Posts Tagged ‘whitewater rafting’

The Top 50 Reasons To Go White Water Rafting In West Virginia

Monday, July 12th, 2010

1.    It’s hot outside.
2.    Rafting is the summer tradition in West Virginia (if you make it one).

New River Rafting

3.    Guides are ridiculously funny.
4.    White water brings people closer together.
5.    There’s no better way to see a gorge than from the river.
6.    Rapids are like roller coasters, but wetter.
7.    It’s really hot outside.
8.    You get great pictures of yourself doing something awesome.
9.    You’ll make memories.
10.     Butterflies in your stomach and a smile on your face.
11.     Amazing scenery.
12.     White water is the best way in the world to get back in touch with nature.
13.     Sometimes you watch the show, and sometimes you are the show.
14.     You can’t really wear the T-shirt unless you’ve been down the river.
15.     Amazing riverside lunch.
16.     Learning to surf West Virginia style (they really do surf rafts).
17.     It’s really incredibly hot outside.
18.     Swimming in the pools in between rapids.
19.     Paddling through the rapids in between pools.
20.     Getting smacked in the face with a wave is the river’s way of saying hi.
21.     You can push family members out of the raft.
22.     The family section of the New River (the Upper New) is perfect for kids.

Family Duckie Trip on Upper New River

23.     It’s also perfect for scaredy-cats.
24.     Summer rafting on the Gauley River is a sure fire way to have the whole place to yourselves.
25.     It’s really incredibly, insanely hot outside.
26.     Rafting is like being on a lake; a very narrow lake with huge waves.
27.     If you fall out of the raft, you’ll have a story to tell forever.
28.     If you stay in the raft, you’ll have a story to tell forever.
29.     Dinner tastes better after a rafting trip.
30.     You’ll meet people who are just as much fun as you are.
31.     Rafting leads to other stuff, like ATV rides, bike trips, and canopy tours.
32.     It will become an addiction (a good one).
33.     Rapids with names like “Scramble Like A Rat” and “Lost Paddle”.
34.     Your bus driver will be the most interesting person you meet all year.
35.     It’s really incredibly, insanely, ridiculously hot outside.
36.     You can show off that back flip at Jump Rock.
37.     It’s a scientific fact that there is no better way to make kids go to bed early than a day of white water rafting.
38.     You can show off those new river shorts/bathing suit.
39.     You’ll laugh harder than you have in a long, long time.
40.     Rapids on white water rivers make you feel alive.
41.     You can see deer, bald eagles, fish, and all kinds of other cool wildlife.
42.     It’s a great place to re-learn what poison ivy looks like and how to avoid it.
43.     Rafting lets you learn about the natural world and have fun at the same time.
44.     White water rivers are great places to challenge yourself.
45.     There’s no feeling on earth like paddling off the lip of a horizon line into a rapid.
46.     Rafting makes your vacation time really count.
47.     Your kids will think you’re the coolest person in the world (for a while).
48.     Best. Vacation. Ever.
49. It’s really, incredibly, insanely, ridiculously, stupendously hot outside.
50.     White water rafting is the best way in the universe to cool off.

The 5 Best Reasons To Spend Spring In The Mountains

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

If you ever needed a reminder about how great life is, do this:   Come to southern West Virginia in the spring.

Pinnacle Rock in "Spring Green"

Because this is hands-down, without-a-doubt the best time to be in the mountains.

Here are 5 reasons why:

•    The Green: The green that pops up during springtime isn’t just green.  It’s spring green.  So special they designed a crayon color for it.  And you can’t see it anywhere else like this.  Heck, even if you could, nowhere has the background of the ancient mountains to really draw it out.  Spring green in southern WV is truly like no other color on earth.

•    All The Other Colors: What isn’t green is every other color that’s bright, new, or refreshing.  The redbuds burst.  The forsythias pop.  The mountains reinvigorate all of your color sensibilities, and make you feel alive and awake in a way that a museum masterpiece never could.

•    The White Water :  Okay, okay… white water rafting isn’t for everyone.  Only 93% of you.  We understand.  If you think the mountains are pretty while driving down the road in the spring, wait until you see them from a wild river like the New or the Gauley.  Even if you don’t go to a wild section of a wild river, i.e. you like family floating more than white knuckle white water, it doesn’t matter.  Spring doesn’t care, and neither do we, as long as you’re having fun.

•    All The Other Adventures :  We like to say that, if you can do it outside, you can do it in West Virginia.  So spring is our chance to rediscover all that wildness and excitement.  Even if excitement is mushroom hunting instead of rock climbing, or antiquing instead of, say, ATV riding.  It doesn’t really matter how you define adventure, as long as you’re doing something that makes you feel adventurous.

