Meet MacKenzie Hatcher....

Granddaughter of owners, Mark and Linda, MacKenzie grew up on the Yough River in Ohiopyle. Her mom and dad, Jamie and Joseph, instilled a love of water in MacKenzie at a very early age. She started kayaking when she was only seven. And like a fish in water, she was right at home.

After spending many summers at Riversport kayaking camps, MacKenzie decided it was time to experience BIG water. Naturally she thought of the Ottawa River in Ontario. She contacted Wilderness Tours and spoke with owner Joe Kowalski. Joe, coincidently, started his whitewater career here at Laurel Highlands back in the early seventies. He talked to MacKenzie about WT's Keener program and she was sold.

In order to pay for her two weeks in Canada, MacKenzie will be working on the river here in Ohiopyle this summer. She has been dying to be a river guide, but given that she isn't 18 yet there is a little kink in the works. In order to get her on the guide roster, our general manager, Terry Palmo, and Ohiopyle State Park's manager, John Hallas, worked together to create the Junior Guide position. So MacKenzie is now a fourth generation river guide on the Yough River. You will probably see her on the river when you visit, in her kayak, working or playing!

And as if she wasn't busy enough....MacKenzie decided to start competing in Wildwater kayak racing and Rodeo kayaking. And what a competitor she is! Her second race ever in a Wildwater kayak she won the Sprint portion of the race. And her first Rodeo competition she place first. Paddling so well earned her the oppertunity to compete in the USACK Junior Olympics. So she is off to Wausau, Wisconsin in early July to kick some kayak butt.

MacKenzie surfing the Bus Eater on the Ottawa. She found her BIG water!