Blue Ridge Outdoors June 2017 by Summit Publishing

EXPERIENCE OUR NEW BILTMORE TOUR! Avoid the tubers and relax on a 2.5 hour, 6 mile stretch through the majestic Biltmore estate. Beginning and ending at French Broad Outfitters’ Hominy Creek location, float through the heart of the 8,000+ acre property. Greenery surrounds on this float and guests should expect to see plenty of wildlife. Finish at FBO’s locals oriented event space/watering hole to refuel with food trucks, live music, corn hole and a hammock village.

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B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 017 / M O U N TA I N E D I T I O N

CHRIS JACKSON

FEATURES 16 PRESIDENTIAL PLAYGROUNDS For centuries, American presidents have sought refuge in Appalachia—and helped protect its most iconic landscapes.

D R E A M I T. H I K E I T.

19 A BOAT ON YOUR BACK Portable, one-person rafts have opened new possibilities for multisport river adventures. 46 GAS AND POOP Fracking and hog waste have landed two waterways from the Southeast on America’s Most Endangered Rivers List.

June 2017 CONTENTS

DEPARTMENTS 8 QUICK HITS Coal museum uses solar energy • Pisgah’s new addition • Snowshoe gets a new owner • Pipeline will require 38 mountaintop removal sites 10 FLASHPOINT Can we coexist with coyotes? 12 THE DIRT Are trail runners using PEDs? • The places we love too much • Heartbreak at Barkley

49 A FATHER'S CHOICE Canoeist Bill Havens faced a tough decision: compete in the Olympics or witness the birth of his son.

“Simple to use, but complex in detail . ..” —Appalachian Clarity

55 WATER WARS The Chattahoochee River is the economic and ecological lifeblood of three states, but not all of the water finds its way downstream. 59 THE FIRE NEXT TIME Drought and arson were responsible for last year’s record-setting wildfires. What should we expect in 2017 and beyond? 61 RIVER MAGIC Two suburban adventurers ditch their day jobs and paddle the length of the French Broad River. 63 OIL DRILLING IN THE ATLANTIC? Conservation groups sue to stop seismic testing.

47 THE GOODS Creek boater Brad McMillan shares his go-to gear for gonzo adventure.

64 COLLEGE CONTEST CHAMPS Over 150,000 votes poured in for our Top Adventure College Tournament. Who took home the hardware?

66 TRAIL MIX Sounds of summer: hottest tickets in the South

65 EVERY TRAIL IN THE SMOKIES Hiker Benny Braden sets a speed record for his 900-mile circuit.

COVER PHOTO BY

Our 13 Appalachian Trail Topographic Map Guides are light, waterproof, durable, and can keep up with you on the trail.

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CONTRIBUTORS

PRESIDENT

BLAKE DEMASO

ED ITOR I N C H I E F

WILL HARLAN

will@blueridgeoutdoors.com PUBLISHER

LEAH WOODY

leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com A RT D I R E C TO R

MEGAN JORDAN

megan@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Editorial & Production JEDD FERRIS

S EN I O R E D ITOR

jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com TRAV E L E D ITO R

JESS DADDIO

jess@blueridgeoutdoors.com S EN I O R D E S I G N E R

LAUREN WORTH

lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER

PAIGELEE CHANCELLOR

06.17

FAVORITE RIVER ACTIVITY? EVANS PRATER I've got a 10'x10' mega float with two couches and three coolers built in to it. It can hold 8 people and is perfect for those hot June floats on the French Broad. BEAU BEASLEY Fishing for shad in the Rappahannock each spring.

