Highlights from the 16th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn

The 16th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn was a terrific celebration of the Schuylkill River as Pennsylvania's 2014 River of the Year. It was a week filled with fun, friendship and learning and some really great presentations on various Schuylkill River related topics. Oh yeah, and paddling. Lots of paddling (112 miles, to be exact!). Overall, it was an amazing week. Here are some of the highlights.

Friday June 6

Sojourners always have the option to check in at Schuylkill Haven Island Park and camp out there the evening before the event begins. This year, we wanted to do something a little special, so we had restored steam Locomotive 113 on site for people to climb aboard or just look at and learn more about. It was an impressive site, and the anthracite coal fired engine is an important piece of Schuylkill County's history.

Day 1, Saturday June 7:  

The Launch

Sojourners launched from Schuylkill Haven and paddled to Port Clinton, on a picture perfect Saturday. Watching over 100 kayaks launch on their 112-mile journey is always an impressive site.

The Chutes!

Programs at lunch and evening stops focused on the Schuylkill River. At Saturday's lunch, Schuylkill Headwaters Assn. Director Bill Reichert discussed abandoned mine drainage cleanup efforts that have improved the river's headwaters.  After lunch, sojourners took an exhilarating paddle through "The Chutes."

Day 2, Sunday June 8: 

As they paddled from Port Clinton to Muhlenberg Township, sojourners had a rare opportunity to create a formation for an aerial photo (above). This stunning photograph was taken by our board member Ted Danforth and the formation was organized by our board President Carl Raring. It captures  the beauty of the river and the amazing, colorful effect created by 100 kayaks. At lunch, Haley Sheeler, long popular with sojourners, entertained with her original music, and we were fortunate to have Glenn Wenrich of the Berks County Heritage Center speak about the Schuylkill Canal. Sojourners then paddled to the beautiful Jim Dietrich Park, in Muhlenberg Twp., where they set up camp (below) and heard an informative presentation about paddling from  Sojourn Outfitter Doug Chapman, owner of Take it Outdoors Adventure Group.

Day 3, Monday June 9:   

Crazy Hat Day

Kelly's Rapids

Monday of the sojourn is always one of the most popular days of this seven day adventure. Two reasons for that: Kelly's Rapids, just outside of Reading, and Crazy Hat Day!. This year, sojourners also learned about the Berks Conservancy at lunch, and about the restoration of shad to the watershed during the evening program. As a bonus, Josh Tryninewski released 20,000 baby shad into Allegheny Creek at the start of his presentation. Yeah, they were pretty tiny ("two eyes and a wiggle," according to Josh.)

Day 4, Tuesday June 10: 

Sojourners paddled from Gibraltar to Pottstown. They lunched at Morlatton Village, where they heard a presentation

about the restoration of Fricks Lock Village, a former canal town. Afterward paddlers got back on the water and spotted a bald eagle as they traveled to Pottstown's Riverfront Park. There, Secretary of DCNR Ellen Ferretti read a proclamation recognizing the Schuylkill as PA's River of the Year. Other speakers included a representative from State Rep. Mark Painter's office, Chester County Commissioner Terrance Farrell, and a panel of watershed partners who spoke about their efforts to clean and protect the Schuylkill and its tributaries.

Day 5, Wednesday June 11:  

Sojourners capped off one of the longest paddling days (17.8 miles) with a
rare opportunity to lock through the restored Lock 60, the only operating lock remaining of the former Schuylkill Navigation System.  At lunch they were
welcomed at Royersford's Victory Park with a cake. From there, they were accompanied to Lock 60 by several Montgomery County officials including Commissioner Leslie Richards and Planning Director Jody Horton. The evening was highlighted by an enthusiastic presentation from the Norristown Dragon Boat Club.

Day 6, Thursday June 12: 

The Sojourn stopped at Valley Forge National Historical Park for lunch, where Nancy Stoner of the EPA spoke briefly about a clarification about the Clean Water Act, and park representative Deirdre Gibson talked about the new pedestrian bridge being built over the river. A big hit with sojourners was the Norristown Boat Club which accompanied us for part of the trip and allowed some kayakers to take a turn in the Dragon Boat. In the evening, Sarah Clark Stuart of the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia discussed the network of trails in the Greater Philadelphia area, known as The Circuit.

Day 7, Friday June 13:  

The 16th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn ended as always at Boathouse Row. Paddlers stopped for lunch at the historic Philadelphia Canoe Club before finishing their journey at Lloyd Hall. Overall, we had 64 people make the full trip, 100 kayaks (the most allowed) on the water every day except Thursday and Friday (86 & 95), and paddlers from 10 states and France attending. Many of our participants return year after year. They tell us they can't wait for the 17th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn!

