Also would there be interest in "The Tandemation" a OC2 / C2 Loop+ run that weekend for those who have sinned and missed "Tandemodium"?
Hope to C lots of Cs there. Oh by the way the falls have been run legally during the race period, via OC1, C1, OC2 and C2. Just for information.
Paul C.
AW Over the Falls Ohiopyle Falls Festival and Access Update
Festival August 25, 2007
The Festival this year will be a one-day event with a number of activities scheduled:
Over the Falls Race
Over the Falls Freestyle Event
Practice Runs
How to Run a Waterfall Clinic
“The Upstream World Championships held on the Lower Yough and sponsored by Wilderness Voyageurs
Silent Auction
Town Party with live band 706 Union
Film Festival
Falls Under Lights
For additional information, registration and updates see: www.FallsRace.com
We need plenty of Help! Volunteers will get discounts and T-shirts. This is in our back yard and TRPC is a sponsor of this event so we need TRPC help. Even if you do not run the falls just come out and party with us. We have a great band. A good time is always had by all.
We have submitted a number of proposals to the Bureau of State Parks and had a number of conversations with Ohiopyle State Park. After some positive conversations in 2006 we were disappointed with the Bureau of State Parks response to our proposals. After subsequent proposals and conversations the Park has agreed to let area outfitters who wish to participate in a specific program allowing access to Ohiopyle Falls. The details are still being worked out but paddlers will have access to the Falls by contacting participating outfitters after the details are worked out. We hope to have these details soon.
In addition the Bureau of State Parks just had a meeting on private boater access for 2008. We are helping Ohiopyle State Park submit a history and new plan for 2008 that will be reviewed by the new Director of the Bureau of State Parks. Ohiopyle State Park is optimistic that we can have a plan for private boaters for 2008 for additional access. We hope to have some sort of an announcement by our Festival date.
The registration forms for the running the falls and volunteer registration forms are on the above web site. We will also have information about the Outfitters falls access program on our web site as soon is we get the details.
This is another small step toward our ultimate goal of opening up the Falls to responsible public use. We can assure you that we will continue to pursuer our ultimate goal of unlimited access. Your participation in the above events is a way of showing Park Management that falls running is not a stunt, but rather a challenging component of whitewater sports.
Thank you!
AW Ohiopyle Access Committee
Barry Adams 412-242-4562 Bj2adams@juno.com
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
Also is there an interest in holding a Tamdenation for us sinners who could not make Tandemonium! Heck any Cs are welcome. Just looking to see if it makes sense to do a full river run or loop on Sat. (diddo on Sun).
Paul C.
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
Hey, PAC. I PM'd ya a few days ago. Ellen and I (and Abby, of course ) are still planning on coming up that weekend. I'll be paddling while Ellen and Abby will be taking in the sites, so I can use a bow partner in my Deadline c-2, unless someone needs a bow-leftie in their boat.
Since Ellen and Abby are gonna keep their feet dry that weekend, is anyone else gonna be there and not be boating? Just hangin' out?
PAC, I'm gonna plan on running the Falls in my Atom and if I've got the energy this time around, I may be talked into runnin' it in your plastic boat, if you're still hyped to do it.
KNeal
C-boats Moderator
"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
I am going up there specifically to run the falls, but would that be an early-ish morning thing so that tandemnation could happen in the afternoon? What is typically involved. time-wise, with registration and running at least two runs?
Depending on schedule, I might be able to get a femme to go tandem with me on Saturday, but some planning would be necessary. I plan to return home that evening, unless a nearly full-moon run would be scheduled for Saturday night.
Saturday, August 25
Registration will begin at 8 AM in Ohiopyle State Park.
9:00 AM – 12 Noon: Waterfall Practice Runs
12 Noon: Two competitions: Falls Race
200-yard whitewater course includes two-foot, four-foot and eighteen-foot drops.
After race - Freestyle – Kayakers will surf the rapids above the waterfall's eighteen-foot drop, and do routines and cartwheels competitively, end-over-end, off the edge for points. Waterfall practice runs will continue afterwards until 5:00 PM.
6:15 PM: Upstream Race on Entrance Rapid on the Lower Youghiogheny River
7:30 PM: Ohiopyle Town Party
The party will feature a paddling film festival, live music, food booths, exhibits and a silent auction. The blogging software company Compendium Software will sponsor the band 706 Union at the Town Party. In addition, lights will be cast on the eighteen-foot waterfall, making it a spectacular spectacle and party centerpiece.
I'll PM Paul and see what he thinks (on the basis he hasn't seen this first). Right now, the plans are loose and nothing has really been decided on, except that we WILL be boating on the Lower Yough at some point.
