OK - I am informed that first timers and/or swimmers are encouraged (read "required" here) to submit the trip report. I qualified on both counts. Any other newly baptised members of the Youghiogheny River swim team shall remain anonymous in the hope (however vain) that they will return the favor someday. Nevertheless, I was gratified that someone else took a sympathy swim later in the day to make me feel better.
Nobody told me I was supposed to be trip secretary so I don't have an exact headcount nor did I take names. In addition to Dave as trip leader, I remember Sejal, Ken and Alicia, Jill and Bill, Liz and Dave Bradford, Jeff Johnson. Otherwise, my apologies for early onset of memory loss. As I recall, we had about 14 boaters with a mix of OC1s and K1s. Weather was grey, moderately cool, with intermittent sprinkles. Water level was astonishingly low at 1.2 feet.
The "grassy knoll" is gone as they paved paradise and put up a parking lot, so we congregated at the parking lot just upstream of the Ohiopyle Falls visitor center. Everybody shuttled their vehicles to the takeout at Bruner's. A big thank you goes to Wade Kinker for running all of the drivers back to the put-in in his van.
The trip began with much enthusiasm until 'yours truly' window-shaded upstream in a piddly little class I curler at the very top of Entrance Rapid. My boat and I made the nearest eddy but, alas, my paddle went MIA for about 10 minutes. Thankfully, it was found and I paddled down to retrieve it with the help of a borrowed breakdown paddle that magically appeared from the back of a Remix 79. YOU CANNOT APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF PADDLING A RIVER FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH SUCH A TERRIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE AND ACCOMPLISHED PADDLERS.
Ken Dubel and I played "Me and My Shadow" for the rest of the day. I followed Ken through Cucumber at the back end of the group. As I was finishing the final drops and into the eddy on river left, I was greeted with a lusty chorus of cheers (or jeers?) apparently spontaneously prompted by shock and surprise at the sight of me running an entire rapid right side up.
The rest of the day was just plain fun. The river was not pushy at 1.2 and we were able to relax and enjoy the splendor of fall colors in Western Pennsylvania. Lunch was taken just below swimmers at the usual spot.
Rivers End rapid brought extra excitement as, at such a low water level, a good size rock appears about 10-15 feet to the left of Snaggletooth. A trap for the unwary, but fortunately, we were all wary (Thanks for the heads up Ken).
After getting off the river, eight of us continued the festivities with food and adult cold beverages at Falls City Pub.
I understand about half or more of the group paddled on Sunday, which was supposed to be better than Saturday in terms of temperature, sunlight, and water level (1.4 instead of 1.2). As for me, I barely had enough energy for the drive back to Charlottesville on Sunday morning.
Bottom Line. What a great river. What a great group of people to share the experience with.
Your Unofficial Trip Secretary, First Timer, and Swim Team Member
Bill Capp
OCT - 43rd Annual Bill Gordon Lower Yough Oct. 26-27
Moderators: admins, GinnyN, mod1, mod3, Raymond, slo2rol, mod2
OCT - 43rd Annual Bill Gordon Lower Yough Oct. 26-27
"If you're not a liberal at twenty, you have no heart. If you're not a conservative at forty, you have no brain."
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
For the sake of completeness, the Saturday participant list: Paddling solo open canoes Dave Bradford, Liz Deardorff, Alicia Jahsmann, Sejal Kinker and Dave Stockdill. Paddling kayak were Bill Bennett, Mike Blashford, Liz Bradford, Bill Capp, John Deardorff, Ken Dubel, Jill Fisk and Jeff Johnson. John Black paddled the loop only. (Something about a football game, a strange sense of priorities.)
On Sunday paddling kayak were Jeff Johnson, John Deardorff, John Black and Mike Blashford. Paddling OC-1 were Liz Deardorff and Dave Stockdill. Alicia Jahsmann and Ken Dubel paddled OC-2
On Sunday paddling kayak were Jeff Johnson, John Deardorff, John Black and Mike Blashford. Paddling OC-1 were Liz Deardorff and Dave Stockdill. Alicia Jahsmann and Ken Dubel paddled OC-2
Thanks to Dave Stockdill for keeping this trip alive. Fun weekend!
After watching Bill Capp huck Ohiopyle Falls in style I figured he was good to go. Photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/96679201@N00/Mr79au
I chalked up his out-of-boat experience at Entrance to 1st-timer jitters.
I'm sorry I didn't take more photos. On Saturday we had drizzle and on Sunday I had my hands full paddling OC-2.
Both 1.2 and 1.35 are quite doable levels for the lower Yough. I had not run it that low before. (Ordinary is around 1.8 - 2.0.) My only real caveat is that Dimple is trickier and more dangerous as at lower water the undercut portion of that boulder is not so far underwater.
Cheers,
Ken Dubel
After watching Bill Capp huck Ohiopyle Falls in style I figured he was good to go. Photos here:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/96679201@N00/Mr79au
I chalked up his out-of-boat experience at Entrance to 1st-timer jitters.
I'm sorry I didn't take more photos. On Saturday we had drizzle and on Sunday I had my hands full paddling OC-2.
Both 1.2 and 1.35 are quite doable levels for the lower Yough. I had not run it that low before. (Ordinary is around 1.8 - 2.0.) My only real caveat is that Dimple is trickier and more dangerous as at lower water the undercut portion of that boulder is not so far underwater.
Cheers,
Ken Dubel