Inside the Laurel Highlands

Keystone State Park Nature & Recreation Programs

Michele Wisnesck — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:03:58 +0000

Saturday, February 4, 2012
2:00pm-3:00pm “Woodchuck Walk”

Celebrate Groundhog Week! This is a perfect time of year to explore the forest, learn about plants and animals, and talk about groundhogs and their special day. Register now for this adventurous hike along Spring House Trail - call 724-668-2566 or email kpnature@nb.net. Meet at the visitor center. Please dress for the weather; items you may want to bring - warm shoes/boots, water, warm clothing (layers). Also, from 9:00am to 12:00pm, enjoy groundhog trivia, crafts, cookies and more .

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Snowshoe Loans!
Call or email for dates and times

Check out the wild and wonderful park trails of Keystone on snowshoes! Call 724-668-2566 or email kpnature@nb.net to reserve 1 or 2 pair of snowshoes, and stop in for a brief lesson before trying out your new feet .

There will need to be at least 3 inches of snow on the ground for you to use the shoes. Also, please dress for the weather; items you may want to bring for your outdoor adventure - warm shoes/boots, water, snacks, warm clothing (layers).

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Saturday, March 3, 2012
2:00pm-3:00pm “Winter Brrr-ding”

Do you enjoy feeding and identifying your fine feathered friends? Birds provide us with beauty and entertainment at an otherwise tranquil time of year. Venture out with us to search for a variety of fluttering and chirping delights, and don’t forget to bring your binoculars. Register today (724-668-2566 or kpnature@nb.net) for this program and/or to learn about upcoming programs and other park activities. Meet at the visitor center and dress for the weather.

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For nature program and visitor center information call 724-668-2566, or email your question to kpnature@nb.net. For general information call the Park office at 1-724-668-2939, or try the toll-free State Parks number 1-888-PA-PARKS. Visit us on the web at www.visitPAparks.com/parks/keystone.aspx or visit DCNR at www.dcnr.state.pa.us.

If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, please contact the park office or the Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks at: 1-888-PA-PARKS (Voice), 1-888-537-7294 (TTY), 1-888-558-2711 (international TTY), or 1-800-654-5984 (PA AT&T Relay Service). The Pennsylvania Bureau of State Parks will gladly discuss how to accommodate your needs.

Nemacolin Winterfest Weekend

Michele Wisnesck — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:54:31 +0000

NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS ANNUAL WINTERFEST
25th Anniversary Year Edition

Farmington, PA (January 18, 2012) - Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is kicking off their Silver Anniversary celebration by hosting a Winterfest Weekend, Feb. 10 - Feb. 12. The resort is offering even more family activities and turning up the heat on the cold weather weekend with their popular Snowmelt Party. Nemacolin Woodlands will be showcasing winter golf and constructing a one-of-a-kind Snow Bar complete with carved ice mugs and a signature “silver secret” cocktail.

“In 2011, we incorporated a number of unique elements to the festivities and they proved to be so popular that we want to continue those new traditions and are adding a few more twists in celebration of our 25th year”, said Matthew Grobe, Director of Recreation at the luxury resort southeast of Pittsburgh. “This year’s Winterfest should prove to be our biggest ever.”

Winterfest begins with WDVE, the X and ESPN 970 radio personalities broadcasting live from the Sundial Ski Lodge Friday, Feb. 10. Mullet Madness entitles anyone sporting that famous hairstyle to a free lift ticket for the Friday evening ski session while Saturday’s activities include ice carving demonstrations and the chilling Polar Bear Plunge where guests don their best bathing apparel and take a quick dip in the pond to receive a free lift ticket and rentals for the day. The Polar Bear Golf Classic returns on the Links course with special anniversary prizes and the exciting Out Cold Party has participants racing down the mountain with steins of beer competing to return to the top with the precious liquid still intact.

An expansive bar constructed of fresh snow and carved ice will be located adjacent to the ski lodge and will feature adult libations as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Children’s activities such as snow painting and snowman building will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11 and that evening, Reggaematic will bring a taste of the tropics to the winter weekend by providing live music for the Snowmelt Party.

