CONEWAGO CANOE CLUB HOME PAGE
THE OFFICIAL HOME OF THE CONEWAGO CANOE CLUB
35 YEARS OF LEAVING EARLY AND STAYING LATE
REMEMBER, THIS SITE IS STILL MAINTAINED BY SOME DOPE
WHO HAS NEVER USED AN ATM AND CAN'T PROGRAM A VCR . (REMEMBER
THEM??)
Chris Iverson at Pillow Rock, Gauley River, West By
God Virginia!
New Club tee shirt prototype has been made. (below)
Volunteers needed forYouth Field Day (below)
Meeting location has been
changed starting January 3rd
The club officers for the year 2008 are as
follows:
|
President |
Shirley Koty |
Vice President |
Mike Betts |
|
Secretary |
Evie Stauffer |
Treasurer |
Evie Stauffer |
|
Conservation |
Regan Strausbaugh |
Newsletter |
Carol Figdore |
|
Programs |
George Figdore |
Safety |
Bob Bievenour |
|
Kayak Training |
Course Instructor |
Canoe Training |
Terry Nesbit |
|
Flat water Trips |
Mike Gavin |
White Water Trips |
Mike Boyd |
|
Publicity |
Holly Bievenour |
Racing |
Jeff Hovis |
|
Hot Line White Water |
Use Club Bulletin Board |
Hot Line Flat Water |
Use Club Bulletin Board |
LOCAL AND CLUB NEWS
For alot of years the Club has manned a station at the Isaac
Walton League Youth Field Day held on there grounds on the East
Branch of the Codorus. Groups of kids rotate from station to station.
Our station gets the kids into boats to paddle around the lake.
At least one club member (unnamed here) has made the ultimate
sacrifice to this end.This event takes part in two sessions, morning
and afternoon. Linda
Hall is in charge and will be glad to schedule you for a half
a day if that works for you. See you there!!
Club
members Rick Powell and
Casey Eichfeld are participating in the Olympic Trials from
April 25 to April 27. Trails take place at the U. S. National
Whitewater Center course in Charlotte North Carolina. Real
time results are available.
The results, as best I can tell, mean that
#1. The United States has earned a spot in the Olympics for
C-2. Only 12 C-2 teams get to compete in the event. This means
that the Germans, who have maybe 3 of the top 5 teams in the world
only get to send 1 team. This is something only a bureaucracy
could dream up.
#2. Rick and Casey have made the U.S. team. Based on these
results they are the second boat. The team from Atlanta has the
advantage. However, the Olympic boat has not yet been determined.
That will be settled in Augsburg Germany in June (?) on the original
Olympic course. Make no mistake about it, Rick and Casey are still
in the hunt but they are decided underdogs.
The United States will be sending a full team (K-1 man and
woman, C-1 man and C-2 men) to Bejing. Rick and Casey still have
much work to do. Good luck and keep training hard
Charlie Walbridge from Bruceton Mills W. Va.
passes along the following information.
Donna Miller of Mount Nebo, West Virginia died yesterday.
Donna and Glen Miller have operated their famous river shuttle
for Cheat Canyon and Big Sandy River paddlers for over 20 years.
Their reliability and hospitality is legendary among boaters.
My heart goes out to Glen Miller, my friendly, hard working neighbor,
for the loss of his beloved wife. There is visitation Saturday,
February 23rd from 2-4 and 7-9 and the funeral home in Brandonville,
WV. The funeral is at 1:00, also in Brandonville, on Sunday Afternoon
Those of you who know Glen may wish to send a card. His address
is RD #1, Albright, WV 26519.
Club member and York
City Firefighter Bob Bievenour received the following distinction
at ceremonies in York on December 20, 2007. The incident took
place in 2005 and is described below and separately in
the victim's own words.
Chief's Commendation Firefighter Robert E. Bievenour
On July 15, while off duty, Bievenour was at Youghiogheny
River, near Ohiopyle.
He noticed unusual activity and discovered a person had fallen
from a kayak and sustained a neck injury. He made his way upstream
and found the victim in the water, complaining of a neck injury.
Bievenour immediately called for help and stabilized the victim.
Using limited resources, he secured the victim to a backboard.
From a remote part of the river, he coordinated care and directed
rescuers to the location. He helped load the victim onto a raft
and improvised a rigging system to remove the patient.
Once ashore, he climbed steep terrain while caring for the
victim and then transferred the patient to a waiting ambulance.
Club members Rick and Casey Powell continued
their quest for the Bejing Olympics by
finishing second in the U.S. Nationals held at the Adventure
Sports Center in Garret County Maryland on August 4th. Follow
their progress on their website!
