Duh??   I know silly question.   Kayaking is a blast!  We are blessed in Pennsylvania to have a terrific resource in the Yough river.  Unlike a lot of rivers where the water dries up in the Summer, the Youghiogheny in Ohiopyle is dam controlled and therefore has great water all summer long.

Kayaking is a great sport and accessible to anyone who is able to swim.  Wilderness Voyageurs offers instruction in all forms of white water as well as flat water paddling. We offer multi day lessons as well as one or two hour introduction sessions.  Come on down for some High Adventure and take some Kayak Lessons.  For more information please send us an email....  :-)

A lot of people know Ohiopyle State  Park  for it's famous Yough River Rafting but did you  know that this park is packed with world class Mountain Biking.  I guess they haven't noticed the topography that creates all those rapids :-)

If you are looking get out as part of a white water rafting trip or just to get in some terrific Mountain Biking.  Come to Ohiopyle PA.  

Oh, and Wilderness Voyageurs has a  bike shop with a full time Mechanic available every weekend.

I think what I like the most about Yough River Rafting is the clear clean water and the quality and frequency of the rapids.   We also were able to do some fishing and some great Mountain Biking.

Thanks Wilderness Voyageurs!

A lot of people forget about Fallingwater when they are going Yough River Rafting or visiting the Laurel Highlands.  Fallingwater is an outstanding detour for those in your party who aren't into high adventure trips or frankly for your whole group.

Fallingwater is a spectacular house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright here in the Mountains of Pennsylvania.   It's a great stop for people of all ages so space can be limited.  Best bet is to make your arrangements the same time you reserve your rafting trip.   Email us:  rafting@wilderness-voyageurs.com

Fun group high adventure trips are what summer on the Youghiogheny are all about. If you are looking for similar Pennsylvania fun or are considering River Rafting in West Virginia join us for the best of East Coast Rafting.   For more information, send us an email: rafting@wilderness-voyageurs.com and we will be glad to help make this the best summer ever.

Outdoor Activities Near Washington DC

Why wait for summer camp when looking for High Adventure Tirps or Weekends with your family.  The Laurel Highlands offer great Outdoor Activities for all ages.   Ohiopyle has some great fun climbing to go along with yough river rafting.   One of our expert (and friendly) guides Josh is shown here checking knots on a young climber from the Indianapolis area.   Wilderness Voyagers is only 6 hours from Indianapolis and makes for a great family weekend escape.

For more information just send us an email:  rafting@wilderness-voyageurs.com

A whitewater rafting trip down the Yough River in Ohiopyle doesn't have to end with the  Rafting.  Wilderness Voyagers offers some great guided climbing for both experts and beginners alike.   A really fun day can be had for a family that begins with a fun & easy bike ride down the rails to trails path that runs through beautiful forrest and along the exciting Youghiogheny River.   About a mile downstream is a great set of rocks that are perfect for top-roping and an excellent spot to practice your skills, or introduce your children to the great sport of Rock Climbing.  If you are looking for Great Pennsylvania Family Trips in the Laurel Highlands you will find this to be one of the best outdoor activities near Washington DC or anywhere for that matter.

Matt here is 5 years old and just coming off a great day on the Middle Yough.   What many people don't know  is that the River in and around Ohiopyle  is broken into sections.   Most people run the Lower Yough...this is one of the most popular east coast rafting  rivers.   It's great because there are lot's of fun rapids and a real sense of a high adventure trip.   The age limit on the Lower Yough is 12.   If Your Pennsylvania Family Trips include members younger than 12 you might want to consider the Middle Yough.  Wilderness Voyagers take rafters as young as 5 on the Middle.  It's a fun day that included a great shore lunch, terrific guides and if you like we can even throw on some inflatable kayaks.

The Middle Yough is a great trip thats one of the great family outdoor activities near Washington DC or Columbus Ohio or Cincinnati....we even get families from Indiana that come in for the weekend.

So you might be inclined to think that Kayak Instruction is just for the hard core adventurer.  The reality is that White Water Kayaking is a great family activity.  If you are looking for great Pennsylvania Family Trips, consider kayak lessons in the Laurel Highlands.  

Jimmy here was just 12 years old and was able to paddle the Loop in Ohiopyle pretty quickly.  In his mind, this was a High Adventure Trip....something he never felt in a Disney park. 



If you are getting tired of the same old family activities...dare to be different.  Come to the Yough River for some family kayak instruction.