LIGHTEUNP

S O S E R IE TAC T P R E N O C IR A C FORM A N H IG H P ER SF ER N A LOA D T R

RANDY JOHNSON Sipping wine at Grandfather Winery on the banks of the gushing Watauga. JOHN JETER Cycling along the French Broad—so cool how they built the river next to the road.

paigelee@blueridgeoutdoors.com C ON T R I B UTO RS

RACHEL WOOLWORTH, GRAHAM AVERILL, LAURA INGLES, WADE MICKLEY, DAVE STALLARD, JEFF KINNEY C O P Y E D ITO RS

RACHEL WOOLWORTH, ROBERT MCGEE Advertising & Business SE N I OR AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E

MARTHA EVANS

martha@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E / D I G ITA L P U B L I S H E R

DUSTY ALLISON

dusty@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E

KATIE HARTWELL

katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com B U S I N E S S MA N AG E R

MELISSA GESSLER

melissa@blueridgeoutdoors.com CIRCULATION MANAGER / AC C OU N T E X E C UT I V E

HANNAH COOPER

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Digital Media CRAIG SNODGRASS

O N L I N E D I R E C TO R

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WILL HARLAN Creek walking with my sons: climbing over rocks, searching for salamanders, and splashing in swimming holes. JOHNNY MOLLOY Long canoe camping trips.

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JESS DADDIO Springtime laps on Goshen Pass. When water levels are too low, this section makes for some killer swimming holes. JAY CURWEN An 11-mile pointto-point SUP day from the Little Tennessee to the NOC. Great combo of wilderness, fun riffles, and lake paddling with a couple of fun jump rocks. JENNIFER PHARR DAVIS Searching for salamander, crawdads, and snails in the upper Green River. STEVEN YOCOM Jocasse is my favorite lake. But I dare not say my favorite stream and fishing hole. MASON ADAMS I've played in creeks and rivers all my life, including Virginia's Cowpasture River and Tennessee's Little Pigeon. Now I get to pass that on to my son. LEAH WOODY Tubing on the James. Cooler tube required. CHRIS GRAGTMANS Paddling Upper Big Creek in the Smokies— crystal clear water, beautiful boulders, and the length of your run is limited only by your hiking endurance. J U N E 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

QUICK HITS

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SHORTS BLUE RIDGE BRIEFS

West Virginia. Intrawest also owned Steamboat and Winter Park in Colorado, Stratton in Vermont, and Tremblant and Blue Mountain, both in Canada. Snowshoe CEO Frank DeBerry expressed optimism about the mountain’s new owners in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, saying, “We’ve got owners who are already really experienced in the ski industry, and they’ve expressed support to help us grow.” Consolidations like this are not surprising as resorts continue to evolve and look for ways to attract a new generation of skiers.

BY JEDD FERRIS COAL MUSEUM USES SOLAR ENERGY

In the words of the great Alanis Morissette, “Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think?” The Kentucky Coal Mining Museum is switching to solar power to save money. In March, panels were installed on the building located in Harlan County and owned by the Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, which is dedicated to preserving the legacy of miners and the coal industry. Brandon Robinson, the college’s communications director, told WYMT the renewable project will save between $8,000 and $10,000 annually.

ATLANTIC COAST PIPELINE WOULD REQUIRE 38 MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL SITES

VIRGINIA TEACHER RAISES MONEY FOR STUDENTS WITH 50-MILE RUN

A high school teacher in rural Virginia raised money for her school with a long run in early April. Kate Fletcher, who teaches 11th grade English at Louisa County High School in Louisa, Va., located between Richmond and Charlottesville, laced up her shoes and ran the track for an entire school day—starting before students arrived around 6am and stopping at the dismissal bell at 3pm—to raise funds for students. In completing the feat, called the Lion Pride Run after the school’s mascot, Fletcher ran 50.7 miles and raised $5,600 that will fund scholarships and benefit the school’s newspaper. Fletcher was joined throughout the day for laps by fellow teachers and students, and during her final spin around the track she was encouraged by an abundance of cheers, as the entire school community filled the surrounding stands at a celebratory pep rally. Fletcher told a local news station: "I 8

illustration by WADE MICKLEY

hope that it sets the example that if you are persistent and work hard that things that seem impossible, really aren't. All the kids at Louisa County High School have inspired me to be a better person each and every day that I'm working here." PISGAH’S NEW ADDITION

A key piece of land once targeted for the development of 86 homesites has been permanently protected and will now become part of the Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina. Due to the diligent work of the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Trout Unlimited and conservation-minded landowner Tom Oreck, the majority of the 84-acre Big Creek Lodge Tract will now be in the hands of the U.S. Forest Service. The recently finalized deal to transfer ownership of the land ends an effort that goes back a decade, when a previous owner revealed ambitions to turn the pristine tract

