What the heck does the staff of Wilderness Voyageurs do this time of year? Good question. Mostly the same as what we do in the summer. Run, Bike, Hike, Raft, Kayak, Climb and hang out. And get ready for the winter. Check this out:



Every year we powerwash our rafts to protect them from abrasive sand and dirt during the winter storage months. Besides preserving the longevity of the boats, it gives our raft guides something to do during the week. We may not have the shiniest white water rafts, and they may not all be the same color, but there's a lot of love in them.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans as Autumn turns into Winter. You'll see we're always getting into some kind of trouble here on Garrett St in Ohiopyle.

No, it's not one of those uber-closeups where you guess what you're looking at (liver cells, circuits, bubbles, etc.) These are t-grips from the ends of our whitewater rafting paddles -- our very own version of fall colors.

Because we're STILL RUNNING TRIPS. It's true. But even if you don't want to raft the yough, there's still plenty of traditional fall colors to come check out here in the Laurel Highlands. Rent a bike, go for a hike, or just drive around. Whatever you choose, the staff at Wilderness Voyageurs Outfitters (by the train tracks on the north edge of Ohiopyle) will get you going in the right direction.

You had a great trip down the river, in fact it was one of the funnest and action-packed days of the whole year.  Don't let that memory fade away as the leaves begin to fall and the blustery weather rolls into town.  Just think of how your co-workers will be so envious of you when they see your wallpaper computer screen with a shot of the massive splashes and big smiles of you in your raft during your day on the water with Wilderness Voyageurs on the Youghiogheny River.

Pictures can be viewed using our Shutteryfly account.  Click here for the link to our website and simply scroll down to find the link, separated by month, at the bottom of the main page. 






Order multiple sized prints, t-shirts, mugs, postcards, and so much more.  Makes a great gift.  There is nothing better to remind you of next season's adventure possibilities for some of the best east coast rafting and high adventure trips, all closer to home than you think!

Even before moving to Ohiopyle in April, I decided one of my goals for the summer was to learn whitewater kayaking. How fortunate I was to pick Wilderness Voyageurs as my choice of employment. Since then I am 100% convinced that Wilderness Voyageurs in the Laurel Highlands is THE place to learn whitewater paddling. Several places to practice your skills are all within walking distance of our base on Garrett Street. We have a fleet of fabulous new demo boats from Liquid Logic, Pyranha, and Wavesport to suit any paddler of any ability. And best of all, we have some multi-talented river guides and store staff who excel at the fine art of kayak instruction. On that note, I want to thank those who have graciously spent their free time showing me the ropes: John, Josh, Brian, Astrid, Susan, and others on staff have given me invaluable help and encouragement.

When I think about what I love about kayaking and why I still return to the river after a particularly frustating swim through Entrance rapid (three times so far...), so many things come to mind. I love experiencing the subtleties of water that one doesn't notice in a raft, and the many ways a rapid can be picked apart into eddies, holes, waves, pourovers, etc. Being on a beautiful river and seeing nature from a new perspective doesn't hurt either. The rush I get after a successful run on the loop, knowing that I am overcoming my initial fear and getting stronger each day. It reminds me of skiing through the trees on a powder day.

So if you've ever had a desire to learn whitewater kayaking, consider Wilderness Voyageurs for an instruction tailored to your ability. If you are already a class II/III paddler with a roll, join us for our Friday night loop runs at 6:30 - meet us in front of the store. Or stop by and demo one of our boats. Hope to see you on the river!

Andrea

Are you looking for some Class 5 White Water Rafting but think you'd have to travel too far or devote too much time? Well, the Upper Yough in Maryland is the adrenaline fix for you!

About 90 seconds off of I-68 in Friendsville, MD, this East Coast Rafting destination makes a nice day trip, especially from the DC area. Going to Deep Creek for some vacationing fun? No problem, the Upper Yough is on the way there, and only about 25 minutes distant. Better still: recent rainfall has made this already awesome river even meatier and more fun. Check out these pictures of our latest trip:





Bottom line: for High Adventure fun in Maryland, especially when it comes to outdoor activities near Washington DC, you need look no further than Upper Yough river rafting. This river runs into September, so there is still time! Call 800 272 4141 today to reserve your spot on one of our trip because seats fill up fast.

--Lou

Did you know that you can request specific Wilderness Voyageurs staff members on your trips? It's true. If you have a friend who works for us, or you had a really good experience with a particular guide in the past, you can ask for them on your next trip. Whether it's class 5 rafting mania, a gentle float down the East Coast's beautiful Middle Yough, or an adrenaline-pumping day of Mountain Bike instruction, odds are your favorite guide will be able to accompany you.



