Fall 2011
WaterWays
[email protected]
(717) 948-6780
Oct. – Dec.
www.susquehannarivertrail.org
2012 Great River Adventure: Save the dates!
UPCOMING SRTA MEETINGS
Roaring Bull Canoe and Kayak Race – Saturday June 2, 2012. The race will be run on the same course as last year, Mahantango to Millersburg, starting at 10 AM. There will be a picnic and awards, thereafter, at MYO Park.
A new feature will be the Dillmann Challenge Cup for Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg (CCGH) members. It will honor the memory of one of our founding members and long-time environmental, civil and human rights activist in Central Pennsylvania. Cliff was a leading voice in both the SRTA and CCGH. Island Hopper Event- Saturday June 23, 2012. The family oriented, noncompetitive event will explore the river between Halifax and Duncannon. There will be three educational stops with activities for adults and children, followed by a picnic at the end.
Sign Up for 2012
Susquehanna Room Ranch House Restaurant* Thursday, October 27 Business Meeting 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
There will not be regularly scheduled meetings in November or December
Attendees may arrive early and purchase dinner to be served in the meeting room 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Beat the holiday rush and begin or *Ranch House Restaurant: renew a SRTA membership now. A Located in Amity Hall on the west popular style oval boat/bumper side of US 11/15, 1 mile north of sticker with SRTA initials, name and the interchange with US 22/322 slogan will be included with a 2012 membership card for all new and renewal members. New member families also receive a copy of our large, waterproof trail guide.
The address label on all mailed copies shows the addressee’s family “Renew Membership” date above the name and address. All listed family members residing in the same home are included in the membership.
Kilimanjaro or Mahanoy Mountain at Dawn by Teresa Irvin Copenhaver
The $25 membership fee covers the general operating costs of our all-volunteer, non-profit 501C3 organization. Extra donations are reserved for island campsite maintenance (i.e: hurricane, tornado, flood, ice and human wear and tear).
Communicate with the SRTA Virtual Office “All volunteer, non-profit” means SRTA doesn’t maintain an actual office. However, we can be reached via surface mail, email and voice mail. The masthead lists our telephone voice mail number and Gmail addresses. The address page lists our post office box address. A recent option that has become very popular is the SRTA Gmail address,
[email protected]. It can be keyed into a message “To” box on your email screen, or automatically entered by clicking on “Contact Us” under the “Trail Stewardship” heading on our web site home page side bar. Now if we could find a place in cyberspace to store our maintenance jon boat, trailer and brush hog! They always seem to be way downstream when we need them upstream – and visa versa.
greenlifepennsylvania TV Program Features SRTA Trail and Members WVIA-TV, Scranton Public Television, featured a five minute segment about SRTA on Scranton area television earlier this year. The program has now become available for viewing in the Harrisburg area on the WVIA web site at: greenlifepenn.org/?p=503 The program captures the essence of what the trail is about in both pictures and in comments by volunteers. Enter the web address above to see the explanation as to why the river has so many supporters.
Explore PA Trails & PA Water Trails Meeting Held in October Back-to-back meetings were held at DCNR’s offices on October 12, covering areas of concern to SRTA. The participants in the morning meeting discussed the role of ExplorePA Trails web site as a source of information about water trails across Pennsylvania. Participants included representatives from Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC), Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCNR), National Park Service (NPS) and several water trails, including SRTA. ExplorePaTrails.com is a DCNR web site that has been growing in content and scope. It has links to the various trails (water and land) across the state, as well as to other sites that publicize the trails (e.g.: PFBC, a traditional link to SRTA). Information includes maps, related trails, brief descriptions, photos and a chance for the reader to supply additional information. Under consideration was the extent to which the DCNR site should complement or duplicate information already available or provide an easier access to comparative information for the seeker who is looking for an accessible starting point. The question was asked whether this site should be a technical assistance for potential new trail developers. The second meeting highlighted the state of the Susquehanna watershed trails, particularly after the high water events of this summer. Damage to access sites and campsites was reported by the trail managers. Second to only 1979’s Hurricane Agnes’ impact in recent history, this summer’s high water exercised its fury on river valley residents and users again. Although SRTA benefitted by having a large number of launch sites under the management of the PFBC, the Commission had to make a Herculean effort to restore the sites. A survey is under way to see how many of the heavy duty information signs were heavy duty enough. As of publication date, water levels are still not predictably safe enough to see what was added to and swept away from our island campsites. One daring steward used a brief dip in water level to visit his island and report back that the campsite had been under eight feet of water and that the log book was soggy! Ideas were entertained about various means of recruiting and training volunteers to help in the constant effort to keep water trails functioning.
Donation Made to Appalachian Audubon to Support Wildlife Rescue Visitors make many comments in island campsite log books about the wildlife sighted during their journey and stopovers. Eagles, beaver, and deer have been featured in many entries. In support of some of the water trail’s living assets, SRTA made a donation to Appalachian Audubon for their support of Dauphin County Wildlife Rescue.