Rock climbing is one of Wilderness Voyageurs' primary outdoor activities, and several members of our staff are truly devoted to the sport. I was lucky enough to get a week's vacation to Red River Gorge in eastern Kentucky, where the climbing is just fabulous. Dozens of crags dot the landscape, all containing classic routes on mostly overhung, pocketed faces. Here is a picture of me belaying my friend Ned on a 5.10b sport climb. Truth be told, most of us, including Ned, were climbing strong in the super-human 5.12 range. I was able to toprope a 5.12a with a single rest (which surprised the heck out of me!); the rest of the week I stayed in the 5.8 to 5.11 range and had a blast.

Our finest moment of high adventure involved a Tyrolean traverse across a river. Someone had to wade to the other side and fix a rope so the rest of us could zip-line across. Stetson volunteered and immediately started undoing his pants. Some witty fellow remarked, "Hey, Stetson, why do all your plans start by taking your pants off?" Well, the traverse was brilliant fun. Here's a photo for your enjoyment:


Now, don't think you have to go all the way to Kentucky to enjoy excellent rock climbing. There's plenty of it right here in the Laurel Highlands of Southwestern PA. Wilderness Voyageurs boasts the best rock climbing instructors in the state; we make a perfect outfitter for Pennsylvania family trips to the crag! Already a climber? The Wilderness Voyageurs outfitter store carries a selection of basic outdoor climbing gear and is currently expanding its offerings in that category.

Bottom line? If you want to climb in a place as awesome as this:Southwestern PA is a great place to start!

Lou

Highwater in Ohiopyle! Not too high, but enough to get everyone jumping to paddle. The river was around 7 feet today and with the rain in the forecast, it'll probably stay up for a bit. Pennsylvania fishing will be tough for the local fly fishers! The Yough and all its tributaries are high right now. When it does come down, don't forget to check the fly fishing page for current hatches at tips!

 

Rain has hit the Laurel Highlands! Making Yough River Rafting very exciting for the first trip of the year. Cheers to Jason & Adam for taking on the snow and the highwater for some fun March East Coast Rafting! It was a fun day out there. With the great water, the cold was hardly noticed. The sun decided to peak out a bit as well. Spring is near!

            One of the most vivid moments I’ve ever experienced in my kayak was on the Upper Santa Maria during a week-long excursion up the Mexican coastline this past February.  River beds here are lined with travertine rock, a calcium carbonate rock similar to coral that is growing as groundwater leaches calcium, making the water a shade of blue I previously believed only to be present in overly the chlorinated pools seen at posh tropical resorts.  Every blue-eyed girl secretly wishes her eyes are this color of blue.  The river began as a flat, seemingly current-less stretch of water miles and miles long.  Miles and miles and miles long…at least 2 ½ hours of forward strokes and increasing doubts of upcoming gradient.  Luckily, canyon walls steepened and we found ourselves navigating through more technical whitewater.  As we approached the take-out, a 300 ft. set of waterfalls emerged, pouring off the cliffs on river left.  A rainbow perfectly framed the view as the sun’s rays pierced the spray created from the falls crashing into the river below.

            After much deliberation three group members, myself included, decided to attempt a crossing beneath the stampeding falls while the remaining three continued up the hillside to meet our driver.  Not knowing if this was actually possible—

water level too high?... curtain of waterfall too close to right shoreline?...spray/wind too strong to paddle though?—we began to paddle into the stormy abyss.  As we sat in an “eddy” between the first and second falls preparing to push through the thickest and strongest section, I struggled to keep my eyes open against the spray that now felt like a Supersoaker pointed at my face.  I continued paddling strong into the vehement wind to prevent slamming against the rock wall to my right or the floating trees to my left, however, I did not move.  First attempt to cross was unsuccessful, unable to decipher up from down, right from left and forward from backward.  Not willing to settle for defeat, I picked myself up, brushed myself off and paddled harder than ever.  Time began to stretch like the trail gum leaves when stepped on by a shoe, leaving me in a river hurricane.  Yet somehow the winds calmed, the spray subsided and the waves dissipated.  I was looking up at the falls from the other side.  Six miles of flat water to take-out, with a strong head, wind couldn’t even take away my smile.       