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 017

into a housing development. Big Creek sits within the Mills River Recreation Area—an escape beloved by residents of nearby Asheville and Hendersonville—and coveted by anglers for its access to the North Fork of the Mills River, which provides drinking water for some area residents. Kieran Roe, executive director of the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, told the Asheville Citizen-Times: “It’s such a key location, if this were closed to the public, it would have impaired water quality and public enjoyment of the trout streams.” SNOWSHOE GETS A NEW OWNER

Aspen Ski Company, along with private equity firm KSL Capital Partners, purchased Intrawest for $1.5 billion. With the acquisition, Aspen, which already owns four ski mountains in Colorado, gets Intrawest’s six resorts, including Snowshoe Mountain Resort in

Dominion Resources intends to blast away, excavate, and partially remove entire mountaintops along 38 miles of Appalachian ridgelines as part of the construction of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Engineering and policy experts have examined documents submitted by Dominion to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and, using GIS mapping software, found that Dominion would require mountaintops to be reduced along the proposed route of the pipeline. The height equivalent of a five-story building would be erased in places from fully forested and ancient mountains. Dominion has yet to reveal how it intends to dispose of at least 247,000 dump-truck-loads of excess rock and soil—known as “overburden”— that would accumulate from the construction along just these 38 miles of ridgetops. “Many of the slopes along the right of way are significantly steeper than a black diamond ski slope,” said Joyce Burton, Board Member of Friends of Nelson. Both FERC and Dominion concede that constructing pipelines on these steep slopes can increase the potential for landslides, yet they still have not demonstrated how they propose to protect us from this risk.”

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FLASHPOINT

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THE DOGS NEXT DOOR

COYOTES HAVE MOVED INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. CAN WE ALL GET ALONG? BY NATALIE STICKEL

We followed a trail along the James River, hiking parallel to train tracks and holding briars back for those behind us. These mixed landscapes are ideal for the clever coyotes captured on the trail camera we were headed toward. Anne Wright, assistant professor of ecology at Virginia Commonwealth University, and one of her students, Jack Ryan, changed the camera’s batteries as they explained the complex relationships comprising the ecosystem of Richmond's James River Park System ( JRPS). “We’ve seen deer and squirrels so plentiful they deplete the batteries of the motion-triggered shutter, but coyotes are changing that,” explains Wright. She got interested in coyotes when they began showing up on her trail cameras two years ago. Her Game Camera Project of Science in the Park launched in 2014 and documents wildlife to discover more about the species which call JRPS home. These cameras and other evidence suggests that at least one pack of coyotes lives in the Park System. After coyotes purportedly killed a dog in nearby Forest Hill neighborhood last year, the community organized a meeting between officials, scientists, and concerned citizens to discuss the issue. Coyote management and conservation are a hot topic as their populations rise throughout the east coast. “An urban park system like JRPS is an oasis for them,” Wright says. Food is plentiful and easy, humans can’t hunt them, and their historic predators like wolves and cougars are absent. The only canine endemic to North America, coyotes have called this continent home for over a million 10

LIKE IT OR NOT, COYOTES ARE MOVING INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. COYOTES ARE FILLING A NICHE LEFT BY THE NEARLY EXTIRPATED WOLF.

years. Totemic symbols of cunning, mischievous intelligence, coyotes have been drawn eastward in the past half-century to fill the niche left by the nearly-extinct red wolf. Over time, coyotes have bred with other canines, creating animals with varying ratios of coyote, wolf, and dog DNA, and giving rise to what some call “coywolves” or “coydogs.” While not distinct species, genetic analysis has prompted scientists to call the emerging hybrids the eastern coyote. Unlike wolves, coyotes quickly adapt to shifting environmental pressures and have some of the most varied diets of any canine, making them wellsuited to the eastern forests, suburbs, and even cities of the Blue Ridge. “Coyotes are true foragers and will eat small animals, eggs, fruit, grass, insects, and roadkill,” says Wright. The work of Dr. Marcella Kelly, a researcher for the Virginia Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, aligns with this. Dr. Kelly’s team conducted a study on coyote population dynamics which was published in The Journal