For a complete schedule of Winterfest activities or to register for the Polar Bear Classic Golf Tournament, please visit nemacolin.com.

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Original article appears on Nemacolin Woodlands Resort’s website: http://www.nemacolin.com/press/current-press/winterfest-2012

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Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
Nemacolin Woodlands is one of North America’s premier resort destinations. Situated on nearly 2,000 acres, the Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond resort features 318 luxurious guestrooms, suites, townhouses, and private luxury homes, including the Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond, Falling Rock boutique hotel and clubhouse. In addition to the internationally acclaimed Woodlands Spa, the resort offers 36 holes of golf on two championship courses-the Pete Dye designed Mystic Rock and the traditional Links Course. For shooting of another sort, guests should visit our 30-station Shooting Academy, a sporting clays facility situated on 140 acres complete with a spacious lodge. Trail rides are available at the Equestrian Center, or for a more rugged trail experience, there’s the JEEP® Off Road Driving Academy offering guests the ultimate in off road adventures. For shoppers there are 14 specialty shops, plus nearby Uniontown boasts the ultimate outdoor store, Woodlands World. As the seasons change, our ski facilities for both downhill and cross-country enthusiasts, snowboarders and snow tubers kick into high gear, or for a different winter experience visitors can enjoy dog sledding. Nemacolin Woodlands also boasts an impressive collection of 15 restaurants and lounges, including the Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond, Lautrec as well as a multi-million dollar art collection. For meetings and events, Nemacolin Woodlands offers 31,000 square feet of meeting and banquet facilities including four ballrooms, a 200-seat lecture hall, and 24 meeting rooms - making Nemacolin Woodlands the ideal setting for functions ranging from weddings to sales meetings. For those guests arriving by air, our on-property private airfield with 3,900-foot airstrip is available. For additional information, please visit our website at www.nemacolin.com or call 866-399-6957.

Pennsylvania Environmental Council strikes big with grant

Michele Wisnesck — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:17:14 +0000

For the original article link, click here.

Article written by: DAN DiPAOLO, Daily American Sunday Editor

11:09 p.m. EST, January 14, 2012

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council was the big winner in a series of grants announced earlier this month.

The council was awarded $280,000 out of more than $1 million given through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Community Conservation Partnerships Program.

“The region’s natural assets are a treasure as well as a vital part of the local economy,” state Sen. Wozniak said. “These grants not only serve to preserve but they will also help attract nature lovers from other parts of the state and country. It’s a wise investment in our future.”

The money will go toward coordinating the activities of the Laurel Highlands and Pocono Forest and Waters Conservation Landscape Initiatives. The Laurel Highlands work will include project development in Ohiopyle and Johnstown.

The region contains the most diverse forest area in Pennsylvania along with the Youghiogheny, Casselman, Stonycreek and Conemaugh rivers, according to the award announcement.

“The overall goal of the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative is to transform the area into one of the premier outdoor recreation destinations in the eastern United States through strategic planning and project implementation,” said Brad Clemenson, a senior project manager for the council.

“We strive to balance stewardship goals of the state parks and state forests with the needs of nearby communities with the goal of fostering economic development through tourism and through the attraction of entrepreneurs to the area.”

There are six major areas the council is working with various groups to complete projects with in the coming years. They run throughout the Laurel Highlands area from Ohiopyle to Johnstown.

The groups consider Ohiopyle to be one of the key gateways to the Laurel Highlands, Clemenson said. An estimated 1.5 million people visit that area every year.

The are looking to explore the potential for energy conservation and renewable energy, help in addressing sewer and water issues, and development of a new visitors center.

The council is also looking to support the Trail Towns Program along the Great Allegheny Passage, with an eye on efforts to develop a new Amtrak rail station in Rockwood.

Groups are looking to also create a roll-on/roll-off bicycle service on Amtrak as well as improving the trail system with historic preservation or interpretive efforts in these communities.

