Rolling on a River

Photos by Tom Hogarty

The New River in Fayetteville, West Virginia, is rapidly becoming a hot spot for whitewater adventurers.

Second in age only to the Nile River, the New River lies in the same riverbed that it flowed through more than 275 million years ago.

But age hasn't slowed the river down at all. Just one six-hour trip down the course of the river through its heart-pounding rapids will test the limits of your strength and the depths of your courage.

Trips along the river are led by at least 17 different rafting companies in the Fayetteville area, who provide rafts, guides and good times to inexperienced river travelers looking for a thrilling ride.

A trip down the foamy, yet often daunting New River starts off slowly, and if things go her way, the river will have lulled you to sleep just before the big surprise. Indeed, "Surprise" is the first rapid on the river and is known for its ability to catch rafters off guard.

Hitting the first big rapid makes one realize that it's not easy to stay in a raft. Because every member of the six-to-eight-member crew must paddle hard to keep the boat on course and avoid undercut rocks and unexpected landings on shore, no one has the luxury of using their hands to hold on.

Good footwork becomes the only thing between you and the dangerous river: Each crew member has to wedge their feet under to provide at least a semblance of stability.

The afternoon section of the trip is the somewhat more exhausting portion: Starting with "Indigestion," the river is a series of progressively more challenging rapids. The longest rapid on the New River, "Nosebleed," is one of the highlights of the afternoon. After tossing about like a cork, the rafters find themselves in a deep hole which only allows a few seconds for last-minute prayers and expletives before meeting with an overwhelming wall of water.

For those sitting in the front of the raft, this would not be a good time to be looking in the wrong direction. Those who do could end up with that feeling for which this rapid has been so cleverly named.

Surviving such rapids largely depends upon the knowledge and skill of your river guide: Because whitewater currents can be dangerous--just ask the Clintons--each crew depends on a guide who knows how to steer the raft safely through the rapids.

Each guide is also equipped to deal with emergencies; all river guides must be fully certified in first aid and CPR and are tested and recertified each year.

According to state law, a person must make at least ten trips down the length of the river in order to become a guide and take on passengers. Most rafting companies, however, are much more stringent.

"Not many companies will release you as a guide with only 10 trips," says Jerry Price, a 12-year river guide and 15-year veteran of the river.

Another part of a guide's responsibility is to gauge the experience and attitude of the passengers in his or her raft. The guide can then adjust the route to fit the needs and desires of passengers.

"I judge the crew--if the crew wants a wild ride, I give them a wild ride," Price says. "But even if one person in my boat is real scared, I take the conservative route."

In addition to providing security for the crew, the guide can also be a great source of entertainment and local lore. These colorful characters will more than likely be filled with an immense volume of stories about the river and the many people who have navigated its waters.

Price, who was born and raised in West Virginia, is one such character. Since he has been on the river, he has had some hairy moments. For example, while training to become a guide, he lost both a canoe and a raft on the rapids.

"We just smashed the canoe right in half." Price says. While such instances provide good stories, they are logistical nightmares--a smashed canoe or a torn raft usually means a long and difficult hike out of the gorge.

Price lost a raft while experiencing one of the more harrowing aspects of any river: hydraulic waves. Such waves can trap a raft because the water continuously folds back over itself in a circular motion. On the New River, there is a hydraulic wave called the "Greyhound Bus Stop," so labeled due to its fabled ability to hold a Greyhound bus in its grasp.

Despite such early troubles, Price says he wouldn't trade his river experience. "You've got to love the river--all the guides have a passion for the river."

But the river isn't the only thing that Fayetteville has to offer. The New River Gorge and the surrounding area is a spectacular place for any outdoor buff.

Adventurers can rock climb in the gorge, go horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking and camping. Some of the region's best bass fishing can also be found in Fayetteville.

In fact, many of the rafting companies along the river will provide packages that combine one or more of these other activities with rafting.

"You're really only limited by your imagination as to what kind of package you can put together--you can do a whole week of activities," says Keith Spangler, owner of New Gauley Expeditions.

Another area highlight for those on the adventurous side, is a famed 15-minute airplane ride over the gorge for only five dollars. The pilot that flies the single engine plane is affectionately known as "five-dollar Frank."

"Frank himself is worth the five dollars. He's been flying for about 53 years now," Spangler says. If you're lucky enough to catch Frank on a slow day, he's been known to keep people up in the air for 35 to 40 minutes. "It'll be the best five dollars you've ever spent."

Fayetteville is not necessarily known for its night-life, but if you need to take a break from all of the strenuous daily adventures, there are a few places to go and hang out in the evening.

"There's a few different bars that attract a lot of out-of-town people," Price says. The bars are usually packed during the rafting season.

People come from all different areas and all different backgrounds, which can make going out at night an adventure in itself. "It's a different crowd every night," Price says.

This kind of variety can also be found on the river. Spangler says that the popularity of whitewater rafting has increased greatly since he first got involved in guiding 21 years ago.

"Then, it was predominately male oriented: Guys would come in with a bunch of their buddies, drink beer and yuck it up for a weekend," Spangler says. "Now it has definitely become more family-oriented."

The changing faces are due to an increased awareness of whitewater rafting as a vacation option. "Right here in West Virginia is some of the best whitewater in the world," he says. But still, "very few people know that."

Spangler added that the New River is much more accessible than most people realize. "We are within an eight-hour drive of 60 percent of the urban population of the United States," he says. "Word is now just really getting out there."

Word has reached at least as far away as Ohio, from where a set of twins from Cincinnati, along with 16 others, ventured for a weekend of rafting and camping they won't soon forget. Guinevere and Ginger Cox, 21, had only good things to say about their first experience with rafting.

In fact, ask almost anyone who has just come off the river and they will pledge to come back. Many request the same guide when they return.

"I get to meet a lot of different people," Price says. "I have people that come back year after year and request me to be their guide and I have a little reunion."

Price's love of the river and the fun he has with the people he guides will keep him on the river for a long time to come. "I'll keep doing this as long as I'm able," he says.

For those looking to develop a similar relationship with the river, the rafting season on the New River runs from approximately the first week in April to Labor Day weekend. After Labor Day, rafters switch to the nearby Gauley River until the end of the rafting season in October. Most rafting companies offer a wide range of rafting trips, from either half or full-day excursions to overnight adventures.

Guides have praised rafting on the New River this year because high rainfall has caused unseasonably high water levels. Rapids tend to be faster and bigger with the addition of lots of water. During a typical season, the highest levels can be found early in the spring.

In the early fall, guides hail the Gauley River as the place to be. Its season only lasts for about six weeks while Summersville Lake is drained for the winter. The Gauley river offers rafters more consistent, high intensity rapids. "It's a better ride," Price says.

Regardless of the river you choose, the trip is not likely to disappoint. Rafting is exhausting and can be scary for first-timers, but it is an unforgettable high: an innovative way to get wet and experience the thrill of nature.