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| Middle Yough balances thrill with relaxation |
Reflection
In my younger days, I clung to a bouncing raft filled with my friends during a guided tour of the Lower Yough's fast moving whitewater. I am not quite as fearless now but still seek a river expedition. Wilderness Voyageurs and Laurel Highlands River Tours both offer a “Pedal/Paddle”-a bike ride along the river and then a paddle down the Middle Yough in an inflatable kayak or raft. This option sounds like a better fit for this seasoned adventurer.
Wilderness Voyageurs and Laurel Highlands River Tours make fun so easy. You leave your car in town. They fit you with a top notch bike for your 9 mile peddle up the Great Allegheny Passage Trail. At the end of the ride, they meet you at Ramcat Put-in with your belongings and everything needed for the river trip. The guides provide brief instructions and then you’re on your own excursion. (There are guided middle river runs but since the rapids are smaller and slower, most opt to go it alone.)
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| Much of the bike ride is shaded by a canopy of trees |
The “pedal up” is a relaxing 2-hour bike ride. You hardly notice the trail’s slight elevation as you enjoy the river to your left and the forest on your right. Much of this 9 mile ride is shaded by a canopy of trees akin to a tunnel of leaves. There are rock formations, remnants of stone walls, a waterfall, and even plaques for those history buffs that enjoying reading about the trail’s railroad history.
The Middle Yough is 9 miles long: first 1/3 whitewater, middle 1/3 is flat and the last 1/3 whitewater. You exit the river at a big rock that resembles an elephant called, what else, elephant rock.
I chose an individual
ducky kayak and my friends opted for a double. Entering the river, I perked up to attention
when I heard the slight roar of the distant water signing an approaching rapid.
As a newbie, I had a mini case of fear factor. I remembered the guides instructions, “keep
paddling, stay right of the rocks and have fun.” At first, my turbo paddling was a byproduct of my desire to get through it but I gained a
little more confidence with each rapid.
I was “yahooing it” all the way through the last 1/3 of the river.
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| The river offers a different perspective of the woodlands |
Experiencing the Ohiopyle’s woodlands from the river offers a totally different perspective than from the trails. You can appreciate the winding of the river, the smooth rocks worn by the current, the dance of the fly fisherman on the river’s edge and the vastness of the surrounding mountains. The calm middle 1/3 is where you can put up your feet and float, nap and dock on a rock to enjoy a packed lunch. In the fall, you are surrounded by gold, green, red and brown foliage which is a stunning backdrop as you navigate down the river.
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| You can dock on a rock to enjoy a packed lunch |
During the pandemic I could not think of a better place to have
a “social distanced blast” and forget about it all. My girlfriend, who had an
intense case of fear factor at the beginning of trip, celebrated her
accomplishment with lifted arms at the finish. During the journey, the repeated
distant sound of churning water over the rocks reminded me of a pot of water beginning to boil but the Middle Yough never really fully boiled,
it just simmered. It gave us a day that thrilled and relaxed and that ended with a feeling of accomplishment.
(Both Wilderness Voyageurs and Laurel Highlands River Tours offer bike rentals through November. Both
offer kayaking and rafting until mid October. Wilderness Voyageurs offer rafting through Oct 31st.)
Other Sources
https://wilderness-voyageurs.com/adventures/middle-yough-rafting-rentals/
https://www.laurelhighlands.com/rafting/
https://www.traillink.com/trail/great-allegheny-passage/