To the Editor:

This past Columbus Day weekend, Boy Scout Troop 79 from Berne-Knox-Westerlo went on a three-day canoe trip on the Oswegatchie River. The river is west of Tupper Lake and near Cranberry Lake.

It took about five hours to get from the Masonic Lodge to Cranberry lake campground. Our scoutmaster, Bob Delaney, pulled all the canoes on a trailer and three other dads drove all the Scouts and their gear. We crashed at Cranberry Lake campground late on Friday night.

Early the next morning, we put in at Inlet and we paddled seven miles upstream which took about seven hours. We stopped at a historical point called High Rock for lunch; High Rock has been used as a rest spot for many years.

We had to paddle over beaver dams and through rapids. Mr. Hanley pulled us over one beaver dam and Mr. Valachovic and Scout Steve Fronk pulled our canoes through and another group of canoes and one kayak over the final beaver dam before we arrived at Campsite 27 around 5 p.m. We got our tents up and made freeze-dried food for dinner.

The next morning, the troop paddled up to the trailhead for the hike to High Falls. Once we got to the trailhead, we beached all the canoes and put on our packs for the hike to High Falls.

The trail partially followed a logging railroad bed. Along the way, we had to cross over flooded areas caused by beaver dams. We found an old tracked log skidder along the trail.

When we reached High Falls, we stopped for lunch and to take in the scenery. After lunch, we hiked back down the trail, reached the canoes, and paddled back down to our campsite. Some of the Scouts did more exploring up the river before dinner.

The next morning, we got up early before light, packed up all of our gear, and paddled back down the river. Unlike the trip up, it took us only three-and-a-half hours to paddle out. Once we got back to Inlet, we pulled the canoes out of the water, loaded them onto the trailer, and headed for home.

After a quick stop for lunch at McDonalds in Tupper Lake, we headed home. We arrived home around 6 p.m. back at the Masonic Lodge.

I enjoyed this trip because it was a trip that my father took with his father at around my age of 14. My oldest brother, Zane Valachovic, planned this trip with my father’s help and was in charge of picking the site we stayed on the river. I enjoyed being on the river with my brothers, my father, and my friends. I think this would be a great experience for people who like to be in the back country and experience the Adirondacks as it was 100 years ago.

Jake Valachovic, den chief

Boy Scout Troop 79