As usual, the spring Machias River trip came with an assortment of logistical problems. And, although several people expressed interest, only Ken Gordon and I could connect all of the dots. Gate closings prevented access to upper portions and bad weather left only a 3-day window of opportunity. Ken and I persevered and met at Airline Rapids to run a shuttle to complete a trip from 3rd Lake to Holmes Falls. For the first time in the 45 years I’ve been running the Machias, the Holmes Falls Road was gated. Undaunted, we pivoted to a 3-day trip from the Airline to Smith Landing. Our determination paid off as we had an excellent trip. The weather and water level were outstanding. We met a great group of six canoeists on day one and camped and navigated rapids with them throughout. Ken and I used expedition kayaks and everything went well – another wonderful Machias trip.
Participants: Ken Gordon and Ron Chase, TC