... came across a new (to us) on-line mapping tool the other day, 'Hillmap' (www.hillmap.com) - pretty nice - developed primarily for backcountry route setting and mapping - quite a few useful functions and map formats, profile tool etc... have to agree with their claim "... the best on-line mapping app on the web" - very nice job developing this thing...
... anyway, scrounged up some photos of a local paddling trip we occasionally do, 'Mounts Creek', mainly as an excuse for playing around with the mapping tool...
... anyway, scrounged up some photos of a local paddling trip we occasionally do, 'Mounts Creek', mainly as an excuse for playing around with the mapping tool...
... saved a few 'screen shots' - 'Mounts Creek' is highlighted in blue (text was annotated in other software) - usual 'put in' is at the 'Little League' baseball field opposite 'Bullskin Elementary School' off Rt 982 - you can put in around two miles further to the north next to 'Bullskin Park' as well and 'meander' thru some nice farmland "en route"... 'take out' is usually along 'Connell Avenue' in the 'Dutch Bottom' section of 'Connellsville' - around four miles by water, or ya' can continue on to the 'Youghiogheny River' and paddle down to the 'Adelaide Campground' (think it's called 'River Edge Campground now'days) where you can leave a vehicle - around eight miles total...
... here's the 'put in' - 'Hillmap lets ya' do some cool 'split screen' images between map formats if ya' want...
... 'take out' along 'Connell Avenue' near the water treatment plant...
... not a "desperate whitewater adventure" by any means - but some nice countryside and wildlife to view - usually lots of ducks and Herons with raccoons and deer along shore - and you're basically paddling through the middle of "suburbia", though ya' seldom know it...
... not to say that there isn't a few decent drops bordering Class 2+ depending on water level - no gauge to speak of -if it looks as if you can paddle it on the drive by, then ya' can - if it looks high, it is - come to think of it, have paddled at "desperate level" a time or two - once had to 'head-duck' to make it below the 'Bellview Road' bridge overpass...
... once ya' get past the 'Whites Run' drainage, the creek detours west and drops through a small, deep gorge for a mile or two...
... some spring time blossoms this day...
... as well as a few 'Turkey Vultures' and blue sky...
... some interesting water "texture"- buddy Rob Hyatt paddling, by the way...
... paddling thru the 'gorge' and nearing an area known locally as 'B.A.B' (Bare. Ass. Beach) - used to be a popular swimming hole and "hangout" back in the day - don't know if it still is - some houses down that way now...
... anyway, not a bad time considering we're probably never more than three miles from the front door...
... Ha!... we continued on to the the 'Adelaide Campground' one Saturday and discovered that they were in the throes of a "Hippie Fest" (or, 'Hemp Happening" as they billed it) - we're walkin' around in wetsuits - "...dude!!... where'd you guys come from!?" - lots of interesting sights for sure - they were setting up an impressive bandstand and stage lighting - we were told (by everyone) that the the guy who wrote the song 'Panama Red' (New Riders of the Purple Sage) was the featured performer later in the evening... do remember this one old guy - long gray hair and beard - wearing a long white robe and sandals and carrying a long, hooked, wooden staff - spitting image of 'Moses' - was drivin' to work early the following Monday morning - saw him standing along Rt 70, hitchhiking near the PA Turnpike entrance ramp, and dressed exactly the same...
... one last note regarding 'Hillmap' - the installed 'shaded relief mapping' graphics are excellent - here's an example - you're actually able to identify the 'Confluence Ice Quarry', as depicted above - good stuff!!
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