In search of Central PA paddlers

If anyone in the central Pennsylvania area is looking for people to paddle with, please let me know!

We are over on the north western corner of the state and somewhat new to paddling. About 3 hours from you. We plan to branch out over time in that direction.

What kind of water are you looking for and what kind of boat do you have? We are lakes and river float people rec kayak and canoes. :canoe:

I’m an intermediate paddler now, used to be a little crazier haha. I’m typically just a white water floater, class II-III. I have a hybrid boat, got rid of my play boat a few years ago. I’ve traveled up to 2-3 hours away for trips. I’m in State College, PA

1 Like

I used to paddle in Central PA a lot during the 4 years I had a boyfriend up there between 2010 and 2014/ I live in Pittsburgh but used to spend a couple weekends a month at his place in Clearfield, where he lived directly on the Susquehanna. Lots of great paddling options thereabouts. My favorites were the West Branch, Clearfield Creek and the Red Moshannon, but then I’m more of a flatwater kayaker/canoeist.

Of course, outside of Alaska, PA has more miles of navigable streams and rivers than any other US state! You might want to check with Tussey Mountain Outfitters in Bellefonte to find other kayakers in the area. With all the rain so far this Spring, a lot of creeks that were too low flow during the years I paddled up around there are probably going to be runnable for a while.

Guess that is not much help in finding folks to paddle with, but, as I said, the outfitters may have a bulletin board and/or connection to outing clubs.

If you are interested in whitewater in PA you should check out the Three Rivers Paddling Club in the Pittsburgh area. The Slippery Rock Creek is one of the best intermediate level whitewater streams in Pennsylvania and if you are not familiar with it you should get to be.

As it happens you have another couple of days to register for TRPC’s annual Slip Clinic which will be held again this year. The clinic would be a great way to meet other paddlers in Pennsylvania. The clinic is June 5 and 6 and is held at a campground just outside of Portersville, PA which is less than 3 hours from State College.

https://www.threeriverspaddlingclub.org/slip-clinic-2021

Thank you, willowleaf! I actually spend a lot of time at TMO, know the current and previous owners too. If you ever come back into the area for travel, let me know!

Thank you, pblanc! I’ll definitely check that out.

Might also want to check out the Lehigh Valley Canoe and Kayak Club in eastern PA. Judging from their website they are still pretty active. I know that they used to paddle the Lehigh River as well as Nescopeck and Tohicken Creeks if you are interested in those streams when I lived in NE PA.

Huh, the Slip Clinic is the same weekend as the Western PA Solo Canoe Rendezvous only 3 miles north of Portersville at Coopers Lake campground (across I-79 from Lake Arthur). I’m planning to go to the latter get together with my new (to me, at least) Curtis Lady Bug canoe.

Supposed to dry up and warm up by then, hope that pans out. Pretty soggy and chilly here this weekend. I spent 3 hours this morning doing river trail trash removal along the Monongahela with a local volunteer effort. Puddles were so deep on the dirt access road we could not get the hauling truck back there so we had to hump stacks of construction and car part trash by wheelbarrow and dragged sleds. Chilly rain all morning, hypothermia conditions. Finally got the feeling back in my hands after a hot shower. Yuck.

Yes, both the WPASCR and the Slip Clinic have been the first weekend of June, with one exception when the WPASCR was a week later. Although the Slip Clinic has been going on a lot longer than the WPASCR. And Portersville is indeed right down the road from Cooper’s Lake. You should take the time to check out McConnell’s Mill State Park while you are there, especially if you have never done so. You will probably see a bunch of TRPC and other paddlers running the Slip. The old mill dam and mill and covered bridge are right at the beginning of the so-called “Mile” or “Miracle Mile” on the Slippery Rock Creek.

If you haven’t ever met Dave Curtis you will probably have an opportunity to do so at the WPASCR. He will probably want to check out your boat.