For more info about our guides, check out our staff page (under construction). Or you can read this post or this other post by Susan to learn even more about the new guides.

How do you do it? Simple: mention the guide's name when you make your reservation and we'll do our absolute best to get that person on your trip. Already have a reservation? Give us a call (800 272 4141) to add that favorite staff member to your adventure.

Cheers
Lou

Every July in western Maryland a different breed of Upper Yough paddlers begins to emerge.  You first notice while hanging out at National to watch carnage when a long boat appears at the crest of triple drop, passes 2 raft trips and continues through National and Tommy's Hole without stopping for a moment.  You then notice more and more of these long boats mixed in with groups of Burns, Jefes, Rockers and other creek boats.  Passing their friends, only to wait in an eddy down below to do it again through the next rapid.  This all means one thing.  The 28th Annual Upper Yough Race.

Switching from a small 8ft creek boat to a nearly 12ft-long race boat is like reading your favorite book with someone else's prescription eyeglasses.  Suddenly those letters you are so familiar with are blurring together in weird ways, forming foreign words.  But eventually things come together bit by bit.  I found myself gaining confidence in a piecemeal fashion.  First it came with the lines through Charlie's Choice and Heinzerling.  Slowly rapids like Triple Drop and Lost Paddle were added into the mix with the race line at National still remaining difficult for me, even during the race.  I came to realize that 2 or 3 practice runs just can't prepare you for connecting these moves together and maintaining enough energy to make it through the flatter stretches to the finish line.  In addition I found that more time is lost in smaller class II/III rapids than the bigger ones, making it even more important to pay attention to the best lines everywhere on the river. 

Race day went smooth for this first-time racer, managing to keep the nerves at bay until just before launch time.  As the first racer sprinted their way toward Gap Falls, it became real.  I realize that will be me momentarily as adrenaline begins to surge through my veins.  The race was mostly a blur.  During the warm-ups I almost couldn't believe that it was finally here and that it would be over before I noticed.  Personally, I had a great run, hitting some lines better than ever before and preventing spinning out too badly throughout the entire run.  But nothing is more satisfying the final 10 seconds of every race followed by the refreshing beverage received upon completion.  At the finish line we talk about our runs, watch other racers come in and just enjoy not using every bit of power to move a kayak forward. 


This year 32 races took on the challenge of descending this class IV/V, 5+ mile creek on Saturday July 28th, 2008.  Boats ranged from small creek boats to sleek and light fiberglass Wildwater kayaks.  For many of the races this year's event was added to decades of previous Upper Yough races, while others were attempting some race lines for the very first time.  Such a variance of experience leads to some amazingly smooth lines and some awesome carnage!  Geoff Calhoun took first overall in his Wildwater boat with a time of 28.52 min.  Peter Lutter came in a close second in his Wavehopper at 29.58 min.  With the ladies, Chara Whittamore held her title with a strong time of 33.55 min using her Wavehopper placing an amazing 10th overall.  WV's own Susan Hollingsworth (yours truly) came in just behind Chara in the Green Boat with a time of 34.23 for second place in the Women's Division.  Check out the race results for other times.  For pictures of racers check out the Private Boater link on playtheriver.com.

Next year should be just as much fun, if not more.  Hopefully Wilderness Voyageurs Purple Pride team can represent!  See you then!

-Zan

 Hi there and thanks for checking out our blog! This page is hosted by Wilderness Voyageurs, the oldest whitewater rafting outfitter east of the Mississippi and an outdoor fixture since 1964.

Our home page (see link above) has tons of information about the various activities we offer, while this blog is an organized "compended" list of articles written by our staff and customers. Feel free to browse the various categories, post comments, or even write your own blog entry.

What's that you ask? How do I write my own blog entry? Well, that's really rather simple. First, click here (opens new window). Type in...
Username: raft
password: paddle
Go ahead and compose your blog entry. When you're done, click submit. Once an administrator approves your post, it will be up on the blog!

To get the most out of your blogging experience, try incorporating one or more of the following keywords/phrases: East Coast White Water Rafting, West Virginia Adventures, Kayak Lessons, Laurel Highlands,Outdoor Activities, Fishing, Mountain Biking, Yough River

Thanks for reading and especially for blogging. Have fun!
Lou

This past Saturday, July 26, the town of Friendsville, MD hosted the annual Upper Yough Festival at the community park. The Fest was held in conjunction with the Annual Upper Yough Race and drew a crowd of families and expert boaters alike.

