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SUMMER/FALL 2013
YOUR RESOURCE FOR ADVENTURE IN THE NEW AND GAULEY RIVERS AREA
Scenic 10 Waterfalls
Guide Tales stories from the field Aerial Sports in the New River Gorge WWW.NRGORGEGUIDE.COM
Event Calendar inside!
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Bouldering comes of age
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New River Gorge Adventure Guide covers the beautiful natural playgrounds in and around the New River Gorge including the Gauley River and Summersville Lake area, the Bluestone River, the Meadow River, and more. It is based out of south-central West Virginia near the New River Gorge Bridge. Publisher/Editor Cristina Opdahl
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Copy Editor Martha Opdahl Health/environment Editor Ginger Danz Contributing Writers Jonathan Danz, Pat Goodman, Katie Johnson, Keith Kinsey, Erin Larsen, Jim McCormac, Bryan Simon Contributing Photographers Christopher Danz
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Advertising Send a request for a media kit to gorgeguide@gmail.com or call 304-573-8113 story and photo sumbissions Editorial and photo submissions are welcome. Send a brief description of your story idea or jpeg of the photo you are submitting to gorgeguide@gmail.com Copyright© 2013 by Nickelville Press, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is expressly prohibited. New River Gorge Adventure Guide P.O. Box 372 Fayetteville, WV 25840 304-573-8113 Outdoor activities are inherently risky, and participation can cause injury or loss of life. Please consult your doctor prior to beginning any workout program or sports activity, and seek out a qualified instructor. Nickelville Press, LLC will not be held responsible for your decision to play outdoors.
COVER: Christian Kappler soars over Summersville Lake in his World War II Stearman biplane. Photograph by Shullphoto
Old River, New Adventures, Lasting Memories www.VisitFayettevilleWV.com *Check the website often for all that’s happening in the ’Ville ❧ Market Day in Fayetteville First Saturday of every month September 7 & October 5, 2013 7:30am—11:30am Artisan Village and live music Janutolo Park
❧ Bridge Day Chili Cook-off
Saturday, October 19, 2013 ~ 3:00–6:00pm Chili/Cornbread Competition & Chili Tasting Live Music by the Wild Rumpus Downtown Fayetteville
❧ Fayette County Farmers Market
Every Saturday May—October ~ 7:30—11:30am located in the Fayetteville CVB Parking Lot
www.NewRiverGorgeCVB.com ❦ Fayette County Farmers Market
Every Tuesday August—October 3:00—6:00pm ~ 137 Main St. across from Wendy’s
❦ Country Roads Festival
September 14—15 ~ Ansted, WV Arts & Crafts, Music, and Great Food!
❦ Taste of Bridge Day
October 18 ~ Adventures on the Gorge ~ Lansing, WV Come Sample Treats from Renowned Local Chefs
❦ Bridge Day Festival
October 19 ~ 9am—3pm ~ BASE Jumpers, Rappel Teams, Down Under Tours, Into the Gorge Tours, Whitewater Rafting, Arts & Crafts, and Lots of FOOD
Don’t Miss Out On All The Fun!
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NEW RIVER
ADVENTURE
Gorge Guide Summer/Fall 2013 Issue
Happenings
GUMBO’S Downtown Fayetteville
8. River Runs Deep George Santucci of the National Committee for the New
River advocates for preservation and restoration of 337 miles of New River in three states.
9. Big Water Summer, Big Water Fall It’s a big, beautiful high water year.
Trail to Trails More rideable singletrack in the works along a New River tributary Photos, opposite page (top to bottom): shullphoto, tara fowler, pat goodman, randall sanger, jim mccormac, jarrett smith
10. Always Be...Green A compostable toilet that teaches and alternative
energy at the Boy Scout Summit Reserve.
From Bridge to Compost A new rule for Bridge Day vendors reduces
waste.
11. The Higher the Better by Katie Johnson
It’s hard to beat the view from a restored World War II biplane. Until you try it upside down.
14. Keeping It Simple by Pat Goodman
Bouldering in the New River Gorge has taken off—quietly and without much ado.
16. Chasing Waterfalls by Randall Sanger
Ten gushing, picturesque waterfalls you can seek and find in even the drier months of the year.
20. Guide Tales
AWARD WINNING
23. Bridge of Light
CAJUN & AMERICAN CUISINE FRESH SEAFOOD
26. The Once-a-Year Big Bridge Bash
WV GRASS-FED BEEF
28. Adventure Calendar
LOCAL CRAFT BEERS
29. Are You Prepared?
SOUPS
by Gorge Guide contributing writers Every guide has a story to tell. Are you listening?
Local and nearly local artists give their interpretation of the elegant and enduring New River Gorge Bridge.
Our annual guide to Bridge Day—read it to find out where to go and what to look for when you get there. A run around the Gorge, a climbing festival, a sailboat race to benefit Hospice, and more.
New River Gorge adventures.
by Bryan Simon A 10 Essentials List tailored for
30. Nature & Culture Calendar Shawnee victory, hawk watching, and more.
A hummingbird festival, anniversary of
31. Viciously Harmless
by Jim McCormac The eastern hognose snake will put on quite a show for those brave enough to stick around and watch.
32. Be Well
by Erin Larsen The key to a healthy, happy life is understanding your “primary food.” Hint: it’s not chocolate.
34. The Gorge Guide Restaurant Guide
Hungry? Let us help source your next meal. Check this chart to find all the good food this area has to offer.
& HOMEMADE DESSERTS HOURS: Lunch, Dinner, & Sunday Brunch
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River Runs Deep We know all the best places in the New River Gorge
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1,000,000 people visit New River Gorge National River every year. They all want to know about your business.
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protecting the new river’s 337 miles
Q&A
By Jennifer Garlesky
George Santucci, Executive Director of the National Committee for the New River (NCNR), realized he wanted to work in environmental preservation during a 4-month Outward Bound trip to the Everglades. He was one of the instructors, and while already interested in the environment, his dedication to conservation intensified upon witnessing the massive alteration of that giant ecosystem. Today, Santucci heads a nonprofit with a mission of equal scale, the National Committee for the New River (NCNR). Through NCNR, Santucci works with state and federal agencies and more than 40 different nonprofit organizations throughout the watershed to improve the health of the entire 337-mile-long New River. The New’s headwaters are in Watauga County, North Carolina, and it joins the Gauley to become the Kanawa River in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, so the work spans 3 states: North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. In a recent interview with the New River Gorge Adventure Guide, Santucci discussed some of the challenges he faces.
greatest challenges. It takes lots of money and people to restore a river the size of the New. In this age of budget cuts at the state and federal levels it makes it even harder. The other challenge is to compete for the hearts and minds in the digital age. There’s a lot of information overload and it is challenging to craft a message that will get through to folks about the plight of the New and why they should care. The National Committee for the New River recently opened an office in Fayetteville. How has your presence in West Virginia changed? We’re excited to open our office in Fayetteville. We’re proud to be the fiscal sponsors for the New River Clean Water Alliance (NRCWA). The alliance is doing extremely important work addressing water quality issues in the Lower New River. NCNR recently received the Special Places Award from the West Virginia Land Trust for our work protecting land in West Virginia and working to further resources available to protect special places in West Virginia. NCNR focuses on restoration, land preservation and advocacy. How do you manage working on all three of these topics for the entire watershed area? There is a lot of overlapping, which is great. We can do restoration projects on conservation easements. We can work with counties to pass land use ordinances that protect riparian buffers along streams and the river. It is a challenge to keep up with three different political structures. We rely heavily on our partners in each state to alert us on issues and legislation.
What inspired you to become executive director of the NCNR? I was inspired by the scale and scope of the mission. I love working for an organization that works on an entire river from top to bottom, and one that uses a diverse set of tools, that include What are some lessons learned The New River from Hawks Nest Dam science, policy and direct since you have taken on this action such as river cleanposition? ups, restoration and land protection projects to That everything is about relationships. We can’t save address issues affecting the river’s health. a river if the people around it don’t know why they should help or be concerned. We have to work to What are some of the obstacles you face as gain their trust so they know we’re a resource to help Executive Director? improve the situation and the place where they live, Unfortunately financial sustainability is one of the work and play.
8 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
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Photo, this page (top to bottom): courtesy of national committee for the new river, A.E. Crane; opposite page, top to bottom: christopher danz, courtesy of adventures on the gorge
Happenings
Happenings Big Water Summer, Big Water Fall
A raft runs Fayette Station at high water in June, 2013
On the USGS (US Geological Survey) waterwatch maps (waterwatch.usgs.gov) for May, June, and July of 2013, western Virginia and North Carolina— the areas to the south that feed the New River—are a deep blue, indicating streamflow much above normal. If you’ve been on the New River this summer, you didn’t need us to tell you that. The New’s recent crest was over 13
feet in early July (zero to 1 foot are normal midsummer flows). The fall outlook is even better. It’s dam inspection time for the Army Corps of Engineers, so the Gauley River is set for 7 weekends this year instead of the usual 6. Midweek releases are also planned, with 6 Wednesday and Thursday releases of 5,300 CFS (cubic feet per second), almost twice the normal Gauley Season flows of 2,800 CFS.