Holly Bievenour has gotten the new club logo one a tee shirt.
She had them at the May meeting. Hopefully the dope running this
site will be able to post pictures of them.
They will be available in two colors, yellow and grey. The
front will have the new sharp looking club logo. The back has
the unofficial club motto, 'Leaving early and staying late since
1973'. They will be available in sizes small to XXXL. The XXL
and XXXL will cost $9.75 and $10.25 respectively. All other sizes
will cost $8.50.
Just a reminder for the new year. We are an affiliated club
of the American Whitewater
Association. What that means to you is that besides support
that fine organization is that when you renew your individual
membership for them them you save 10 bucks. Just email
them for our club code to include with your renewal.
Club member Jeremy Laucks and his Chasing Rain van is part
of an article in the Nov.-Dec. issue. He's on California's Upper
Cherry Creek.
The AWA also
reports on the first legal run of the Chattoga Headwaters in over
30 years on January 5-6th of 2007 on their web page.
During
the club raft trip on July 15, 2006, club members assisted with
the rescue and evacuation of a kayaker at Rivers End. Bob and
Holly Bievenour were instrumental in that effort. Holly forwards
the following update.
I was able to get some information on the kayaker that we
helped rescue last week-end. She was airlifted to Allegheny General
Hospital and had surgery on Sunday. She had a broken neck. She
is facing a long recovery. Cards can be sent to: Jackie Henigin,
341 E. 11th Ave, Tarentum, PA 15084.
Can you put this on the website for the other members in the club
who helped execute the rescue. I am sure that they will want an
update and will want to send a card. I was real proud of our club
and so glad that we offer the level of rescue course that we do.
Now you understand why
I was on a raft - I remember, oh so well, Cucumber and so does
my neck, I herniated C4. Thanks, Holly
We also have a separate page with the accident in
her own words.
The Raleigh News Observer reports
on the opening
of the artificial course in Charlotte N.C. Other information
is available at USNWC.org. Since
they don't tell you the prices I will. Rafting session of 90 minutes-33
bucks. Kayak (or canoeing) session of 90 minutes-$15, all day
pass $25, weekly $65 and monthly $125. (BYOK) Equipment included
with rafting. This is a big time facility covering 307 acres along
the Catawba River.
Jeff Hovis has forwarded an April
5th article about Dimples on the Lower Yough from a Pittsburgh
paper.
As you may have seen on the local news,
PPL is planning a major expansion of their generating facilities
at the Holtwood Dam. The full details of the plan are available
here:
The plan calls for blasting out the center channel of the
river just below the dam as well as deepening and widening the
existing tail race channel, which may destroy the white water
boating potential of the area. They are also proposing a barrier
low-head dam across the York side of the river below the bridge
to divert fish towards the fish elevator, which will dramatically
change the flow characteristics around Bear Island and could create
a potential danger for boaters.
Jeremy Laucks and Chris Iverson have been in contact with
American White water, and they are working with them preparing
a strategy to try to convince P.P.L. to take recreational boating
needs into account in their design. Chris didn't think this would
require approval from the Executive
Committee, since it is obvious that we would want to protect the
paddling resources in the area, but he did want to let you know
that he has involved the club in this issue.
Please take a look at the project proposal, and let Chris
know if you have an interest in becoming personally involved.
We are trying to keep to a coordinated effort, with A.W.A. (American
Whitewater Association) taking the lead role due to their experience
in mitigating situations such as this. There is a public meeting
schedule listed in the documentation on the website, but if any
of you need Chris to get you a schedule, he will.
Check out the message
board for pick up activity.
A trip report archive
page has been started. Send your submissions to Mike
after you send them to Carol for the newsletter. We would like
for the membership to enjoy them first!
Proposed
power line to cross Lower Cheat Drainage
Allegheny Energy has released preliminary plans for a 210
mile long 500kv power line from Western Pennsylvania to Northern
Virginia. They are applying to designate this a National Interest
Energy Transmission Corridor (NIETC), which is part of a much
larger plan to increase the reliability of the grid. All three
proposed alternatives cross either the Cheat or Big Sandy Rivers
in Preston County. Alternative S-3 runs down the Laurel Run valley
and crosses the Upper Big Sandy near its confluence. Alternative
S-12 crosses the Cheat Narrows about a half-mile below the put-in.
Alternative S-14 crosses further upstream, in the Seven Islands
section between Parsons and St. George. Only one alternative will
be actually chosen and actual construction is years away.