ALONG THE RIVER State of the River A lot of natural forces combined to make this summer less than a record setter for river trail usage. Tornadoes, hurricanes and heavy precipitation (all of the above in plural) throughout the boating season have discouraged river travel and camping. The resulting saturated water table is not working as a sponge as would be hoped. Keeping an eye on the river gauge height on the SRTA web site reminds the viewer of a roller coaster drawing.
Isle of Que Access – Try it, you’ll like it! Plenty of parking, rest room, benches, table.
Traditional Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg (CCGH) summer events were cancelled due to unsafe high water. They included the Labor Day weekend Kipona Canoe Races on the Susquehanna at Harrisburg and the Fiddler’s Elbow Slalom Races on Swatara Creek east of the City. In contrast, SRTA’s Roaring Bull Races held in early June had plenty of water this year.
We All Live Downstream It only takes a high water event to remind us that we all live downstream. Nowhere was this more true recently than in the “Susquehanna Flats”, an area where the Susquehanna River meets the Chesapeake Bay. If you don't know why it is called the "Flats" you'd get a pretty good idea if you launched from Havre de Grace, MD and boated east. The water depth is no more than 2-3 ft. deep for a few square miles – under good conditions. Recently, we delivered everything from boats, LP gas tanks and refrigerators to just plain dirt, to our downstream neighbors. And you thought that the picnic table and firewood sent from the North Branch was a gift! 2
Share Your Talents We all know people who are more and those who are less proficient than we are. Share your Susquehanna expertise with your fellow river-rats. Digital and digitizable photos of river scenes will be gladly accepted for possible publication in the SRTA newsletter. (It can be seen around the world on the web!) The same goes for text contributions such as stories, historical essays and trip vignettes. We will acknowledge your contributions and hope to be able to share them with the other viewers.
RENEW YOUR SRTA MEMBERSHIP NOW ! NOTICE to current and past members! All 2010 and previous years’ memberships are due for renewal. All current and past members should rejoin now for the 2011 year. If you have questions about your membership status, please contact us at
[email protected]
Membership Application/Renewal Form Please enroll me as a member of the Susquehanna River Trail Association (SRTA) New members will receive a boat/bumper sticker, and a 2003 edition, waterproof, folded copy of the Susquehanna River Water Trail – Middle Section Guide. Applications received after June 30 will take effect immediately and continue through the end of next calendar year. All member families will receive a membership card/receipt, new oval boat/bumper sticker, and a bimonthly newsletter by US mail or a publication notice via email.
New Membership
Renewal Membership
Name:______________________________________________ Date: ___________ Address:_____________________________________________________________ City:_____________________________ State:___________ Zip:_____________ Phone #s: Day (____)___________ Evening (____)___________Cell (____)____________ Email Address: (Please print)___________________________________________________ (Your Email address will not be shared with other organizations that are not affiliated with the SRTA.)
The following additional family members, living in my household, also will be entitled to the right to vote and participate in membership activities: (Junior members are eligible for all committees and most offices)
Additional Adult Family Members (18 years+):
Junior Family Members (12-17 yrs):
____________________________
_____________________________
____________________________
_____________________________
____________________________
_____________________________
Dues include all family members listed above, living in same household:
$25.00
Donation to the SRTA to further the activities as prescribed in its bylaws: TOTAL ENCLOSED Send payment and application form to:
_______ $
Susquehanna River Trail Association, Inc. PO Box 62023 Harrisburg PA 17106-2023
Questions or further information? Please leave a voice mail message at (717) 948-6780 or email message at:
[email protected] 3
Susquehanna River Trail Association, Inc. PO Box 62023 Harrisburg PA 17106-2023
1st Class Stamp
LIST OF TRAIL GUIDE VENDORS Copies of the Susquehanna River Water Trail Map (Middle Section) are available at the following locations:
(Links to further information are provided on the SRTA website home page) Bellefonte – Tussey Mt. Outfitters Binghamton NY – Eureka! Camping Center Harrisburg – Olwine Nature Center at Wildwood Park Lewisburg – Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau Lock Haven – Rock River & Trail Outfitters Marysville – Blue Mountain Outfitters Montoursville – Country Ski & Sports
Montoursville – Lyon Camping and Supply State College – Eastern Mountain Sports Sugar Run – Endless Mountain Outfitters Sunbury – Southside Bait and Tackle Wellsboro – Country Ski & Sports Wilkes-Barre – Country Ski & Sports Wrightsville (Long Level) – Shank’s Mare
Secure credit card purchases may also be made by internet through Hike-advice.com – by going directly to their order page via the SRTA website: www.susquehannarivertrail.org More in-store locations will be announced on the SRTA website as they become available. There is also a limited supply of flat, unfolded trail guides.
Contributions and Gifts-in-Kind Unless otherwise designated, additional contributions to SRTA made by members and readers will be directed toward development of island trail facilities. Example: Purchase and installation of high visibility island/campsite signs. Robert & Ilene Gilson New and Renewed Memberships Robert & Ilene Gilson
Now is the time to join or renew for 2012! Use Membership Application Form on P. 3 2012 Members will receive new oval design boat or bumper sticker. Display it proudly. 4
