Through-Paddler Reporting for Duty

[Zand B. Martin]

Hi all-
My name is Zand Martin, I through paddled the trail in 2007 when I was 20 years old. My paddling partner Ben and I did it in 32 days and had a wonderful experience-
great challenge and meaningful exploration.

Please get in touch if you have any questions whatsoever!

I lead river and mountain expeditions for NOLS around the world currently, and just wrapped up canoe expeditions crossing North America and Europe. The NFCT started
it all!

best,
Zand B. Martin

Freelance Writing / Photography
Mountain / River
w: zandmartin.com

[erikpieh]

How did you get up spencer stream?
The guidebook shows a picture of a guy wheeling his kayak up some logging roads, but I can’t figure out the route. I’d like to use my wheels, unless it is easier to paddle/pull the boat upstream.

[erikpieh]

We tried to use wheels to portage up spencer stream, but we only made it a mile.

If I did it again, I would just paddle and drag the canoe up the rapids. It’s very difficult, but we don’t do this because it’s easy.

[kdaanen]

I think the photo of Mike S. is somewhere along Spencer Rips/Hardscrabble road after Fish Pond. Mack Truax attempted to use the logging roads shown on the maps nearby without success. You can read about his issues here: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=499361

There is no water to get around it with ascending the streams to at least Middle Deadwater. There is a way to bug out a little earlier following a logging road right to Spencer Lake, but its not a sanctioned option. It sounds like you are thinking about doing it again???

[Author]

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