I was working the Wilderness Voyageurs outdoor gear booth on the festival grounds for most of the day; I got to listen to live blue grass music, eat some awesome food from the local vendors, check out a climbing wall, and talk to a lot of cool people. Volunteers ran kayak instruction clinics, white water rafting demos, and even fly fishing lessons.

Here's to the town of Friendsville for putting on a great festival. For those who missed it, come in 2009, the fourth Saturday in July. And for more information on the Upper Yough, our store in Friendsville, climbing, kayaking, rafting, fishing, or what have you, go to www.wilderness-voyageurs.com

See you on the river,
Lou

Yough River Rafting - is there a better way to build camaraderie in within a company? After this weekend of East Coast Rafting, I don't think so.

And this past weekend the Compendium Blogware team gave the Lower Youghiogheny a try. The team building began on the 6 1/2 hour ride from Indianapolis to Ohiopyle; we traveled in-style aboard a 40 ft Entertaining RV. Saturday morning Wilderness Voyageurs set up a breakfast buffet and then we embarked on a day of high adventure. Team work on the river is a must - too many chiefs and no Indians will always fail - but without any trouble, we divided up into teams and successfully navigated through the rapids. Beyond just rafting - we stopped at dimple rock rapid to watch the excitement of rafts maneuvering through the rocks, swam through Swimmers Rapid and jumped off of Jump Rock. Although all but two people fell out and a raft completely flipped over in Double Hydraulics - EVERYONE had a great time.
After the trip we reminisced about the day over a great meal catered by The Firefly Grill and a few beers. Finally,  we made our way to the Falls City Pub to listen to the musical delights of Wizdom, a reggae band from Pittsburgh.

Needless-to-say, our team is buzzing today with excitement of the weekend - telling and retelling stories of their experiences. You can feel a rejuvenated vibe in our office and a real sense of team. Everyone is already planning the next company outting - maybe we can include some kayak instruction next time?       
                                 

Nothing beats a day of Upper Yough River Rafting!!  …well, almost nothing, but for the purposes of this discussion at least, we will leave it as nothing. 

 

Yesterday, I was able to experience one of the great joys of being a river guide in the Laurel Highlands, and I S1-ed (pronounced “esse-whund”) the Upper Yough.  On top of this simply being a brilliant way to spend a Monday, it happened to be the first time I have had the chance to do such!  Now I know what some fellow whitewater junkies may be thinking; “Fuzzy, you’re telling me you’ve spent almost four seasons out here boating, and you are just now S1-ing the Upper..?!?”  To this I can only answer, “Yes.  …but not four full seasons…”

 

The day began with a slight miscalculation on my part, when it was pointed out that I had grabbed a 4-man Shredder instead of the typical 2-man variety, but I continued undaunted.  The doubters may not have been considering how much easier those 4-man Shredders ferry across current~  Luckily for me, the skills I’ve learned at Wilderness Voyageurs over the years paid off, and thank the Downer I survived!  It is of course much easier to make it down such a river knowing that Kirby, JRod, Brian, Rich, and Mizzle are there to pull out my mangled body to deliver home to mom in the event I mess up…

 

The Upper Yough is an adventure not suggested for the faint of heart, but for those whom have seen it in all its glory and devastation, not many east coast rafting trips can compare.  All in all, it was certainly the best “sick day” I’ve taken to date!!

 

~Fuzzy

k    There is almost no reason for anyone to be scared on one of our white water rafting trips on the Youghiogheny river.  With one of the best guide training programs in the area and a large senior guide staff, our river guides are trained and well-practiced to keep you safe and having fun on the water. 

    For example, Amanda Love has been a guide with Wilderness Voyageurs for the past 6 years and continues to provide smooth and safe river trips for all her guests.  While only an official river guide since 2002, Amanda has grown up on the water and brings many more years of experience to the table.  She is well-known for her superior sweep rafting skills and is often providing support and guidance to new staff who wish to one day be as good as Amanda. 

    Just look at her rescue that swimmer!  She'll do whatever it takes to get you back in that raft!
   
    Stop on by Wilderness Voyageurs to meet Amanda and the rest of our excellent guide staff!

    So maybe you've tried white water rafting, maybe you've even done it here in Ohiopyle on the Lower Youghiogheny, however, you haven't fully experienced the river until you've tried a ducky or a shredder.  These whitewater crafts are designed to give you a different and incredibly exciting experience on the water. 

    A shredder is a type of inflatable raft that is designed to be more maneuverable in the white water.  This means sharper turns, bigger hits and one wild ride.  You'll find this boat to be much more responsive to few paddle strokes, allowing you to move it where you want it so you can hit all those waves and avoid all those rocks.  These boats have exploded in popularity since local Ohiopylian Tom Love, the creator, made the first one back in the late 80's.  Now you can spot thse crafts on some of the toughest whitewater rivers all across the states and even abroad. 


