I was about to buy a longer paddle for use with the canoe so I don't get so wet.

[@christiandenniston7177]

I lost the Bending Branches paddle in some rapids in Maine hahaha! I was so disappointed. Loved that paddle, but it’s expensive so I haven’t repurchased yet. I appreciate you watching the videos. Heading to some knew spots this year that hopefully I will film and make videos for. I only make the videos when I’m in the mood so many trips don’t get documented.

[@michaelmichael2382]

I loved your Surveying video, are you planning on doing an second one?

[@christiandenniston7177]

For sure! It’s tough because most days we are too busy to film without losing productivity. It takes the right kind of schedule for the day to allow for filming. If you haven’t watched my surveying video on Andrew Camarata’s channel you should check that out. He posted it a few months ago and it documents us setting some property corners for Andrew.

[@fatampta]

You’re back!

[@christiandenniston7177]

I’m back! Haha. Hoping to be more productive this year with filming my trips as I’ve been terribly undisciplined about it. Also trying to do a bicycle touring video this year finally which will be a fun experiment.

[@robertbeirman107]

Signs of leeches in those ponds? Any fishing?

[@christopherbailey3740]

where did you get these map sheets? i've only ever seen the book and the ADK Paddler's map series. Cheers & thanks!

[@christiandenniston7177]

I print them straight from the NYS DEC website. They have decent/compact maps for most of their recreation areas. Between those maps and a handheld GPS that usually all I need. The larger maps are great for planning routes but cumbersome to deal with while paddling a small canoe ha.

[@ronbaker9971]

Welcome back. I’ve missed your videos. As I age, I find portraying more difficult. Were the portages in the Essex Chain relatively flat? Keep recording and releasing your adventures.

[@christiandenniston7177]

Thank you! Good to post again finally. The portages were not too bad. You could use wheels on the first portage from the parking lot to deer pond. But the portage from deer pond to third lake is about 0.5 miles. Not a terrible portage but a good distance. However after that you’re free to explore 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th lake without getting out of the canoe. Just enough portaging to keep most people out haha! The Essex chain really feels like an undiscovered best kept secret. Couldn’t believe how empty it was on a beautiful weekend.

[@ronbaker9971]

Thank you for the assessment. I hope I can recreate your trip this fall. See you next video. @@christiandenniston7177

[@christiandenniston7177]

Great! Be sure to try and get that campsite on sixth lake, its a beautiful spot!@@ronbaker9971

[@tdg223]

Wow Awesome adventure!!! Gow far do you hang your bear bag from where you sleep? What do you use to filter ur water, just boiler or do you filter then boil? Im trying to learn all of this

[@christiandenniston7177]

Thank you! I’m not sure exactly how far I hang a bear bag haha, maybe a couple hundred feet or so? Usually it’s within view of the camp but just a comfortable distance away. A lot of it depends on trying to find a good tree branch to toss it over which is sometime surprisingly harder to find than one would think ha. For water I filter it all using a sawyer squeeze which is affordable and works well. I boil water for coffee and rehydrating food with my stove but it’s only for the purpose of heat not treating the water as it’s already been run through the filter.

[@jwblaser]

I used a bear bag for about 45 years. If you are going to use a bear bag, use the "Triangle Method;" cook in one area, sleep in another and hang your bag in another. They should be at least 100 feet apart. A couple of years ago, I went to a bear canister. Although bulky and heavier than a bag, it eliminates the need to find a suitable tree to hang. I use a BearVault BV500 and get 7 days worth of food in it. I have a mesh bag that attaches to my Granite Gear Portage pack; the canister and an Ursack (for trash) go in their for the carries. This system has worked out well for me.

[@tdg223]

@@christiandenniston7177 Thank you , cant wait to see more of your adventures! Really enjoyed the video! Looks so relaxing, slows life down

[@tdg223]

@@jwblaser Thank you!

[@JPHuber]

Great video. But the audio could be better. Your voice is low but the camera picks up any bump to the canoe and amplifies it.

[@christiandenniston7177]

Thanks! Yeah I agree about the audio. This video was straight audio from the camera. On a previous trip I rolled the canoe and because I had an external mic attached to the camera both the camera and mic were destroyed by the water. I may get a different external mic eventually.