•   The People:  You didn’t think we’d leave out the key ingredient, did you?  Mountaineers haven’t exactly been holed up all winter (we’re always free, remember?)  Still, spring unleashes a whole bunch of happiness in the Mountain State, and we’re going to celebrate it.  Our yards get the attention we’ve dreamed about.  So do our grills.  We get outside and stretch in the spring sun, and if that’s not a good time to visit somewhere, it’s going to be pretty hard to figure out when is.

Need another reason?  You.  You make spring here in West Virginia better.  Time to get outside, don’t you think?

Spring In Southern West Virginia

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

Comin’ In Like A Mountain Lion
It’s March!  Time for, um, madness.  And four leaf clovers.  And lambs going out somewhere.

Actually, none of that makes much difference – Spring is on the way!  After the amazing, record breaking winter we just had, the sun is a fine sight to see.

Okay, “amazing” isn’t the word that some people would use.  But it was amazing if you like to ski, or sled, or play outside in the snow.  And even if you don’t, you have to admit it was still pretty cool.  For a while, anyway.

Ok, we won’t talk about snow anymore . . .

It’s

Whitewater Rafting in WV

White Water Time!

Go down to any river in Southern West Virginia and grab up some water and splash it on your face.  Wow!  That’ll wake you right up!

Well, if that’s your idea of refreshing, you’d be surprised how many people think exactly like you do.  Any idea?

It’s enough people to start white water rafting season off in West Virginia.  The weather can get chilly, but it’s nothing compared to how cool it is to go rafting before anyone else in the world.

Plus, there’s a real reason people go whitewater rafting in March and April:  You’re guaranteed some of the best whitewater of the year.  Spring is when the rivers run high, which means bigger rapids.

And every outfitter in West Virginia has hot showers at the end of the trip.  If you’re at all adventurous, you should give spring rafting a shot.

A Southern West Virginia Night-Before-Christmas

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

‘Twas the night before Christmas in southern WV
And all through the mountains, folks snoozed peacefully

Appalachian Coaltown Christmas

Appalachian Coaltown Christmas

The wood smoke rose up from the hollers in puffs
And old dogs everywhere sat back on their duffs

There was silence in Hinton, no trains rumbling by
No lights to blur out all the stars in the sky

It was peaceful and quiet along the Greenbrier
The picturesque river valley in winter attire

And from over along the Hatfield-McCoy Trail
There were no ATVs, just sleeping whitetails

Even in Beckley, the south’s biggest town
The streets were all hushed; there was no one around

When from over the treetops, what did appear?
It was Santa’s  sleigh, come to spread Christmas cheer

Santa said, “Here I am!  Hello, West Virginia!
I’m always my happiest when travellin’ within ya!”

“I’ve come far and wide, up holler and ridge
And I just flew right under the New River Gorge Bridge!”

And people came out of their cabins to see
The great jolly man who was shouting with glee.

“I brought you all presents,” he said to great cheers.
“I want to thank all of you good Mountaineers!”

“I have art from Lewisburg, and crafts from the Gauley,
Gift Certificates that everyone in the family will love, prob’ly!”

Cabins to rent, golf to be played,
Stays in places you’ll want to have stayed!”

“The world’s greatest adventure vacations, I’m crafting,
and did I mention last summer I went whitewater rafting?”

Then he waved to all the good people down low
Who were looking up skyward from their warm winter homes

And he jingled his sled toward the full moon so bright,
“Merry Christmas to Y’all, and to y’all, a good night!”

Things We Have To Be Thankful For In Southern West Virginia

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

In no particular order…

25. All of our state parks and forests (12 total!)

New River Gorge Bridge View

New River Gorge Bridge View

24. Theatre West Virginia
23. The history and heritage of the southern West Virginia mountains
22. Being right in the eastern flyway for migratory birds
21. The State Fair every year in Lewisburg
20. The Gauley River National Recreation Area
19. Some of the best traditional mountain music ever heard by human ears
18. Delicious local wine made right here in southern West Virginia
17. Mountaineers/Thundering Herd (tie)
16. Skiing, snowboarding, and the state’s best snow tubing
15. The incredible New River Gorge National Park
14. Great food and local cuisine
13. 3 minor league baseball teams and professional basketball
12. Internationally known ATV trails at Hatfield and McCoy and Burning Rock
11. Golf resorts to rival some of the best courses anywhere
10. Tamarack, our showcase for West Virginia artisans
9. The world’s best whitewater
8. Wonderful lodges at Pipestem Resort
7. Cabins in some of the most scenic places in the Appalachian Mountains
6. Hiking in some of the oldest, most beautiful spots on earth
5. Being a world class rock climbing destination
4. State-record fishing
3. Shopping and antiques in every corner of southern West Virginia
2. The pride that comes with having more men and women serving in the military than any other state
1. A home that we’re always happy to share with family, friends, and visitors

And there are so many more.  What are you thankful for this year?