Sojourn under the Manayunk Bridge by Ted Danforth

Why Not Sign Up for A Mid-Week Day of the Schuylkill River Sojourn?

Photo by Jeremy Quant

It's happened again. Only a week after we opened up registration for individual days on the annual Schuylkill River Sojourn the first three days of the seven-day guided canoe/kayak tour (June 7-13) have already sold out. Sure, everybody wants to paddle on the weekend. But, to keep things safe we allow only 100 boats per day. That means we wind up turning people away on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, while, often, Tuesday through Friday don't completely fill up. If you are one of those who hesitated a bit too long to get on the sojourn's weekend days, don't despair! Tuesday through Friday offer plenty of fun paddling opportunities. Here's a day-by-day guide to the sojourn's mid-week days. All have openings so you can sign up for one or all four!

As always the sojourn will begin in Schuylkill Haven and end at Philadelphia's Boathouse Row with participants paddling 14-18 miles per day. The program theme is Schuylkill River: PA's 2014 River of the Year.

Click here to register

 Tuesday June 10. (13.9 miles: Gibraltar to Pottstown) (Updated May 2: We're sorry, this date is now filled!)

Sojourners rest at Morlatton Village

If you have never done the sojourn before, and want to test out a day, this is the day to try.  It's an easy paddling day, featuring a lot of beautiful scenery. Paddlers in this area have reported seeing bald eagles and other interesting wildlife. Another reason to consider Tuesday? We have great programming planned. The lunch stop is at Historic Morlatton Village, a beautiful and historic setting where this year there will be a presentation on the restoration of Frick's Lock Village, a canal town turned ghost town. And the evening stop, at Riverfront Park in Pottstown, includes arguably the best dinner on the trip, catered by Bause Catering. The evening program will feature a special River of the Year panel presentation by six watershed conservancies who will discuss efforts to protect the river and tributaries.

Wednesday June 11. (17.8 miles: Pottstown to Mont Clare Lock 60) One of the major highlights of the weeklong sojourn happens on this day, which ends at the restored Lock 60 on the former Schuylkill Canal. Sojourners end the day by "locking through" the lock (see photo on left). This is such a cool experience, it's worth doing Wednesday for that alone. But, there's also some nice scenery and an enjoyable lunch setting  at Victory Park, in Royersford, where the Borough officials welcome sojourners with a delicious cake.  In the evening, paddlers can camp out near the canal, eat spaghetti dinner at nearby St. Micheal's Pavilion, and listen to a presentation on Dragon Boating.

Thursday June 12. (14 miles: Mont Clare to West Conshohocken) This is a great day to paddle for several reasons. For one thing, this year, we will be accompanied for part of the trip by a dragon boat. For another, the river features a nice mix of scenery through this area. Paddlers begin the day in the canal and make their way into the river and through some wooded areas. For the first time, the sojourn lunch will be at Valley Forge National Historic Park, where the program will be on a new pedestrian bridge being built across the river.  Later in the day sojourners encounter some interesting bridges and urban settings. At dinner, in West Conshohocken, they'll hear about the network of trails in the Philadelphia area known as The Circuit.

Friday June 13 (16 miles: West Conshohocken to Philadelphia). This may be the final day, but it's also one of the best days of the sojourn! Sojourners love having the opportunity to paddle with the Philadelphia skyline as their backdrop and alongside the iconic Boathouse Row. If you need another reason to paddle on Friday, lunch is at the historic Philadelphia Canoe Club, where you eat surrounded by some amazing antique boats. You'll also hear a presentation on the Schuylkill River Boardwalk, an amazing project that extends the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia by  The final takeout is Lloyd Hall on Boathouse Row, but before that the sojourners always organize for everyone's favorite sojourn photo, the Sojourn Salute (see photo below).

Ten Reasons to Sign Up for the 16th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn

Registration for the 16th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn is now open! If you've always wanted to do at least one day on the sojourn, let this be the year you do! This 112-mile, seven day guided canoe/kayak tour takes place from Saturday June 7 to Friday June 13. You don't have to do the full trip. You can do as little as one day, if you'd like. But keep in mind that the first three days fill up quickly, so if you want to paddle on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, register early! Click here to register.

Still not sure whether to sign up? Here are 10  reasons why we think you should.

