Stonycreek River

Stony WW Park Wave 1 @ 4.36ft

Stony WW Park Wave 2 @ 4.36

I just got back from the Stony Creek Rendezvous near Johnstown, PA. This is the first year that the new valve at Quemahoning Dam released into the river. It added 500 cfs to the river, roughly doubling the flow. What a great creek! Like the Tohockon, but bigger, like the Yough, but more continuous and playful. They'll be releasing every other weekend for the rest of the year. It's part of a multi-millon dollar project that paddlers had a big role in, cleaning up the water and creating a new whitewater park. Check it out! http://benscreekcanoeclub.com/quemahoning-releases/

Rail road rapid looking down at it from the bridge above.

There is a tree down about 1/3 of a mile below the railroad bridge at what I understand is the 2nd Ugly Sister. It is after the river turns 90 degrees to the right after the railroad bridge. It covers about 1/3 of the river on river right. It is easily seen and avoided.

stoney fan, big time.

Warning! There is a very large tree that is lodged in the large rock below pipeline. Get out and scout at all river levels. We ran it at 3.5 today and the tree is a factor but at higher levels it could make this rapid deadly. AS OF 4-25-09 (FESTIVAL WEKEND) THIS TREE HAD BEEN CLEARD OUT.!

Ran this on 4/29/06 at 3.5 Ferndale, about 2 ft on the putin bridge. This seemed the lowest reasonable level, perhaps even below, for my tastes. Many nice playspots still, but a lot of the drops were VERY bony and technical. I guess folks put up with the boat abuse to get to the playspots.

In contrast, I think 4 or 4.25 Ferndale is a lovely level. The run is nearly continuous, boat scoutable class 3 at that reading, with short recovery pools below most drops and lots of surf waves.

Rodeo during the Stoneycreek 2005 rendezvous

After a horrible peel out I power pierced myself to safety (thats right) oops

Ran this on March 28, 2004 at 4 feet on USGS and 2.5 on the bridge. The best/biggest rapid is the one just above the gauge bridge. Don't know its name but it was a fun one!! The play below the bridge was incredible. At 1100 cfs it was fun class three, with only the rapid above the bridge rating a 3+. At the 1100 cfs level there was nothing that was close to a class 4 on the river. We looked at the dam, there was no logical reason to run it or submit the boats to the abuse. We carried left.

Overall the run is very pool drop with good sized pools for rescuing beginners. The run is good for beginners with good rolls.

26 September 2003: Ran this at a 2.5' level in a tandem open boat with my daughter, Rozalyn, and some friends. Very good run with continuous Class III action. Forget about the dam-it's just not worth it with the threat of rebar to puncture boats and people! Pipeline was over rated at this level. Easy to run left of center. Otherwise, great rapids, fun holes and waves, good technical Class III river!