“Another priority is to help implement the Laurel Highlands Interpretive Plan to better connect residents and visitors to the resources of the Laurel Highlands,” Clemenson said.

Last year the council finished and released the first in a series of scenic driving tours through a program called the Discovery Trails. The tour focused on the colors of fall and drivers were given a route that emphasized areas of prime fall foliage watching. Birding and geology tours are on the slate for the continuing series, Clemenson said.

The council is also working closely with groups like the Stonycreek-Quemahoning Initiative and Lift Johnstown on a variety of projects.

Development of the 9/11 National Memorial Trail — which will connect New York, Washington and the Flight 93 National Memorial — is a priority.

“We’ll be working on connecting to the Great Allegheny Passage to the Flight 93 National Memorial, and connecting that memorial to Johnstown as the first piece of the leg to New York City,” he said.

The council will likely apply to DCNR and others for the funding to do an overall feasibility study in 2012-13 that looks at how the trail would be configured the whole way across Pennsylvania.

Part of that overall recreation system will be developing a regional trail network along the Stonycreek and other rivers and making enhancements to Greenhouse Park’s whitewater park in Conemaugh Township.

“As you can see, we’re doing quite a lot — or at least trying to do a lot,” Clemenson said.

For more information on projects like the scenic driving tours visit www.pecpa.org/laurelhighlands/updates/20110825 online.

Article retrieved from www.DailyAmerican.com

The Mount Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival Celebrates “25 Years of Memories”

Michele Wisnesck — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:30:48 +0000

The Mount Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival Committee has compiled a DVD dedicated to the festival, the volunteers and the attendees entitled “25 Years of Memories.” The DVD is a visual celebration of a unique and special town festival that is the highlight of Mt. Pleasant’s summer and attended by thousands of visitors from near and far. It features the history of the Festival and includes two more shows about the 25th Anniversary Celebration of this special annual event. You can purchase a copy of this delightful DVD for $5.00 plus shipping and handling by calling (724) 547-6745.

For more information about the Mt. Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival visit their website: http://www.mtpleasantglassandethnicfestival.com/

Grand Opening of The Streets – the world’s first urban terrain park

Michele Wisnesck — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:24:01 +0000

On January 19, 2012, Seven Springs Mountain Resort will forever change snowboarding as you know it with the grand opening of The Streets - the world’s first urban terrain park, featuring some of the most iconic skyline images of Pittsburgh.

Joining Seven Springs for the opening of this innovative park will be professional riders:

 Pat Moore, Forum team rider who ranks in Snowboarder Magazine’s Top 10 Riders for 2012 and helped mastermind the concept for The Streets. Check out Pat’s X Games Real Snow video! Real Snow is one of the newest additions to the winter X Games. In this category, riders submit videos of themselves and others riding in urban areas. The videos are posted on the website and voted on by the viewers to decide the winners. http://espn.go.com/action/xgames/realsnow/2012/realsnow

 Nic Sauve, Forum team rider and also among the braintrust for The Streets creation
 Austen Sweetin, who took burning sensationalism to new levels on the October 2010 cover of Snowboarder Magazine shot at Seven Springs
 Forum team riders Stevie Bell, Niko Cioffi and Cam Pierce will also be riding in this event

Since 2004, Seven Springs has been committed to developing and growing its terrain parks. In addition to the existing six parks and more than 70 features, The Streets is to be the most innovative urban setup created. Due to its hard work and dedication towards these efforts, Seven Springs has been nationally recognized as the 2011-2012 number one terrain parks on the East Coast.

“Seven Springs is committed to providing the best parks and pipes in the country, and this is a great addition to our already solid program” said Joel Rerko, Seven Springs’ Director of Action Sports. “Our region is a perfect fit for this style of park and I know The Streets will help progress the riders of the lower East Coast.”

“The Streets is taking the concept of what a snowpark should be to a whole new level,” said Nic Sauvé. “I envy the kids who will grow up riding it!”

“The park looks so sick,” Pat Moore added. “I’m excited for the snow to come to bring it to life! I think we’ll be seeing some real good snowboarders coming out of Pennsylvania in the near future.”

