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About Us
Physical Address
Laurel Highlands Outdoor Center
4 Sherman Street
Ohiopyle, PA 15470
Phone: 1-800-4RAFTIN (1-800-472-3846)
Local: 724-329-8531
Fax: 724-329-8532
Email: 4raftin@laurelhighlands.com
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| Owners |
Mark McCarty
President & Owner
Phone: 1-800-4-RAFTIN
Email: mmc@laurelhighlands.com
Mark McCarty, president and owner of Laurel Highlands River Tours, began calling Ohiopyle his "home" in 1971, but had been visiting the area for some time before that. He first discovered the Youghiogheny river and the Ohiopyle area in the early sixties when he and his father came from Mentor, Ohio for scouting trips. He first worked as a raft guide on the Lower Yough in 1965. Mark was also one of the first people to paddle the Cheat River in Albright, West Virginia, one of the rivers we offer professionally guided trips on today.
Mark was the river manager for another company in Ohiopyle when, in 1978, he and wife, Linda, purchased Laurel Highlands River Tours.
In the early days, rafting was not very popular but Laurel Highlands doubled the number of people they took down the river in the first year. Jim Prothero, an old friend and fellow guide, was once quoted as saying, "If you are looking at rafting companies in the last few years, it is Mark who has made something out of nothing." Mark continues to jump on the river any chance he gets and still resides in Ohiopyle with his wife and family; three daughters - Stacey, Jamie, and Liz, and son, Patrick. All lend a helping hand to the family business.
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Linda McCarty
Vice-President & Co-Owner
Phone: 1-800-4RAFTIN
Email: linda@laurelhighlands.com
Linda McCarty, vice president and co-owner of Laurel Highlands River Tours, was born and raised in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania.
She first went whitewater rafting when she was in high school, not so unusual now, but very much so then. She did not run the whole river, just the popular "Loop" section, but she remembers that she was "pretty excited" about it. Her parents, also natives of Ohiopyle, ran the old Ohiopyle House Hotel, where Linda spent many days as a child. The Hotel lends its name to the Cafe Linda's daughter open June of 2001.
Linda has always had a passion for Ohiopyle and decided to purchase some of the old houses to make the guest houses we offer today.
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| Office Staff |
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Tammy Nicholson
Office Manager
Phone: 724-329-8531
Fax: 724-329-8532
Email: advertising@laurelhighlands.com
Tammy has been with Laurel Highlands River Tours since 1987. She runs the show in our reservations office. She is married to Craig (Packy) and has 2 children, Courtney and Brandon. You all might remember her from her days working at the checkin booth and the outdoor store.
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| River Guides |
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Scott Bunner
Senior Guide
Nickname: Rocker
Joined Laurel Highlands in 1990.
Guides the Upper Yough.
Qualifications: Trip Leader, Safety Boater, Raft Guide
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Tom Steyer
Senior Guide
Joined Laurel Highlands in 1985.
Guides the Upper Yough.
Qualifications: Trip Leader, Safety Boater, Raft Guide
Tom has worked for Laurel Highlands for close to 20 years and we are fortunate enough to still have him on weekends and holidays. He lives in nearby Mill Run with his wife Sandy and their two beautiful daughters, Kaitlyn and Sara.
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Rich Best
Senior Guide
Joined Laurel Highlands in 1995.
Guides the Upper Yough, Cheat Canyon, & Lower Yough.
Qualifications: Trip Leader, Safety Boater, Raft Guide
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Bryan McMullen
Senior Guide
Nickname: LC
Joined Laurel Highlands in 1996.
Guides the Upper Yough, Cheat Canyon, & Lower Yough.
Qualifications: Trip Leader, Safety Boater, Raft Guide
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Andy Hiss
Senior Guide
Joined Laurel Highlands in 1998.
Guides: Upper Yough, Cheat Canyon, Lower Yough
Qualifications: Trip Leader, Safety Boater, Raft Guide
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Patrick McCarty
Senior Guide
Joined Laurel Highlands in 2004 when he was granted special exception to become a guide at the age of 16.
Guides the Upper Yough, Cheat Canyon & Lower Yough.
Qualifications: Trip Leader, Safety Boater, Raft Guide
Patrick grew up in Ohiopyle loving the river. He spent his senior year of high school at the New River Academy for kayaking. He traveled to New Zealand and Chile studying and paddling. We will hopefully have him at Laurel Highlands for many years to come.
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Garth Boyd
Senior Guide
Joined Laurel Highlands in 1997.
Guides the Upper Yough, Cheat Canyon, & Lower Yough.
Qualifications:Trip Leader, Safety Boater, Raft Guide
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Rich Knight
Senior Guide
Joined Laurel Highlands in 1999.
Guides the Upper Yough, Cheat Canyon, and Lower Yough.
Qualifications: Raft Guide
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Tyler Sullenberger
Guide
Joined Laurel Highlands in 2005.
Guides the Upper Yough, Cheat Canyon, & Lower Yough.
Qualifications: Trip Leader, Safety Boater, Raft Guide
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MacKenzie Hatcher
Junior Guide
Nickname: Big Mac
Joined Laurel Highlands...well...at birth. She is owners', Mark and Linda, granddaughter.
Guides the Middle and Lower Yough, paddles the Cheat Canyon and Upper Yough just for fun.
Quailifications: Safety Boater
MacKenzie lives in Morgantown but comes to Ohiopyle to go kayaking as often as possible. She recently participated in US Wildwater Kayak Team Trials and hopes to join the team at the World Championships in Switzerland in 2009.
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