Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

[harp96sho]

Does anyone have experience at Raystown Lake in PA??? I was up there a few weeks ago and loved it, but I don't know much about the lake....places to go, things to avoid, etc......Anybody have any advice??? Stories??? Thanks!!!!!!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

I have a story! Went there 2 summers ago for our first (and as of yet only) time. Our friends that we went with were kayakers. So we took along a small square transom canoe we had (it fit in the truck better). We get out on the lake and with all the HUGE boats people have there we thought we were going to die. I don't think my wife was ever so terrified. We probably only went about 500 yards to a nice cove and beached it and went swimming for a while. Ate our lunch and made a bee line back to the ramp. Now I'm sure we put in at the busiest spot (Lake Raystown Resort) because our other friends had to rent a canoe and it was the nicest weekend weather wise all season so the lake was very busy.

Lake Raystown Resort is nice and had a really nice man-made beach swimming area set up and ample clean restrooms. We camped at a primitive site in one of the parks on the north end of the lake that was absolutely beautiful. I'd love to go back there with my Starcraft but I don't trust my trailer for that long of a trip in it's current condition.

 

[LSM]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

We boat at Raystown all summer. We keep our boat at the Resort. What kind of boat do you have?

 

[1976 Slickcraft]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

If you want to ride a canoe at Raystown try putting in at the Snyders Run ramp, it's the most northern ramp and not on the main body of the lake. Much quieter and easy access from Huntington.

 

[harp96sho]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

Sorry it took so long to reply everyone!! I have a 89 Bayliner Capri open bow with the 125 Force O/B. The one time I made it up there this past season I put in at Aitch because Snyder's Run was closed for construction. Any idea what they are repairing/improving there? That is the closest for me I believe, coming from Harrisburg. I have a few buddies on the hockey team that go there all the time and they said they can show me the good places to do it all on Raystown! Any ideas on camping without taking the boat out of the water? Any regulations or things I should know??

 

[LSM]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

harp96sho Where in Linglestown do you live? That is where I grew up. My Dad still lives on Catherine St.

As far as what they were doing at Snyder's. I do not know. Never heard anything all season. As for camping there are three places for you. At the Resort, 7 Points, And a boat to shore is Nancy's. We use to camp at 7 Points when we camp. That is run by the Army crops. They are very nice sites. Also the Resort sites are nice to. Do your buddies keep there boat in a marina at the lake. Also if you make it up to Raystown give us a shot. We can show you around also.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

harp96sho, Snyder's Run boat launch is open again - was closed for some resurfacing and paving improvements. There really aren't many places that you have to be careful of while on the Lake - other than it is busier than anything over the weekends. But during the week you can have her pretty much to yourself. The point across from S-1 is a shallow point, but it is marked with a bouy. Off of Mile Marker 5, 8, and up at 26 (I think that is the one) are also shallow - go wide on those points (we literally fished someones lower unit out of the water on 5 a few weeks ago - it had been submerged fro quite a while).

As for camping without taking the boat out of the water, there are a couple of boat-to-shore camp sites (Nancy's Camp is at Mile Marker 14, I believe, and Snyder's Run is at Mile Marker 2) that are primative, but nice, and free. Also, there are several different Camp sites at Seven Points and Raystown Resort (opposite ends of Lake and Seven Points would be closer to you) that you can get spots on the water, or close to it where you can leave your boat in. Some of these are reservable and others are first come, first serve.

Huntingdon is my home, so if you are heading up, give a shout and I can show you the places to eat, sites to see, etc. Just let me know what you like to do and I will point you in that direction.

 

[harp96sho]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

Thanks for all the great info! I will keep an eye out for those mile markers and Nancy's camping. Next time I am going up that way I will let you guys know.
As for Linglestown, I am on the Parkway, not too far from Catherine Street. I am a firefighter at Linglestown and that was one of the stops on our Santa Run.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

By your avatar I thought you were a fellow firefighter. I hail from Station 6, McConnellstown. I look forward to meeting you.

 

[harp96sho]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

heading up this weekend to tune the carbs. I can't wait, winter was too long!

 

[LSM]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

We will be up also this weekend. Need to wash and wax this weekend. Putting in next weekend. Hope the weather holds off for this weekend. We will be staying on the boat at the Resort.

 

[1976 Slickcraft]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

Cant wait till the last week in July, going for the whole week. Gonna be renting three houses with 5 other couples. We will be bringing 5 speed boats and 1 pontoon in our group. Gonna try to get to Raystown for a day or two a couple of times before then. We love it on the lake up there, wide open water. Shure beats the Potomac river, only about 400 feet wide where we go.
Jesse

 

[LSM]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

What types of speed boats are you bring?

 

[1976 Slickcraft]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

We call them speed boats because their speedier than our buddy's pontoon!Mine is a '76 Slickcraft 19 footer with a small block ford. There is a 2001 Regal, mid 80's Bayliner, and a 98 Crownline

 

[cooter2506]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

We go to raysown once or twice a year and camp at nancy's. Primitive but kept clean. If you getg there on a wed or a thur you get a really good choice on campsites. BUT it s not free it is only like 8 buck a nite.

 

[harp96sho]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

Did anyone hear about a death at the lake this past sunday 4-20? I heard that he left the plug out and was trying to put it in and drowned....if I find out more I'll post.

 

[LSM]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

No, We were at the lake all weekend. Never heard about that.

 

[LSM]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

Heard on the news today someone did die at the lake. I think I heard they were from Linglestown.

 

[harp96sho]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

I heard something about it at the firehouse. It seems that the person was a member at one time of our fire company and still lived in linglestown. The story I heard was he went below for whatever reason and was overcome by the exhaust and sank with the boat. My thoughts go out to the family, it's sad to hear about anything like that.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Raystown Lake...Huntingdon PA

Did anyone hear about a death at the lake this past sunday 4-20? I heard that he left the plug out and was trying to put it in and drowned....if I find out more I'll post.

He was a long time boater at the lake ... kept his boat in the rack storage at 7 Points Marina. He had a Four Winds with twins and put his boat in the water but forgot the plug. He never turned off the engines, just jumped in to put the plug in ... was overcome by carbon monoxide! He was revived, but never was able to come off of life support ... taken off and died the next evening. 53 years old. Owner of Loews Contracting in the Harrisburg area. Great guy and will be sorely missed.

It could have all been avoided if he had turned the engines off ... engines cold, chokes closed and high idle ... producing a lot of CO ... and he jumped into the middle of the CO pool. It didn't take long for him to go unconscious.

Everyone, please be careful out there!

On a side note ... we have been too busy to get the boat out and travel the 8 miles to the lake ... too many emergency calls ... rain this weekend ... then getting cold next week. Hopefully soon ... but it isn't looking good with the schedule ...