Thru-paddlers

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End to End

Thru-paddling the Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a challenging endeavor that requires considerable preparation beforehand and perseverance during the journey. It involves crossing large lakes, paddling upstream, and portaging for long distances. The trip is not for everyone, but for those dedicated enough to take on the challenge, it’s an adventure that will provide inspiration and memories for a lifetime. Thru-paddlers experience innumerable scenic vistas, private encounters with wildlife, and remote communities where people are down-to-earth and friendly. The beauty of the north country, friendly encounters with locals and exceptional paddling combine with moments of intense challenge. Upon completion you will discover that you can ask more than you believed you could of yourself, and can find joy, warmth and welcome in unexpected places.

Section Paddling

If you don’t have the time, capacity or desire to take on a thru-paddle, you can still experience the Northern Forest Canoe Trail one section at a time. One of the main benefits of section-paddling the route is that you are able to paddle downstream on all the rivers. Some people section paddle all in one season or do it over decades. Take your time, enjoy the ride and do it your way.

Trail Feedback

We’re always looking for on-the-ground reports from paddlers. Use our Trail Feedback Form to give us your updates!

Paddler Blogs

Thru-paddlers and section-paddlers have some great stories and inspiring tales to share. Link to their blogs here, and send us your blog as you start logging your journeys on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.

 

Chuck Horbert: Tales of Section-Paddling the NFCT

Mack Truax’s 2017 Northern Forest Canoe Trail Journal

Mack Truax’s 2016 Northern Forest Canoe Trail Journal

Mack Truax’s 2016 NFCT Movie

Mack Truax’s 2015 Northern Forest Canoe Trail Journal

John Connelly’s Paddle Quest

John Connelly’s 1,500 Mile Paddle Ends in Kittery Harbor

Gabrielle Mutel and Bryce Bognet: Northern Forest Canoe Trail – A Family Adventure

Laurie Chandler: Paddle for Hope

Laurie Chandler’s Blogs, Books & More

Geoff and Valerie Welch-Westerman’s Journal of the Floating Dutchman

Eric McIntyre’s 38-Day Thru-Paddle

Tim and Ben Hille’s 2014 Thru-Paddle

No Ordinary Life: Canoeing Adventure on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Brian Quarrier and Allie Miller’s Adventures on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Peter McFarlane: 1 Man, 1 Canoe, 750 Miles

Emily, Elspeth and Erik Paddle and Portage the Northern Forest Canoe Trail

Mark Fromm’s 39-Day Thru-Paddle

Mike Messink: Two Weeks on the NFCT

Joe Peterlin’s 2012 Thru-Paddle

Russ and Jeremy Collett’s 2011 Thru-Paddle

Katina Daanen: Paddling Adventures on the NFCT

Moxie’s Great Adventures

Laurie Chandler: Paddle for Hope

Team Black Cat’s Trail Journals Blog

Cathy Mumford: One Woman’s Solo Kayak Adventure

Ryan and Catherine Thompson: NFCT and AT Trail Journals

Ahab and Starbuck’s 2010 Thru-Paddle

 

NFCT Paddlers List

The following is a list of paddlers who have either section-paddled or thru-paddled the trail.

Section Paddlers

Peter Kick, 2003-04
Robert Hughes, 2005-06
Bruce Gallop, 2014
Russ Ford, 1995-2015
Will Jefferies, 2015
Chris Gill, 2008-2015
Lori Innes, 2014-2018
Mike Innes, 2014-2018
Aaren, Chris & Rewen Harris, 2018-2022

