|
|
Trip Review: Whitewater Rafting in West Virginia
Collegian Travel & Adventure Magazine
Spring/Summer 2005 |
Destination:
The New River & The Gauley, Hico, West Virginia
Goal:
Experience “Gauley Season” and world class whitewater rafting
Outfitter:
Adventures Mountain River
(800) 822-1386 www.rafttoday.com
Stoke Meter:
8.5 out of 10 – Highly recommend |
| Last October, we packed up the Vista Cruiser and headed for the wild waters of West Virginia’s Gauley and New River. I had always heard about these legendary rafting rivers and I was really eager to experience them during “Gauley Season.” Gauley Season starts in September and runs thru mid-October, and consists of about 22 days when the Summersville Dam opens wide to unleash this "Beast of the East." The Collegian crew and friends were invited to come and experience the fun with Adventures Mountain River. Adventures Mountain River (originally known as Mountain River Tours) has been running the rapids for over 32 years and was the first commercial whitewater rafting outfitter to run the Gauley so I certainly felt like we were in good hands. We decided to check –in the night before our first day on the river, so conveniently enough they have some great cabins real close to their base camp. Their cabins are really nice for groups and have some great features like hot tubs, and are priced very fair (starting at $135/night). They also have overnight camping packages on the river and off as well as hotels nearby so there are many accommodations options. There are also many adventure package options available that are designed around various river expeditions to choose from. We decided to go on the Lower New River on first day, then the Lower Gauley on day two, and cap it off with the Upper Gauley on day three. Each day we would check-in at their base camp headquartered just a few miles from the New River Gorge Bridge. Their base camp really has everything you need to support your adventures featuring a large meeting room/dining room, gear shop, bar, showers, and changing rooms. No need to hunt for breakfast, they supply plenty of food for you to fuel up on prior to departing to the river. They also have wet suits and cold weather gear available to rent during the cooler months like October. Unfortunately, the weather was one thing we had no control over. The water was still warm, but the air temperatures were pretty cold. Fortunately, I brought plenty of Columbia gear and my wetsuit and booties to fight off the chills. Be prepared for cool conditions in the spring and fall. During the summer and for most of the rafting season, you probably only need to have a swim suite and some river sandals. |
|
So how was the rafting? Absolutely awesome. There was one good thing about the rainy weather, and that was the elevated water levels that we were getting ready to experience on the Lower New River and the Lower New River is a great trip to get your skills perfected for the more technically demanding Upper Gauley.
Big, fast, playful and fun, the Lower New River was a whitewater roller coaster ride of towering, crashing waves. With more than 25 Class II to Class V rapids, the Lower New River offers enough thrills and adventure for any enthusiast. The scenery is also spectacular. One of the oldest rivers in the world, the "New" cuts its bed from the rugged West Virginia hills, winding through the 1,000 foot gorge known as The Grand Canyon of the East. |
The next two days we spent on the Gauley River. Considered one of the top ten whitewater rivers in the world, the Gauley is West Virginia's legendary run. The Gauley drops 650 feet over 26 miles, thundering over thousands of boulders, steep drops, massive holes, and colossal waves. Technically demanding, the Gauley offers more than 100 major rapids, 56 of them Class III-V+. We ran the Lower Gauley on day two, and it was hi-lighted with some incredible weather. In fact, as we approached the “Pure Screaming Hell” rapid, all hell broke loose…torrential rain, lightning, then sleet coupled with several rafting mates getting catapulted for some body surfing (check out the fun video of this captured at collegianmag.com). Minutes later, it was sunny and beautiful… go figure (no, this did not happen at the Heavens Gate rapid). On our last day, we decided we were now fully ready to conquer the Upper Gauley. The Upper Gauley is the most technically demanding section of the river and is showcased by five Class V+ rapids that everybody has a legendary story about. I now understand why rafting enthusiasts from all over the world flock here every year. I found all our trips and both the rivers to be really spectacular. Adventures Mountain River has a tremendous group of experienced guides that really insure that you have a fun and safe trip. My hats off to Ark, Doug, and Erin… our experienced guides and many thanks to Paul Bruer, the president and founder of Adventures Mountain River. Paul has been pioneering rafting expeditions on the New River and the Gauley for over three decades now and his experience and passion for whitewater rafting is contagious. The best testimonials I found for rafting here were evidenced by all the returning groups of customers of all ages, and from all over that keep coming back every year. So will we.
|
|
.jpg)
