The next volunteer day is this Saturday, January 7th. We will meet at the Park Office at 9:00am. We will be cleaning the warming hut and then hiking the trails around Sproul to prepare them for cross country skiing. Bring water and your lunch. Stick around afterwards. Barb will be leading a moonlight snowshoe hike at 5:00.

On Saturday, November 5, 2011 Friends of Ohiopyle will have its monthly Trail Day, followed by the Volunteer Dinner at 5 pm. All members, past and present, are invited to attend the dinner.

For the Trail Day, please meet at the park office at 9 am.

Dinner will follow the Trail Day at 5 pm, and will be held at the Stone House in Ohiopyle State Park. For more information, please email Barb at eeohiopyle@qcol.net

Hope to see you there!

2011 Friends of Ohiopyle Photo Contest Winners

• Recreation:

John Georgevich - Blue Ribbon
W. Michael Gladkowski - People's Choice

• Nature:

Mark Shotter - Blue Ribbon
Mark Shotter - People's Choice

• Youth:

Sara Mitchell - Blue Ribbon
Rebecca Williams - People's Choice

10th annual Beer and Gear Festival-Located at Wilderness Voyagers in Ohiopyle (over the tracks)
June 18, 2011.
3:30 - 7 PM
$20 Entry

Live Music by Half Bad Blue Grass!


Beer & Brewers from (List may change...)
Erie Brewing
North Country Brewing
Fat Heads
Vodoo Brewing
Rivertowne Pourhouse
Rock Bottom Brewing
Otto's
Penn Brewing
Mountain State Bewery
Full Pint Brewery
Morgantown Brewing
Duquesne Brewing
All Saints
Christian Clay Wintery

Beers FROM
Victory Hop Devil
Stoudts
Great Lakes Brewing
Otter Creek
Dog Fish

Gear From
Wave Sport Kayak, Pyranha Kayaks, Werner Paddles, IR, Vasque, MSR, Thermarest, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, and ORVIS

'Tis the season--the clouds are parting and the mercury is rising, and that typically brings people out in droves to Ohiopyle. While we love having visitors come and enjoy the park, all too often, people end up injured due to a lack of information about their surroundings.

This is the time of year when people start to come out of their homes. The same goes for the wildlife of PA. Though most PA wildlife is able to co-exist peacefully with humans, every year, we hear stories about people who end up injured due to run-ins with wildlife. Specifically, snakes.

Ohiopyle is home to many species of snakes. Though there are few poisonous snakes in PA, we do have a couple that reside in Ohiopyle and Western PA. This is the time of year where the snakes also come out of their homes after a long, cold winter; and they want to enjoy the park too. After all, it is their home!

Copperheads and Timber Rattlesnakes reside here, and are both poisonous. You don't see them too often; and you will see Copperheads more than the Rattlers.

It is not uncommon to see snakes sunning themselves along the bike trails and roads of the park. Please be aware of this, and if you see a snake, try to avoid it. While the majority of the time, snakes are more scared of us than we are of them, snakes can become aggressive. This is especially true if you are near its den, its offspring, or have agitated it. (By 'agitated it' we refer to people accidentally stepping on it, poking it with a stick, etc.)

While any creature may become agitated if you are infringing on its personal space, Copperheads and Rattlesnakes pack venom that can really ruin your trip, or in severe cases, kill you. Please be mindful of this while visiting the park. If you see a snake, leave it be.

Where do snakes like to live?

• Snakes typically like places that are cool, moist and have lots of little nooks to slither around in and on. Woodpiles, logs and rock are all prime locations for snake dens. In Ohiopyle all along the river's edge, in areas where there are rocks especially, Copperheads like to live. In the Falls Area, where people like to swim, and along Ferncliff, snakes make their homes in the rocks that line the rivers. BE CAREFUL!

What should you do if you get bitten by a Copperhead at Ohiopyle?

• If you are in the campground, go to either the campground host or the contact station, and they can contact a ranger for you.
• In the main area of the park (Falls Area, Train Station, Ferncliff, etc.) go to the Train Station and ask for a ranger to be called, and they will call 911 for you.
• You can also call 911, and let dispatch know you are in Ohiopyle State Park, and they will contact the rangers and send medical help.
• If you're at home and get bitten, call 911 immediately or get yourself to the nearest hospital for medical treatment.

Below is a link with really good information about Copperheads.

Join us this weekend, on February 5th, 2011 for Winterfest.
Things get started at 11 am and will continue to run until 4. You can still sled ride and use the warming hut after the event is over!
See our link to events for more info!

The Friends of Ohiopyle App for Android phones is now available for free download in the Android Market.

Features include:

• Information about FOO and Ohiopyle State Park
• A guide to invasive plant species
• Current weather conditions for Ohiopyle, including water level & flow rate
• Google Map view of Ohiopyle

To download search for Friends of Ohiopyle in the Android Market or Scan the following barcode image with your Android phone:

Requires Android version 1.5 or newer.
Please send any questions or feedback to foodroid118@gmail.com

We've spent a decent bit of time trying to fight off this invasive plant. Characterized by its garlic smell and small clusters of white flowers, this plant is one of the first signs of spring in our area. Garlic mustard grows pretty much anywhere it can, and is a major issue at Ohiopyle. Last Saturday's Trail Date was spent with volunteers pulling and bagging Garlic Mustard along the Great Gorge Trail and along the road leading from Cucumber Falls to Thorpe Knob.