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Trail to Trails “The mountain biker in me would like to get on this trail as soon as possible,” says Gary Morefield, President of Raleigh County Cycle Club. “Realistically, I hope it will be completed in 3 years.”
Morefield is talking about Piney Creek Trail, a new 10.5-mile trailto-be in the New River Gorge along New River tributary Piney Creek. When completed, Piney Creek Trail will connect to the New River Gorge National River trail system
at McCreary, the put-in for the Upper New section of the New River. “It’s been a dream of mine to connect Beckley to the New River Gorge,” says Morefield, who has been advocating for the trail for 7 years. The Piney Creek Trail Committee has been granted permission from all land owners for the trail to cross through their property. Permission to route the trail across the railroad, run by CSX, is one significant hurdle the committee has left. Other than RR right of way, there’s just trailbuilding left to be done. Boy Scouts attending the Jamboree began work on the first 2 miles in July.
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Happenings can be found on the first floor. A small box on the wall above one commode broadcasts a low gurgling sound. Yank a yellow ceramic pull, and an anouncer begins to explain that this is the sound of microbes feasting on human excrement. At least 3 more floors above contain interactive exhibits, such as the bicycle wired to The Sustainability Treehouse at Bechtel Summit Reserve 3 different light bulbs. Scouts ride to learn they must pedal fast to light up the incandescent bulb. Frank McAllister, roughly Slower pedaling lights the 60-something, a Boy Scout Jamboree merit compact flourescent bulb in the center, and staffer from out West, pulls 3 scouts aside in lazy circles are all it takes to light up the most the Sustainability Tree House and grills them efficient: an LED bulb. on the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Solar panels and two small wind turbines He asks for an example of each R, which are visible from the top floor. The Treehouse is they duly give with some prompting. “Is powered by this alternative energy technology. it personal? You bet!” He goes on. “What was your car made of? Somebody’s old refrigerator. I’m not kidding!” McAllister gives them high-5s before he lets them go and turns to someone else. It’s July and the media are here to report on the much awaited Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve, populated with more than 30,000 scouts. They have come to the 10,600 acres adjoining the New River Gorge National River for their once-everyfour-years gathering. Statistics about the facilities have been published. For example, A climbing wall at the Summit there’s the number 1 man-made climbing facility in the world and the longest zipline It’s linked to the Summit power grid, so any in the world (see “Riding the Scouting Wave” excess flows to other buildings, but that is very from the Spring/Summer Gorge Guide at little. Still, at a Boy Scout reserve that has been nrgorgeguide.com). But this is the first time called a Disney Land for Scouts, it is nice to see the media has been able to see the fully solid environmental instruction happening. operational facilities first-hand. “Do you know we have 7 billion people living If the Sustainability Treehouse is any on the Earth today?” McAllister asks. “Do you gauge, the facilities match McAllister’s know we are going to add Orlando, Florida, to enthusiasm. Two composting toilets the Earth today? This is important stuff!”
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10 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
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Bridge Day grows even greener this year, as Bridge Day organizers are requiring that all vendors selling drinks offer only compostable cups. The cups are made of “corn plastic,” a corn-derived substance with no petroleum additives. According to Ohio-based Green Paper Products, the cups will break down in a compost within 100 days. Green Paper Products is donating cups to Bridge Day vendors.
bottom Photo, this page: courtesy of green paper products. opposite page: shullphoto
Always Be...Green
the
Higher the Better
Led by Christian Kappler’s biplane, the New River Gorge’s aerial activities keep getting better and better. By Katie Johnson
The New River Gorge has just about everything an outdoor enthusiast might want. There is one shortfall, however: It’s truly hard to see a majestic panorama. The wrinkles and folds of these old mountains keep us from viewing them all at once. The occasional view from cliff ’s edge or midway across the New River Gorge Bridge teases us with a glimpse of the undulating terrain and lush hardwood forests that cover our rugged state, the only one that lies entirely within the Appalachian Mountains. If it’s a sweeping view you crave, or even a different kind of adventure, there is a unique way to get that panorama—you can head up into the blue sky. On a summer evening I get my chance to do just that from the Fayetteville Airport, where pilot Christian Kappler gives air tours through the Wild Blue Adventure Company. These aren’t ordinary airplane tours. Kappler is a history buff and these are two well-maintained and functional WWII era planes: a bright yellow 1941 Piper Cub and a 1943 Stearman biplane. For those who want to take a gentle cruise over the New River Gorge, the Piper Cub
is your ride. It’s more enclosed, which means less wind in your face. For those looking for an even more unique flying experience, the open cockpit Stearman biplane is the recommended ride. Since I live in the New River Gorge area, I’m used to seeing that Stearman overhead. Kappler is known for his air aerobatics—an option for those who choose the Stearman biplane—and I’ve often seen him doing loops above the river. I choose the Stearman. I have to admit I am a little nervous. Kappler helps me into my authentic World War II harness/seat cushion/parachute and gives me an equally authentic World War II flight cap that buckles under the chin. When he tells me how to pull my parachute cord if necessary, my butterflies give a whirl. I had never considered a parachute as part of the program. I don’t have a lot of faith in a parachute safety net, but I do know I am in good hands. Kappler spends nearly as much time in the air as on land. He tells me that as a little boy he and his dad would go to LAX and watch the planes all day. When they moved to Oahu’s North Shore so his dad could surf, he started flying gliders. Kappler
was just fourteen years old. Flying has been his passion ever since and piloting has been his profession for many years. He flies southern West Virginia’s medical helicopter for Health Net in addition to flying vintage airplanes. And Fayetteville Airport is Kappler’s home. I mean, literally, it’s his home. Flying is so much a part of his life that a couple of years ago he and his wife Cindy had a combination airplane hangar/house built at the airport. They moved in with their 6 children last year. He’s made over 1,000 flights from this airfield. I walk to the plane with my contraption on and Kappler gives me explicit directions on how to step into the cockpit. Stepping on the wrong spot would damage the fabric the wings are made of. As I board precisely the way I was told, he compliments me on my listening skills. “Who wouldn’t listen carefully when they are about to ascend 2,000 feet above the ground and do aerobatics in an eighty year old airplane?” I think. I sit in the front cockpit while Kappler gets himself settled in the rear. We are connected by
summer/fall 2013 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 11
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nose points steeply upwards. The weightless feeling adds such an element of fun to this new-found freedom that I want more. Kappler asks how I’m feeling. I give him the thumbs up and he tells me that if I don’t have any air sickness now I will probably be fine for more aerobatics. We fly toward the New River Gorge bridge and green trees are everywhere below us. Soon the bridge is in sight and the chasm of New River Gorge snakes in either direction from it. The New River is high and muddy below us, a distant brown ribbon. There is my world. What a view. I have hiked, biked, climbed, paddled and swum all over this place, but I am seeing it again from a
Photos, this page: cristina opdahl. opposite page: courtesy sky dive nrg
RIVER ROCK RETREAT
headsets, and he tells me not to touch any of the tempting pedals, knobs or bars that look a lot like the gadgets on my Grandpa’s tractors I used to love to drive. The Stearman airplanes were designed as WWII training airplanes. The instructors sat in the front and the student in the back. I imagine the people that had sat in that seat before me, preparing for war. They were learning to fly in a time when even driving was a novelty! I am curious about the sound of the engine as a friend winds the propeller for us. Again, I remember the old days when we cranked the tractor from the front before starting the engine. Christian is in the cockpit behind me, so I don’t know if it is a key start or a button start. It takes a couple of tries before the engine catches and puts out a deep, rich whir. It is comforting to my amateur mechanic mind. All sounds good. We taxi down the runway and lift off. As soon as we clear the trees I relax. Being in the air with an open cockpit tickles my sense of freedom. Up in the air there is no traffic, no potholes, no stop lights, no people. My to-do list is forgotten and even trying to think about the story that I am going to write is put aside. It is time to just experience. The feeling seems very simple and uncluttered. We bank and pass by the hanger once again, low to the ground to wave to the folks at the airport. Kappler tells me that we will do a pull-up and the Stearman’s
different perspective. We fly in silence for a while northward and just below the scattered clouds. The sinking sun projects streams of light through the humid haze casting shadows of the mountains on the backs of more mountains. There are trees and more trees, a beautiful carpet, and the creeks and rivers I know and love. Then the Stearman changes my perspective. We go weightless for a few seconds, another trick, before the G-forces pull me back into my seat. Fantastic. There is a mirror in front of my cockpit (so that Kappler can keep an eye on how his guest is faring), and I keep catching glimpses of myself. My braid is like a compass, sometimes hanging out to the side, sometimes over the top of my head. My flight cap isn’t exactly flattering, but I can’t help but notice that no matter the position of my braid or what the G forces are doing to my wrinkled skin, I am doing nothing but smiling. Then it is over. We taxi to the hanger, and I ask Kappler about the planes. They must be a lot of work to upkeep. “I feel like a caretaker of these planes rather than an owner,” he says. With my cockpit perspective in the pristine Stearman, it seems that Kappler is one of the best people in the world to preserve this part of history. Wild Blue Adventure Company (wildblue adventurecompany.com, 304-574-1150) can be found just off U.S. 19 about 3 miles south of the New River Gorge Bridge.