1. The Schuylkill is Pennsylvania's 2014 River of the Year: If you paddle on the sojourn this year, you will be paddling on the River of the Year. How cool is that? The River of the Year logo is our program theme, so all our lunch and dinner presentations will focus on the some aspect of the river. And, the awesome logo on the left? That will be featured on the sojourn T-shirt. It was designed by Laura Mikowychok Smith, winner of our River of the Year logo design contest.





2. We make it easy for you: No really, we do. We give you breakfast, lunch, dinner and a place to camp. We shuttle your gear and take you and your boat back to the car. We provide water and Gatoradeat all stops, and on long paddling stretches, we have breaks.  Our guides and safety people have been doing this for 16 years. If you're a novice, they'll give you pointers to make sure you have a great time.

3. You can leave your worries behind: Seriously, this is a fun experience. You are out in nature, on the water, surrounded by friendly people in colorful kayaks. You don't have to think about the route, worry about where you'll stop, or even wonder what to do about dinner. You can just relax and enjoy the day.



4. You will learn something: We provide speakers at all lunch and evening stops. This year,  the  presentations will focus on a river-related issue or activity. For example, we have a dragon boat club  on Wednesday evening (they'll also join us in the water on Thursday and Friday);  a  new Schuylkill River Water Trail Guide presentation on Saturday; and a talk about the new Schuylkill River Boardwalk on Friday. For a full list of programs click here.

5. Every day is fun: People often ask us which is the best day to paddle on the sojourn. Truth? All the days are great! Saturday and Sunday are favored for their scenery (and also because they are weekend days!) Monday features a short section of white water called "Kelly's Rapids."  Tuesday is a nice, easy stretch ending at our headquarters, where we promise a great dinner! Wednesday ends with sojourners "locking through" the only watered lock remaining of the Schuylkill Canal. Thursday features a lunch stop at Valley Forge National Park (new this year). On Friday, the journey ends at Boat House Row, and we always get a photo of the sojourn against the Philly skyline.

 6. You don't have to be an expert paddler: Every year we have beginners sign up for the full trip. Our guides are particularly good at helping out newcomers.

7. You won't recognize the place: Think you know the Schuylkill River because you pass by it regularly? You will be surprised. Being on the river is a whole different experience. Only minutes away from highways and down towns, you'll feel sequestered in nature. It's not called the "Hidden River" for nothing.

8. You will make new friends: You are paddling beside 70 to 100 other fun-loving people. Of course you'll make new friends!

9. Your age doesn't matter: Octogenarians and elementary school children have paddled the full trip and loved it.



10. It only happens once a year: If you've always wanted to paddle on the sojourn, but don't do it this year, you'll have to wait all the way until June 2015 to get another chance!

We hope we've convinced you! If so, hurry: we only allow about 100 people on the water each day, so registration can fill up quickly for certain days. You can learn more about the sojourn on our website.
Or, if you're ready to join us for the 16th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn, Register Here!

Schuylkill River Trail Spring Update (Updated April 17)

It's spring! The hard winter is mostly behind us (we hope). If you are planning to dust off your bike or lace up your running shoes this weekend, we have better news for you than we did two weeks ago when we reported that the trail was closed in parts and snow covered in others. Here's a new breakdown of the trail by section. Updated April 17, 2014

Schuylkill & Berks Counties: 
Condition: Passable. These sections of the trail are managed by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, where no winter maintenance is routinely performed. However, we have had a number of volunteers out cleaning parts of the trail, removing downed trees, picking up branches and other debris. It's safe to bike on these sections, but beware, the crush stone surface is still soft and has suffered some ruts from equine use. Recent heavy rains have likely left sticks and small branches along the path, so keep an eye out. Our trail maintenance coordinator suggests picking up any sticks or branches to ensure a smooth ride later on.

Chester County: 
Condition: Cleared for multi-use, including biking. A county park ranger has reported that the trail from Parkerford to Cromby (just outside of Phoenixville) is fine for biking, and there is no ice or mud. All branches and downed trees have been cleared. However, use caution as gravel is loose in a few sections where water hasn't completely drained away.

Montgomery County:
Condition: Passable for multi-use, including biking. This piece of the trail stretches from Phoenixville to Philadelphia and is now officially open. This is good news for trail users. Only a few weeks ago it was officially closed, considered too icy and debris strewn for travel. However, there are still some areas where cyclists should proceed with caution, looking out for larger sticks and other potential hazards. And please be advised that there is a temporary trail closure from Ford Street to Ross Street in Norristown is due to construction that needs to be done as part of the Lafayette Street extension project. This 1/2-mile section was closed on January 27 and will reopen for the weekends of April 26-27 and May 3-4, and will open permanently on May 10.will For more information on that project visit the Montgomery County website.