   
    If the shredder doesn't do it for you, there is always the ducky!  This inflatable kayak is meant for one or two people (double duck) and puts you even closer to the action.  Using a double bladed paddle you are faced with maneuvering the rapids all on your own.  This experience is often more intense (which really means more exciting) than being in a raft with 5 other people.  And if it tips over...no big deal!  You can just crawl right back on top, even in the middle of a rapid. 





    So remember there is always a new adventure for you here at Wilderness Voyageurs.  Just when you think you've done it all, we've got plenty more action-packed high adventure trips for you and the family! 

While many people are drawn to Ohiopyle State Park for the awesome adventure sports -- Whitewater rafting, mountain biking, kayaking, and so forth -- there is much to see and do here that doesn't involve a near-death experience or attaining your maximum heart rate.

One such attraction: the numerous overlooks and vistas speckled throughout the park. Notice the photo icons on this downloadable map of the park. The key thing to remember here is that when Ohiopyle State Park puts a photo icon on the map, they are not messing around. Much of the park is quite beautiful, but the indicated vistas are supremely magestic. Let's run down my top 4:

1. Laurel Highlands trail. Approximately 2.5 miles from the end of Garrett St on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is a rocky outcropping that offers a magnificent view of the Great Bend in the Middle Yough. Hike in your camera for this one - you will see miles of trees and river valley, with the river itself flowing far below you.

2. Kentuck. Two benches sit atop a hill, facing a gap in the opposing hillside through which you can see the ridge system in the distance. The kind of spot that makes you feel like you just might be the first one to see this sight.

3. Tharp Knob. Easily my current favorite. You can drive to the softball field area and walk around the Kentuck Trail loop, or you can really earn this view and go up Great Gorge trail, turn left on Kentuck -- passing the Kentuck overlook -- and reach Tharp Knob that way. From this spot you can see the entire town of Ohiopyle (what there is of it) and much of the Middle Yough. Wilderness Voyageurs is just visible to the left of the railway tracks in the picture below:

Beware: this image is zoomed in. For the full view, you will have to go there yourself.

4. Sugarloaf Road. Driving on Sugarloaf road from Ohiopyle to Confluence, you will see an overlook sign on your left. Park in the pulloff and walk up to the rocky outcropping. This is another spectacular view of the Middle Yough.

Do you have any other favorite vistas in Ohiopyle (there's one just outside the park on 381 N just past Scarlett Knob campground, for instance)? Leave a comment and let us know.

Lou

"How far away is Indianapolis from Ohiopyle, anyways?" I get asked this question at least a few times a week; mostly because I talk about Ohiopyle daily - and most people just think Pennsylvania is REALLY far away. But reality is, its not. You can get from Indianapolis to Ohiopyle in about 6 hours! So this weekend, instead of driving the distance alone I took a few Hoosiers with me to do some East Coast rafting! :)
We had a fantastic time on the Lower Yough Saturday morning. I figured for some first timers, the class 5 whitewater rafting might be a little much so we cruised down with the earliest Wilderness Voyaguers trip that puts on the Lower Yough (class 3) @ 10:00AM.We spent the day in the Laurel Highlands watching first time rafters work through the rapids, the WV guides hustle, swimming and having a great time!

To top off the trip.. this weekend marked the 7th Annual Beer & Gear Fest - which, like it sounds, was a festival of micro brewery beer and outdoor gear. Some of the best parts about this festival is that it was that it only costs $12 to get in AND you get a really awesome pint glass to drink out of and keep as a souvenir. And this years cup was designed by one of Ohiopyle's cool cats Megan (pictured). 

So overall we had a blast! Came back and when we came back I talked about it so much that I am going to be bringing a huge group from work back the weekend of July 26th! And because its Ohiopyle, there is always something going on. This weekend Wizdom will be playing at the Falls City Pub! Always a fun time had by all!

    The 2008 rafting season is shaping up to be one of high adventure!  Wilderness Voyageurs is proud to have recruited some of the company's strongest, friendliest, most knowledgable and experienced "rookies" ever.  Some came with years of experience on rivers all over the country, some came with class V kayaking skills while others just came with the determination and eagerness to learn as much as possible.
    Training began back in April when the water was colder and so was the air.  Returning every weekend to learn such skills as raft handling, trip management and first aid, these fresh river guides were put to the test both physically and mentally.  After 5 intense weekends and at least 20 training runs down the Lower Youghiogheny only the best were invited back to become full time river guides for the 2008 summer season. 