Ziplining
Aerial Roundup:
3 Other Ways to Take In the Views
Traveling in a harness down a cable suspended high above the ground is a great way to view a vista. Treetops Canopy Tour Length: 100–730 feet • Number of zips: 10 • Highest Point: 120 feet • Speed: up to 30 MPH Highlight: Criss-crossing a beautiful creek and landing in a 500-year-old Eastern Hemlock • More Info: newrivergorgecanopytour.com, 877811-5321 Gravity Zip Lines Length: 500–3,100 feet • Number of zips: 6 Highest Point: 199 feet • Speed: up to 50 MPH Highlight: Being up so high you can see three counties • More Info: newrivergorgecanopytour. com, 877-811-5321
Bridgewalking Originally built for maintenance and inspections of the New River Gorge Bridge, the catwalk offers sweeping views of the gorge. Participants are harnessed and clipped to a safety line. Height: 851 feet • Length: 0.6 mile • Highlight: Peregrine falcons nest in the undercarraige of the New River Gorge Bridge. Lucky walkers get a close up view of this rare bird. • More Info: 304-5741300, bridgewalk.com.
ACE Zipline Canopy Tour Length: 200-800 feet • Number of zips: 8 • Highest Point: 100 feet • Speed: up to 35 MPH • Highlight: View of the New River Gorge from a zip called Rigor Mortis. • More Info: aceraft. com, 877-683-9240
Skydiving
Two tandem jumps and a 5-hour ground school training are what you’ll need to complete before you can jump on your own. Highest Point: 12,000 feet • Speed: 115mph • More Info: 606-923-7475, facebook.com/skydivenrg
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Keeping it Simple
An explosion of new bouldering problems at the New River Gorge has top climbers taking to the rocks without ropes.
By Pat Goodman Bouldering is Rock Climbing without a rope. It’s normally limited to short climbs on large boulders or at the base of larger rock faces. Unlike traditional climbing or sport climbing— scaling tall stretches of rock, requiring a mess of gear and rope-work skills—bouldering boils modern climbing down to its essence: power, strength, and dynamics. For these good reasons it’s been most folk’s introduction to climbing. It’s also popular because its wonderfully social. There’s lots of time to talk while climbers are “working” on boulder “problems,” short sequences of moves. It helps, too, that the basic gear for bouldering is just three things: climbing shoes, chalk and a crash pad (a small mat placed on the ground below a climber to cushion falls). In a pinch, you can get by with even less: some inspiration and good rock—the latter being in great abundance here in the New River Gorge. It’s no secret that the New River Gorge is loaded with rock, but when it comes to rock climbing hype, the miles of towering cliff band hold that trophy. In fact, climbers from all over the world recognize the impeccable Nuttall Sandstone routes found here in southern West Virginia.
Yet for all the rock climbing fame the New enjoys, bouldering here is relatively unknown. One possible reason is that the boulders are spread out quite a bit. Even more to the point, there isn’t that much information out there about them. This may change soon. The last several years have seen an explosion in new boulder problems at the New. The surge is unlikely to wane for the New has boulders everywhere. They litter the riverways and pepper the hillsides in all shapes, all sizes. It’s plausible that back in the day the boulders were being scaled by miners and hillbillies long before that inaugural “off belay” echoed through the Gorge. The first noted development for bouldering was in the late 1970s by a cast of rock climbing pioneers including Nick Brash, Bruce Burgin and Rick Skidmore. Beauty Mountain (the densest concentration of boulder problems in the park) was the scene for the NRG’s first bouldering circuit, the Beauty Top Boulders, a compact cluster of 20’–30’ tall blocks. Though this zone is not packed full of modern day test-pieces, this graffitied area is a top notch spot to soak up an amazing view of the Gorge. In the late ’80s, visiting pro climber Scott Franklin would use the boulders along Short Creek as a warm-up zone for his route projects, adding another circuit to
Problem solving along the New River Dries the growing list of boulder problems around Beauty, including the classic V.2 known as Gymnastic Fantastic. In more recent years, Micah Klinger scoured the vast collection of boulders along Short Creek for the unclimbed gems and walked away with the find of a lifetime, Water Equation (V.6). In 2011, guide book author Mike Williams put down his fancy rack and entered the small cave at the Garbage Wall. Bravely pushing aside the hypodermic needles and the broken glass, he established the 20’ horizontal pump fest Ali Bubba (V.9) and rekindled some interest in the cliff-bottom cave bouldering. Other caves worth visiting are the Junkyard Cave and the recently developed Barbeque Babies Cave, home to Travis Gualt’s horizontal Spinal Remains (V.10). Downstream from Beauty Mountain, the boulders continue and vary from easily accessible to a bit of a hike. If you don’t mind a hike, visit the M.O.M. boulder below the cliff line at Fern Point and check out the steep, glorious problem Master of Manipulation (V.10). Lower down from Fern Point in Fern Creek there are classic jewels worth a trip like Klinger’s F5 (V.10) and the area’s first V.12,
Photos, both pages: pat goodman
Pat Goodman on Half Moon Tilt, V.8, Cotton Top bouldering area Tim Rose’s Relic Rapture Wrath. The newly opened American Alpine Club Campground has convenient access to several areas with a multitude of classics from perfect arêtes like The Nose (V.2) to the masochistic 40’ offwidth roof crack Souvenir (V.6). For a quick circuit, visit the Fayette Station boulders to try Stephen Meinhold’s Octagon Control, one of the New’s first V.10s. It’s an easy skip downstream from there to the Sunshine Boulders and the fun Sunshine Arête (V.5) and Helium (V.3). Perhaps the most distinctive bouldering resource in West Virginia resides along the section of the New River called the Dries below the Hawk’s Nest dam. Hawks Nest Dam was built in the 1930s to divert the New River through a 3.5 mile tunnel for the purpose of generating power to be used in the smelting plant in Alloy, WV. The unnaturally low water level in the New along this section opens up a wonderland of boulders on the riverbed and hillsides. Some of them look like perfectly shaped marbles and have flat sandbar landings—a huge bonus. Cotton Top and Cotton Bottom are the biggest clusters unaffected by the river levels and are easily accessible. Several hundred problems have been developed here, many of which saw their first ascent in the ’90s at the hands of Matt Brewer, Shawn McCauley, Kenny Parker, Jason and Rachael Babkirk. This crew also developed the Hawks Nest Boulders. Some standouts to look for at these upstream Dries areas are: Feverish Child (V.0), Scudbuster (V.6), White Eyebrow (V.7), Half Moon Tilt (V.8), Man on The Moon (V.10), and Black Pocket (V.11). Downstream from the Cotton Hill/ Hawks Nest Dam area, poison ivy choked
gullies guard 4 miles of some of the most spectacular bouldering around. If the adventurous approach does not daunt you, the Power Plant Boulders are particularly thrilling. The Blue Hole Boulders, CSX, Carnage Crag and Landslide areas all offer similar moonscapes of boulders. Bouldering the Dries has recently become the center of an unusual controversy. November, 2012, started a 5-year long relicensing process for Hawks Nest dam. A movement called “Wet the Dries” is promoting bringing the river back to a natural level. It’s unusual when whitewater lovers and climbers are at odds, for the river runners would like the incredible whitewater run, while the climbers know that more water equals no climbing on the lower boulders along the Dries. I have been climbing for more than 25 years and in the New River Gorge area for more than a decade. My travels have taken me from the great Himalayan Mountain Range to the Jungles of Venezuela. What the New offers is a multitude of climbing disciplines on quite possibly the best sandstone in the world. “Wild and Wonderful,” The New River Gorge may soon be justly known as a world class bouldering destination.
V V-what?
The level of a difficulty of a bouldering problem is typically described with the “V-scale” rather than the Yosemite Decimal System grades of traditional rock climbs. V-scale climbs are, from easiest to most difficult, V0–V16. Expect a V0 climb to be about as hard as a 5.10d. —The Editors
Two Days a Week, Two Locations!