KNeal
C-boats Moderator
"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
I am planning on going, not that any of you know who I am. Iam also thinking of running the falls, OC1 and probably getting worked. The tandemonium thing looked pretty fun. I am a strong bow paddller comfortable on either side, and contingent on the other major factor, the mrs., would be willing to try the loop or run OC2, c2 with whomever.
We got a lot of rain on Monday and some on Tuesday. The various rivers of concern have peaked and are on the way down. Even so the chances for us to have this event on Saturday or Sunday have come into question. It does not look good. There is a chance of isolated T-Storms the rest of the week which would hurt us if they hit the Yough watershed, 30%. We will know more on Thursday and give an additional update. We understand many of you have already made plans for this weekend. On the good side, the water levels should be good on various rivers in the area.
The Corps of Engineers can adjust the flow from the Yough dam to meet our 1.8 limit but they cannot adjust the flow of various tributaries and only do so much. If we cannot run the falls on Saturday we will try to run the falls on Sunday assuming the water level will permit this. If we can run the falls on Sunday we will still have the town party Saturday night which will now be the beginning of the Festival as apposed to the end. If the levels for both Sat and Sun appear to be too high we will postpone the event to September 15, 2007. We will try to make that call on Thursday.
If you have pre-registered and cannot make the September 15, 2007 date (if postponed) you will get your money back.
Barry Adams
412-242-4562
So that said will folks still be heading up to "the pyle" and if so are we still on for the Tandemnation"? I'll be there for C1 or C2 unless it rains enough to keep things going in which case we'll be checking out the tight technical stuff. (MotorCity you coming in?)
Just let us know!
PS: Andy we look forward to meeting you!
PSS: If its delayed until 9/15 I unfortunately have a Boy Scout camp out scheduled. But its close enough for me to sneak away for a while and I'm asssuming I'll see some Candians on my door step.
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
Let's see, rain has fallen all over West Virginia, Western Maryland, Southwestern Pennsylvania...
...hmmm--sounds like a good thing to me. If the Falls have too much water flowing over it, then we may have to find something else to paddle. Like the Lower Yough? The Cheat? The Big Sandy? What else?
KNeal
C-boats Moderator
"Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing-absolutely nothing-half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."
PAC, sorry, the Canadians (at least myself) will not be able to make it for September 15 either, as I will be in Eiurope on a business trip for pretty much all of September... ... I'll even miss Gauley Fest ... ...
I will really miss Ohiopyle Falls Festival, that was a lot of fun! PAC, next year e will have to run the falls in a C2 !
On the other hand, our Canadian Thanksgiving is Monday October 8th, and I am planning on heading South then, maybe for a run or two on the Upper and/or Lower Yough on the way down and a couple of runs on the Gauley... ...
martin a.k.a. the great gonzo!
Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing - Henry David Thoreau
That works but you might want to have a creek boat with you too... just in case.
Oh and how we going to track you down when you get up here if we find an alternative?
Just an FYI paddlers around here are driving around and nailing runs like dogs in heat. So plan ahead appropriately.
Paul C.
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
Its official Falls Festival Update August 23, 2007
The Event Will Now be September 15, 2007
High water postpones falls festival at Ohiopyle
Thursday, August 23, 2007
By Lawrence Walsh, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Ninth Annual Over The Falls Festival, scheduled for Saturday in Ohiopyle in Fayette County, has been postponed until Sept. 15 because of high water.
The highlight of the festival for spectators is watching kayakers -- and a few canoeists -- go over the 18 foot waterfall from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. after "warming-up" on 2 foot and 4 foot drops just above the falls. The highlight for paddlers will be running the falls as smoothly as possible. Afterwards, kayakers will sprint and cartwheel end-over-end over the falls for points in the freestyle event.
The festival also includes a paddling film festival, town party, live music by 706 Union, a silent auction, exhibits and food booths. It is sponsored by American Whitewater, the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds & Rivers and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Proceeds benefit American Whitewater and the Ohiopyle Stewart Volunter Fire Co.
I'm assuming folks might want to hold off on Tandemnation and think about running other things. But bring your OC2/C2/K2 too just in case everything drops.
Whoa Al - Drakes is your baby! If she's on will you lead? I'll follow.
Not sure as to what will hold up so we'll play the darn waiting game! Stay tuned and have that cellphone handy! Stoney might come into play if others are low.
Paul C.
Last edited by PAC on Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Paul C.
Cboats Moderator
Official TOG Member (Team Old Guy)!
Heck any Cs are welcome. Just looking to see if it makes sense to do a full river run or loop on Sat. (diddo on Sun).
If the Falls have too much water flowing over it, then we may have to find something else to paddle. Like the Lower Yough? The Cheat? The Big Sandy? What else?