What’s The Big Deal With The New River Gorge?

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009

Fayette County, West Virginia has a secret.  It’s one of the world’s oldest places.  And that’s mainly due to the New River Gorge.

Sight-seeing in the New River Gorge

Sight-seeing in the New River Gorge

How do we know?  Read on…

Back before it was called Fayette County, about 500 million years ago, the New River Gorge drained the entire Appalachian Mountain Range, a lot like an ancient Mississippi river.  Everything that wasn’t under water or under ice drained into the New.

Fast forward to right now.  The New still cuts it’s same path down through the same ancient rock, but now you can visit without getting eaten by a T-Rex or a giant carnivorous slug.

In fact, Fayette County is a getaway destination for people all over the world.  The river and it’s shockingly good whitewater are the big draw, but there’s a lot more to see than just the “Grand Canyon Of the East”.  Fayco, as the locals call it, is a pretty big deal.

Eats
The area definitely benefits from having so many people from so many different places come in to visit.  That fact alone turns a lot of the fare from “food” into “cuisine”, without necessarily jacking the prices way up.

The result?  Great food just about anywhere you go around the gorge.   And it’s authentic.  Real Central American food that goes way beyond typical Mexican dishes, or the best Cajun broil outside of Louisiana. Sammies and salads, breakfast cafes, and just about anything else you’d like to scarf down is ready and available.

Shops
The New River Gorge is the place you want to go to find the otherwise unfindable.  From fine art to folk crafts, there are plenty of shops around the gorge to let your shopping bug run wild.

One place visitors might not expect to find good shopping is at the local whitewater outfitters shops.  These stores usually carry items that outshine the typical “T-shirts and Shot Glasses” inventory of most gift shops.  Oh, they carry that stuff, too, but you’re just as likely to find prints and other art that shows off the soul of the river.  They’re well worth checking out.

See And Do
The name of the game in Fayette County is white water rafting in the New River Gorge and on the Gauley River.  These rivers are the standards by which all others in the Appalachian Mountains are judged.  If you like doing stuff outside, it has to be on your list.

Here’s what you need to know about white water rafting:  it’s fun.  That’s it.  Everything else is just details.  The trips are easy to arrange, and the outfitters, no matter which one you choose, can pretty much take care of everything you need for your whole stay.   Just know that you can do super-adrenaline rafting trips, and lazy river kiddie trips, all with the same outfitter.

Then, there’s all the other stuff.  It’s pretty much a smorgasboard of outdoor bliss; anything you want to do outside, you can do in the gorge.  And the coolest part is, you get a local expert along for the ride.  Another cool part is that it’s not an amusement Park, and these aren’t rides.  This is the real deal- outdoor adventure that people can actually go and do on a vacation.

Other Stuff
Fayette County is also a good place for history buffs.  Civil war reenactments, interpretive natural history hikes, and plenty of old-timers who’ll tell you about growing up in the coal camps of the New River Gorge (that last one is my personal favorite) are all worth a visit.

Fayette county also has a vibrant music scene.  Again, this has a lot to do with the rafting companies, but there’s always live music somewhere to be seen out and about in the Gorge.

And that’s why Fayette County is a big deal.  There is quite literally always something to do, along with great places to stay, fine food, and friendly people.  There’s a lot to experience up in the New River Gorge, so make sure that you check it out when you visit southern West Virginia.

What’s The Big Deal With Nicholas County?

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009

In the northernmost reaches of Southern West Virginia (?!) are the beautiful rolling hills of Nicholas County.  It’s the gateway to

Summersville Lake

Summersville Lake

West Virginia’s mountain lakes region, and there’s a lot going on up that-a-way.

First up on the Nicholas County list of cool things is, of course, the world famous Gauley River.  Nicholas shares the big time whitewater part of the Gauley with Fayette County, it’s fine neighbor to the south, and they are brought together once every year for the phenomenon known as Gauley Season.

Gauley Season starts the weekend after Labor Day Weekend and rolls into mid-October.  During that time, the whitewater world descends on the Nicholas county area for food, recreation, and some of the wildest excitement this side of, well, northern West Virginia.