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• In Fayetteville: Saturday Mornings, 7:30–11:30am
on Court Street between Diogi’s Mexican Restaurant and the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau • In Oak Hill: Tuesdays, 3pm –6pm
at the 137 Main St. parking lot in downtown, across from Wendy’s summer/fall 2013 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 15
Chasing Waterfalls
10 summer cascades worth seeking out
Photos and Story by Randall Sanger
West Virginia is nicknamed the Mountain State, but it could just as easily be nicknamed the Waterfall State. Steep terrain and an abundance of creeks and rivers make it home to innumerable waterfalls and cascades. With countless
creeks and streams, as well as the New, Bluestone, Gauley and Meadow Rivers, the New River Gorge region is graced with well over 100 waterfalls. With its ample rainfall, spring is the best time to view and photograph these waterfalls, but following, in no particular order, are ten waterfalls that are normally running great even in the drier summer and fall months.
1
Sandstone Falls is arguably the crown jewel of New River Gorge waterfalls. Weighing in at 1500 feet wide it is a majestic scene to behold. With the lower water levels of summer and fall, you can easily hop off the boardwalk and follow the numerous paths out to the island for a view of the center-most section of the falls. How to Get There: From I-64 take the Sandstone Exit (#139) then drive south on Route 20 to Hinton, cross the bridge, then turn right onto River Road and follow it for roughly 10 miles to the Sandstone Falls parking area.
Cathedral Falls, located near Gauley Bridge, is another roadside
waterfall and often times difficult to photograph without people in your frame. It’s one of the tallest in the state, and its beauty and easy access makes this one a must see! How to Get There: From Fayetteville, follow Route 19 North to Route 60 West and follow that for roughly 16 miles to Gauley Bridge. The parking area for Cathedral Falls is located on the right.
GPS coordinates and waypoints for these waterfalls can be found at NRGorgeGuide.com/fallwaterfalls
2
Dunloup Creek Falls is located in the heart of the Gorge near the historic town of Thurmond. It is a roadside waterfall, so there’s not much effort involved to access this one. It is especially pretty in the late afternoon to early evening light. I call this one my “goto” waterfall as it always seems to have great waterflow. How to Get There: Exit Route 19 at Glen Jean. Travel Route 25 to Thurmond. Look for an obvious pull-off on the right that will hold 3-4 vehicles.
3 Mash Fork Falls is located within Camp Creek State Park, as is Campbell Falls (below) and what it lacks in size it makes up in beauty. It is easily my favorite small waterfall in West Virginia. It is simply remarkable to view during the fall season. How to Get There: Camp Creek State Park is about 30 minutes south of Beckley, WV. For directions, go to campcreekstatepark.com.
4 5 Campbell Falls on Camp Creek is another Bluestone River
tributary and is the highlight of Camp Creek State Park and Forest. Autumn is my favorite season to photograph this spectacular waterfall as brightly colored leaves color the forest and the stream. Be sure to take the time to explore farther upstream to find another beautiful sectioned cascade. How to Get There: Camp Creek State Park is about 30 minutes south of Beckley, WV. For directions, go to campcreekstatepark.com.
6 Upper Marr Branch Falls,
located just off Fayette Station Road, is another favorite of mine, which I especially enjoy photographing during the fall season. Its roadside location doesn’t make this one easy to see or access, but it is certainly worthwhile for those that are a little adventurous. A short but rocky and steep descent will lead you down to the waterfall. If you don’t like the looks of the path, you can always settle for the smaller waterfall just upstream and easily visible from the road. How to Get There: Fayette Station Road can be found north of the New River Gorge Bridge just past the Canyon Rim Visitors Center, nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/crvc.htm
7
Keeneys Creek Falls There are numerous
waterfalls and cascades on Keeneys Creek located near Winona and the newly restored Nuttallburg Mine Complex. The waterfall pictured is my favorite Keeneys Creek waterfall and its roadside location makes it easy to find. A very short scramble down to the creek makes it also easy to access. Be sure to take the time to explore this beautiful creek and its smaller and unique waterfalls and cascades, many of which can only be accessed by wading through the stream itself. How to Get There: From Fayetteville, follow Route 19 North to Route 60 East and follow it for roughly 5 miles to Lookout, then turn right onto Lansing Edmond Road and follow it for 2 miles to Winona. Continue straight onto Keeneys Creek Road and follow it for roughly 2 miles to the waterfall pictured.
o n e r u t n e v d a e c Experien ASON
E S E H T R E T T A M ial events all winter long Spec
Randall Sanger grew up in West Virginia and now lives in Williamson. He travels all over the state to hike and photograph waterfalls. Many of them can be found in his book, West Virginia Waterfalls: The New River Gorge, available at the Canyon Rim Visitors Center, and his website, randallsanger.com.
8 GPS coordinates and waypoints for these waterfalls can be found at NRGorgeGuide.com/fallwaterfalls
Brush Creek Falls is a tributary to the Bluestone River and is a very popular waterfall. From the parking area, follow the easily traversed path about an 1/8th of a mile and continue past the waterfall for about 30 yards to the path that will lead you to down to the creek. If you’d like to view the waterfall from the vantage point in the picture, carefully wade across the creek for this unique view. How to Get There: From I-77 South take the Athens Road Exit (#14), turn left and drive a short distance and then turn left onto Eads Mill Road. Follow for 3 miles and then turn right onto Brush Creek Falls Road. At the bottom of the hill, cross the small bridge over Brush Creek and then turn left into the parking area.
r 21st, e b to c O g in n e Day. Begin g d ri B r e ft a iss weekend y ended rt m a ’t p n e a c th r t h fo g u ce And you tho ll rm into a pla fo s n a tr l il w main open a e re rg l o il G w r e u th o T n opy Smokey’s O reeTops Can T d n a b u P , Chetty’s -the-know. in y ta s events. Plus to k o ebo w us on Fac o ll o F . g n lo winter ve New Year’s E s & g t, in h ir ig a N p o e rl in Ca er & w stery, Monte y M r Monthly dinn e rd u M ason ts including ith us this se w y rt a Special even p s a hassle Christm o n r u o y k o o B
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G uide Tales There I was... That night... Before I knew it...
was about to start the countdown when...
down at my feet and...
I
I looked
Guide one day and you’ve got a story to tell: of the big wave that came crashing down at just the right moment, drenching your raft; of the copperhead that was coiled on a rock as you floated past; of the tremors and triumphs of climbers first introduced to a whole new vertical playground. If anyone kept track of these things, the New River Gorge area just might have one of the highest guide densities on this planet. We decided to ask around for some stories....