The Big Sandy Crossing proposed in Alternative S-3, while
regrettable, does not pass through a particularly unique stretch
of river. It does, however, intrude on a popular intermediate
run with a remote feel. More sensitive areas include Falkenstein
Falls, just upstream, and the falls and ledges of the Lower Big
Sandy below Rockville. We do need to maintain stream side vegetation
at this crossing, both for its scenic value and to protect water
quality. Allegheny engineers lead me to believe that this could
be done because lines this size routinely span 2500 feet and can
span as much as 4500 feet. This allows them to cross deep valleys
"from ridge to ridge" eliminating the need to trim trees
and shrubs in low areas. This strategy can also be used at the
Cheat River crossings proposed in S-12 and S-14
Alternative S-3 follows Laurel Run rather closely above Route
73. In one spot it cuts across two meanders! It also runs parallel
to the creek for about a mile above the confluence with the Big
Sandy. Laurel Run is productive trout habitat and a loss of stream
side vegetation could raise summer water temperatures and destroy
the fishery. I strongly suggest that this line be moved uphill,
away from Laurel Run, as much as possible. Steps must also be
taken to control erosion during construction and throughout the
life of the line.
Allegheny Energy has begun a public scoping process, They
need your feedback BEFORE DECEMBER 31ST. Their web site, www.aptrailinfo.com,
has maps of all the routes. I encourage river runners to tell
Allegheny Energy that you use the Cheat and Big Sandy Rivers.
Ask them protect stream side vegetation at whatever river corridor
they actually cross. You can send comments via email
at or by mail at Trail, 800 Cabin Hill Drive, Greens burg, Pa
15601
Charlie Walbridge
Board Member, American Whitewater
Board Member, Friends of Cheat
Bruceton Mills, WV
As you may or may not know, club member Todd Baker
won a Bronze medal at the World Championships of Freestyle Kayaking
January 30. He was doing fantastic and thought to be the shoe
in for World Champion before his tonsillitis and sinus infection
hit two days before semi finals... and finals.. But he pulled
through and did well. For a kid it was a tough break .... nonetheless
you learn from every experience and he had a great time and medaled.
He has many years to compete.
Todd is a former scholarship winner and member of Conewago Canoe
Club. He also received a badly needed and greatly appreciated
financial contribution towards the cost of the trip from the club.
He is a member of Wavesport's kayaking team and looks forward
to doing something, like a freestyle class, for the Club in return
for their kind support. Todd's brief story can be read here
Charlie Walbridge has posted a request for support
from the boating community for more releases on the Lehigh. Follow
the link for more info. The proposed schedule would provide
unprecedented July and August flows on two weekends.
Club
member Mike Snyder has set up a bulletin
board. It is a work in progress. Check it out and use it!
There is also a link in the heading above.
Cars
parked at the Lower Muddy put in at the Papermill Road Bridge
have again been towed to somewhere in Maryland at $100.00 + a
pop. It seems the land on the south side is going up for sale.
At who's behest the towing is being done is unclear. Several avenues
are being explored. Mike Betts confirms the towing from personal
observation. (he had Stark-Moon run his shuttle).
A couple of groups are active in the York County area to monitor
stream activity and quality. They are The
Codorus Creek Improvement Partnership and the Watershed
Alliance of York. Information on their activities and good
work can be found on their web sites.
Regan Strausbaugh
has some thoughts about local conservation efforts on the Conservation
Page
REGIONAL NEWS
On October 25th, the boating advisory board of the Fish and
Boat Commission met to discuss public comment received about a
proposal to make the wearing of P.F.D.'s mandatory on Pa waterways.
A very large number (460) of comments were received. Of this 350
opposed the idea. They ranged from the we're adults and can decide
view to a large number of competitive paddlers who said that the
wearing of such would interfere with their training.
The proposal was made because of the large number of boating
deaths in 2006, 23 by mid October. (12 in 05, 11 in 04, 11 in
03). The tone of the article from the Game News via Tom Clough
made it seem the advisory board was not going to endorse such
a change. The Commission however is free to ignore the recommendations
of the board.
A rock dam on the North Branch of the Potomac
may be removed as early as September 2006 according to an AP story
in the Baltimore Sun. It's an old dam that was used by PPG Industries.
The rocks will be used to line the shore. Another dam behind the
Western Correctional Institute is next on the list. The project
is funded in part by American Rivers (25%) Both boaters and migratory
ells will benefit.
