Adirondack Sports April 2024

CANOEING & KAYAKING
JOIN THE
APRIL 2024 25
COACH DANNY MONGNO.
ERIC ADSIT
COACH JASON SMITH.
CHRIS MORRIS
COACH CHAYA HARRIS.
CHRIS MORRIS
COACH KAITLYN
FOWLE. ERIC ADSIT
By Danny Mongno
With so many amazing places to
explore by paddle power, becoming
more efficient and gaining more
confidence will only help you get the
most out of your adventures. This was
the simple goal behind the Adirondack
Paddling Symposium: Helping beginner
and intermediate paddlers build skills to
further their paddling enjoyment. Now
in its fourth year, the mission continues
as pack canoeists, kayakers and canoeists
make the trip to the gorgeous waterways
of Saranac Lake on Friday-Monday,
June 14-17.
Sure, paddling can be pretty easy; that
is why so many people love it. But it can
be really hard as well. When you figure
that out… it’s generally at the worst time.
When the wind comes up and you can’t
make headway, let alone keep your boat
going straight. Or the real concern, what
happens when you or your paddling partner
capsize? So many people got into the
outdoors during the pandemic, and a
good percentage of them fell in love with
the freedom and adventure paddle sports
provide. But with social distancing and
curbside pickup, many never considered
the proper gear to wear early in the spring
or late in the fall. They never thought
about the value of instruction. They never
found community.
It’s these folks, who now self-identify
as paddlers, that we want to get to know
and hopefully help take their skills, safety
and confidence to another level. We want
to help you stop thinking about paddling
with only your arms and upper body and
start making this a whole-body activity.
Why? Because when you understand how
the body and boat work together, you truly
get the most from your craft and yourself.
The symposium kicks off with an evening
welcome party at the event head-
quarters, the historic Harrietstown Town
Hall auditorium, on the banks of the
Saranac River. Two days of classes follow
on many of the amazing local waterways,
with specific instruction tracks for canoe,
kayak and pack boat for beginner and
intermediate skill levels.
A six-to-one student-to-coach ratio
ensures plenty of personal attention for
maximum progression. For those who just
can’t get enough of the great people and
the paddling, Monday the 17th is ‘Tour
Monday,’ where participants can put skills
learned over the weekend into practice
with new friends.
Throughout the weekend, enjoy evening
socials and meals catered by the
legendary Bitters & Bones. Continue the
learning off-water with evening presentations
on topics ranging from subjects like
a more in-depth look into the 90-Miler,
Wellness for Paddlers, and Essential Gear
for a Trip Leader. Plus, guest appearances
from sponsors, like Wenonah Canoe,
Bending Branches and Aqua Bound paddles,
and the Adirondacks’ own Hornbeck
Boats, give paddlers a don’t miss out
opportunity to talk about gear with the
experts. Presenting sponsor NRS even
donates their dry suit fleet so paddlers can
stay dry and warm – especially for immersion
classes.
The Adirondack Paddling Symposium
will be held in Saranac Lake from Friday-
Monday, June 14-17. It is hosted by
Northern Forest Canoe Trail and presented
by NRS. Learn more and sign up:
adirondackpaddlingsymposium.com. For
any immediate questions, reach out at
518-524-4117 or info@adkpaddlingsymposium.com.
Registration is open but will
close on June 1.
Thanks those who’ve made the event
possible, including Saratoga Outdoors
and Northern Forest Canoe Trail, who
took over the event post-pandemic and
allowed it to thrive.
Danny Mongno is blessed to say he
hasn’t had a proper job outside of
paddle sports since he was 16. At NRS,
he works in product development and
field marketing, allowing him to work
at amazing events like this and others
around the country. He resides with his
wife and their dog in Lake Placid. As a
family, they pack a boat, kayak, and SUP
and enjoy a variety of winter sports.