Dream Come True
I’ve been guiding two Canadian women every year since 2007. They’re two 40-year-old women who spend their vacations away from their families here. When I first started working with one of them years ago, she was scared to go ½ way up a climb. One year I took her to Seneca Rocks. You could tell by her body language that she was scared. She was tense and stayed as far away as she could from the edge. So I’ve been easing her into it over the years. And then this past week at Endless Wall, she was climbing these 5.10s and feeling totally fine about it! We were climbing Party in My Mind and both she and her friend absolutely loved it. When I lowered her friend down, she said, “That’s the greatest climb ever. It’s every 49 year old woman’s dream come true.” —Elaina Arenz, owner and guide, New River Mountain Guides
Girl Power Of all the bike tours I have given my favorite trip was with a 9-year-old girl and her mother. They had booked a full-day trip, which depending on the participants can be up to 30 miles of riding, mostly off road. I was concerned that the little girl would struggle but her mom said she really wanted to go and it was all her idea. So we decided to give it a go. We loaded up the bikes and headed out of town into the woods. I assumed she would make it over to Kaymoor just a few miles in and that would be enough. Many riders struggle with the first section of the trip and until this day we had never taken kids on that section. I was wrong. She rode almost every section of the trail. If she liked a section she asked to ride it again. We rode all the way to Thurmond that day, 20-some miles in all. It wore out her mother, who would have gladly stopped at lunch. When we loaded the bikes on the van the young girl asked if we could just ride back to town. —Andrew Forron, owner and guide, New River Bikes
Frozen Treat I’ll never forget my first weekend of training to become a raft guide. We started training in Feb (or at least that’s how I remember it). We were training on the Cheat River and there was quite a bit of snow on the ground for the run on Saturday. The company had been nice enough to provide each of us with a wetsuit and paddling jacket that we got to keep for use on Sunday. That night we sleep in the bunkhouse called the Cheat Suite which, of course, had no heat whatsoever. All the trainees hung their wetsuits over the railing on the back porch to drip dry as much as possible that night hoping they’d be dry and ready for the next day’s run. Since the temperature dropped below freezing that plan didn’t exactly work out. They became
20 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
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U-shaped popsicles instead. The next morning the only way to get the wetsuit on was to insert the appropriate body part and thaw it out until you could slide it all the way on. I had suffered through most of the process when one of the trainers walked in. He stood there surveying the scene while listening to the moans and shrieks of semi-frozen trainees. After shaking his head in disgust he grabbed his wetsuit and walked over to what we thought was a closet door in the corner. As it turns out it was a shower. He tossed his wetsuit in and cranked up the hot water. After calling us unintelligent people of questionable parentage he walked out without another word. —Tiny Elliott, currently of AOTG, formerly of NARR and AW
Sweet Victory Every now and again, when there is an odd number of guests on our zipline tour, we get to race against one down AdrenaLine, a 3,150 foot-long zip and the longest on the East Coast. On a recent trip with an odd number, one of my trip’s guests was Joe, at least 6’5” tall and exactly 260 pounds (our weight limit). During the first five lines he and I had an ongoing banter about racing each other. Since I’m only 5’11 and 160lbs, he was very confident he could beat me. As we approached the top of the final zip, his New Jersey trash talk was at an all time high and it was game on. Everyone else took their turn, then he and I stood atop of one of the highest peaks in the county and looked out above a large piece of Fayette County. Just when I was about to start the countdown he quickly yelled, “Ready, set, GO!” Joe got the jump on me by a split second and his stature gave him an even greater advantage. We soared down the dual lines, but he was easily beating me by at least 30 feet. I had the feeling that for the first time in a long time I was going to lose my AdrenaLine race. Joe apparently knew this, for he made a victory gesture in my direction. Little did he know about the extreme air currents people experience at 300 feet above a valley (not to mention at 60 mph). His facial expression soon turned from one of assured victory to one of complete helplessness as he spun out of control, his legs and arms flailing like a child learning to swim. This was in my favor as I was still tightly tucked and closing our difference in distance rapidly. There was only a quarter of the line left. As I passed him he was starting to regain control, but it was too late. I connected with the braking block at the end of the zip at 45-50mph just a second before Joe did. I wondered for a second, did Joe let me win? After being unclipped, Joe answered that question for me. He reached his hand out with fifty dollars to show his appreciation. There is a saying around here: “Nothing says thank you like a dead President.” —Keith Kinsey, guide at Gravity Zip Line, AOG
Best Day Ever About 8 years ago me and Tug took students from a school for the blind down the Lower New. We stern-mounted the rafts, rowed from the back of the boats, and they paddled too. The water level was 3 feet. Each student was smiling from ear to ear, and it was definitely the most rewarding day I have ever had. I remember that their teachers let them jump off Jump Rock. Because we put in at Cunard, our jump rock for the day was the big one just below Dudley’s Dip rapid. It’s a little tricky to get up there. We helped them up the rock a lot. I was pretty much carrying two of the students up there when I looked down. I was almost stepping on a copperhead! It was a 3-footer, about a foot away from my feet. I remember getting off the rock as quickly as I could with the students. We jumped from a different part of the rock after that. The rest of the day was amazing. From Cunard to Fayette Station, we were out there for 5½ hours, a lot of time for that distance at that level. One student said it was one of the best days he had ever had. It was pretty amazing for me, too. —Tyler Bussard, River Manager at River Expeditions
Surprise Catch On a very dismal rainy day in May, 2010, my clients and I had been on the river for at least 2 hours fishing the eddies along the right bank of the New River. The fishing wasn’t bad. We thought with a swelling river that we’d surely catch something big, maybe a musky or a giant New River small mouth bass. It was a peaceful morning with idle fishing chatter and the snare drum of raindrops smashing into the hardwood leaves above us. We began to float down a shoal. Just as I began to pull on the oars, there was a deafening shriek. At the bottom of the shoal, we wondered out loud about the unworldly sounds. Each of us admitted they scared the heck out of us. We kept fishing and wouldn’t you know it...there was more whining, a shrieking audible rumble from the thick laurel lining the railroad grade above. It appeared we were actually
being followed by something. I was bewildered and cautiously slid our boat along the bank. No less than 25 yards from the island eddy, the thick underbrush immediately below the railroad grade erupted and the nettles shook violently as the creature approached the river’s edge. And then it showed itself as it careened down the steep graveled bank and leapt directly towards our raft. I grabbed my fishing net and placed the basket underneath the monster just before it was absorbed by the turbulent flows below us. The eerie noises we’d heard over the last twenty minutes didn’t emanate from a rabid beast after all. My net was filled with a 4- to 6-week old puppy who’d apparently lost his way. His name is Drifter and he’s still with me. It rips me apart when I see those puppy dog eyes telling me that he desperately wants to go with me as I leave for another day on the water. —Froggy, Mountain State Anglers
summer/fall 2013 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 21
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Overnight Redemption As a raft guide I’ve never been fond of overnight trips. Overnights are hard work. In the company I worked for, the guides did all the cooking, cleaning, packing and unpacking. It was, however, a guaranteed two-days work, and the tips could be really good. The biggest factor that determined the enjoyment of an overnight trip was the personality of the guests. Get a crew that you didn’t like and two days and one night could be an eternity. One Gauley Season, I was put on an overnight trip that was booked at the last minute. I didn’t get to meet my guests at base camp but was told to ride one of the customer buses to the river and get my boat ready. I took a seat in the back of the bus. Ahead of me were a group of muscled men with glazed, red eyes. I guessed that they had partied pretty hard the night before as they seemed to be still tipsy. They were loud and obnoxious so I shrunk lower into my seat to stay out of their radar. As the bus started up the curvy road, one man opened the window, stuck his head out and heaved his leftover slop all over the roadside. The bus rolled on, his friends cheered, and the other forty guests on the bus cringed. Guides usually don’t ride the bus to the river with the guests. I couldn’t wait to get to my boat and away from those idiots. When I got to the put-in at the dam, I began rigging my raft while the trip leader called out the names of the guests to go with the guides. Much to my dismay, who should be my overnight guests? Not the sweet, adventurous, midwestern family. Not the nerdy, bright-eyed party from the office. No, of course, I had the eight lads from Detroit, all of whom were wavering between hungover and still drunk. Not only was I supposed to get these fellas down the river for two days, but I had to spend the night with them about as far from civilization as one can get in Fayette County.
A raft trip on the Upper Gauley is serious business with Class V rapids and many dangerous features in the river to avoid. The safety talk did nothing to impress these men. Once we got in the boat and on the river, they were still a mess and weren’t taking me seriously. They didn’t understand the importance of paddling together or of any kind of cooperation. We managed to get through the first two big rapids without any mishap, but that was pure luck. They were strong so their lack of synchronization was an Upper Gauley guide’s nightmare. The puker from the bus ride was the biggest part of my problem. We were at odds. He was sitting in the front paddling when he wasn’t supposed to and not paddling when I called a command. It was when we got into Lost Paddle, the longest rapid, that I lost my cool. Just as we crashed into a giant wave called Hawaii Five-0, Mr. Puker himself stood up in the raft. He was holding his paddle over his head with both hands and shouting into the spray. This was right where fast current pushes rafts toward a massive rock. I was screaming, his buddies were laughing and no one was paddling. We headed straight for the rock. I knew that our chances of flipping and taking a very (Turn to page 33 to continue reading Guide Tales)
Bridge of light and awe and steel and expedience and beauty and adventure and... Sure, the New River Gorge Bridge is useful. Just ask any local over 40 years old how long it took to cross the New River before it was built. (Ok, we’ll tell you: 45 minutes.) Here are the facts: it’s 3,030 feet long and 876 feet high. It weighs 88 million pounds, is made of COR-TEN steel, and, necessarily, sways with the wind. It’s also quite fetching to gaze upon—even “awe-inspiring,” as more than one person has put it. So it’s no surprise that artists swoon over the bridge along with the rest of us. Herewith, 6 creative renderings of the big beautiful span, the New River Gorge Bridge.
Meredith Gregg
Meredith Gregg is a landscape painter, abstractionist, print maker, Autumn Gorge and art instructor who has lived in the New River Gorge area for 20 oil years. Her current focus is big oil paintings and the New River Gorge is one of her favorite subjects. “I love the clouds and the magnitude of it,” says Gregg. “To have that huge gorge going down to this big
river is really a unique and challenging image to paint. And it’s very dynamic, always changing—it’s elusive as well as constant.” Having studied botany and painting at Northern Arizona University, Gregg’s intial artistic focus was on botanical illustrations. She still loves nature and gardens. Her work is in the collection of West Virginia’s Division of Culture and History and can be found at Fayetteville Arts Coalition at 103 Keller Avenue in Fayetteville and MeredithGregg.com.
summer/fall 2013 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 23
David Bartsch New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day watercolor David Bartsch of St. Clairsville, Ohio, has been painting for only 4 years if you don’t count a few high school art electives. He finds it relaxing and is surprised when people want to purchase his work. “I’m always amazed when people want to buy my paintings because I’ve never thought of myself as an artist,” he says. His colorful landscapes of West Virginia scenes including the New River Gorge can be found at fineartamerica.com/profiles/ david-bartsch.html
Ole Bye started constructing Bottle #7: New River Gorge Bridge models epoxy clay, ground foam, styrene plastic, of West and other materials Virginia scenes inside bottles in 2009. His main focus was on coal camp scenes, relying on historical photos and his own observations. Many of the buildings and other structures, including the New River Gorge Bridge in this bottle, were assembled piece by piece inside the bottle. On the New River Gorge Bridge, Bye says, “It’s always been special to me. It’s an amazing structure, an amazing landscape. It’s almost ridiculous to put in a bottle because when you’re there you can almost not see the whole thing. But it’s so iconic I wanted to.” For more information about Bye’s work go to unbrokenhome.com.