After a dramatic rescue on the
Lehigh River last week, rescuers credit the Pennsylvania Fish
and Boat Commission’s (PFBC) water rescue courses with providing
the critical training needed to handle the situation. (From a
PFBC press release)
John Tough, a DCNR park ranger and PFBC water rescue instructor,
said that the water rescue training paid off in the rescue of
two people stranded on the Lehigh River on July 1st.” Tough
and two other trained rescuers braved the strong current in the
raging flood waters to pluck two people off a tiny island. Following
the methods taught in the PFBC courses, Tough was able to maneuver
his boat in the strong current and get the victims to safety.
The PFBC provides a variety of swiftwater water rescue training
for emergency response personnel. The Commission program is broken
into four distinct modules and provides rescuers with the skills
to save lives without unduly risking their own. In the last five
years, more than 5,000 rescuers were trained and certified. Since
the program’s inception in 1984, more than 17,000 emergency
response personnel have been trained.
.Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 09:29:48 -0400
Subject: [CCC] Lower Yough - Watch out for Frogs Back
Quoted from the TRPC Message board:
Today was river clean up (trash) day on the LY. Whoever blocked
Frog's Back really did a good job of jamming logs and rocks into
the
cracks. While removing one of the logs, a "natural"
rock was moved, and it vanished under the big boulder. Apparently,
the rock was balanced just
enough to block the hole, it was only moved a few inches before
being sucked under. Frog's Back is now dry and unrunnable (at
1.5'), with a
nasty sieve about 2' to the right. A 5 gallon bucket would probably
fit through the sieve, so it's too small for a boat but would
be a nasty
place to swim. However, it is very shallow just before the sneak,
so you'd be scraping bottom before you got that far. We decided
to leave it
as-is, and let nature put another rock in the hole.
We notified the DCNR, it's their decision if they want to
manually put an obstruction over the hole. Our only real concern
is because of the number of inexperienced paddlers who choose
this route, they might not be able to tell that the slot is unrunnable.
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has some good water
trail information online. Go to their website
and click on water trails.
The Conservation Fund
has purchased Garrett Island at the mouth of the Susquehanna River.
Information on the Susquehanna
River Trail is available online. The site also has their trail
guide available for purchase.
Follow the link to
some pictures of the Gunpowder
below Prettyboy at high water!
Ullers has state
launch stickers good for state parks lakes and Fish and Boat Access
areas available at the store. Craig says to buy the two year sticker
and save a few bucks. That cycle will allow you to renew from
home in the future. We note that our buddies at the PFBC have
proposed increasing their registration fees for non powered boats
next cycle from 10 to 18 bucks.
Brad Nelson at Stark Moon is testing the waters about the possibility
of building a white water park in Havre De Grace Maryland. See
the work of one such company here!
The
cost of a campsite at Ohiopyle has risen to 15 per night. All
reservation can still be made at the 1 888 PAPARKS phone number
including hard boat and inflatable reservations
Campsites
available through the Corps Of Engineers or the Forest Service
are now reservable. Use there toll free number (1 877 444-6777)
or their web-based service.
Information involving river access on the Little Juniata now on
the Conservation
Page.
GENERAL INTEREST (or disinterest)
John Sweet
announces that Warren Burmeister's "Appalachian Waters"
river guide is available once more.
State Senator
Stuart Greenleaf sponsored and the state senate approved a feasibility
study for moving the road on the Francis Walter Dam. Currently
the road traverses the face of the dam. moving it to the top of
the dam would allow more water to be stored. More water may mean
more releases. UPDATE; Congress has approved 2.8 million dollars
for the relocation of the access road at the dam. Planning work
is nearly complete and contracts may be awarded as early as late
this year. Work should be finished by 2004.
Just
how do you get a tugboat
under a closed drawbridge? These guys are good!
I am now 100% sure, but it seems that the same sticker that gets
you on a DCNR lake is now also good for launching at a Penna.
Fish and Boat Commission access area. This was clarified by Jesse
Taylor, Superintendent of Pinchot Park at the May 2003 meeting.
Here is some good information on getting and maintaining a bombproof
roll.
Due to the popularity of the Survivor
shows, West Virginia is planning to do its own, entitled "Survivor-West
Virginia Style."
The contestants will start in Wheeling, travel to Clarksburg,
Parkersburg, down to Charleston, and then over to Logan, Welch
and Hinton.They will then proceed up to Beckley, and on to Berkeley
Springs. From there, they'll proceed to Pawpaw, through Martinsburg
and end their journey in Harper's Ferry.
Each will be driving a pink Volvo with a bumper sticker that
reads: "I'm gay, I'm a vegetarian, I voted for Al Gore, the
Mountaineers suck, Hillary
in 2008, and I'm here to confiscate your guns!"
The first one that makes it to Harper's Ferry alive, wins.
Some information FYI on shoulder
separations.
Questions or comments e-mail
me. , but remember, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
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