...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
Buying a new paddle?
If this is your first paddle I don’t have much advise for you. If you are new to kayaking and if you’re naturally cheap like me you’ll never spend the bucks for a great paddle and that’s OK. But keep in mind, as with anything, if you invest in slightly better equipment, it will make your learning curve easier. If you’ve been boating long enough to know this a sport that you’ll doing for years to come and now you want to improve your boating skills. You’ll need a tool that really works for you, a great feeling paddle! Like boats there are many good paddles on the market, too many for me to really learn about of them. I’ve looked around when I’m on the river and see what the good paddlers are using, that’s one way of narrowing down what paddle might want to buy. Talk with those paddlers and see if they know why they picked the paddle they’re using.
I picked Werner Paddles, they’ve been around for ever, I can’t think of anyone ever saying anything bad Werner and I can’t remember seeing any broken ones. 
Two years ago I saw for the first time one of their “performance core blades” as soon as I saw it I was interested. I’ve been wood blade user for a very long time. I’ve had a couple of synthetic paddles over the years, and honestly I never really loved them. They, the synthetic paddles, are light, strong, and less expensive than my wood paddles. But they had no feel, no flex and those thin blades just screw with you. They will slice and dive through water just when you don’t want them to slice or dive.
The performance core, it is the best feeling synthetic blade I know of. My paddle is a Werner Stikine. I’ve used daily for over a year now and I like it every time I go boating, and I go boating a lot. I live in Ohiopyle PA and I paddle the lower Yough at least four days a week. I use my Stikine when I’m play boating and when I’m upstreaming. My paddle has been slammed off of many rocks, I use it to push off rocks when attaining, and it’s had as much torque put on it as I can muster when I’m climbing up those drops. I can count on it, it always feels good, and it never does anything weird.
Wilderness Voyageurs in Ohiopyle has a great selection of Werner Paddles, and other outdoor gear, and the folks there know what there selling and why. You can also check their shop out at www.gearfetch.com. Listen to what they have to say, tell them what kind of boater you are. Think about investing in the best paddle you can. For most kayaker boats will come and go but you’ll have a good paddle a long time. It’s the paddle that makes a big part of your boating experience every time you’re on the river, so make the most of it! Once you have your new paddle, consider wilderness voyageurs for kayak instruction. The best kayak lessons Pennsylvania offers are from Wilderness Voyageurs and their professional staff. If you are in the Yough area, be sure to join Susan, the lead instructor for Friday night loop sessions.
What an awesome start to the day: a bike ride / commute to work. An early spring morning - with buds starting to turn, daffodils everywhere, birds chirping and layers needed to take off the chill. My favorite biking weather. I started road biking about 2 years ago and I am hooked, especially since riding in the Laurel Highlands is spectacular! The rides seem endless with the perfect combination of hills to climb and cruiser roads. You have to be a tad careful since "share the lane" isn't all that well know in these parts. On some roads, the shoulder is non-existent and cars tend to speed along the backroads. But at the same time, there isn't a lot of traffic.
A lot of great rides start straight out of Ohiopyle. Get ready though - a good climb will greet you in any direction. Rt 381 is a Scenic Byway running through the Laurel Highlands. If you ride south out of Ohiopyle, you can stay on RT 381 all the way to Wharton Furnace road. Turn right until you come to Fayette Springs Road. Turn right again and you'll ride past Christian Clay Winery. Cross RT 40, hop on the Ohiopyle Chalk Hill Road and enjoy a mostly downhill cruise back to Ohiopyle. It's not a super long route, maybe 30 miles or so, but a nice cruise. That's just one of many options. 
Stop by Wilderness Voyageurs in Ohiopyle for other ideas. Not just road biking, Mountain Biking, hiking and just general information. It's also a great place to pick up biking gear and general outdoor gear. There is usually a bike mechanic on duty. You can try mapmyride for biking ideas as well.
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 :-)
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.
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.
I wanted to share this great picture of our Wilderness Voyagers guide Jared on a wild ride through Hienzerling Rapid on the mighty Upper Youghiogheny. If you are looking for Class 5 White Water Rafting and some real High Adventure Trips, Jared and the rest of our expert guide staff are ready to rock!
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.
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. 
Here is a small taste of West Virginia Class 5 White Water Rafting. This creek requires significant rain to run, but on days when the Upper Yough is too high to safely navigate, we have been known to guide commercial rafting trips on the Big Sandy, a class V tributary of the Cheat River.
It's also a favorite kayaking run among the Wilderness Voyageurs staff. Yesterday Susan and I braved the cold and sleet to take in the awesome scenery and excellent rapids. The level was perfect - about 6.5ft on the bridge gauge. We decided to film some of the rapids, and this video is my cut of the footage. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks for watching!
Lou
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
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