Five Southeast Rafting Classics

Contacts In the Southeast, the best river running is in the spring and fall, and the Gauley offers the best whitewater in September and October, so plan your trip accordingly. All five rivers are serviced by rafting companies offering guided and completely outfitted runs, so all you need to show up with are the clothes on your back and no fear. Each raft comes fully equipped with an experienced guide, a feature you will come to appreciate. One thing that quickly becomes apparent is that while the water may not be as big on eastern rivers, the technical challenge is often greater. Eastern rivers tend to be rockier and more constricted and convoluted than their western counterparts, requiring more maneuvering and quicker paddling moves. Consequently, your level of involvement is greater and you will find yourself constantly responding to the shouted directions of a guide over the din of the rapids. A number of rafting companies offer services on these rivers and it would be impossible to list them all. The Gauley and Ocoee, for instance, are serviced by dozens of companies. Partial listings of companies follow--local Chambers of Commerce can provide names of additional companies serving the rivers. On the Ocoee, contact USA Raft, P.O. Box 277, Rowlesburg, WV 26425, (800) USA-RAFT; or Sunburst Adventures, P.O. Box 329-B, Benton, TN 37307, (800) 247-8388. USA Raft also runs the New and the Gauley. Mountain River Tours, Sunday Road, P.O. Box 88, Hico, WV 25854, 800-822-1386; and Appalachian Wildwaters, P.O. Box 100, Rowlesburg, WV 26425, 800-624-8060 run both the New and the Gauley. Appalachian Wildwaters also runs the upper Yough, as does Precision Rafting, P.O. Box 185, Friendsville, MD 21531, (800) 4-PRE-RAF. Chattooga trips are provided by the Nantahala Outdoor Center, 13077 Highway 19 West, Bryson City, NC 28713, (800) 232-7238.

Let's try a little geographic word association. I'll give you a subject and you tell me the first location that comes to mind. When I say, "whitewater rafting," odds are you will think immediately of the Snake, Green, Colorado or Salmon rivers.

Why? Because serious whitewater rafting in this country has become almost synonymous with the wild rivers of the West, and any conversation about rafting inevitably segues into tales invoking the almost mystical names of American rafting rivers, all of which are located well west of America's heartland. This popular image of rafting invokes scenes of brightly colored rubber rafts being tossed about on the raging, mocha roil of an isolated wild river in the rugged mountains and canyon lands of Colorado, Utah, Idaho or Arizona. The western states are the Mecca of whitewater rafting in this country, and the level of challenge and danger offered by the many whitewater hotspots out West is hard to match.

But for those of us east of the Mississippi, adrenaline-pumping rivers in the mountains of the Southeast produce heart-thumping rides cheaper and closer to home. While these rivers may lack the continuous, heart-stopping excitement of the wilder Western rivers, some advantages exist to Southeastern whitewater rivers that Western rivers cannot match. There are usually no waiting lists to raft them, they are all within easy driving distance of most Eastern population centers, and they are much cheaper to run than their Western counterparts.

In fact, there are five excellent whitewater rivers in the Southeast all closer together than the drive between any three of those western rivers mentioned above. It is possible to raft all five of these rivers in one week, taking time off in between to relax and soak up the local scenery. Try that out West and see how exhausted you are. So, if you think you have to spend a week of hard-earned vacation time and a month's salary to run one western river, quintuple your whitewater exposure with these five southeastern rivers-- which you can easily raft in a week--with time left for plenty of R & R. Let's start your week-long marathon:

Sunday: Ocoee River, Tennessee. Forty-five minutes northeast of Chattanooga and just east of Cleveland, Tenn., near Interstate 75 sits the opening act. The Ocoee is a dam-controlled river, runnable Thursday through Monday in the summers and on weekends during the spring and fall, and the first two weeks of October. Site of the 1996 Olympic whitewater venue, the Ocoee is a good warm- up river for your week of whitewater.

This is a short run--only five miles, but the drops come quickly with little time to recover in between, so be ready for almost continuous whitewater beginning with Put In rapid, just below the low dam at the launch point. This is a long Class III rapid, a good initial baptism for your week of whitewater fun. Broken Nose, the next rapid, comes up almost immediately, followed by Double Suck which features two large keeper hydraulics and Double Trouble with back-to-back standing waves. Between these two rapids is Hell's Half Mile, a stretch of continuous Class II and III whitewater. Next comes Flipper requiring some quick maneuvering: listen to your guide for directions. The best is yet to come: Table Saw and Diamond Splitter are both Class III to IV drops separated by less than a half mile of churning water. The final drops, Hell Hole and Powerhouse Ledge, are still ahead. If you're not completely soaked before Hell Hole, the standing wave is guaranteed to soak you. Jump out below the power plant on the left bank just after the Ledge and take a swim in the pool before you haul your raft out a quarter mile downstream.

The Ocoee initiation takes less than half a day. Grab a hot shower and head east on Highway 64 to Bryson City, N. C., and take a look at the Nantahala River, a canoeing and kayaking hot spot for southeastern kayakers and canoeists. Check in at the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC), perched between Highway 19 and the Nantahala River, and get a room and a hot meal at Nantahala Village, part of the NOC complex.

