PAN
Access
Advisory:
West Branch of Conococheague Creek,
Below Metal, PA
!! DANGER !!
by Bing Garthright,
(301-330-1225) June 9, 2004
On the West Branch of
Conococheague Creek in Franklin County, PA, the normal run from Metal, PA
(Carrick Road put-in) to Fort Loudon, PA (near US 30) is too dangerous to paddle
at present. The main issue is two
dangerous fences. There are also
reports of harassment from a hunting camp.
About 1 mile below Metal are
two massive, dangerous fences designed to keep a private hunting preserve’s
captive deer herd from escaping via the creek. These fences are not passable at
present, nor is portaging around them an option. In higher water conditions, the risk of
broaching, pinning, and perhaps drowning, is severe. They are also some distance away
from any road access. The farm
operator is reported to be rather unfriendly.
The unfriendly hunting camp
is reported to be 1 to 2 miles below the fences, or about 2 to 3 miles below
Metal, PA.
Thanks to the efforts of
paddler Bob Gross and many supportive staff in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP), a solution might come about in 2004 or 2005. A safe replacement for these
access-denying gates might get DEP approval and be installed. PAN will keep track of this permit and
gate change and issue a new advisory when this stretch can be paddled
safely. At that time, we will also
inquire about probable dates for hunting on the deer farm, called Longview
Farms, so that trip planners can avoid those periods.
At present, we are unaware
of whether regular Pennsylvania hunting regulations (regular seasons, primitive
arms seasons, no Sunday hunting, etc.) apply to a private hunting
farm.
Paddlers wishing to run part
of this stretch might consider putting in at the hamlet of Richmond Furnace, off
Bricker Road. This is 4.1 miles
south (downstream) of Metal on PA 75, or 3.6 miles north of the US 30 / PA 75
junction in Fort Loudon. There is
another road to the creek 1.0 miles north (upstream) of Richmond Furnace, but
that might not get you below the hunting camp. These roads were located on a map; we
have no information if they in fact are viable put-ins.
Thanks to: Bob Gross for
pursuing this problem with PA DEP and Ed Gertler for referring Bob to
PAN.