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 017

of Wildlife Management in 2016. While opportunist coyotes scavenge on carcasses and get into trash, they also survive on berries, nuts, and other plant matter. Still, they are skilled predators serving important ecological niches that have been absent in eastern mountains for quite awhile. While humans have eradicated most natural controls for prey such as deer, rodents, and rabbits, coyotes keep these and feral cat populations in check. The trouble lies when coyotes find easy prey in farmlands and pastures. Lisbeth Rasmussen and her partner Joe operate Split Acre Farm in Rougemont, N.C. Over one hundred acres of forest surrounds the farm, and every night they hear the unmistakable howl that Dan Flores called America’s “original national anthem” in his book Coyote America. Before Split Acre, Rasmussen worked land near Hillsborough for three years, where coyotes frequently helped themselves to livestock, including turkey hatchlings, piglets, and even a yearling steer. As agricultural land transitions to

suburban developments, coyotes have been pushed into new habitat and forced to adapt. Rasmussen has seen increased evidence of coyotes on her own trail cams as surrounding forests and fields give way to neighborhoods. “They’re the same as deer in that if you take away their home, they’ll move into yours,” she says. In her experience, successful mitigation efforts include increasing fence height and voltage and utilizing guard dogs. Virginia native Don Shumaker, lifelong hunter and trapper and author of Journals of a Coyotero, argues that coyote culls are necessary to manage coyotes. “There’s a growing need for systematic, widespread control," he says. Shumaker is adamantly opposed to poison, which takes unintended casualties and releases toxins into the ecosystem; he maintains that subcontracted hunters and trappers with government assistance and oversight is the best management policy. By infringing upon this territorial predator’s habitat, “humans threw things out of balance,” he says. “It’s our duty to try to get it back in sync in the best way possible.” But Dr. Kelly’s work demonstrates coyotes’ ability to self-regulate: “I think one problem is there are almost no populations in the U.S. that are not hunted, making comparison difficult, but the evidence is pretty clear that bounties and culls do a poor job at decreasing coyote populations due to their density-dependent responses.” One of these responses is birth rate, meaning that if local coyote numbers drop, litters will be larger the following spring. A factor like food surplus triggers bigger litters whose numbers will help fill out the territory. Her study suggests that density-dependent birth and mortality rates should be considered when devising coyote management objectives. Says Kelly, "This is an incredibly malleable and flexible species that is not generally known as a mountain animal, yet here it is.”

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THE DIRT

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ANYTHING TO WIN

ARE ELITE TRAIL RUNNERS USING PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS? BY MARIEL BUTAN

Barry Bonds. Lance Armstrong. Marion Jones. Some of the biggest names in sport have become synonymous with scandal, having been investigated or banned for using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). No one publicly condones the use of steroids or other banned substances, but when millions of dollars and eternal glory are on the line, it’s not hard to see how some may find themselves on a slippery slope of selfenhancement, with the potential side effect of self-destruction. It’s not always high-stakes athletes who are willing to cheat, either. Amateur athletes have increasingly been turning to performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Trail running has exploded in popularity over the past decade, and with more sponsorships and attention have come more allegations of blood doping. Are elite trail runners juiced up? During the 2015 Ultratrail du Mont-Blanc competition, Gonzalo Calistos tested positive for Erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that helps the blood carry more oxygen to the cells. That same year, Elisa Desco entered the 50-mile The North Face (TNF) Endurance Challenge, three years after completing a ban for testing positive for EPO in 2009. Many athletes were outraged, claiming that she shouldn’t have been allowed to compete due to her record, even though her ban had been fully served. Both athletes maintain their innocence and say they didn’t knowingly take performanceenhancing drugs. Calistos suggested that his Ecuadorean background and regular exposure to high altitudes might explain his atypical blood 12

profile, but neither the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) nor the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have commented on that. Dr. Chris Harnish, a trail runner and exercise physiologist, believes more comprehensive data, such as from “anonymous surveys and some random drug testing” versus isolated incidents, are necessary to determine the true state of doping in trail running. However, with PEDs being relatively easy to purchase and so few races implementing drug testing, it is definitely possible that PED use is “a lot more rampant than we realize,” says Dr. Harnish. In response, some runners have been taking matters into their own hands. Testing is irregular in this blossoming sport partially because it is prohibitively expensive, but in 2016, Paul Kirsche and David Roche started the website runcleangetdirty. org, where runners can pledge their commitment to being substance-free. The North Face (TNF) is taking a stand of its own. Their new policy states not only that athletes serving a ban will be unable to participate in their Endurance Challenge Series events, but also that athletes who have completed a ban, while able to compete, will be ineligible for “prize money, awards, podium recognition,