Monday: Nantahala River, North Carolina. OK, so the title of this article is "Five Southeast Rafting Classics;" I'm throwing in the Nantahala as a bonus. A little too tame for rafting, the Nantahala will give you a chance to hone your paddling skills. After watching local kayak experts negotiate Class III Nantahala Falls, rent a kayak and give the Class II water of the Nantahala a try. Play in the water for as long as you want, after all you're on vacation. You'll have most of the day here to practice your rolls and surf the waves--your next stop is only a few miles down Highway 441 at Clayton, Ga. Four miles north of Clayton, camp at one of the 12 walk-in sites at Black Rock Mountain State Park (call 800-864-PARK for reservations). Sit around the campfire telling scary tales involving murderous moonshiners to get in the proper mood.

Tuesday: Chattooga River, Georgia. Everybody knows the Chattooga's claim to fame: the river where Ned Beatty squealed like a pig in Deliverance. A federally designated Wild and Scenic River, it is also renowned for its primitive beauty. Originating in the mountains of North Carolina, the Chattooga actually flows between South Carolina and Georgia and offers two options: Section Three with the Class IV Bull Sluice rapids and some calm water stretches, and the more challenging seven miles of Section Four. Don't waste your time on Section Three. The Chattooga demands a lot from you. Perhaps the most technically challenging of the five rivers you'll raft this week, the Chattooga requires constant attention to avoid flipping in its twisting chutes. Section Four starts off with the most dangerous rapid, Woodall Shoals, a ledge that forms a massive keeper that can grab and hold boats and people. Below Woodall Shoals, the river narrows into a series of steep drops and impressive rapids, leading into Seven-Foot Falls. Seven Foot is best described as vertical and if you are not the lead raft, you will understand why as the raft in front of you drops out of sight over the edge. As a climax, Five Falls blasts you with one Class III and four Class IV-V rapids in a quarter-mile section before flushing you out on the other side, wet and exhilarated. A maze of huge rocks, the Chattooga will pinball your raft from one rapid to the next. Your tent awaits you back at Black Mountain so warm yourself by the campfire and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow: road trip.

Wednesday: En route to West Virginia. You had a day to rest in the Smokies and a good night's sleep, so let's hit it. Pull on those shorts, a T-shirt and some sandals, unwrap a Moon Pie and down an RC Cola (you're in the South remember) and head east on Highway 76 and Interstate 85 to Charlotte, N.C. At Charlotte follow Interstate 77 north all the way to Beckley, W.Va. This six- hour drive takes you through some of the prettiest scenery east of the Rockies, starting with the mountains and foothills of the Piedmont region of the Carolinas. After you cross the North Carolina-Virginia border you will drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains. When you hit West Virginia, you will find yourself in the midst of the Appalachians. Take Highway 19 out of Beckley through the mountains to Hawk's Nest State Park where you've made reservations at least three months in advance at the Hawk's Nest Lodge (800-225-5982). Feed your face in the lodge's dining room and take a short evening hike on the park's scenic trails to get the blood flowing back to your butt. Tumble into bed with a full belly and dreams of the New River.

Thursday: New River, West Virginia. The New River offers both exciting whitewater and spectacular scenery. This river pounds through the New River Gorge, a 1000-foot deep canyon of intensely beautiful wilderness and the oldest river in North America. You'll get a glimpse of the New River Bridge, the longest arch bridge in the world. If you time your trip for October's Bridge Day, you can watch basejumpers launch from the 900-foot high bridge span. Do yourself a favor; limit your thrills to the water. And get ready for some wild stuff: the 15-mile section of the Lower New running from Thurmond to Fayette Station offers some of the most exciting whitewater in the East. The Lower New has five Class IV-V runs: the Keeney's, Double Z, Greyhound Bus Stopper, Miller's Folly, and Fayette Station. This river is a step above the two you've rafted so far and you'll know it when you hit the Keeney's, a turbulent drop often obscured by veils of mist rising from boiling water. Churning through a narrow slot of huge boulders, this is the longest river trip so far, with the run taking about six hours. And those are not relaxing hours--almost constant paddling is required to run the New. The next river is just down the road so head back to the Hawk's Nest where you can relive the day's adventures in front of the lodge's blazing stone fireplace. Tomorrow is the headliner: the Upper Gauley.