Ole Bye
Ginger Danz
Ginger Danz is watercolor primarily a stilllife and abstract artist. But, living only ½ mile from the New River Gorge Bridge, Danz of course paints it as well, her way. “My New River Gorge paintings are often small, just 4 by 6 inches,” explains the Fayetteville, WV–based artist. “What I’m trying to do is capture the grandness of it—its form, its color, its vibrancy—in a mini painting.” Danz’s work can be viewed at Fayetteville Arts Coalition on Keller Avenue and at gingerdanz.com.
New River Gorge Study
24 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
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Stephanie Danz has been doing stained glass for 25 years and rafting under the Evening in the Gorge New River Gorge Bridge for stained glass even longer. She first came to run the New River in 1974. “When first I visited here they were in the process of building the bridge,” remembers Danz. “It was amazing to watch it eventually come together.” Some years later, she moved here and opened her stained glass studio where she now teaches stained glass classes. Her work can be seen at Mountain Art Glass or facebook.com/MountainArtGlass.
Stephanie Gasior Danz
Jeanne Brenneman
Jeanne Brenneman teaches watercolor classes out of her Greenbrier County art studio and Bridge Reflection makes frequent trips to the New watercolor River Gorge. “I like the view of the bridge from the bottom near the river,” says the artist of 41 years. “I like the foggy nature of it. I’ve been there several times when it was so foggy you couldn’t even see the bridge.” Brenneman’s work can be seen at jeannebrenneman.com.
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Bridge Day Schedule Friday, October 18 5:00–9:00pm Taste of Bridge Day
Smokies on the Gorge, Ames Heights, WV Sample cheesecakes, seafood bisques, soups, jambalaya, and more at an annual competition between area restaurants.
Saturday, October 19 9:00am–3:00pm The New River Gorge Bridge Walk out onto the Bridge past t-shirt and food vendors to watch the jumpers put their eyes on the horizon and step off the platform.
3:00–6:00pm Bridge Day Chili Cook-Off and Fall Festival Court Street, Downtown Fayetteville Taste test traditional and nontraditional chilis, vote for your favorites, and listen to the groovy sounds of the Wild Rumpus.
The Once-aYear Big Bridge Bash Bridge Day Beta 1. Bring plenty of drinking water 2. Plan to walk some. The bridge is 2 miles from downtown Fayetteville. 3. It’s windy on the bridge. Bring a windbreaker. 4. Get where you need to be early. New River Gorge Bridge is closed from 7am–5pm. 26 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
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What to Look For The catapult returns to Bridge Day after its debut last year. Catapult, you ask? Yep, think human spit ball. The catapult is a pneumatically loaded 12-foot long steel arm with a chair at the end that is used to hurl very experienced BASE jumpers 50 feet forward and 20 feet higher than the bridge. Designed by Bridge Day organizer Jason Bell, an engineer when he’s not BASE jumping, the catapult sent 24 jumpers into the air over the Gorge in 2012. NEW this year: Look for Two Guys on Pogo Sticks, who are bringing their show to the southern end of the bridge.
all photos this page an dopposite, photo credit: cristina opdahl, except for the following. top right: courtesy of bridgewalk, bottom: melvin grubb
Five Ways to Be Part of the Fun Make your way past t-shirt, food and art vendors to the center of the bridge, where BASE jumpers (parachutists who specialize in Bridges, Antennaes, Structures, and Earth) step off a 876-foot high platform. Most jumpers use the main platform, but keep your eye on a 16-foot diving board—jumpers willing to put on a show use this to get more spring for tricks.
Descend Gradually
Stroll the Bridge Hike to a View
Rappelling teams experience the bridge with a slow and steady descent on Bridge Day. Membership on a rappelling team is necessary. No experience is needed, however, to ride a highline stretching 700 feet from bridge beams over the Gorge. Contact: Bridge Walk, 304-5741300, bridgewalk.com.
BASE Jump There are several trails in the New River Gorge that take you to beautiful vantage points. Easiest and shortest are paved walkways from the New River Gorge Visitors Center off U.S. 19 north of the Bridge. The rest are rugged and strenuous with steep drop-offs nearby. Pick up trail maps to the Long Point Trail and New River Bridge Trail at the Canyon Rim Visitors Center just north of the bridge. Whichever you choose, you’ll need to decide early. The Bridge closes at 7am to all traffic.
Who are those people leaping from the bridge? They
are BASE Jumpers. BASE stands for Building, Antennae, Span, and Earth—all the tall things that make great platforms to jump off in this extreme sport.
100 Skydives from an airplane are required before an individual can BASE jump from the New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day. Still really want to do it? Brave beginners can sign up for one of 10 tandem BASE jumps for a mere $999 (bridgeday.info).
Journey Down Under How do you get to the bottom to watch the parachutes wafting down? Forget about driving yourself—the road down is closed to all vehicles but BASE jumper shuttle buses and rafting trucks. You have 3 other options: 1. Walk the 4-mile stretch of road from US 19 to the banks of the New River. Remember, you’ll need to walk back up. 2. For $20, you can catch a shuttle to the bottom and back up. Preregistration is required (officialbridgeday.com) and tickets can be picked up at the north or south end of the bridge. 3. For $65, you can spend a guided 2 hours down under the bridge with a Down Under Tour. A box lunch and t-shirt are included. Prior registration also required for this (officialbridgeday.com).
summer/fall 2013 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 27
Adventure Calendar
August
September
October
August 10 Glade Springs Triathlon
September 8 Appalachian Duathlon/Triathlon to Fight Cancer Where: Lewisburg, WV
October 19 Bridge Day
August 11 Black Bear 40K Bike Race
Where: Kanawa State Forest This mountain bike race in its 27th year has distances for expert, sport, and beginner classes. All levels of cyclists take note: technical downhills abound on the course, and beginners won’t be spared. More info: tearjerkers.co
August 24 New River Gorgeous Trail Run & Walk
Where: Ace Adventure Resort A 4.5-mile walk, 7.5-mile run, or 13.2-mile run on mountain roads and singletrack trails. The route is rolling, following ridgelines through deep hardwood forests and past beautiful Gorge views. More info: aceraft.com/trail
August 24-25 Mountain Mama Hospice Regatta
Where: Summersville Lake, Battle Run Area What: The 3rd annual regatta on Summersville Lake to benefit Hospice of Southern West Virginia. Seven’ to 26’ divisions and an opportunity to watch the race up close enough to hear the crews holler. Good food and kids activities including a rain gutter race. More info: soapysails.webs.com
28 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
You get to choose whether or not you want to swim in this event. The swim is 740 meters long, the bike 13.5 miles, and the run a 5K. More info: appalachiantri.org
September 19 SUP WV: Stand Up in Wild and Wonderful
Where: Fayette Station, WV What: Two Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) races: the first, an attainment on flat moving water; the second, a downriver race through 3 rapids. Demos, prizes, and afterparty. More info: WVMelanie2013@yahoo.com
September 20-23 Craggin’ Classic
Where: New River Gorge American Alpine Club campground What: Pig roast, demos, and lots of great clinics on trad tricks, bouldering, risk management, and more. More info: americanalpineclub.org/p/ craggin-classic
September 23 Animal Upper Gauley Race
Where: Summersville, WV What: A 9.8–mile downstream sprint through famous Class V rapids Insignificant, Pillow Rock, Lost Paddle, and Iron Ring. Classes include raft, Wildwater C1 and K1, Wavehopper, Slalom, and Playboat. More info: gauleyrace.com
Where: Fayetteville, WV What: Experienced skydivers, BASE jumpers, and rappellers get the opportunity to leap off the 876-foot New River Gorge Bridge or rappel 600 feet of fixed rope. (Spectators, see pages 26-27 of this issue for where to watch the action.) More info: verticalvisions.com; bridgedayrappel.com; officialbridgeday.com
October 25-27 Run Around the Gorge
Where: Fayetteville, WV What: As much running retreat as it is race, the Run Around the Gorge covers 41 miles over a mix of singletrack, rails to trails, country roads, including a choice between an “adventure trail” and “bobsled run” with smores and optional massages at the finish. More info: runaroundthegorge.com
November November 16 Canary in the Cave 25+K Trail Run
Where: Fayetteville, WV What: Begin at the Fayetteville Town Park for a 25K run down into the Gorge past abandoned coal mines and waterfalls before making your way back up. Limited to 150 runners. More info: wvmtr.org
Photos (left to right): A BASE jumper at Bridge Day begins to let his chute go, a technical downhill at the Black Bear 40K, and the downstream race at SUPWV: Stand Up in Wild and Wonderful 100% recycled paper
PhotoS, This page (left ot right): cristina opdahl, jarrett smith, Tara Fowler
Where: Daniels, WV If you raced in the Thurmond beginners triathlon on August 4th and are hankering for more, this event is a perfect step up. Swim 750 miles in Chatham Lake, bike 12 paved miles, and finish with a 5K. More info: gladesprings.com
Safety
Are You Prepared?