Thru-Paddlers

Donnie Mullen, 2000
Nicole Grohoski**, 2006
Tom Perkins**, 2006
Bill DePersis, 2006
Bill Yarosh, 2006
Alexander Bailey Martin, 2007
Benjamin Reilly, 2007
Curtis Cratty, 2007
Steve Cratty, 2007
Brad Kohler, 2007
Sara Maits, 2007
Mariana Du Brul**, 2007
Peter Du Brul**, 2007
Darrin Kimbler, 2007
Bill Nedderman, 2008
Eileen McCue, 2008
William Hafford, 2008
Luke Shorty, 2008
Brett Townsend, 2008
Paul Heintz, 2008
Jonathan Hancock, 2008
Andy Boone, 2008
Adam Boone, 2008
Sam Brakeley, 2009
Andy Rougeot, 2009
Mike Stavola, 2009
Ryan Thompson, 2010
Catherine Thompson, 2010
Alexander Huston, 2010
Brian Hart, 2010
Whitny Hart, 2010
Nicholas Farrell, 2010
Arthur Wilke, 2010
David Porter, 2010
Kevin Porter, 2010
Jeff Delorme, 2010
Mike Delorme, 2010
Cathy Mumford, 2010
Evan Tear Haynes, 2011
Wesley Norton, 2011
Silas Streeter, 2011
Alex Comeau, 2011
Justine Jarvis, 2011
Tom Kiernan, 2011
Judi Jacobi, 2011
Walter Jacobi, 2011
Katina Daanen, 2011
Russ Collett, 2011
Jeremy Collett, 2011
Mike Lynch**,2011
Skip Ciccarelli**,2011
Elspeth Ronnander, 2012
Erik Pieh, 2012
Emily Johnson, 2012
Sherry Olsen, 2012
Arden Olsen, 2012
Mark Fromm**, 2012
Bob Tremblay*, 2013
Michael Hocevar**,2013
Peter Macfarlane**,2013
Brian Quarrier**,2013
Alexandra Miller**,2013
James Townsend*, 2014
Don Potter**, 2014
Marilyn McEwan**, 2014
Geoffrey Welch*, 2014
Valerie Welch*, 2014
Beth Whalon**, 2014
Paul Whalon**, 2014
Abby Rockefeller*, 2014
Jordan Cerna*, 2014
Dan Brown, 2014
Jeff Loustaunau, 2014
Patrick McCauley**, 2015
Julie McCauley**, 2015
Gabrielle Bognet**, 2015
Brice Bognet**, 2015
Malo Bognet**, 2015
Michael Frederick*, 2015
Robert DiMaio*, 2015
Chris Burnham**, 2015
Jim Sausville**, 2015
Michael Peabody**,2015
Nick Gowens**, 2015
John Mautner**, 2015
Laurie Chandler**, 2015
Mack Truax**, 2015, 2016
Paul Kitchen**, 2016
Andrew Aderman**, 2016
Collin Blunk**, 2016
Emily Rosser**, 2016
Lyell Read**, 2016
Mary Duk*, 2016
Susan Storch*, 2016
John Donnelly**, 2016
Calvin Decker**, 2017
Elisabeth Ziehl**, 2017
Alex Wallace**, 2017
Susan Brubaker**, 2017
Melita Zuck**, 2017
Nathan Barnes**, 2018
Peter Caffrey**, 2018
Steven Cerri**, 2018
Thomas Cook**, 2018
Sebastian Crocetti**, 2018
Peter Del Bianco, Jr.**, 2018
Ezra Smith**, 2018
Grant Faller**, 2018
Zach Hanmer**, 2018
Andrew Kulikowski**, 2018
Peter Macfarlane**, 2018
Margaret Gremore, 2018
Mack Truax, 2018
David Moore, 2018
Zoe Agasi, 2019
Mack Truax, 2019
Kristian Carr, 2019**
David May, 2019**
Maggie Gremore, 2019
Brian Ross, 2019**
Darlene Patterson, 2019
Olivier VanHerck, 2019
John Littlefield, 2020
Kristin Dippold, 2020
Dan Brown, 2021
Michelle Brown, 2021
Katina Daanen, 2021
Clayton Francis, 2021
Whitney Jakabus, 2021
John Klopfer, 2021
David Morganwalp, 2021
Kelsey Morganwalp, 2021
Ethan Schwartz, 2021
Kevin Simon
Hilary White, 2021
Brian Wolford, 2022
Tom Wolford, 2022
Nora Darcher, 2022
Tim Fry, 2022
Micah Fay, 2022
Benjamin Jankowski, 2022
Phoebe Gelbard, 2022
Kimberly Pierson, 2022
Joel Ford, 2022
Ashley Hyatt, 2022
Cole Grosner, 2022
Julie Birkle, 2023**
Jerred Higbie, 2023**
Stephen Higbie, 2023**
Katrina Luff, 2023*
Robert Luff, 2023*
Cain Missenden-Jones, 2023*
Roseanne Missenden-Jones, 2023*
Bobby Nolan, 2023*
Rob Ricard, 2023**
JC Ridge, 2023
Thomas Salvini, 2023**
Trevor Schumacher, 2023**
Jeff Snyder, 2023**
James Thomas, 2023**
Mack Truax, 2023
Allen Wikstrom, 2023**
Lily Woodward, 2023*