Grand Opening Itinerary:
 9 a.m.- 3p.m. - Forum Team photo shoot
o Spectators welcome
o Photographers welcome
o Interviews with creative staff and riders can be arranged
 4-10 p.m., Kick-off Party
 4-10 p.m., Park opens to the public
 8 p.m.-close, After Party in the Foggy Goggle

For more information please visit: http://www.7springs.com/page/calendars.detail/cal/5/event/1665/The-Streets-Grand-Opening.html?d=01/19/2012

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort Plans Silver Anniversary

Michele Wisnesck — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:14 +0000

Yearlong Celebration Is Under Way

: Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Farmington, PA (January 10, 2012) – Nemacolin Woodlands is preparing to celebrate the resort’s 25^th Anniversary in 2012. Purchased by Joseph A. Hardy in 1987, the resort has grown from a small hunting retreat to one of only eight properties worldwide to boast both AAA Five-Diamond and Forbes Five-Star lodging and dining. The vision of the Hardy family is evident in nearly all of the 2,000 acres of this world-class resort.

“Our Silver Anniversary year will be like none other in our history,” explains Chris Plummer, General Manager of the luxury resort located southeast of Pittsburgh. “While this property and all of its amenities and offerings are unique, our guests truly are our greatest assets and this celebration will focus on them,” reports Plummer. Memorabilia displays and a special video release will kick-off the festivities that are planned throughout 2012.

Preparation for the yearlong celebration actually started last September with renovations to the resort’s conference center and ballrooms. “We felt that it was time to update our meeting spaces and refresh the look of both the Marquis and Grand Ballrooms” said Plummer. “Along with those changes, our Club Room has undergone a total transformation and many of these spaces will play host to anniversary events.”

Themed weekends, a Silver Anniversary contest as well as special packages and a sale of unique commemorative items are just a few of the projects that are being planned to celebrate the rich history of the luxury resort southeast of Pittsburgh. What began as a 35 room hunting lodge with two tennis courts and a nine-hole golf course is now a 2,000 acre playground with 318 magnificent guestrooms, a world-class spa, field club, two championship golf courses, ski slopes and more than 15 restaurants and lounges. “Nemacolin Woodlands has truly been a labor of love for our entire family”, explains Maggie Hardy Magerko, President and Owner. “Even though I’ve been a part of the entire process, I still marvel at what the resort has become and the number of guests that have been visiting since our early years.”

While there will be a number of promotions excusive to their Silver Anniversary year, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort recently introduced a two-night Celebration Package for the first quarter of 2012 featuring special rates, amenity credits and gifts with guests being encouraged to add a third night for $25.00. Throughout the year, guests and vendors are welcome to share their resort memories as well as videos or photos via Nemacolin’s Facebook page and upcoming anniversary happenings will be detailed on the resort’s event calendar at nemacolin.com.

Information taken from Nemacolin Woodlands Resort Press Release by Zelma Kassimer.

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Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Nemacolin Woodlands is one of North America’s premier resort destinations. Situated on nearly 2,000 acres, the Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond resort features 318 luxurious guestrooms, suites, townhouses, and private luxury homes, including the Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond, Falling Rock boutique hotel and clubhouse. In addition to the internationally acclaimed Woodlands Spa, the resort offers 36 holes of golf on two championship courses—the Pete Dye designed Mystic Rock and the traditional Links Course. For shooting of another sort, guests should visit our 30-station Shooting Academy, a sporting clays facility situated on 140 acres complete with a spacious lodge. Trail rides are available at the Equestrian Center, or for a more rugged trail experience, there’s the JEEP® Off Road Driving Academy offering guests the ultimate in off road adventures. For shoppers there are 14 specialty shops, plus nearby Uniontown boasts the ultimate outdoor store, Woodlands World. As the seasons change, our ski facilities for both downhill and cross-country enthusiasts, snowboarders and snow tubers kick into high gear, or for a different winter experience visitors can enjoy dog sledding. Nemacolin Woodlands also boasts an impressive collection of 15 restaurants and lounges, including the Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond, Lautrec as well as a multi-million dollar art collection. For meetings and events, Nemacolin Woodlands offers 31,000 square feet of meeting and banquet facilities including four ballrooms, a 200-seat lecture hall, and 24 meeting rooms - making Nemacolin Woodlands the ideal setting for functions ranging from weddings to sales meetings. For those guests arriving by air, our on-property private airfield with 3,900-foot airstrip is available. For additional information, please visit our website at www.nemacolin.com or call 866-399-6957.