Ten Essentials for Adventure in the New River Gorge By Bryan Simon It is an idea almost as old as hiking and climbing. The 10 Essentials List was first created in the 1930s during a meeting of the Mountaineers Club in Seattle, Washington. The thinking was that everyone heading outside should understand that there is some risk involved and endeavor to be prepared for it. The concept has endured, as have the original 10 Essentials, which have saved lives and proven useful time and time again when weather blows in, ankles get sprained, the wrong fork in the trail is chosen. The list has been updated slightly since the 1930s, but it has remained basically the same. It needs to be said that even more important than any of the items below is knowledge. Know your abilities, how to take care of yourself, and what to do in an emergency. There are a host of books out there, as well as Wilderness First Aid classes. The equipment listed below is of little use without the knowledge to use it properly.
The 10 Essentials: 1. Hydration Our bodies are more than 50%
water, and it is the oil that keeps our engine going. Bring extra water on every outing, and don’t forget a purification tablet as a back up.
2. Nutrition A little extra food can be a lifesaver, whether in a survival situation, or to keep a youngster happy. Bring a small assortment of nuts, granola bars, or whatever you like that packs nutritional value. For long trips, a rehydration
pack—a first aid item used to treat dehydration by replacing electrolytes—is also a good idea.
5. First Aid Kit Your kit doesn’t need to be big, but you need to know how to use what you bring. A good basic kit includes several different sizes of band-aids, gauze, tape (athletic or duct), antibiotic ointment, something for pain relief (Advil or Tylenol), and an antihistamine (Benadryl). 6. Insulation/Extra Clothing An extra layer, be it a long sleeve shirt in the fall or a light rain jacket in the spring and summer, will be welcomed in the event of poor weather. The weather in the gorge changes quickly, so be prepared for all conditions. 7. Illumination Headlamps are
lightweight and nearly indestructible. Some of the valleys leading into the gorge get dark quickly once the gorge rim blocks the evening sun.
3. Navigation A map and compass are
invaluable. A GPS helps too, if you know how to use it and have the batteries to keep it going. United States Geologic Survey (USGS) 1:24,000 maps for the region are available either online or at Waterstone Outdoors.
4. Sun Protection Sunglasses, sunscreen, lip
balm, and a hat will keep you protected from the sun’s rays, particularly if you are on the river or at Summersville Lake. Make sure your sunscreen protects for UVA and UVB. 50 SPF is as strong as you need.
8. Fire A great variety of reliable firestarters are available. Waterproof matches and butane lighters are easy, weigh next to nothing, and a good choice for most packs. (Remember, knowledge is as important as any gear: Being able to start, maintain, and protect a fire is an invaluable skill to keep you warm when temperatures drop. Practice in a legal, safe place before you venture out for a lengthy journey out of doors.) 9. Repair Kit A knife might be all you need, but
if you make it a multi-tool or a Swiss Army knife, you will have greater versatility for about the same weight. You might also consider rolling a small amount of duct tape on a pencil or pen to take with you.
10. Emergency Shelter This can be anything
from an emergency space blanket to a plastic poncho, a minimalist tent to a large plastic trash bag. Bring something with ad hoc shelter in mind. It can make a big difference in protecting you from the elements.
summer/fall 2013 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 29
Nature & Culture Calendar
August 18
The Lilly Mountaineers
Where: Tamarack What: An award-winning band that blends country and bluegrass plays a free one-hour concert. More info: tamarackwv.com
August 20, Sept 19 Full Moon Run
Where: Cass Scenic Railroad What: Better than riding a steam locomotive past beautiful views is riding it under the full moon. More info: cassrailroad.com
September 7
October 18
Where: Fayetteville, WV What: Farmers Market, Artisans Market, and Flea Market converge on Court Street in downtown Fayetteville. More info: visitfayettevillewv.com
Where: Adventures on the Gorge, Ames Heights, WV What: Sample pies, soups, cheesecakes, jambalaya, and more created by esteemed local chefs for an annual tasting and contest. More info: officialbridgeday.com
Market Day
Taste of Bridge Day
September 20-22
Footmad Fall Fling & Jamboree
Where: Fayette County Park What: Old time music jam session and contra dance party in a beautiful setting. More info: footmad.org
October October 2
Video Boaters Challenge
Where: Fayetteville, WV What: The best of the season’s whitewater videos face off for crash and burn, skit, and other awards. More info: historicfayettetheatre.com
October 4-6
Fall Birding Weekend
August 23-25
New River Hummingbird Festival
Where: Hawks Nest State Park What: Only one kind of hummingbird darts around the Eastern U.S. forests—the ruby throated hummingbird, which can be found from Canada to Costa Rica. Find out more about this bird and more from experts invited by the New River Birding & Nature Center. More info: birding-wv.com
September
Where: Fayetteville, WV What: Raptor identification at a hawk observatory and warbler watching at Wolf Creek Park. Limited to 12 participants. More info: birding-wv.com
October 5
Market Day
Where: Fayetteville, WV What: Farmers Market, Artisans Market, and Flea Market converge on Court Street in downtown Fayetteville. More info: visitfayettevillewv.com
Bridge Day & Chili Cook-off
Where: New River Gorge Bridge & Fayetteville, WV What: Watch parachutists float from the New River Gorge Bridge, walk the bridge and shop at vendors. Afterward, sample and vote for your favorite chili in downtown Fayetteville. More info: officialbridgeday.com; visitfayettevillewv.com
October 18-31 Haunted Trail
Where: Little Beaver State Park What: Ghosts and goblins haunt a spooky trail. More info: littlebeaverstatepark.com
November
November 29—December 8 Miracle on 34th Street
Where: Fayetteville, WV What: A comical stage adaptation of the classic holiday film More info: historicfayettetheatre.com
September 7
250th Anniversary of Cornstalk’s Raid
Where: Hawks Nest State Park What: 250 years ago Shawnee Warrior Cornstalk raided the western Virginia colonial settlements in the Trans-Allegheny region and changed the course of history. Learn about Shawnee agricultural and wild food gathering practices, warrior/hunter skills, and other aspects of Shawnee life at this presentation. More info: hawksnestsp.com
30 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
October 19
Photos (clockwise from left): Cass Scenic Railroad on a day run, the feast at Taste of Bridge Day, and warbler watching at Wolf Creek Park
100% recycled paper
PhotoS: This page, clociwise from left: courtesy of cass scenic railroad, Sjessee, rachel Davis; photo opposite page: jim mccormac
August
Nature
Viciously Harmless
Introducing the Eastern Hognose Snake, Actor Extraordinaire If reptiles had their own Academy Awards, the eastern hognose snake would be the hands-down winner of the best actor award. Few animals are as Oscar-worthy as these incredible fakers. Hognose snakes are generally uncommon in West Virginia, but probably occur in every county in the state. If you’re fortunate enough to encounter one, it’s likely to be a memorable experience. An adult hognose can be a bruiser, measuring nearly four feet from snout to tail tip. Ohidiophobes—snake fearers—would probably flee at first sight, thus missing the show. Even people whose curiosity overrides their fear, and stick around for a closer look, might be forgiven for thinking the snake is poisonous. Hognoses are blotchy, typically with alternating patches of dark and pale, and have been mistaken on occasion for rattlesnakes or copperheads. Invade the snake’s comfort zone, and it’ll do its best to look horrendously frightening. Coiling its body like a spring, the hognose flattens its neck to paper-thin dimensions, spouts intimidating hisses, and rears up like a snake charmer’s cobra. This behavior has led to the nickname “puff adder.” It’ll then launch violent strikes at the offending party. You’ll likely be running in the opposite direction at this point, but if you were to stand your ground you’d find that the snake’s fearsome strikes always fall well short of the target. It sometimes doesn’t
By Jim McCormac
even open its mouth when delivering them. Push in a bit closer, and the snake will begin Act II. It’ll enter into a series of jerky spasms as if it were falling into a convulsive fit, twist around a bit and roll onto its back. Lying motionless and stiff as a board, the emotive hognose will even let its mouth gape open with tongue hanging out. If you’re bold enough to reach down and turn the animal right side up, the snake will promptly roll back over and resume playing dead! Unfortunately, many of these utterly harmless reptiles have been slain by people ignorant to their act. Hognose snakes get their name from the odd, upturned snout. They are diggers, preferring to inhabit areas with plenty of dry sandy soil, and use their spadelike snout to excavate toads, their primary prey. The snakes are active during the day, and are apparently able
to divine the location of toads in hiding. Once a snake has rooted out its victim, it attempts to swallow it. Specialized rear fangs towards the back of the hognose snake’s mouth puncture the toad, thus releasing trapped air and deflating the warty amphibian. Swallowing toads whole isn’t easy, and apparently airless ones go down the gullet better. You’ll not want to adopt these odd culinary tastes. Toads are equipped with organs behind the head known as parotoid glands. They secrete a nasty substance called bufotoxin, which acts as a neurotoxin. More than a few toad-eating dogs have learned about this toxin the hard way. Hognose snakes have proportionately massive adrenal glands that produce hormones that render the toad’s toxins inert, thus enabling them to nosh on an abundant food source that is off limits to nearly everything else. Fear of snakes is one of the most common phobias. Just remember, leave them alone and they’ll leave you alone. Even snakes have a valuable role to play on our planet. Jim McCormac is a Colombus, Ohio–based naturalist, an author of three books on wildlife, and a frequent blogger at jimmccormac.blogspot.com.
