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2002wranglerX
03-26-2009, 12:40 AM
anyone ever done it? i was thinking about going here next month

http://www.moshannonfalls.com/westbranch_susquehanna_section3.php

Deadman 94 xj
03-26-2009, 01:06 AM
I use to go all the time on the yak. White water and canoe. Get a few people to go and have a good time.

TimMichaels
03-26-2009, 10:24 AM
I camp out of my canoe VERY often year round, winter included so long as I can still pass through ice. I work at canoe liveries in Cook Forest and on the Allegheny in the summer as well as serve as a guide for my college.

Can't say I've ever been out to where your link is, but I know pretty much everything when it comes to the Clarion and Allegheny Rivers and I could hook you up with any info you want on them.

2002wranglerX
03-26-2009, 10:48 AM
Tim

I'll be getting ahold of you. I've camped out of my kayak before but always on a lake.

I have an aluminum canoe, poly canoe, my 14' kayak and a 10' kayak.

What I'm looking for is a trip where we can paddle and fish all day and find a spot to camp other than a campground. I hate campgrounds. Then paddle to our takeout the next day.

Any thoughts?

BAD_GNR
03-26-2009, 01:09 PM
If you're up for the drive (seeing as how you were looking at the Susquehanna, then you are), check out the Saranac region in NY. I spent a week canoe camping up there about five years ago, and it was some of the most scenic canoeing I've done. That and since it's in the Adirondacs, you can camp anywhere you want along the creeks. There's hundreds of miles you can do up there. I know it's a haul, but something you may want to look into. If you want to stay closer, I'd definitely vouch for the ANF like Tim's saying. It's still some very nice canoeing and you can effectively camp anywhere along the stream.

And this is coming from someone that hates campground camping more than anything.

jeepin ruby
03-26-2009, 07:59 PM
Never been to the link you posted, but I go campin/ canoein on the Youghegheny at least 4 or 5 times a summer. Other places too, but the Yough is right in my back yard. literally. I know that river like the back of my hand. i know all the good spots, where to put in, get out, how long it takes to get from x to x, where to camp, etc. If interested I could help you out. Its not as exotic as some of the far away places, but its close and there are some parts of that river that are really beautiful.


Me and my friends go every year for one or two nights every Memorial day weekend. Been doin it for years. That will probably be my fist overnighter of the year... CANT WAIT!!


We should organize a M&G canoe trip. Even just a day trip would be fun!!

TimMichaels
03-26-2009, 11:28 PM
Feel free to contact me about the Allegheny or Clarion as I know every inch of them both. I even have a notebook with all the milages between points in them. But if lakes are your thing you may want to check into the Allegheny Reservoir at the Kinzua Dam near Warren Pa. It's huge so you can spend a few days on it and the scenery is superb. Camping is only in certain spots, but they're free primitive sites accesible only by water or backpacking... the ones I've been to are just fire rings and space for tents on the water's edge. The river after the dam passes through various forests and towns, and the earlier part contains some big islands that are great for camping. Mostly calm water with occasional riffles. The Clarion's a bit more remote and the bulk of it's upper stretch is all National Forest so you can camp anywhere on the banks you see fit.

If you're looking for something a bit exoctic and distant, ocean canoeing is great. I've paddled the bay side of Assateague Island off the coast of Maryland, which has a lot of very primitive campsites only reachable by canoe. Most don't even have foot trails to them, and some are even on smaller satellite islands. Just don't go in the summer or the bugs will eat you alive. Lots of cool sights on the island too

Similar but further, Cumberland Island is off the coast of Georgia and can only be reached by ferry or private boat (read: kayaks/canoes) but has plenty of oceanfront camping and some cool ruins to explore.

One place I haven't paddled yet but really want to is the Florida Everglades. I almost headed out there in my canoe a few weeks ago while I was in Miami but the girls were way more interested in the beach than paddling and camping in a swamp. I looked over it a lot; there's two ways to canoe it: through the swamp and along the coast. Each way has more campsites than you can possibly use and they're all remote and primitive. No campgrounds here. If you follow the route on the coast you can camp on just about any of the tiny keys that dot the beaches. It looks incredible. Each route in its entirety is supposedly a week's journey (I was figuring on about 4 days.)

ridgerunner97
05-18-2009, 05:43 PM
would love to do the west branch me and three buddies take canoes and run the yough regularly around memorial day, unfortunately the last two years our schedules and work don't line up and we haven't made the run. Been talkin lately bout doin a trip. would be fun to get a group together pm me if anyone would be interested nothin definite but would love to get sumthin goin.

cjw94xk
05-31-2009, 06:40 PM
Ok. I need some help making a decision.
I am looking to buy a kayak. I want to be able to use it for camping (Allegheny River?), lakes, and an occasional light white water like ohiopyle's easy spots.
So I found a Wilderness system Pungo 120 and the guy was asking 600 for it (with a paddle and life preserver). I got him down to 450 without even looking at it and could probably get him a bit lower. The question I have is from reading reviews, this thing tracks well, as in too well.
Would that be ok for around here? Also, I weight about 220 and considering I would want to carry some stuff with me, will this be a problem?
Any help or recomendations would be appreciated.
Thanks

TimMichaels
05-31-2009, 07:36 PM
Ok. I need some help making a decision.
I am looking to buy a kayak. I want to be able to use it for camping (Allegheny River?), lakes, and an occasional light white water like ohiopyle's easy spots.
So I found a Wilderness system Pungo 120 and the guy was asking 600 for it (with a paddle and life preserver). I got him down to 450 without even looking at it and could probably get him a bit lower. The question I have is from reading reviews, this thing tracks well, as in too well.
Would that be ok for around here? Also, I weight about 220 and considering I would want to carry some stuff with me, will this be a problem?
Any help or recomendations would be appreciated.
Thanks

To be honest with you, I've always been a big fan of cheap kayaks. The "Otter" kayaks from Old Town have always been a favorite of mine, and they can be had on the cheap brand new from places like Dicks or Gander Mtn. Probably less new than that used Pungo. A few of my friends also like them and own them, and they're the most appreciated model we rent out at the livery. That said, a lot of guys I paddle with hate them and will only go with the more "premium" sorts of kayaks they drop way more cash on.

The best way to pick out a 'yak or 'noe is to try them yourself. That can be tough to do, especially if you're just looking at used boats or ones from major retailers. Some smaller stores will often let you give models a test run. I think there's a store in Confluence, upriver from Ohiopyle, that will let you do this and another in either Franklin or Oil City. You could also just go to a livery and rent a kayak, and request a particular model. Kayak Pittsburgh is located right downtown and rents a few models pretty cheap. Getting a feel for it yourself is always your best bet, as the only absolute with a kayak is that everyone prefers something different. Same goes for canoes; I can run my Guide 147 like nobody's business but I have several friends who can't run it from the stern, but can ace the same rapids in their G-Models etc.

If you think the Pungo is the way to go, ask the seller if you can meet him somewhere to try it out on water for a few minutes to get a feel for its handling.

cjw94xk
06-03-2009, 10:28 PM
I looked around at some of the cheaper ones. I definitely appreciate the advice. I did end up going with the pungo though. If I really get into it I may buy another one for white eater down the road.
If anyone is interested in getting together and either going out on a river or even north park let me know.
Jamie