Philadelphia:
Condition: Cleared for multi-use. Most of the Philadelphia sections of the trail are plowed throughout the winter, so they are clear now and fine for biking. The Manayunk section, which isn't plowed, is also safe for cycling.

New Exhibit Features Illustrations that Brought the Revolutionary War to Life in the 19th Century

On February 22, we will open a very unique exhibit at Valley Forge National Historical Park. Entitled Bringing the War of Independence to Life: 19th Century Illustrations of the American Revolution, the exhibit will display 42 illustrations culled from the personal collection of Schuylkill River Heritage Area Executive Director Kurt Zwikl. The exhibit will be on display in the Visitor Center through April 28.

Zwikl has long had an interest in the illustrations, which appeared in books, magazines and newspapers throughout the 1800s and provided 19th century Americans with their only visual image of the Revolutionary War. From his collection, built over many years, Zwikl has put together 42 illustrations that portray leaders, battles and major events of the war.

The exhibit is the result of a partnership between the Schuylkill River Heritage Area and Valley Forge National Historical Park, as well as Morristown National Historical Park, in New Jersey, and Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, also in New Jersey. After it's run at Valley Forge, the exhibit will be moved to Morristown, where it will hang from June 23-August 26.

He has also created a booklet to accompany the exhibit that offers insights into the significance of the illustrations, and provides details about the artists who created the works. The booklet will be available for sale at Valley Forge, and later at Morristown National Historical Park.

You can visit the exhibit at Valley Forge during regular visiting hours from 9-5 daily at the Visitor Center, from Feb. 22- April 28.

Learn More

Schuylkill River Named Pennsylvania's 2014 River of the Year

Congratulations to the Schuylkill! It has officially been named Pennsylvania's 2014 River of the Year. The Schuylkill beat out the four other nominated rivers by a landslide, earning 43 percent of the 5,527 votes tallied during a month-long online voting period in November and December. Thank you to everyone who voted!

As the winning applicant, we at the Schuylkill River Greenway Association (which manages the Schuylkill River Heritage Area) will receive a $10,000 leadership grant to fund a year-long celebration. The money will go to support River of the Year activities up and down the entire 128-mile waterway.

We will integrate the River of the Year message into many of our existing programs, including the Schuylkill River Sojourn; pedal/paddle events; and a bike tour series on the adjacent Schuylkill River Trail. Also, POWR and DCNR will work with the us to create a free, commemorative poster celebrating the Schuylkill as the 2014 Pa. River of the Year.

"We are elated to have the Schuylkill be selected as Pennsylvania River of the Year for 2014,” said Schuylkill River Greenway Association Executive Director Kurt Zwikl.  “We are particularly pleased to be named because in last year's balloting we lost out by less than two hundred votes."

Last year, the Schuylkill lost to the Monongahela  by only 146 votes! This year, we found a lot of support for the Schuylkill as we promoted it for River of the Year.

“We would like to thank the Schuylkill River Development Corp. and Montgomery County, who also nominated the Schuylkill and will partner with us in 2014 to bring some outstanding river programming to southeast Pennsylvania. It is a statewide honor to be chosen, and our thanks go out to all of the individuals and organizations that endorsed us and voted for the Schuylkill," Zwikl said.

We are now working on developing a calendar of River of the Year events that will be posted on our website at www.schuylkillriver.org by early spring.

A Look Back on our 2013 Achievements

At the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, we are always working to fulfill our goals of using conservation, education, recreation, cultural and historic preservation and tourism as tools for community revitalization and economic development.  Here's a breakdown of our top 10 projects, programs and events for 2013.

1. Organized the Cycles & Cemeteries Ride.  

In September we held our Cycles & Cemeteries Ride, the second ride in our three-year Schuylkill River Trail Bike Tour Series.  It was a tremendous success, attracting 140 cyclists who participated in a 14 or 28-mile ride along the Schuylkill River Trail from Norristown to East Falls. It included tours of two historic cemeteries, Laurel Hill and Montgomery Cemetery, where Civil War notables are buried. Watch for information soon on our 2014 Pedaling Through our National Parks Ride.

2. Led our 15th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn

  Over 200 paddlers  took the journey from Schuylkill Haven to Philadelphia in June, during the 15th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn. with a record number, 59, making the full trip. This year's sojourn theme, A Civil War Odyssey, celebrated the region's role in the Civil War with programs at lunch and evening stops that featured re-enactors, informative presentations, Civil War music, and a  talk by Gettysburg National Park Superintendent Bob Kirby. The sojourn continues to be a popular event. Since its inception in 1999, over 3,000 registrants from 21 states and Canada have participated. 

