The Shope-Fitch Family at Raystown Lake

On August 8, 2026, the Shope-Fitch extended family spent a beautiful summer day at Raystown Lake in Huntingdon, PA. We brought 19 family members together—9 adults and 10 kids, ages 14 to 21—for a day filled with boating, tubing, water skiing, cliff jumping, good food, and plenty of laughs.

Our daughter and son-in-law brought their boat, and that opened the door to most of the day’s adventures. The kids and other family members climbed aboard and headed farther out on the lake while the adults stayed along the beach.

Fun on the Water

The boat crew packed plenty of excitement into the day. They went tubing, water skiing, and cliff jumping, making the most of their time on Raystown Lake.

Five of the kids decided to try cliff jumping. The adults stayed back on the beach while the boat took the kids out to the cliffs. We didn’t get to watch the jumps ourselves, but the kids came back with plenty of stories about their adventure.

The boat also gave everyone a chance to try water skiing. One of the adults skied for the very first time, which made for an exciting accomplishment. Another family member got back on skis for the first time in quite a while. Both experiences added something special to the day.

And then there was tubing. The cousins had plenty of energy for riding behind the boat, holding on, laughing, and getting tossed around on the water.

Our Beach Day

While the boat headed out across Raystown Lake, the rest of us made ourselves comfortable along the beach side of the lake.

We had a bit of a walk from the parking area to the spot we chose, but we didn’t mind once we settled in. The location also had bathrooms close by, which made things much easier when someone needed to change clothes or use the restroom.

The beach gave us a place to relax, visit with family, enjoy the sunshine, and wait for the boat to return.

Food for the Family

Nineteen people can work up quite an appetite during a day at the lake!

Everyone brought their own food. Subs made up much of the main meal, and everyone also brought plenty of snacks to share. We kept things simple, which worked perfectly for a casual family day at the lake.

Between the swimming, tubing, skiing, cliff jumping, and walking back and forth from the beach, nobody had trouble finding a reason to grab another snack.

Making Family Memories

The activities made the day fun, but having the Shope-Fitch extended family together made it special.

The kids got to spend the day with their cousins and family members while enjoying some exciting adventures on the water. The adults enjoyed time together along the beach and got to hear about the kids’ adventures when they returned.

Five kids tackled cliff jumping. One adult tried water skiing for the first time. Another family member returned to skiing after a long break. Everyone enjoyed good food, beautiful weather, and time together.

We didn’t need a long vacation or a complicated itinerary. We simply gathered the family, brought some food, found a spot at Raystown Lake, and enjoyed the day.

Our August 8th Shope-Fitch family day at Raystown Lake gave us exactly what a summer family outing should—sunshine, adventure, laughter, and memories we’ll carry with us for years to come.