Like Nature? NRGorgeGuide.com Stay up-to-date on ranger talks, festivals, wildlife happenings, and other events for nature lovers young and old.
summer/fall 2013 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 31
Health Be Well By Erin Larsen Health experts agree that a healthy, happy life is a balanced life. Regular folks agree that finding balance can be a challenge. We all know people who work too hard and play too little, or eat too much processed food and not enough whole, fresh foods. Our paths to finding balance in our lives are constantly evolving as we learn about ourselves and what we want out of life. As a climbing guide, yoga instructor and health coach, I strive to help people find balance in all areas of their lives. The Institute of Integrative Nutrition, where I studied to become a health coach, redefined the food pyramid to include other aspects of life. The traditional food pyramid sits in the middle of the circle, encompassed by the four broader components: relationships, career, physical activity and spirituality. These components comprise our primary “food,” which feeds our overall health and vitality. The actual food that we eat becomes secondary, used to fuel and replenish our bodies but not to replace emotional and physical balance. So if keeping our primary “food” in balance is the key to maintaining true health and happiness, how do we keep our balance? How do we break ingrained yet unhealthy habits and routines? The first step is to become aware that you are out of balance. What in your life do you need to let go of so that you can invite something else in? Do you work too much in a job you don’t enjoy? Are there things you
want to do, places you want to see? Are you unhappy so much easier if you have someone to help, guide with your diet or exercise routine? There are no right and support you along the way. Remember to set answers. You have to decide for yourself what you need. small goals for yourself, like losing 5 pounds in a And until you truly believe you need to change, you month, or exercising 30 minutes a day. When you won’t. achieve these goals, take time Write out a to celebrate, which will help path for change. A you stay motivated. And college professor remember to strive for balance. friend of mine had his Exercise is balanced with rest, freshman students do work with play, healthy eating an intentional change habits with occasional not-soproject. They choose healthy treats. something they want to Finally, remember change and then record that it takes time to set specific steps they will new patterns and break old take to accomplish habits. Be gentle and kind to their goal. So if you yourself and know that every want to lose weight, try åday is a new day. Finding mapping out an exercise balance requires frequent schedule, a menu plan adjustments. If you slip, start and a grocery shopping over again. Learn to respect and cooking schedule, yourself and know what you and record these in your need to be happy. When you calendar. Look at the find balance in your life you big picture and visualize will inherently treat others what it would look and better and be more generous feel like to achieve your and compassionate. goal. Find an Interested in learning to find accountability partner, balance in your life? Contact either a friend, a hired me on Facebook, Erin Larsen, Exercise and relationships are as important to well coach, or trainer. or at 304-640-7320, eelarsen@ being as eating well, according to many experts. Achieving your goal is hotmail.com.
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32 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
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(Chasing Waterfalls, continued from page 19)
Mill Creek Falls is
Wolf Creek Falls High
up on the Plateau, Wolf Creek is a gentle meandering stream, but as it makes its way down to join the New River, it changes in demeanor and becomes a rough and tumble creek flowing over, around, and under massive boulders. Wolf Creek Falls is another waterfall located in the heart of the Gorge and is found just off Fayette Station Road near the Kaymoor Trail trailhead. Two different paths lead you down to the waterfall, but be careful, as either one requires a rather steep scramble. How to Get There: Kaymoor Trail trailhead is found off Fayette Station Road just south of the New River.
located near Ansted, West Virginia. It’s accessible by foot or car. The beautiful Ansted railtrail will lead you to an upper viewpoint of this waterfall, which is the largest on Mill Creek. Mill Creek is a wonderful little mountain stream and the entire creek is worth exploring for additional waterfalls and cascades, both upstream and downstream of this waterfall. How to Get There: In Ansted, bear north at the Rite Aid drug store, then left onto Hawks Nest Road.
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(Guide Tales, continued from page 22) bad swim were high. There was still a half mile of rapid full of dangers to go. We washed up onto the rock, teetered and then spun away still right side up. Literally shaking with anger, I got us into an eddy on shore and stalked through the middle of the boat. All of my ire was aimed at this man. Never mind the fact that I had to watch him barf before I’d had breakfast, but his antics in the raft had endangered me in a dangerous place. He was the cause of this mutiny and I was going to end it. I stormed up to the front of the boat, jumped down off the cross tube and grabbed him by the front of his life jacket. I pulled him and his face up so close to mine that I could smell the alcohol. Shouting words that would make my mother shudder, I gave him a piece of my not so lady-like, farm girl, truck driver, raft guide, mind. Then I gave him a choice. Straighten up or walk out. And yes, there were poisonous snakes, EVERYWHERE! I set him back down, walked back to my seat and exaggerated my need to use the tops of the others’ helmets for balance. I sat down and called a command. Their spines straightened and they placed their paddles in the water, all together. For
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the rest of the big rapids, no one but me spoke and our lines were perfect. We stopped for lunch at Sweet’s Falls. We usually ran our trips with five boats, so I had four other guides who had witnessed my ire. At our meeting I expressed my concern about staying the night with this crew. When we embarked again after the meal Puker broke the silence with an apology. It seemed that my tirade, lunch, and seeing some rafts spill at Sweet’s Falls rapid had sobered the crew. They became different people and my worries eased. We reached the overnight spot and the guys pitched in with the chores. As it was nearing dark, one of our guides from the trip, Roy, surprised me. He had driven an hour and hiked into the camp so I wouldn’t be alone. We all sat around the fire late into the night laughing over many impersonations of their once angry female raft guide. They were awed by the West Virginia wilderness. They had never been anywhere so dark and they were all very afraid of snakes. —Katie Johnson, former guide, Rivers Expeditions
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Yoga on the Gorge Sundays, 8—9am, through August Adventures on the Gorge
Gorge Guide Restaurant Guide
Photos, top to bottom: the chocolate peanut butter brownie terrine at Pies & Pints, BBQ at Adventures on the Gorge, the deck at Secret Sandwich Society, Hawaiian sea bass with local squash at Gumbo’s, and the tip monkey at Swirl
Meals
Restaurant
Address
Fare
The Burrito Bar at Breeze Hill 304-574-2750
Oscar White Rd. Lansing
“Mexican fusion”
Cathedral Café 304-574-0202
134 South Court St. Fayetteville
American
breakfast & lunch
Chetty’s Pub 888-650-1932
219 Chestnutburg Rd. Lansing
American
lunch & dinner
Diogi’s 304-574-3647
312 North Court St. Fayetteville
Latin American
lunch & dinner
Dirty Ernie’s Rib Pit 304-574-4822
310 Keller Ave. Fayetteville
BBQ, steaks and sandwiches
Gumbo’s Cajun Restaurant 304-574-4704
101 South Court St. Fayetteville
Cajun cuisine
Los Vaqueros 304-469-6505
2027 East Main St. Oak Hill
Mexican
Musical Grounds 304-574-4009
129 Court St. Fayetteville
Pies and Pints Pizzeria 304-574-2200
219 West Maple Ave. Fayetteville
Rio Grande Restaurant 304-465-5434
571 Mall Rd. Oak Hill
Secret Sandwich Society 304-574-4777
1031/2 Keller Ave. Fayetteville
Smokies on the Gorge 888-650-1932
219 Chestnutburg Rd Lansing
Swirl 304-574-3005
117 South Court Street Fayetteville
Wild Flour Bakery 304-574-0001
105 West Maple Fayetteville
34 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE
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Cafe
lunch & dinner
dinner lunch, dinner, Sun brunch; closed Mondays
lunch & dinner
breakfast & lunch; closed Wednesdays
Gourmet pizza
lunch & dinner
Mexican
lunch & dinner
Sandwiches, burgers and salads
lunch & dinner; closed Tuesdays
Gourmet buffet
breakfast & dinner
Ice cream, cappuccino
snack
Bakery
breakfast & lunch; closed Sun., Mon.
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173 Virginia Ave. East
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