Granite Backcountry Alliance Expands East into Oquossoc
October 12, 2026
Paddling a hand-crafted wooden canoe down the Allagash Wilderness Waterway fulfills a lifelong dream…
By Malcolm Barrett
Editor’s note: This is the first guest post featured on The Maine Outpost. Thanks to Malcolm Barrett for sending it our way. Malcolm’s opening lines caught our eye. As a kid, Rascal was one of Greg’s favorite books, more for the raccoon than the canoe-building. Greg also built a cedar-strip canoe in high school, but unlike Malcolm and the book’s protagonist, he did it in a neighbor’s shop, not in his family’s living room.
Wood boats are beautiful. At least I think so. A wood boat’s planks, bends, and sheer hold honesty; the craft of making it holds integrity. Call it beauty; old school. These are my thoughts as I patch up Rascal, a strip plank canoe that took a pretty good whack from a northern Maine boulder in the Allagash River.
Rascal began her life about 57 years ago with a book. My mother seemed to mine bookstores and libraries for books that appealed to her somewhat peculiar son: Virginia Ormsby’s “The Long Lonesome Train Whistle”, Robert Taylor’s “Travels with Jamie McPheeters”, and, to her eventual dismay, “Rascal” by Sterling North. Sterling North’s story is about a somewhat lonely boy who lived with his father and was occasionally menaced by older sisters. Along with a pet raccoon, the story’s main character, Sterling, recounts building a canoe in the family living room. As a 13-year-old, I assumed that by giving me this book, my mother was encouraging me to follow suit. She wasn’t.
Picture an exceptionally hot mid-July, pre-air-conditioning, temperatures in the low 90s and humidity approaching 100 percent. A very pregnant mother (baby due any minute) after a long, pre-interstate-highway road trip (to Alabama, no less) in her Volkswagen Beetle, coming home to her living room, furniture pushed out of the way, a canoe taking shape on her living room floor. There were tears, real tears. And the project was moved instantly outdoors.
That was the first canoe project. About 19 years later, on a trip to Moosehead Lake in the North Maine woods, I came across Gil Gilpatrick’s wonderful book “Building a Strip Canoe”. Gil Gilpatrick was an industrial arts teacher from Skowhegan, Maine, who loved strip canoe building and leading high schoolers on trips down the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in canoes he taught them to build. Among his many other books are “The Canoe Guide’s Handbook”, “Allagash – A Journey Through Time on Maine’s Wilderness Waterway”, and “Allagash – The Story of Maine’s Legendary Wilderness Waterway”.
As the years went by, my copy of “Building a Strip Canoe” became increasingly dog-eared, and I figured I’d better get started before the book fell apart. I finally started the project in 2022, 53 years after my mother planted the boat-building seed. In 2026, Rascal finally made it to the Allagash, a 57-year journey.
Traveling the Allagash River
The Allagash Wilderness Waterway, in Maine’s North Woods, is part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, which runs a circuitous 740-mile route from Old Forge, New York, to Fort Kent, Maine. This section lies near the end of the Canoe Trail—a 92.5-mile stretch from Chamberlain Lake to Allagash Village on the St. John River, only 30 miles from the terminus at Fort Kent.
Beginning as a series of lakes—Telos, Chamberlain, Eagle, and Churchill—the Allagash Wilderness Waterway becomes the Allagash River below Churchill Lake. Allagash Lake, also part of the Waterway, is a side trip northwest of Chamberlain. The river starts with Chase Rapids, a nine-mile stretch of fast-moving water in a streambed full of glacial erratics, boulders laid down following the last ice age.
In low water, the boulders are exposed, and the descent is like a pinball ricocheting down its playfield. In summer, the water is just warm enough for swimming. Tannins from the surrounding forest make the water tea-colored, slightly bitter to taste, yet clean and drinkable. Mornings bring light fog and afternoons occasionally bring thunderstorms. Dense green forest of pine and spruce, with occasional wetland bogs, lines the banks. The Waterway is wonderfully quiet.
The North Maine Woods are managed through cooperative agreements between commercial logging concerns, private landowners, and Maine’s Bureau of Parks and Lands, which manages the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. At the turn of the 19th century, people floated logs on the Waterway to mills in central Maine. They hauled goods up the Allagash from Fort Kent to logging camps on the big lakes. Remnants of the logging industry remain as an open museum on land between Eagle and Chamberlain Lakes, and in a museum at the ranger station above Chase Rapids.