3. Expanded the Schuylkill River Trail.

 We cut the ribbon recently on a new section of trail in Bern Township that will eventually connect to the larger Schuylkill River Trail. The 2,100-foot length of new trail is small but beautiful. It will be expanded next year to a 2.5-mile trail, with construction of another off-road trail that will connect to the Bern Twp. section by a short on-road piece through Leesport. It is one of the first pieces of trail to be constructed along the 20-mile Reading to Hamburg stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail. Other notable trail projects we completed included: resurfacing a portion of the trail in Berks County, and adding mile markers from Stowe to Reading. We  also continued to grow our volunteer base, our Trail Ambassador program and our Sponsor-a-Trail and Adopt-a-Trail programs in Berks and Schuylkill Counties where we operate and maintain 28 miles of the trail.

4. Fostered Outdoor Recreation with Community Bike Shares. 

 Bike Pottstown and Bike Schuylkill are completely free bike share programs that we have made available in three communities: Pottstown, Phoenixville and Hamburg. This year we expanded our commitment to the bike shares with a new website: bikeschuylkill.org. We also encouraged people to try the Bike Pottstown bikes by offering free water bottles to first time participants.

5. Launched a series of Lectures and Book Signings.  

We held four book signings and lectures in 2013, in order to promote the region's history and environment, while drawing attention to local authors. Books featured were: The African American Experience at Valley Forge by Frances Delmar; More Trees Please, by Rich Wood; and Legendary Locals of Pottstown, by Sue Repko (shown above)  and Ed Berger. In addition, we also held two showings of the hour-long documentary The City Dark, about the loss of night. A final lecture, Pastors & Patriots: The Muhlenberg Family of Pennsylvania, by Lisa Minardi, was canceled recently due to the weather. It will be rescheduled in the spring. We are planning more lectures for 2014.

6. Distributed Grants to Improve River Water Quality. 

 In September,the Schuylkill River Heritage Area distributed over $350,000 in Schuylkill River Restoration Fund grants to 10 projects that will improve water quality in the Schuylkill River and its tributaries. Since the Restoration Fund was established in 2006 through a public/private partnership,  it has garnered more than $2 million and funded 42 projects that have reduced stormwater run-off, agricultural pollutants and abandoned mine drainage.

7. Pedaled and Paddled.

Our round-trip Pedal and Paddle biking/kayaking adventures continue to be among our most popular events. Since we introduced our first Pedal & Paddle in 2011, they have consistently sold out nearly as soon as we begin advertising them. In 2013, we held a total of five events, with one each month from May through September  Over the course of the summer, we took 75 people on a 4.5 mile ride along the Schuylkill River Trail in Pottstown, a tour of Historic Morlatton Village and a return trip via kayak.

8. Held our 10th Annual Art Show. 

 The juried Scenes of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area art show once again served as a showcase for regional talent that highlighted the beauty of the river valley. The show featured 83 original works, and hung in the Montgomery County Community College West Campus Gallery from Aug. 28 to Oct. 18. Over 100 people attended the opening reception.

9. Introduced an Educational Program for At-Risk Students.  

Our VISTA volunteer, Anesa Owen, who worked full-time in our offices through most of 2013, joined forces with the I-LEAD Charter School in Reading to develop the Schuylkill Outdoor Leadership Odyssey, a new educational program that connects at-risk urban youth to the outdoors and sparks their interest in environmental careers. The 14-week mentoring program for 9th & 10th graders consisted of weekly classes with guest speakers, as well as several field trips. It was highlighted by a kayaking trip down a section of the river in Reading. Although Anesa is scheduled to leave in February, the class will be continued in 2014.

10. Welcomed Hundreds of Visitors to our River of Revolutions Interpretive Center.

 Our Interpretive Center,  which opened last year, has welcomed hundreds of visitors throughout 2013.  Located in our Pottstown headquarters, the River of Revolutions Interpretive Center serves as a visitors center for the entire Schuylkill River region. It has proven to have wide appeal, featuring interactive exhibits and colorful displays that offer information on river history, recreational opportunities, historic sites, environmental awareness and more.

A Peek at What We've Planned for 2014. We'll open an exhibit of Revolutionary War illustrations in February. Our 16th Annual Schuylkill River Sojourn will launch this spring. Our 11th Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill Art Show will open in the fall. And in September our 3rd Schuylkill River Trail Bike Tour, named Pedal Though our National Parks, will take cyclists on a two-day ride along the trail to three National Parks: Hopewell Furnace, Valley Forge and Independence. We're looking forward to a great year ahead!