Definitions of Categories

Thru-paddlers

Paddle the entire trail as one expedition, during a single season. Thru-paddlers will be designated into one of the following three categories:

Self-Propelled Paddlers

Those who complete the entire 740 miles in one direction using their own power to paddle, pole, and portage. Leaving the trail via other means of travel for lodging, shopping, or other reasons will not count against the self-propelled paddler as long as they return to the same spot to continue the journey on the trail. Consideration for deviations to this definition will be given to safety, inclement weather, and extreme low water. Self-Propelled Paddlers are designated with a double asterisk (**) on the Thru-paddlers List.

Integrated Paddlers

Those who paddle the NFCT as one expedition during a single season in one direction and use a shuttle for one or more of the carries, not to exceed 10% of the total trail distance (74 miles). Integrated Paddlers are designated with a single asterisk (*).

Integrated “Downstream” Paddlers

Those who paddle the NFCT as one expedition, during a single season, reversing direction on one or more rivers to increase downstream miles. There will be no mark to designate this category.

Section-paddlers

Paddle the entire NFCT as a series of two or more expeditions, over the course of multiple paddle seasons. Please note that while we happily cheer section paddlers along the way and over the years, we do not confer recognition until completion of the entire Trail.

We hope you’ll feel that the challenge was in the paddling, not in the process of gaining recognition!  Applications are reviewed on an annual cycle and are due by November. Names are added to the NFCT List, and certificates mailed by the end of January.

The above categories went into effect for the 2013 paddle season. Apply for recognition using the “NFCT Recognition Application and Feedback Form”.  The form is available in a two formats:

If you need extra NFCT Travel Logs, follow this link.

All paddlers on the “NFCT List” prior to 2013 will remain on the list without category designation. Paddlers designated as NFCT Thru-paddlers prior to 2013 can fill out and return the current “NFCT Paddler Recognition Application” to be considered as either a Self-propelled Thru-paddler or Integrated Thru-paddler.

Questions? Call 802-496-2285 or e-mail us.

Through Paddler Recognition Form

Definitions of Categories

Thru-paddlers

Paddle the entire trail as one expedition, during a single season. Thru-paddlers will be designated into one of the following three categories:

Self-Propelled Paddlers

Those who complete the entire 740 miles in one direction using their own power to paddle, pole, and portage. Leaving the trail via other means of travel for lodging, shopping, or other reasons will not count against the self-propelled paddler as long as they return to the same spot to continue the journey on the trail. Consideration for deviations to this definition will be given to safety, inclement weather, and extreme low water. Self-Propelled Paddlers are designated with a double asterisk (**) on the Thru-paddlers List.

Integrated Paddlers

Those who paddle the NFCT as one expedition during a single season in one direction and use a shuttle for one or more of the carries, not to exceed 10% of the total trail distance (74 miles). Integrated Paddlers are designated with a single asterisk (*).

Integrated “Downstream” Paddlers

Those who paddle the NFCT as one expedition, during a single season, reversing direction on one or more rivers to increase downstream miles. There will be no mark to designate this category.

Section-paddlers

Paddle the entire NFCT as a series of two or more expeditions, over the course of multiple paddle seasons. Please note that while we happily cheer section paddlers along the way and over the years, we do not confer recognition until completion of the entire Trail.

We hope you’ll feel that the challenge was in the paddling, not in the process of gaining recognition!  Applications are reviewed on an annual cycle and are due by November. Names are added to the NFCT List, and certificates mailed by the end of January.

The above categories went into effect for the 2013 paddle season. Apply for recognition using the “NFCT Recognition Application and Feedback Form”.  The form is available in a two formats:

If you need extra NFCT Travel Logs, follow this link.

All paddlers on the “NFCT List” prior to 2013 will remain on the list without category designation. Paddlers designated as NFCT Thru-paddlers prior to 2013 can fill out and return the current “NFCT Paddler Recognition Application” to be considered as either a Self-propelled Thru-paddler or Integrated Thru-paddler.

Questions? Call 802-496-2285 or e-mail us.