2012 Laurel Highlands Photo Contest

Michele Wisnesck — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:54:59 +0000

Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands

9th Annual Photo Contest

Are you going to be the next Laurel Highlands Photo Contest winner?

Enter now!

We are seeking photos to tell the story of your visit to the beautiful Laurel Highlands! The photos can range from landscapes to your family having fun at a local attraction. Winning photos will be featured in the 2013 Laurel Highlands Visitors Guide!

Click here to view 2011 Winners!

Cash prizes in 2 categories!

Category 1: People, Children, Animals & Wildlife

Category 2: Landscapes, Seasonal, & Attractions

1st Place: $150
2nd Place: $100
3rd Place: $75

Only photos taken of the Laurel Highlands (Fayette, Somerset or Westmoreland Counties, PA) will be eligible.

Deadline for submissions is September 14, 2012

Please attach one image per submission; you may submit an unlimited number of images for the contest. Photo locations must be accessible to visitors/residents of the Laurel Highlands. Photos of private property are not eligible. The Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau reserves the non-exclusive right to use any photographs in its publications or other promotional purposes.

Click here to enter!

Seven Springs Has SNOW!

Michele Wisnesck — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:34:26 +0000

SEVEN SPRINGS HAS SNOW!
Seven Springs Mountain Crew Dukes It Out With La Niña

SEVEN SPRINGS, Pa. – Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Pennsylvania’s premier four season family resort, has snow!

While the calendar clearly states that it is, in fact, winter, Mother Nature seems to be indecisive about her seasonal obligations to the skiers and snowboarders – and not just in the mid-Atlantic and East Coast, but throughout most the mountainous regions of the United States.

However, the heroic actions of Seven Springs Mountain Resort’s Mountain Crew are here to save the day and defeat Mother Nature’s mild wild child, La Niña! By taking advantage of the scant opportunities and going full-blast, the Mountain Crew has been able to open 75% of the resort’s skiable terrain and build a base ranging from one-foot to two-feet of snow on the open terrain. Currently, the resort has 24 slopes and trails, three terrain parks with more than 25 features with five chairlifts and two surface lifts and 11 snowtubing lanes open.

Although Seven Springs’ average annual snowfall is 147 inches, snowmaking has played a pivotal role this season. The resort’s expansive snowmaking system can cover nearly all of the resort’s 285 skiable acres.

While La Niña can be a formidable opponent, the Seven Springs Mountain Crew is armed with nearly 1,000 snowmaking towers, 45 ground guns, seven fan guns and eight high-efficiency electric compressors with the ability to produce up to one inch per hour in snowmaking areas, under ideal conditions.

But snowmaking isn’t just about mechanical wizardry, it ultimately comes down to good old-fashioned man power. To say the Mountain Crew is passionate about their work is an understatement. With a staff of 58 of full and part-time professionals to make, move and maintain a mountain of snow, the Mountain Crew works around the clock in some of the toughest conditions.

“To make snow, the right ingredients are needed,” adds Dick Barron, Director of Ski Patrol. “First, cold water, preferably in the mid-30 degree range. Next, the outside air at 28 degrees or lower and last, humidity of 85% or lower. Then we can start the snowmaking process by using water from our 50 holding ponds and then compressing the air and water together. The air explodes the water into finer particles. Mother Nature then freezes those particles and the result is snow.”