Day 1: Arrive Allagash
We started planning our August trip in April, with some of our party new to canoe paddling. After several practice sessions and a couple of all-day paddles in our home state of Kentucky, we all generally got the hang of keeping the boats heading where we wanted them to go. Two late additions were experienced paddlers who instantly became pathfinders for the more difficult river sections.
Three boats made our party: trip coordinators Lyn and Malcolm in Rascal; victualers and camp chefs Mike and Damita in “The Barge”; and our two pathfinders, Doug and Peary, in “Good Ol’ Slide.” During planning, and given our crew’s age range, we dubbed ourselves “The Last Chance Adventurers.” Doug and his wife, Shawna, are accomplished craftspeople and made us all shirts and decals to celebrate. Shawna also came up with a name for “Rascal.”
Coming from Kentucky and West Virginia, we all arrived at Allagash Village in the afternoon and evening and set up camp at our outfitter’s staging site on the banks of the St. John River. Aaron and Lori Moon, owners of Allagash Destinations, transported us, along with our boats and gear, to the starting point in the morning. We set up tents as Damita and Mike prepared our first camp dinner of hot dogs and beans. Quebec sat just across from our camp, and it was tempting to cross the almost-dry riverbed to listen for French-singing birds.
Aaron arrived later to check our gear and give us the lowdown on tomorrow’s travels. Looking somewhat askance at Rascal, he suggested I might want a more robust boat for the descent of Chase Rapids and said he would bring one along for consideration.
Because of low water, our intended starting point at Indian Stream was dry, so we started at Chamberlain Bridge, adding a full day to the lake section of our journey.
Day 2: Allagash Village to Gravel Beach via Chamberlain Bridge
Miles made good – 6; Trip Total 6
After we discussed our planned route, Aaron advised us to enter the waterway at Chamberlain Bridge instead of Indian Stream, as Indian Stream was likely dry. A half-mile carry through marshy ground would not make for an auspicious start. He also provided a plastic boat “for my consideration” in descending Chase Rapids. While he offered no opinion on descending in Rascal, his countenance suggested sure disaster, at least for the boat. Lori attended to paperwork, loaded the van, and opined on the wonders of our coming days. We all got the sense they would much rather come along than stay behind with their business.
Thank you, Aaron and Lori.
After loading, we drove to the North Maine Woods checkpoint for final paperwork, then on to Chamberlain Bridge. The four-hour drive took us over unpaved, unmarked roads through logging country. At each intersection, Aaron announced over the radio that we were entering that roadway section; we didn’t want to run into a speeding logging truck on those narrow, bumpy roads. En route, Aaron told us stories of his life, how he and Lori came to live in Allagash Village, and what to expect on the watery trail.
Entering North Main Woods at the Allagash Checkpoint
At Chamberlain Bridge, we bid farewell to Aaron, loaded our boats, and headed out, the Allagash slipping beneath our hulls.
Each boat carried about five to six hundred pounds of gear and crew, and we were amazed it held everything. We stored our food, packed by Mike and Damita, in two barrels, one weighing about 80 pounds, and a cooler so heavy it had to stay in the boat through the first half of the trip. Damita had prepared each meal, then vacuum-packed and froze it. Mike packed the coolers with a layer of regular ice over dry ice, then placed the frozen meals on top. By the end of eight to ten days, we had enough regular ice for G ‘n’ T’s.
Our initial goal for the day was a 10-mile crossing of Chamberlain Lake from Chamberlain Bridge to a camp at Lock Dam. As we left the narrows at the bridge and headed onto the lake, the wind on our noses built to 12 to 15 knots, and waves grew to about a foot, higher than our canoe’s freeboard. The wind slowed us to a crawl. As the waves built, we aborted our lake crossing and headed to the nearest camp, Gravel Beach, where we spent our first night. After setting up camp, Damita and Mike prepared a chicken shawarma feast. Our camping fare was proving spectacular.
Day 3: Gravel Beach to Farm Island via McCarren, Lock Dam and Tramway Carry
Miles made good – 14-1/2; Trip Total 20-1/2
Day three, as all days on the trip, dawned sunny and cool. Days were mostly sunny, with temperatures rising to the mid-70s and at night dropping to the low to mid 50s. We managed to enjoy a few mosquitoes and black flies, but a bit of DEET kept the surprisingly mild bug traffic at bay.
