Twelve Future Arcadians versus the Adirondacks

Berit Brecke & Arianna Roeder-Fabos
August 25, 2023

POV: You’re a sweet old couple enjoying a nice sunny paddle down the desolate Dead Creek, best known for its maze-like topography, marshy vegetation, and frequent dead ends. You’re seeking out a lovely day on the water in the northwestern Adirondacks when you happen to stumble on twelve college students, soaking wet and wading in the swamp. Future Arcadians in St. Lawrence University’s Adirondack Semester, these students are schlepping their canoes one by one through dense brush and tall grass because they got rid of their map and decided to “go with the flow.” While seemingly fanciful, this startling image was exactly what this couple saw us doing as we emerged from a marsh on the final day of our expedition toward our future home Massawepie Lake.

Several days earlier, before all the commotion of Dead Creek, we started our semester on a sunny Sunday at Camp Canaras, where we were greeted with open arms by our instructors. In preparation for the semester ahead, we completed a Wilderness First Aid certification course and were then deemed ready for the challenges and rewards of the Adirondacks. We exploded our gear, packed our pickle barrels, donned our life jackets, and chose our perfect paddles. Two days later, the the twelve of us headed out on our canoe expedition with excitement and vigor, ready to embrace the beauty and energy that awaited us. Around lunch time, we approached a peninsula, and as hungry as we were for “pjillas” (peanut butter and jelly tortillas), we were just as hungry to jump into Saranac Lake. When we all leaped into the water, it signified the beginning of our semester to come.

This canoe trip is the annual inauguration for the group of students participating in the Adirondack Semester each fall. Students spend seven days navigating through the lakes and rivers of the Adirondack Park, westbound for Arcadia (our yurt village on Massawepie Lake) to introduce us to the wilderness of the region, and to each other. The journey fosters intentionality for the months ahead, and we enjoy our first opportunity to practice peer leadership together. The act of separation from society that comes with the canoe expedition serves as an entrance point into a new unique community, one soon to be filled with joy.

Shortly after lunch on the first day, we landed at an island that would be our next resting point—one paddle stroke closer to Arcadia. For this next portion of the trip, our instructors passed down the leadership to us, designating Leaders of the Day or “LODs.” Two rotating members of the group would now be responsible for organizing movement, delegating tasks, giving support when needed, and navigating us to our next campsite. Throughout the day, leaders checked in on group morale, increased enthusiasm, and mitigated conflict. The position of LOD gave us the opportunity to expand interpersonal skills by navigating different personalities, balancing unique leadership styles, and practicing stepping up and stepping back. Thus we complemented each other’s strengths while forging new friendships through beautiful scenery, lots of laughs, and fun games. Although challenges sometimes arose for the leaders and others, the team-building process of “storming and forming” enabled our community to flourish. We also established an active network of clubs, including old folks club, run club, movie reenacting club, polar plunge club, maté club, and the club club. The day to day tasks on the expedition helped us to build positive communication tactics and a strong foundation upon which to enter our new home at Arcadia.

As the weather fluctuated from sunny to stormy, sometimes our attitudes did as well. About halfway through the  trip, the LODs suggested that it would be fun to start the day with a sunrise paddle, to which the group responded with unanimous enthusiasm. Prepped for a colorful morning paddle, we woke up at 4 a.m. to pouring rain, deep grey clouds, and a layer of fog dispersed over the lake. We packed up our soggy tents, shoved gear into our pickle barrels, and loaded the boats. Not surprisingly, we saw no miraculous sunrise, but our leaders kept the energy up, and we paddled onward. We were met with strong winds that brought big waves and hypothermic temperatures that might have deterred a normal group of travelers, but our perseverance allowed us to carry on. Eventually, we took a break on Chapel Island, an iconic monument on Saranac Lake, where we held our own weather dance. Weather dance expert Campbell reminded us that it’s all in the hips. This ceremony, we hoped, would send the rain away in exchange for sunshine. We spent our time on the island dancing, singing, and jumping around in efforts to stay warm. Later, at some point between Chapel Island and the bottom of Saranac Lake, our ceremony for good weather came to fruition. With a brief pause in the rain, the sun renewed our energy and focused our minds for the heavy task ahead: a 1.5-mile portage. This portage also marked a transition into a new watershed, which symbolized a new chapter for the Arcadians.

Approaching the dock to our portage, spirits may have been low but anticipation was high. Some of our group members were deemed skillful in the art of a portage, with previous experience that offered space for peer leadership to help the group reach our common goal. Briefly described, a portage (or “carry” in Adirondack vernacular) is when you carry your canoe and gear over a stretch of (mostly) dry land between two bodies of water or around a stretch of rapids. Topography, geography, private property, public access, and other factors determine the placement of portages throughout a given watershed. Portaging is not an easy task, especially when the most convenient way to carry a canoe is upside down and on top of your shoulders. Additionally, each canoe pair had three pickle barrels of gear, personal dry bags, and two paddles that they had to haul together to make an efficient carry. While not an easy feat, we accomplished the portage with strength and thoughtful communication.

When we arrived at our next campsite, we set up tents in the rain with much trial and tribulation and then headed down for some much-needed naps. Waking with rejuvenation, we commenced dinner and our evening routine. After dinner each evening, we held group meetings consisting of appreciations, check-ins, and an opportunity to give feedback to the Leaders of the Day. What is notable about our circle is the steady stream of positivity and selflessness, as our appreciation segment often required containment by the assistant directors Eva and Nate. Special to this particular evening was a tribute to our earlier crossing into the Raquette River watershed. According to our peer and watershed enthusiast Sam, French voyageurs saw crossing into new watersheds as a mark of taking new directions, similar to how our paddle route put us on a river that will deliver us to new beginnings.

Upon reaching Massawepie Lake on our final day of paddling, despite our tired bodies, we charged ferociously ahead with heaps of excitement toward the peninsula called Arcadia, where we would be greeted with fresh fruits by previous Adirondack Semester alums. When we arrived at the front dock, feeling immediately at home, we hopped out of our canoes, shared hugs and filled the space with laughter. We spent our evening listening to thoughtful advice and enjoying a delicious meal prepared with love by former students in the program.

As we settled in and reflected on our first week together, we recognized how the challenge of the paddle had brought us closer together. Through good conversations, playful fun, leadership experience, and a bit of shared struggle, our group of unique individuals had formed a cohesive community centered around intentionality and mutual consent. The strong bonding and steadfast comradery that was accomplished on the paddle trip paved the way for our successful arrival at Arcadia and will, we hope, guide us through the many new experiences to come.