Also among the arsenal to combat La Niña is the Mountain Crew’s brainchild – the SolarBee, a solar panel complete with a battery back-up that is roughly the size of a dinner table. Originally designed to combat algae, the SolarBee quietly floats in the resort’s largest snowmaking water source, the 12-acre Lake Tahoe. Here it circulates water to even the water temperature within the ideal snowmaking range. Aerators and a fully solar-powered circulation system called the SolarBee keep the water moving and at a steady temperature. The SolarBee is capable of circulating about 10,000 gallons of water per minute!

Cold air is scheduled to return to the region Thursday evening and the Mountain Crew anticipates making snow for the next three to five days. Round-the-clock snowmaking will be conducted Thursday through Sunday throughout the mountain. Mother Nature is also expected to bring approximately four to eight inches of natural snow over the same time frame.

While there may not be snow in the cities, towns and neighborhoods around Seven Springs Mountain Resort, January is National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month and Seven Springs is featuring a new lodging package in honor of this initiative. The Learn to Ski and Snowboard package includes two nights of lodging, a beginner lesson complete with rental equipment, breakfast, dinner, snow tubing and more starting at $298 per person, based on double occupancy.

For more information, please visit www.7springs.com or call (800) 523-7777 for the snow report.

About Seven Springs Mountain Resort

Seven Springs Mountain Resort is the perfect place for family vacations that create lifelong memories. So much more than exceptional snowsports, Seven Springs’ legendary service provides guests with relaxing escapes. Take the entire family skiing in the morning, take a shot at sporting clays or enjoy the thrills of snowtubing in the afternoon, enjoy a luxurious spa treatment in the evening before a great dinner and then do it all again the next day after a relaxing overnight stay.

Since 2004, Seven Springs has been committed to developing and growing its terrain parks, halfpipes and superpipe. Now, Seven Springs has six terrain parks of varying difficulty and progression and more than 70 features in all. The resort’s hard work and dedication towards these efforts have been nationally recognized as the 2011-2012 number one terrain parks on the East Coast and the number four pipe in North America.

The Snowsports School at Seven Springs provides a comfortable and fun atmosphere for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities. Recognized as one of the premier kids’ programs on the East Coast, Tiny Tots’ Ski School and the Youth Snowsports Academy featuring the Burton Learn to Ride program will have even the little one of the family skiing and boarding in no time at all.

Seven Springs is conveniently located just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike, located within 200 miles of Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Cleveland and Columbus. With more than 60,000 square feet of meeting space available, Seven Springs hosts more than 1,000 meetings, conferences and banquet groups each year.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort can accommodate more than 5,000 overnight guests in its perfectly appointed 414-room, 10-story high-rise hotel, nearly 1,200 condominiums and townhomes, 11 cottages and 15 chalets.

For more information about Seven Springs or to purchase tickets, visit www.7springs.com or call (800) 452-2223.

Information taken from Seven Springs Mountain Resort Press Release by Anna Weltz

Enter to win our January Ski Giveaway!

Michele Wisnesck — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:50:12 +0000

Winter Sweepstakes

JANUARY SWEEPSTAKES

Enjoy an exciting Winter Getaway…on us!

Enter for a chance to win one of two Ski Getaways in the Laurel Highlands!

Each getaway includes:

a 2-night stay in a Queen Jacuzzi Suite at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Donegal, PA. Free Hot Breakfast, Free High-Speed Wireless Internet, Indoor Heated Pool & Whirlpool, On-site Fitness Center, and Mini-fridge & Microwave in each room are all included with your accommodation.
a $300 Gift Card to go towards 2 Adult all-day weekend lift tickets to Hidden Valley Resort that includes skiing/boarding from 3 p.m. Friday through 7 p.m. Sunday for the 2011-2012 season
a $100 Gift Card to dine at Out of the Fire Café
and a $50 Sunoco gas card to help you get here!

Use the additional money on your Hidden Valley Resort gift card for extra lift tickets or snow-tubing, food and dining at the resort, or for a luxurious day at the Resort’s own Mountain Spa!

Make Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands your destination for Winter family fun close to home!

Be sure to register today. Winners will be notified Wednesday, February 1!

Click here to enter.

