This view has changed little from our first visit at the end of our 1981 trip till May of 2008, when I took this photo. Upstream a few miles is the site of our inaugural trip's take-out, Renovo and of course, upstream of that, lie the 41 or so miles that we paddled back in May of 1981.
When we put in at Miller's Landing that Friday, the weather had turned from the sunny morning that we experienced in Harrisburg, to a cool, cloudy day punctuated with periods of rain. A pair of paddlers in an inflatable raft passed us as we carried our gear to the riverbank. They had just come down Moshannon Creek and mentioned to us that the river lever was pretty high. Harry had checked the river level for Friday May 15, 1981 and informed us that the West Branch was running at 5.41 feet. As a reference, flood stage is 19 feet and the river is usually getting a bit too low under two feet. We are accustomed to running it between two and four feet.
As some us us shuttled the cars down to Renovo, the guys left in Miller's Landing loaded and lashed our gear in the canoes and drank the weekend's supply of beer. After we all regrouped, we shoved off: briefly because Harry and Dwight started taking on too much water over the bow when we paddled through a stretch of "riffles." A quick trip to shore, some reloading, some rearranging, and we were off again for the three mile paddle past the bridge at Karthaus and a brief take out at Mosquito Creek. Why we stopped there is beyond me but soon, we were on the river again, leaving even the most fundamental evidence of development behind us. I recall seeing lots of Gypsy Moth forest devastation during our shuttle but I can't remember and impact on the trees along the riverbanks as we made our way. I remember lots of forests and by that time in the day, lots of rain.
During the early years of our trips, we were rather Spartan in our provisions and in the gear we carried. Our luxury was Friday night's dinner: steak and baked potatoes cooked over an open fire. (Saturday, we had hot dogs and beans cooked over a fire... who needs pots and pans!) I recall us standing around the fire in our ponchos enjoying the camaraderie and the meals but the locations of either Friday or Saturday night's campsite is lost to me. As there were just the six of us, I am certain that we all pitched in with the fire making, cooking, and cleanup. Bob Hayes supplied "the Kitchen" for the two years he paddled with us and I distinctly recall his home-made combination paper towel holder/silverware drawer.... funny what memory files away as important.....
As the weekend continued, the weather cleared, the water remained high and we had a great time enjoying the scenery and the conversation. On canoe trips, it is not uncommon to group the boats together and chat as we hold the gunwales of our neighbors canoe. On this particular Saturday, we thought it a good idea to TIE the boats together at the thwarts. Fortunately, someone was looking downstream and noticed that our flotilla was headed strait for a rock. Avoiding the rock in three lashed together canoes was not possible but thanks to Dwight and his handy knife, the ropes were severed and we passed the rock uneventfully. The lesson was learned and to the best of my knowledge, we've never tied up like that again.
I also remember that Harry was basically the trip leader- he had the plastic laminated maps and was familiar with the river- but Bob assumed the role of keeping the trip moving. Bob seemed to set the schedule and insure that we broke camps and got on the river by certain times. In retrospect, I guess this was good because it afforded us the time to Visit Hyner View and stop for ice cream as we made our way back home.
More details than these are lost to me. I strongly remember having a great time, laughing a lot and really enjoying the camaraderie and the adventure. I think that from this first weekend, something was set in our hearts that we would always paddle the West Branch in the Spring and that it would always be a special event which we would relived throughout the years. Looking back, that's exactly what our voyages on the West branch have become.
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