Swimmers Park and Play report

[Splash]

I took advantage of the great weather and met my friend Eric, from the Johnstown area,  out at the LY today. We shouldered our boats and rode our mud hogs 20 mins down to Swimmers and got busy. We worked on left/right spins, side surfs, and back surfs. Eric showed me some spin recovery and edge recovery strokes. Eric is great at dogfights and will jump in the hole with you whether you're ready or not. This forces you to hold your ground and is a great training tool for playboaters. It's really dynamic went you're spinning and another boater is inches away from you spinning as well. We saw several raft groups come down as well as other kayakers but no one really stayed to play much. The hole level was down but between 3:30pm and 4pm I stayed in surfers for 30 minutes non stop, spin side surf spin, it was epic. Besides the one raft guide that got all medieval on me everyone was having fun. See I was having a good ride and this raft guide jumps on a rock and shouts something to me. I wear ear plugs so I just show a brown claw to him and he starts getting crazy. He wanted to allow his rafters to swim through the hole without a kayak being there but I didn't understand this cause I never move out of the way, my control was so good I could just push to one side of the hole or the other and allow people through. everyone just goes around me.  I pulled out and we got to understanding each other and I made a new friend out it in the end. Between the bike rides in and out and all the hole action my body got worked hard and it was a priceless training session. Eric and I both agreed that we'll be back in a few weeks.

[Pakn4Yakn]

FYI, so that when you get caught you're not surprised. it is illegal to do what you did by biking down and putting on the river at swimmers. The only approved put-in for the lower yough is below the falls at the normal launch. Rangers patrol the river by boat as well, so if they see you carry in and carry out prepare to pay the fine. Glad you had a good time, but it could cost you at some point.

Sorry this had to be my first post, but for those that don't know, here ya go.

[Splash]

Not according to the danger ranger in the parking lot it's not...FYI..

[RB]

Could it be that this is legal during the week when you don't need a pass to get on the river ? And not OK to do on the weekend when a pass IS required to put on ??

Splat, Splash, Pete... WHHHAAAAATever.... can you elaborate on your conversation with the ranger concerning putting in at Swimmers to do a park and play at that spot You asked "is this legal.. OK to do"  and they said "not a problem" "good to go" ?

I would think that if you ask, and it's only OK to do during the week, they would have made that clear.

[Pakn4Yakn]

This would be no different than putting in at the loop take-out because you did not want to run cucumber or you wanted to shorten the trip. It is illegal. Some people to avoid the pass system have parked at the slides lot and walked down the creek to the yough to put on so they did not need a pass. That is illegal. The only legal put-on for the lower yough is behind the check in at the normal ramp, or the other end of the parking lot if you are running the falls. If you are running the falls you can not take-out at the normal river put-in at the ramp. You must continue down to the loop take-out or run the whole river to Bruner take-out. Weekends or Weekdays, it does not matter.

[Pakn4Yakn]

FYI... To report and verify I just called Ohiopyle Park and all of the above is indeed true. So anyone else reading this, It is ILLEGAL to put on the Lower Yough any where other than the NORMAL put-in at the ramp. You will get fined if you get caught. No ranger would ever give permission to do so.
Be careful posting info like this on a public forum because others will read it and use it for gospel.

[Splash]

Everytime I do that trip you guys get your panties bunched up..I love the attention. You guys can keep wasting your time trying to be right but the fact is we were there we did it in broad day light with all eyes watching and everyone had fun no fines no hassles...it was great training for myself and others and I wouldn't change a thing about the trip. Sure I agree that is is something the park doesn't say you can do but they aren't saying you can't either probably cause very few people are going to bike to this spot just to boat. There are no signs saying you can't and no fences saying you can't. We weren't running the entire river, and swimmers has man made steps down to it. Mid week the town is dead and very few kayakers are around plus beside making money what does a regulation like that try and do? We got the all clear and went. The park limits access to make money period, just remember that. There are throngs of kids swimming next to entrance with dozens of fisher people all over the river and they just hiked in, no questions asked. I've taken out at the put in entrance after fw practice and that's illegal possibly. Maybe we'll try it again and maybe we'll get fined but the other day nothing happened and thats the facts right now.

[Pakn4Yakn]

Nice attitude. The point was, not to advertise an illegal activity on a public forum and I'm sure the modoraters would not approve. Look into the rules yourself, if you have a problem believing me. I am aware of the Ferncliff access to the falls. That is special access to run the falls. You still need  a river pass and you still have to continue down river to the loop take-out or beyond. Obviously the park is in it to make money, it's the state. That does not make it ok for you to announce to the nation the encouragement of an illegal activity and brag about it. There is no sign outside the bank saying do not rob it either, but guess what it's illegal. So get your head out of your @$$ and pay the 4 dollars for a pass and paddle the whole river.

[Vern, OC-1, Graham]

OOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKK.  No new facts seem to be emerging, but tempers are getting a bit elevated - You've both made your points - time to chill and end this little discussion.

[JK4Fun]

[RB]

OK just to recap.

Splash posted the park and play report.
Pakn4Yakn stated that it was illegal. Watch yourself
Splash came back and said no it ain't.
Pakn4Yakn called and checked and it is illegal.
Splash got away with it so I'm still doing it.

Now I think we will all have to agree that Splash may not be the sharpest crayon in the box after reviewing the facts.

1) Posting this reportedly illegal park and play trip report on a public forum and after someone saying it is most likely illegal saying he will continue to do it.

2) Posting that he has puton the LY without a pass by sneaking by the "Danger Rangers"
http://www.ccghpa.com/boards_new/index.php?topic=1188.0

3) Referring to the park rangers as "Danger Rangers". Not sure they are really down with that reference.

4) Posting links to LY park pictures of himself, calling out specific days, times and frames, on a public forum so the so called "Danger Rangers" can easily identify him.
http://www.ccghpa.com/boards_new/index.php?topic=1203.0

5)Boating in a bright green JK Allstar and wearing a bright yellow Sweet Strutter helmet to drawn more attention and in the process making him that much easier to identify.

Nope... not the sharpest crayon in the box....by a large margin.

[Splash]

You guys are so funny. First of all I'm not a crayon. Second we didn't kill anything, harm anything, break into anything or do damage to anything. If what we did was illegal then on the scale of all the illegal things being done right now I don't think it would even be worth the ink for a ticket and that's the truth cause we didn't get one and I haven't ever and probably never will. We simply went paddling and to the folks in the state park they felt the same way that day. If anything we brought in money cause we ate lunch and bought fuel there. I love watching you guys get so intense and upset over such little things. Hugs to all you guys keep it coming cause I can take it and more...come join us on Sunday for some legal playboating! 

[JK4Fun]

Nope... not the sharpest crayon in the box....by a large margin.