Stonycreek River Voted Pennsylvania’s 2012 River of the Year

Michele Wisnesck — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:26:25 +0000

Great article posted on PR Newswire: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stonycreek-river-voted-pennsylvanias-2012-river-of-the-year-136942653.html

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Stonycreek River, flowing through Cambria and Somerset counties, has been voted Pennsylvania’s River of the Year for 2012.

For the second year, a public, online vote selected the winning river from among four nominees. Stonycreek River received 2,777 votes among the more than 8,300 ballots cast. The other finalists were the Kiskiminetas, Middle Monongahela and Upper Juniata rivers.

“The Stonycreek has it all — near-wilderness, pristine trout waters; nationally acclaimed whitewater adventure; and a watershed steeped in natural and historical resources,” said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Richard Allan. “Our newest River of the Year has rebounded from abandoned mine drainage threats of the past to unlimited recreational potential of the future.

“Once again the River of the Year designation raises awareness of the river and its conservation needs, while the public voting format continues to generate local enthusiasm for conservation and recognition of the importance of our waterways.”

DCNR and the Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers, or POWR, administer the River of the Year program. Local organizations submit nominations.

“Each of the waterways that were nominated is special and important in its own way,” Allan said. “We extend hearty congratulations to the local groups who nominated their rivers, and rallied support for them not only for this vote, but through all of their continued activities and advocacy.”

POWR helps train and organize local watershed associations, as well as the groups who lead a dozen sojourns on rivers around the state each year.

“This year saw record participation in the River of the Year selection process,” said POWR Project Manager Joshua Karns. “Congratulations to the supporters of the Stonycreek River, and thanks to the thousands of Pennsylvanians who voted. We look forward to working with the communities in the Stonycreek Watershed to promote and protect their river, and all of Pennsylvania’s waterways.”

Before emptying into the Conemaugh River in Johnstown, Stonycreek River flows 46 miles across the Allegheny Plateau in southern Cambria County and northern Somerset County. Anglers are drawn to Stonycreek Gorge’s nine miles of near-wilderness trout water, while the Stonycreek Canyon offers 15 rapids in four miles — the longest set of continuous rapids in the eastern United States.

Now rebounded from the deadly effects of abandoned mine drainage, the Stonycreek River carves out a 468 square-mile watershed that is bordered by the Allegheny Front and Laurel Ridge, and contains rolling farmland, active and reclaimed strip mines, woodlands, and classic former coal-mining communities.

The river corridor contains the historic Forbes Trail and Flight 93 National Memorial, Quecreek Mine Rescue Site, Quemahoning Lake, Greenhouse Park and Whitewater Park — the first constructed set of rapids for boaters in Pennsylvania.

The Stonycreek is among several key landscapes in the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape Initiative. Led by DCNR, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and others, the initiative seeks to protect the unique character of the Laurel Highlands and recognize its communities as world-class heritage/recreation destinations as well as wonderful places to work and live.

Located an hour east of Pittsburgh, the Laurel Highlands area is defined by three Allegheny Plateau ridges — Chestnut, Laurel and Allegheny — and portions of several watersheds. It includes Somerset, Westmoreland, Fayette and Cambria counties.

A number of partner organizations support conservation and recreation activities along Stonycreek River. Primary is the Stonycreek Quemahoning Initiative Inc., a not-for-profit corporation formed by representatives of recreational, sporting, conservation, economic development and historical groups. Its mission is development and presentation of Stonycreek River heritage corridor’s assets.

Several events throughout the year will celebrate the Stonycreek’s designation, including a sojourn offering canoeists, kayakers and other paddlers a chance to experience life on the river, and encourage greater understanding of its challenges and potential. The Stonycreek River also will be celebrated with an annual Rivers Month poster issued in June.

Pennsylvania’s River of the Year has been presented annually since 1983.

For more sojourn event information, visit www.pawatersheds.org or contact Joshua Karns at info@pawatersheds.org. To learn more about DCNR’s Rivers Program, visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us/brc/rivers.

Media contact: Terry Brady, 717-772-9101
SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
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RELATED LINKS
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us
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