Worried the wind would make the lake crossing even more treacherous, we ate breakfast, broke camp, and got on the water early. Heading north, we crossed the calm lake and arrived at Nugents Camps on the northwest shore without incident. Lock Dam lies a couple of miles northeast of Nugents Camps, and we cruised right past it, all the way to McCarren Campsite, another mile beyond. Doug and Peary pulled in for a break just beyond Lock Dam and, realizing our mistake, quickly caught up and turned us around.
Lock Dam was our first portage, dumping us into the headwaters above Eagle Lake. Water coming from under the dam was fast and cold, possibly making for some good trout fishing for Mike, Doug, and Peary. The bird population below the dam made for a birder’s paradise.
After peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, we reloaded the boats and headed downstream to Eagle Lake. This was our first time on moving water, and it was nice to let Mother Nature take over some of the paddling work. After a bit, we entered Eagle, our second big lake.
Our destination on Eagle Lake was Farm Island campsite. The trek across this lake would first take us to Tramway Carry, site of early northern Maine logging mechanization. Two locomotives and several disintegrating log-transport railcars remain at this site. A decaying steam-engine-powered conveyor used to transport logs from Eagle (the lower) to Chamberlain (the upper) lake is also present. After touring and climbing all over these early Industrial Revolution relics, we got back in the boats and headed the last mile and a half to Farm Island. This was our longest distance on the water to date, and Damita and Mike rewarded us with carne asada cooked on an open fire.
Day 4: Farm Island to Jaws
Miles made good – 10-1/2; Trip Total – 31
Day 4. Another clear and cool morning; it would be our last crossing of the big lakes. After a quick breakfast, we broke camp and were on the water at our usual 7:00 A.M. With tired arms, we rounded Priestly Point and headed north to Round Pond before passing under John’s Bridge and reaching Churchill Lake, where we planned to camp. An overloaded logging truck rumbled over John’s Bridge just before we passed under. Unfortunately, no one got a picture; however, its speedy passage dusted us all.
As the day wore on, the wind picked up and tested our leaden arms. As usual, the wind was on our noses, and the prospect of building waves kept us from thinking about our fatigue. Eventually we came under the lee of Churchill Ridge, a high hill at the foot of which lay Jaws campsite, and the end of a hard day of paddling.
As we set up camp on this last night of the big lakes, we thought about Chase Rapids: would it be a thrill show or terror? Dinner was Garlic Beef, and sleep was deep, despite our worries.
Day 5: Jaws to Sam’s via Chase Rapids
23-1/2 miles made good; trip total 54-1/2 miles.
Up, packed, and loaded, we cruised the last mile and a half of Churchill Lake to our rendezvous with a park ranger at Churchill Dam, the top of Chase Rapids. We unloaded the boats above the dam and, with the exception of Rascal, portaged them to a staging area below the dam. We loaded Rascal and our gear onto the ranger’s truck for transport to the washed-out Bissonette Bridge below the most challenging section of the rapids. Allagash Destinations had staged a robust plastic canoe for our use at the dam, and we found it in the staging area with the other canoes.
When all was ready, the ranger gave us a pep talk about the rapids and chastised us for being too spread out at our last campsite. He also provided detailed instructions on how to descend the rapids, which we all promptly forgot. Chase Rapids is about a nine-mile section of the Allagash River, with Bissonette Bridge about halfway through. The stream is loaded with boulders, glacial erratics put down during the last ice age, with the worst of the obstacle course from the dam to the bridge. Below the bridge, the river grade seemed to flatten out a bit, slowing the water; and there seemed to be fewer boulders.
Assessing our various skills and experience, or lack thereof, we decided that Lyn and Malcolm would go first, followed by Damita and Mike in The Barge. Doug and Peary would sweep in Good Ol’ Slide with a throw rope to assist any of us tenderfoots that might get into trouble. This was the first ever significant rapids for the first two boat crews.
The descent was exciting, with lots of bumps and jostles. At one point, Lyn and Malcolm’s boat turned around completely. As we crashed into several boulders, we were grateful for the Allagash Destinations plastic boat’s robustness. Rascal would not have made it down.