Friday: Upper Gauley River, West Virginia. This is the one you've been waiting for, the most challenging river of the week. This 13-mile section of the Gauley is best run for about three weeks in September and October when the Corps of Engineers releases water from behind Summersville Lake upstream. Like the New, the Gauley is a visual delight beginning with an unforgettably scenic backdrop as you launch your raft. Three house-sized outlet pipes shoot horizontal flumes of water from the base of Summersville Dam, enveloping the entire area in a continuous mist. A deep thunderous rumble accompanies the foaming water raging below the dam. From the moment you launch your raft, you are caught in this maelstrom. High sandstone cliffs covered with thick forest line the river nearly the whole length, lending a feeling of wilderness isolation. But the main attraction is the water, not the scenery: six violent Class V rapids and a generous helping of Class III and IV water make this the most awesome run yet. The first two Class Vs, Bud's Boner and Insignificant, prep you for the even more punishing water of Pillow Rock and Lost Paddle Rapids. Pillow plunges between truck-sized boulders and just when you think you're through with the rapids, Volkswagen Rock waits to pound you one last time. Lost Paddle is 1,500 feet of Class V waves. Two more big runs, Shipwreck and Iron Ring (Class IV-V), keep the adrenaline rushing until you reach Sweet's Falls, the highlight of the trip. Sweet's drops 14 feet into a churning vortex that usually manages to overturn rafts or eject passengers. If you make it through Sweet's, just below you will be greeted by the Crack of Doom which will toothpaste-squeeze you through a narrow defile between two towering rocks. Alternately, a huge boulder called Postage Stamp slams those unfortunates who paddle just a little too far left. If you dump at Sweet's, you will have an extra measure of humiliation added to your terror: this is a popular lunch stop and the crowd is always spoiling for a spectacular mishap. The first sound that will reach your ears should you lose it at Sweet's will be the hooting guffaws of the unsympathetic lunch bunch. The last Class V, Woods Ferry, provides an exciting climax to the Upper Gauley. This is an exhausting four to five-hour run. Ride a shuttle bus back and watch yourself getting pummeled on video.

Then head an hour north on Highway 19 and Interstate 79 and stop at Stonewall Jackson Lake State Park where you'll camp for the night (campsites are first- come, first-served or call 800-CALLWVA for reservations), and get ready for the climax of your trip.

Saturday: Upper Youghiogheny River, Maryland. Get up early and continue north on Interstate 79 to Highway 48 and follow it east to Friendsville, Md. The Upper Yough is a whitewater bonanza, an exciting river nestled in the hills of western Maryland, offering breathtaking drops through boulder-strewn rapids. The Upper Yough offers Class IV water with a few Class Vs thrown in for good measure. Just to give you an idea of the violent nature of the Yough's big water, the river drops an average of 116 feet per mile, and these feet show up as precipitous drops in more than 20 Class IV and V rapids like Meat Cleaver, National Falls, Charlie's Choice, and Tommy's Hole. The Yough offers 11 miles of powerful and careening rapids, approaching the excitement of your previous day's experience on the Gauley.

All right, you've run five rivers in six days and driven through seven states. You've seen beautiful scenery ranging from the pine forests of Georgia to the steep hardwood-forested mountains of Maryland, experienced world-class whitewater, had a day for a leisurely kayak run or a hike through the Smokies, and still have a day left to get home. You missed that expensive and cramped airplane flight, or worse yet, a three-day drive across Kansas, and you didn't spend your next six months of car payments. So, you'll have some bucks left over to hit some of the other great rivers of the East you missed (see Sidebar, Rest of the Best): the Nolichucky, Russell Fork, Cheat, or Tygart. Besides all that, they don't even know what Moon Pies are out West.

The Best of the Rest If nothing else, the Southeast offers the whitewater enthusiast incredible variety. Many more rivers in the area offer opportunities for rafting and world class kayaking and canoeing. Some additional wildwater runs include: Cheat River Located in northern West Virginia, near the Pennsylvania border, the Cheat is serviced by a limited number of outfitters. The Cheat is dam free and is heavily dependent on rainfall to generate enough flow for an exciting run. Conditions are usually favorable for only a couple of weeks in the spring, so be prepared for any conditions. Offering 11 miles of Class IV-V rapids through the gorgeous Cheat Canyon, the seven hour run through rapids such "Big Nasty" and "Even Nastier" is a nice season-opener for eastern river rats. Tygart River Next door neighbor to the Cheat, the Tygart is a short but exhilarating six-mile ride. Known for extreme fluctuations in water level due to unpredictable rains and the constricted surrounding valley, the Tygart is, like the Cheat, a river that requires flexibility concerning conditions. Although smaller than the Cheat, the Tygart has the same gradient, offering a similar thrill. Water flow in the Tygart is generally high enough to run only in March and April. Russell Fork Located in southeastern Kentucky, the Russell Fork is dangerous and unpredictable. There have been a number of fatalities on the Russell in recent years. For that reason, few companies run the Russell anymore; those that do charge a premium price. Be forewarned that this river is not for the novice. A violent and scary run, think twice about attempting this river, and then only with an experienced outfitter, like Mountain Streams, P.O. Box 106, Ohiopyle, PA 15470-0106, (800) 723-8669. Mountain Streams also services the Cheat and the Tygart. Nolichucky River Near Erwin, Tenn., the Nolichucky can be a surprisingly lively run. Although much of the time it is Class III or less, a sudden mountain downpour can make the 'Chucky lots of fun. Chock full of Saint Bernard-size boulders, low water makes for a bumpy and bruising ride. Best bet is an early spring or mid fall trip to catch the seasonal rains and higher water. If you catch it right, you'll enjoy an almost continuous series of Class III and IV foam. The outfitter of choice here is USA Raft, who has an outpost right on the banks of the river near Erwin.