Hi all.  I've got to believe that someone here has canoed the Allagash on their own, without a guide using maps and maybe rented canoes.  My wife and I have done extreme remote camping up in the North Woods in Maine (fly in remotes) and also Alaska.  We're consummate campers but I'd like to hear from anyone who as done the Allagash over, say 6 or 7 days camping at nights at the designated areas.  What were your concerns, what was your food consumption, were you able to fly-fish along the way ( I sure hope so) and did you have any issue navigating or handling the Class II rapids that are advertised everywhere.  We would want to do this in mid-September of probably next year.

Any information you might be able to provide will be greatly appreciated!

Rome aka Cabinetman.

I canoed the androscoggin and the allagash in the late 70's. The Androscoggin was a 2 week trip. I was in high school at the time and both of these trips were set up as high adventure youth trips. Unfortunately it's been so long since I did these trips that I don't remember the details.

Mike

I have twice canoed Spednic Lake and the St. Croix river to make a 50miler trip with some members of my Boy Scout troop...awesome trip and only one short portage and the fishing is great!  I'll be doing this trip again in early August next year.
As for the Allagash, the best time is early June while there's still plenty of water runoff from the snow melt. After June things dry up a bit and make the portages a bit difficult. Of course the water's pretty damn cold in June.
I'm a bit weary of canoeing with just the wife, if you get mixed up and dump in some decent rapids you're without much help (even if the wife is an experienced paddler)
Two canoes and a group of 4 is much safer...don't forget, you can't simply call for help with your cell phone.
The Allagash to me is a lot more work than it's worth with so many better paddling choices, I'm not a fan of portaging canoes and all my gear, nor am I a fan of canoeing in shallows where it's almost better to hike.

Make sure you have some good dry-bags for gear, food clothes and sleeping bag, an Igloo Marine cooler or better (use block ice) Install tie-down points in your canoe and cover all your gear with a tarp, all tied in so when (not if) you dump your gear and canoe all stays together.
One of our guys dumped in some rapids on the St. Croix, the water pinned his canoe against a rock and nearly folded in half in about 5ft of water, I had to portage back upstream and paddle down to him. I exited my canoe and let it go downstream (other guys in the group grabbed it for me..we planned this) The two of us pryed and pulled for about half an hour trying to get the canoe unstuck while not getting washed down stream...we finally got it off the rock and floated downstream with it to calmer water.
If this ever happened to just 2 people in a canoe you'd be fucked.

Here are some ideas on what my scouts carry for a week long canoe trip;

Boy Scouts Canoe Trip Gear

ETA:
What brand / type canoe?

Here's a little write up of our last trip:
Spednic Lake, St. Croix River

ive never canoed in allagash but have hunted there many times. my only concern would be when your going .September is in the middle of bear season and you may run into a probably with a bear in your camp looking for food. not a huge deal but it is something to think about. there are 1000s of bears in that area of the state and all are looking to fatten up on anything they can before they hibernate. guide would have been baiting them for a full month before too so they will be used to going after human food

your right about the low water in the fall. most of the st john river is ankle high in the fall

As mentioned, would not attempt in September...you'll be doing a lot of hiking with that canoe.
June with runoff from the snowmelt is the only time I would do it.

well, now.  You've all given me valuable info.  We'll reconsider.  We've done enough "remote camping" to be comfortable with eachother's abilities.   I wasn't aware of the the low water in September, however.  So we'll look into earlier dates or maybe just do another fly-in.  I love being on my own.

Rome

I spent time in Sept and Oct in the area. Oct. closes fishing some areas in the county.
Was camped near Cross lake for moose hunting multiple years. 2012, 2013, 2014.
Our Sept. season was was in 2012 and we brought a small boat for some fishing.  
The thoroughfares around those lakes were low.
An old timer local we made friends with wanted to fish and we had drag the boat thru them in that season.
I am not sure of the rapid areas of Allagash with their rivers. But I would call and ask the guides for info. Even if you don't go with them.
If want, I can try to ask my contacts for info. But they aren't in the exact area and may not know.

It's pretty evident that unless there is some major rain, the river dries up quite a bit.  We're looking into an earlier trip.  I've located a few intrepid hikers locally who have done the precise trip we're considering and they went in June for that very reason, without a guide, too.  And, it's not that we have anything against being guided.   I've hired guides a dozen times all over the country because they are the ones that'll show you where the fish or game are.  With this trip, we're just wanting to take out time and wander with no particular fixed schedule.  

So, we'll continue to investigate.

Rome

if you want a guide to at least talk to let me know. my bear guide does canoe trips and has competed in some kind of canoe racing. his place is at the very end of allagash before you get onto irving property

Thanks!  I'll keep that in mind as we begin to make our plans.

R