Here is Callie from California (yes, it is just a coincidence).  Callie is new to rivers but comes with experience in other adventure sports such as skiing and snowboarding.  She was one of the first to check out on the river, getting her training trips in as quick as possible while also taking every opportunity to explore other rivers, building upon her experience even more. 





Next we have Nick, or "Darkness."  Here nick shows off his quick reflexes and big guns by getting his crew back in the raft faster than you can say paddle!
Brian comes to Wilderness Voyageurs with raft guiding experience on rivers such as the New and Upper Gauley.  His strong work ethic and commitment have allowed him to jump right into the trip leader position.  He has also been able to work on his kayaking skills by getting on many local creeks and rivers during our spring high water season.







Here is Kent.  He means business.


    These, and all of our other new river guides, have allowed us to start off the season with a bang.  Their hard work and dedication to improving their skills and having a great time mean that your day on the river will be the best ever.  Come out to Wilderness Voyageurs in the Laurel Highlands for Yough River Rafting at its greatest!

Here is a video of a really good kayaking and rafting trip to the Big Sandy that the Wilderness Voyageurs staff took last Monday. Some of the rookies are really shaping up, so we brought them along to let them strut their stuff. A blast was had by all as the weather was excellent and the water was plentiful and cool.

The other day some of Wilderness Voyageurs' guests had the rare priveledge of taking a guided Big Sandy trip. We are very fortunate this year to have such an awesome, adventuresome staff and clientele.

The Big Sandy is a Class 5 run in West Virginia, but at this point in the season if you are interested in extreme east coast whitewater check out the Upper Yough. There is still a good bit of natural flow in that river, so with the added water from the release you can have an inordinate amount of high adventure fun in the sun!

By the way, video editing sofware is way too much fun, and makes it far too easy to get wacky with creativity. I'm curious to know what people think of the videos they've been seeing on this blog. Please feel free to leave comments!

Lou

Rain, rain, don't go away. We love it. If there was to be a time for a trip to visit the yough river in Ohiopyle this would be it. Water levels are outstanding providing high adventure and excitement. Big water rafting cannot be beat and with water levels matching that of the Gauley and New rivers action with much less of a drive. Guest numbers are still low so trips are small and personable. Guides are trying to make the most of the time knowing all too well that low water will be here soon. Kayaking action is at its hight as temperatures rise and the winter rust is shaken off, folks are going big with every opportunity that presents itself. If you are looking for a new run and need someone to boat with the wilderness voyageurs staff have the runs down. The Cheat river continues to hold strong providing huge water action in one of the most beautiful canyons in all of the East Coast. If you are looking for high adventure regarless of what the pesimistic forcaster might say ohiopyle is your place to be to enjoy the liquid sunshine. See you out there. Josh

No one doesn't like spring here in the Laurel Highlands.  Periods of summer-like warmth dispersed between days of pure rain showers.  Some days are still chilly, but occasionally there is that day where the river is high and the sun couldn't be any brighter.  The Cheat Canyon is known for days like this.

Seeing small streams turn into waterfalls as they drop over the colorful canyon wall on river left as you drop into the crashing waves of the rapid High Falls might be one of the most beautiful sights of all West Virginia river rafting.  The transition into spring also means the full spectrum of the color green is filling in the mountain sides, dotted with bright purple Redbud flowers.   Just another moment where I find myself sitting back in my kayak
wondering how my life got to be this good. 

So there are pretty trees and unique rock formations, but let's be honest, we're here to crash into big holes and fly over the top of huge waves, paddling as hard as we can to avoid a very rough swim.  Here is a taste of one of our rafting trips on this incredibly scenic, always exciting, east coast river.





Don't let spring pass you by this year. Get out on

those rivers while they are running and see what

you're been missing!

...because I sure do.

The Lower Yough has earned its reputation as one of the best and most popular rivers on the East Coast, because it's great fun all summer long.

But now is the time to go! The water is higher and the crowds are fewer in the spring. Bigger fun, less waiting, plus off-season rates. Worried about being cold? Rent a wetsuit or splash top. Besides, you've got edge-of-your-seat adrenaline and paddling like a maniac to keep you warm. Done the Lower Yough a dozen times? Come in the spring; it will feel like your first time.

The same philosophy applies to the class 5 gem of the East, the Upper Yough. Deep Creek hydro station follows the release schedule regardless of natural flow, which means jucier rafting at this time of year. Ask any river guide what's better than the Upper Yough and they'll tell you, "The only thing better is the Upper Yough with more water."

Bottom line: if you are a true whitewater afficionado, or just a summer fan looking for a better ride, then Your Time Is Now.

Lou