Nicholas County famously won the war to host Gauley Fest, the largest whitewater festival in the world.  Gauley fest is a little hard to describe- part trade show, part family reunion, and part outdoor nightclub is probably as close as anyone is going to get.  One thing’s for sure:  if you go, you’ll never forget it.

Nicholas county also gets to claim what’s on the other side of the dam there on the Gauley River – Summersville Lake.  The lake is often referred to by divers as the “Little Bahamas Of The East”.  That’s a bit confusing, as the original Bahamas are also little and located, well, east.  But who cares?  It only means that the diving is fantastic, clear, and scenic.

Nicholas County is also home to it’s very own winery and distillery which hosts an annual ‘Grape Stomping Festival‘ in September.  (Anyone thinking of Lucy and Ethel stomping grapes?)

The lake also boasts something lakes are not really famous for – great climbing.  A lot of the river outfitters (and all of the area’s climbing outfitters) take climbing trips  to the sheer sandstone walls that rise straight up out of the lake.  It’s the perfect place to go if you want to have a climbing experience that’s way, way out of the ordinary.

Beyond the lake is the town of Summersville, the county seat.  Summersville is not unlike some other towns in southern West Virginia in that its buildings are beautiful, its people are friendly, and its food is outstanding.  Anyone visiting southern West Virginia from the north owes it to themselves to stop over in Summersville and hang out for a while.

Summersville also attracts plenty of art, music, and culture from the rest of the county, and puts it all in one place.  The town often hosts touring productions of plays, big name music acts, and entertainment of every stripe.  The performing artists that come through are eclectic and interesting; they make it always  worth checking out the Nicholas County calendar of events.

Wasn’t music mentioned there a while back?  Nicholas County hosts what’s often the country’s biggest bluegrass festival, Music in the Mountains.  For almost 30 years, the lineup at Music in the Mountains has gotten bigger and better.  It’s a staple for the festival crowd, and a sight for any and all travelers to see.

Plus, there’s tons of other stuff to see and do in Nicholas County.  This is just a tiny fraction of it.

Interested?

Why Southern West Virginia is the Bar None, Hands Down Best Whitewater Destination in the World

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Sorry Northern California.  North Carolina?  Nuh-uh.  Don’t even try, Grand Canyon.  If you’re talking whitewater, southern West Virginia’s got you beat. We’re not bragging (promise).  But it’s true.  And it should be said that those other places offer a lot of fantastic rafting trips.  We give props where they’re due, and America’s got plenty of great whitewater all over.  Except Kansas.

Here’s why our West Virginia whitewater, collectively, is the best in the world…

Rafting the New River

Rafting the New River


It’s The Most Varied

We have 4 sections of commercially rafted river that are completely different. One is for families and little ones, one is for everyone beginner to expert, one is for families with older kids or people looking to step it up a notch, and one is white knuckle paddle craziness.


It’s All Really Close Together

Those 4 sections of river are all within 45 minutes of each other.  That’s nice, because you get to spend time out on the river instead of driving to and from the river.  It makes a big difference in a vacation.


It’s Close To Your House

We’re guessing.  There might be something closer, but not something this good.  Statistically, we’re within a day’s drive of 50% of the U.S. population.  So that chances are good that you can come right over.  It’s interesting:  we’re up in the mountains and easy to get to.


It’s Not The Scariest

Another reason we’re the best is because we’re not the hardest.  Put another way, there are rivers you can raft that are bigger and steeper, and there are definitely rivers you can raft that are more dangerous.  But you can’t find rivers like this that are more fun.  They don’t exist.


It’s Warm

Ok, it depends on the season.  In the summer, it’s refreshing, but not cool.  In the fall, it’s cool but not cold.  In the Spring, it’s better at waking you up than coffee.  You should never worry about the water being too cold, like on snowmelt rivers.


It’s Unusual

The New River is way, way bigger than other Appalachian whitewater rivers.  It’s more like the Colorado through the Grand Canyon than anything else, except you take all the biggest rapids out of the Canyon and put them in a 15 mile stretch of river.  And it’s not, you know, in the desert.


It’s Heaven For Kayakers

Hardboaters talk about southern West Virginia like pygmies talk about great iron birds in the sky.  There are a seemingly endless number of kayak runs in the Mountain State.  A lot of them are really hard, but, hey, a lot of kayakers that come here are really good.


It’s The Most Fun

Ok, that one’s totally subjective.  The truth is, all whitewater rivers are fun.  Have you ever had fun on ours?  Tell us about it.