 

            Remember that experiences like this can be yours too with kayak instruction right here in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania.  Learn from instructors that travel all over the world to kayak and are excited to share this passion with everyone.  Kayak lessons in Pennsylvania are a held in one of the best places here in Ohiopyle with whitewater ranging from gentle Class I to more advanced Class V, allowing you to advance your skill level as a beginner or a more advanced paddler looking to fine tune your skills on more challenging rivers.  Hope to see you on the river and discover the world through the eyes of a kayaker!!!

I finally found a chance to go play with our new staff toy - the waterproof video camera. Wilderness Voyageurs staff members Max, Cory, Ben and I hit up the Top Yough yesterday at around 450cfs for some high adventure thrills (especially in Cory's case). Anyway, I cut the raw footage into a pretty decent video. Check 'er out:



For those who don't know, the Top Yough is a section of the Youghiogheny near Sang Run, Maryland, right at Swallow Falls state park and only 1 hour from Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. It's a class IV or V kayak run (depends who you ask and how much water there is) that has lots of excellent boofs and one really amazing slide.

By the way, the staff video camera is up for grabs for any responsible staff member who wants to shoot some video. We can even hook you up with editing software.

Lou

A lot of people think of Ohiopyle as a summer destination, but there really is a lot to do here in the winter time. Let's check out the list of sweet outdoor activities:

1. Ice climbing. There are pitches scattered all over the Laurel Highlands, and many of them are here in the park. Good ice forms consistently on Meadow Run, Cucumber falls, and in the Lost Quarry up by the Ramcat putin. For the absolute best resource on local climbing, including condition reports and directions, check out Tim Anderson's climbing page. This link is broken sometimes, so contact the store at Wilderness Voyageurs as a backup.

2. Snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Don't let conditions in the tiny town of Ohiopyle fool you. There is usually a lot more snow up on Sugarloaf, and loads of great trails too. This time of year the visitors center is unmanned, so stop into the store, and we'll gladly give you a tour of the state park map.

3. Running and hiking. Even the trails down in and around town are still good for the hardcore trail runner or dayhiker with the right outdoor gear. Best thing about the cold: no crowds and no sweat. The two pictures up top are from my run up Great Gorge Trail this evening with the ever-lovable Sandy Psycho Pants.

4. Winter Boating. Yes, some of us are crazy enough to kayak this time of year. Actually, water levels are consistently excellent through the winter, and as long as it's mid 20s or warmer, there are people on the water. Click here for my favorite gauge to check. Just be mindful of recent weather trends; you don't want to come around that bend and find that your must-make eddy is covered in an inch of ice.

Did I leave anything out? Just click that comments button to tell me what I missed.

Lou

Since 1977 about 3,000,000 people have run the Lower Yough. Which is a class 3 section of whitewater located in the Laurel Highlands of Southwestern Pennsylvania. And most of those adventurous folks took on the infamous Dimple Rapid! So what is the big deal about Dimple Rapid? And is it REALLY that hard to run?




Simply put: NO! Dimple Rock is actually one of the easier rapids on the Lower Yough to run as long as you can follow a few simple tips here. First off - if this is your first time rafting you may want to have a guide in your raft to help navigate you through the rapids, teach you about white water and hopefully keep most of you in the raft!! However, if you are up for the high adventure trips and want to take on the rapids yourselves - try these tips to make it through this rapid upright!

1.)  PATIENCE! This rapid is not about having the strongest people paddling full force and punching through a hole - it is about finesse. Start by lining up your raft about 10 feet off the left hand shore line. (note: the lower the water - the farther left you need to be.

2.) ITS ALL ABOUT THE ANGLE. Having the right angle on this rapid is a must! Have your raft pointed to the right at about a 2 o'clock angle (thinking of Dimple Rock at 12 o'clock)

3.) PATEINCE!! Once you a lined up correctly - just relax

4.) MISS PINBALL! The nature of the rapid is for all the water to run right into dimple rock - your job is to split the gap between dimple and pinball rock. However, Pinball Rock gets its name for a reason: Hit Pinball - Bounce off - Hit Dimple - and BAM your in the drink!!

5.) ok now... PADDLE!! Once you are almost lined up with pinball start paddling! and Paddle Hard!!

6.) Celebrate! You have made it through Dimple Rapid!! (note: stop celebrating before you hit "wash over rock".

The Lower Yough is a great river - and Dimple Rock is probably one of the best rapids on the East Coast. Although it is notorious for flipping rafts completely over - you can make it through upright pretty easily too!