After the occasional tense moment and a few near spills, all the boats arrived safely at Bissonette Bridge, where we pulled in, took a breath, and felt exhilarated by the run and a great sense of accomplishment. And more than a little relief. Little did we know, more was to come. After a snack, we exchanged the borrowed boat for Rascal, reloaded our gear, and set off down the last half of the rapids.
The lower rapids were more of the same, yet not quite as difficult as the upper. They ended in Umsaskis Lake, the first of three “wide patches” in the river below the big lakes. After one hard whack on Rascal’s hull, we made it to Umsaskis Lake in good time and continued through this four-mile stretch of calm water to a portage separating Umsaskis and Long Lakes. After the crowded, steep portage, we entered Long Lake and headed to Sam’s Campsite on its western shore. We enjoyed Lyn’s Vegetable soup for dinner, and set up a tarp over our camp as rain seemed to threaten.
Day 6: Sam’s to Inlet
8 miles made good; trip total 62-1/2 miles
On day six, with our bodies getting weary and after the excitement of Chase Rapids, we were all looking forward to a scheduled rest day (day seven) with a fire tower hike. Our trip down Long Lake was short as we had traveled most of it the day before. At the end of Long Lake is another stretch of river with shallows and riffles. Below lay the second Round Pond and our last camp on the waterway.
As the Allagash widened, it also shallowed, portending the conditions of Day 8, our last day on the waterway. As we entered Umsaskis Lake and Round Pond, the river formed a delta with grassy islands separated by mysterious waterways, where we hoped to spot grazing moose. Sadly, we saw many tracks but no moose.
At Round Pond, we headed for the nearest campsite, “Inlet”, where we set up our last camp. With dark clouds crossing the sky, we quickly set up a tarp over the communal area. A thunderstorm broke, soaking everything not under cover, but we all stayed dry while Mike cooked our second dinner of garlic beef.
Despite the wet conditions, Doug built a brilliant campfire, and after the rain subsided, we all enjoyed the fire and the prospect of a rest day.
Day 7: Rest Day and Fire Tower Hike
Miles Paddled 3; Total for Trip 65-1/2
Our first night on Round Pond was the coolest, with temperatures dipping below 50. We fell asleep to loon calls and a light breeze rustling through the trees. Everyone slept well and woke rested, happy to be taking the day to explore on foot.
Across Round Pond from our campsite, a short 2.5-mile trail led to a fire tower. The tower sits atop a low hill rising about 750 feet above the lake, with most of the climb within the last half mile. Initially built in 1945, the house atop the steel tower was rebuilt in 2020.
After the hike up, several of us made the 65-foot climb to the house, entering through a trapdoor in the floor. The view was spectacular, but we were most delighted to find cell phone service and to call home.
Hiking to the Fire Tower
It began to rain as we hiked back from the tower. We were fairly protected under the forest canopy, and Doug rounded up spruce limbs and cut us all hiking sticks.
Day 8: Inlet Campsite to Michaud Farms Ranger Station
19 Miles Made Good; Trip Total 84-1/2 Miles
Leaving Round Pond, we entered the last leg of our trip. Typically, paddlers would head for Allagash Falls, portage the falls, and make the final run to Allagash Village. Low water, especially below Round Pond, made for slow, hard going, with many riffles to wade and long, shallow pools in between. The waterway widened in this section, with the forest reflecting perfectly off the still water. Landing spots on the inside of the river bends made for excellent lunch and fishing spots.
Our trip ended at Michaud Farm Ranger Station. Two of us hitched a ride to our cars while the rest of the crew wiped down the boats and got the gear assembled for loading. We were on the road home before dark, stopping at the Swamp Buck in Fort Kent for much-needed beer, gin ‘n’ tonics, Crown Royale, and sodas.
Arriving home, Rascal underwent restoration, including a serious patch of broken planks and a good sanding and re-varnishing of her hull. Most of the varnish on the bottom had been rubbed off.
Traveling the Allagash has been a long-standing dream. Traveling with the Last Chance Adventurers was a gift, and Aaron and Lori’s help through Allagash Destinations provided the final piece that made the trip a success.
Though we may not pass that way again, the trip opened our imaginations and built our confidence to take on other adventures. Many thanks to all the adventurers for their great and small contributions, and of course to Mom, whose inspiration and vim for life carry on.
