Grand River/Mahoning River
 

Grand River/Mahoning River-Trip Leader Jessica Hoffart/Mike Danko

When- SUNDAY October 8th

Where- Hidden Valley Park 4872 Klasen Road, Madison, Ohio 44057

GPS 41.741058, -81.048470

Time- 11 am

The Grand River is our next adventure listed, but things aren't looking good at all. The Grand is very very low and almost no rain is forecasted in southeast Geauga County and northwest Trumbull County in the coming weeks. We will keep an eye on the gauge and if it comes up we will paddle it.
TCT hasn't had much luck with the Grand River the last several years. It's either to high(April) or extremely low. It is one of the better trips we have but it has been hard to hit lately.

Plan B is our home river the Mahoning River. We will do Lowellville to Cover Crossing in Edinburg PA. This is a 9 mile section that offers several riffles, beautiful scenery and two Class 1+/easy Class II rapids.

Mahoning River Lowellville Put-In
When- Sunday October 8th

Where-38 W Water St, Lowellville, OH 44436

GPS 41.037162, -80.537711

Time-11 am

Check the website for any up dates, but unless we get tons of rain count on the Mahoning as the trip.

Mike/Jessica

We went to Hidden Valley park yesterday on the Grand River. Anyone else see a problem with this situation?
I hope Mike doesn't try to park there again once we finally get some rain...

Yikes! The painted gage doesn't even go that low! Any idea if the lowest mark on the gage is paddling zero?

1 foot on the gauge is about paddle zero... that would be the line on the tree.

I am interested in the grand trip. If the grand river is a go, is 528 the put in point? Where would the take out point be? Is transportation accounted for or is everyone on their own?

The trip is almost definitely on the Mahoning River not the Grand unfortunately. We would need a large, large amount of rain in the next day or two as it's more then a foot lower then the lowest level you really would want to paddle it right now.

That looks like "one TREE below zero " to me see you on the Mahoning !

Mahoning River paddle
 

As many can see by the pictures the grand is way to low. The lowest I have paddled the grand is 1 foot on 528 gauge. USGS 2 ft.

We will head to the Mahoning River for Sunday. Hope to a good turn out for Lowellville to covert crossing.

Mohoning River
 

OK I've got Saturday Oct 7 & Sunday Oct 8 both now listed as Mahoning River Lowellville to Coverts Crossing. Are we doing 2 runs? Or which day?

Sunday the 8th


I messed up on the newsletter.

i'm a noob and wanted to try this trip. i live close by to the put-in. how does the vehicle arrangement work for take-out? i'm thinking of bringing my 11 yr-old son (been canoeing before) and my brother (kayak). we've done trips before, but not on the Mahoning.

We usually work out the shuttle with everyone that's there. Leave some folks with the boats while others take the cars to the take out, then cram into a single vehicle (or 2 or 3) back to the put in. We make sure everyone gets back to their vehicle in the end

Beautiful Autumn Run
 

Many thanks to Jessica Hoffart and Mike Danko for leading 16 paddlers in 15 boats, I think, (three canoes and 12 kayaks) down the lower Mahoning from Lowellville to Covert's Crossing on a beautiful and warm autumn afternoon. The Lowellville gage was in the 2.8 range, up a couple inches after some overnight rain and the water temp hovered in the upper 60s. We saw kingfishers, great blue herons, mergansers, and a couple bald eagle nests. For lunch we stopped at a new boat ramp in PA, three miles from the put in. There were a couple swims, but with the warm air and water, it was all good. It was another great day to be on the river!

Mahoning_Lowellville to Covert Rd 10-8-17
 

This was our first time on this section of the Mahoning. We were pleasantly surprised at the rural nature of the river and with the swiftness of the current even though the we were told the water level was on the low side. The two chutes were fun. I had more fun on the downstream of the chutes, testing my skill (or is that my luck?) crossing the big waves in a boat not intended for such activity.

Having a pleasant fall day, somewhat cloudy and warm, and a nice group of paddlers added to the trip. Ken and Cheryl had a good time. I also checked that at noon Sunday the Lowellville gage was at 2.89 ft (541 cfs).

Thanks again to trip leaders Jessica and Mike. And dinner afterward? At least "I" had a good dinner after the paddle.... even if it did take an hour to get served. On the plus side... nobody got hurt when Cheryl went to the kitchen to see where her dinner was!

For your amusement or future reference, below is a map of the paddle and shuttle of this trip that I made for my records. [ jpg may be a bit fuzzy. I have a clear pdf if anyone wants a better image ]

Attachment 134

On a beautiful autumn day with higher than normal temperatures we had a great paddle. 16 paddlers 15 boats (12 kayaks & 3 Canoes)

We did have some swimmers put they were working on improving there skills to control the kayak better so I see it as a great learning experience.

This section is so different than the others on the Mahoning, some class 1+ rapid, some ripples, nice flat water and for most of the time a nice current. Also different scenery than other parts of the river with rolling hills and as you leave Lowellville.

We did stop for lunch at the new so to be open launch in Lawrence County on River Rd.

The level was 2.89 ft at the Lowellville gauge and I have said it before; the lower the Mahoning is the better the paddle is.

Thanks to all who came as Jessica & myself enjoyed a great day with great friends.

The only downside was I picked a restaurant again and it turned out to be a long wait that was really annoying; but the food was OK. I just have bad luck with restaurant.



On a side note Donelle Russell from Lawrence County let me know a new ramp at Coverts Crossing will be starting soon and hope to open before the new year.