Dates: Friday August 4 - Sunday August 6, 2023
Location: Mauch Chunk Lake Park - 625 Lentz Trail Jim Thorpe, PA 18229
Non APA Member Price
1 night - $25
2 nights - $35
APA Member Price
1 night - $15
2 nights - $25
*Are you a current APA member? Email membership@packraft.org with the subject line "2023 Northeast Roundup" to get your code. If you are not already a member, sign up now! You will be emailed a code afterwards to access the member price. By becoming an APA member, your membership goes towards our initiatives in access & stewardship, education & safety and community building.
Day participants who do not pay for camping are encouraged to make a donation to the APA.
Day-of registration for camping in our group site is not available. Campers must register in advance, as space is limited and a roster is required for campground check-in.
The 2nd Annual Northeast Region Packraft Roundup
We'll be back at Mauch Chunk Lake Park, just outside of the historic coal mining town of Jim Thorpe, PA. With easy access to the Lehigh River, and guaranteed whitewater provided by the recreational dam releases on Saturday and Sunday, packrafters from the Northeast Region and abroad are invited to the beautiful Lehigh River Valley for an opportunity to meet like-minded adventurers and forge lasting relationships with new paddling partners.
What's included?
Your registration fee reserves you a spot in our group campsite, where you will enjoy the company and camaraderie of your fellow packrafters. If budget allows, other special activities may be organized. If you are able to do so, please consider making an additional donation to the APA. Your tax-deductible donation will be earmarked for the Northeast Regional Chapter, and will go toward improving this Roundup and helping to enable future packrafting outreach efforts and event planning in the Northeast Region.
What's not included?
For anyone interested in building their river safety and paddling skills, Packrafting Adventures is offering instructional courses over the weekend. Gather your paddling buddies and sign up for a river safety and rescue course on Saturday, or a class II-III packrafting skills course on Sunday. Registration for these courses is open to all, and participation in the Roundup is not required. APA is not involved in operating these courses and they are not part of the Roundup - you need to register separately with Packrafting Adventures.
NOTE: APA is not sanctioning on-water activities at this year’s Roundup. That said, we are expecting many attendees who are familiar with this river, and everyone is encouraged to meet new people and form new paddling partnerships. Last year there was a 15-person packraft armada that coalesced organically and floated through the Gorge on Sunday! We are hoping for a similar experience this year. A Facebook Event has been created to allow people to converse and plan trips ahead of time. Additionally, by signing up and providing your name, town and email address, you are consenting to this information being shared with other attendees in this spreadsheet. If you do not want this information shared, please reach out to APA Northeast Region Rep Eric Caravella at northeast@packraft.org.
Refunds: Due to the nature of this event, refunds unfortunately cannot be offered to registered participants who end up unable to attend. However, if you register and then discover you cannot attend, please let us know ASAP. The APA will be able to issue you a receipt, converting your registration fee into a tax-deductible donation. Even if you don't want a receipt, please still let us know if you're not coming. We might be able to reallocate your tent spot to someone who can attend. If the event is cancelled for any reason, you will have the option of receiving a refund, rolling over your registration fee to a future event, or converting your registration fee to a tax-deductible donation.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to the APA Northeast Region Rep Eric Caravella at northeast@packraft.org. Looking forward to seeing you on the river!
Our system only allows for one registration at a time. If you are registering two or more people, please register separately. Thanks for your understanding!
$150 APA Member / $195 Non-APA Member. This discount can be retroactively applied if you sign up for an APA membership after registering. Current APA members should have received a unique code to register for the member price. If you did not, we can apply the discount as a refund to your payment - email us at roundup@packraft.org after registering.
Discounted registrations for paddlers under 18 and students with proof of enrollment. Contact roundup@packraft.org for info.
You must register to attend the Roundup. Anyone who has not registered will not be permitted to attend.
REFUNDS
A full refund, less a non-refundable processing fee of $50 will be available up to 14 days prior to the event. No refunds within 14 days of the event.
APA members get up to 60% offoutdoor gear from brands you love through ExpertVoice! Other member benefits include discounts from our friends at Gastro Gnome Meals and River Station Gear.
We have reserved group campsites A, C and D. Participants are encouraged to bring small tents, or share when it is safe and appropriate to do so. We expect our camping capacity will be limited by tent space, rather than by number of campers.
Friday campers may check in as early as 2pm. There are 10 vehicle passes included in the reservation, which will allow you to park at the group site for the whole weekend. These 10 passes will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional vehicles will cost $10 each (paid directly to the campground), and will be directed to park in an overflow lot near the group site. If you are only camping on Friday night, your tent must be removed from the site by 11am on Saturday. Saturday-only campers can enter the campground as early as 8:30am on Saturday, at which time they will be required to buy a $10 vehicle pass (if all 10 included passes have been claimed by Friday night campers). This option for early entry will enable you to join paddling trips departing from the campground on Saturday. Saturday-only campers may set up their tents when there is enough room at the group site to do so. (If you have to pay for parking, get a receipt and Eric will arrange for reimbursement).
The best way to be in the mix is to camp out with us. But if you want to be involved and can't spend the night, you can access the campground by paying a day access fee of $10/adult or $7/child (paid directly to the campground). You will be directed to park at the beach area, and then you can walk over to the group site to join the party. Of course you don't have to come to the campground at all, you can simply make arrangements to meet your friends at a put-in or take-out location to join them for a paddle. It is expected (and encouraged!) that small groups will take the initiative to go off on their own paddling missions throughout the weekend. More details about this will be shared as the event approaches.
The Lehigh River is a Northeast staple for whitewater paddling. There are three commonly boated whitewater sections, with a few variations: Section I, Section II, and Section III. Dam releases run all day on Saturday and Sunday, so there is plenty to keep you busy!
If you think you'd like to do some paddling on the lake at the campground, you will need to purchase a launch permit to do so. Visit Hunt Fish PA to learn more.
Jim Thorpe is a worthy travel destination in itself, offering many attractions in addition to its fantastic river paddling. Hiking and mountain biking, shopping and dining, art and wine, history and tours, Jim Thorpe has a lot to offer. You might even be able to arrange a river shuttle by historic scenic train ride!
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