“Over the Falls Festival” at Ohiopyle Falls on the Yough

OVERVIEW

We’re going to head up to SW Pennsylvania for the “Over the Falls Festival”. You can read about it at www.fallsrace.com. If you want to run the falls you need to be a solid class III/IV paddler. The falls themselves are an 18 foot drop (Quintin and I did it about two weeks ago and it was awesome). Normally, this waterfall only opens up for business once a year but this year American Whitewater is trying to fight for great access so they’ve put on a series of waterfall running clinics. Q and I attended one a few weeks back. The “Over the Falls Festival” should be very chill. There will be a race over the falls as well as a freestyle event. There is also a guy that rides down the falls standing up! — Other event features include the Falls Under Lights, a Film Festival, Town Party, Live Music (706 Union), Silent Auction and food booths. The area also offers biking, hiking, camping, magnificent scenery, photographic opportunities, history and cultural activities. Please visit www.FallsRace.com for more information and registration details. — Even if you don’t feel comfortable running the falls you can still come up and run the lower Yough, a great class II/III river. If you want to run the Loop, a short section of the Lower Yough, you need to have prior whitewater experience (let me know the river(s)) and be able to roll in flatwater. If you want to do the whole lower Yough you need to be a proficient class III padder. Let me know where you’ve paddled so I can see if you’re up to it. Based on who signs up I’ll decide what the plan is. The plan might change in the next few days, but right now I’m thinking we’ll head up Friday and camp. Saturday, we’ll (some of us anyways) run the falls and the lower yough and then we’ll probably drive home to Charlottesville Saturday night. If you’d prefer some other timetable let me know. It should be amazing! You need to bring clothes that can get wet, snacks, and money for food. The club will provide boats, paddles, life jackets, and all other necessary paddling gear. I’m putting everyone on the waitlist until I figure out exactly what the plan is.