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 017

or rankings.” They will also be barred from the elite field. The mere existence of this policy denotes the need for regulation in a growing sport. Maeve Sloane, TNF’s Performance Sports Marketing Manager, admits that “as any sport grows, so does the number of issues that arise,” but at the moment TNF doesn’t believe doping incidents are growing at an “alarming rate.” Still, TNF has joined Hobbs and the ATRA to set forth a plan for the coming years and raise awareness of the issue. Will the new policy make much of a difference? Sloane acknowledged that the Endurance Challenge Series would not start testing its competitors, and many are left asking: What good is banning illegal substances if there’s no testing? Anne Riddle, a trail runner with over 25 years of experience, thinks that athletes will realize “they are likely to get away with it…until drug testing is more common.” However, both she and Michael Owen, the SE Ohio Trail Runners race director, don’t see testing becoming common in the near future due to the expense. “With participation growth, and competition depth growth, we will surely see more people trying to gain an advantage illegally,” says Owen.

“I don’t let it affect me—there are so many people who run ultra’s for their own reasons. 99.9% of us don’t do it for the money. We’d be cheating ourselves of a pure experience.” People get into trail running to challenge themselves or just try something new. It’s seen as a pure sport, more closely connected to nature than many others, and perhaps that’s why the idea of doping hits such a raw nerve with some participants. For the most part, however, many runners at the recreational level feel that the issue is being blown out of proportion. “It’s not a common thing,” notes Scott Dunlap, a 12-time national trail running champion and writer of A Trail Runner’s Blog. He fears that “the more [a few runners] talk about it, the more people outside the sport think it really is a considerable factor.” Nancy Hobbs, Executive Director of the American Trail Running Association, agrees that some “vocal runners” are drawing unnecessary attention to the issue. “It’s like a whisper down the alley,” she speculates of individuals who are suspicious of how well others are doing. While testing is “a good thing to do,” Hobbs says, what’s more important is to educate runners about performanceenhancing drugs and how testing works. This would help avoid accidental use of banned substances, which can be found in pretty unlikely places. One athlete wound up serving a six-month ban thanks to an ingredient in a medication meant to treat menopausal symptoms. If runners at every level knew what to look out for, Hobbs explains, they could talk to their doctors to ensure that medications for legitimate health issues wouldn’t land them on the banned list. With new policies and growing awareness, Sloane is optimistic about trail running’s future. “As more brands and races adopt clean sport policies, it will continuously become more difficult to get away with doping.”

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THE DIRT

0 6 . 17

THE PLACES WE LOVE TOO MUCH APPALACHIA’S MOST CROWDED OUTDOOR GEMS BY MASON ADAMS

What good is getting away from the city if the mountain is just as crowded? Unfortunately—and yet, unavoidably—many of the Blue Ridge’s most celebrated outdoor oases have also become its most visited. The exposed rocks of McAfee Knob, for example, offer one of the Appalachian Trail’s most iconic panoramas, but because it’s just a short drive from Roanoke, the overlook is often filled with hikers: about 75,000 people hike there each year, with some days seeing more than 600 visitors. Not all are adequately prepared for the excursion. Crowds also result in litter, restroom disasters, wear and tear on resources, and troublesome wildlife interactions. Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park receives about two million visitors a year, mostly between Memorial Day and Labor Day, says Jamie Sanders, who served as a ranger there. The most common problem? Bear jams. “With it being an 11-mile, one-way loop road, if someone’s not managing the traffic, then one person stops in the middle of the road to see a bear, and the line of traffic can’t get around,” Sanders says. Lee Walker, outreach director with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, says the state’s trout streams can get pretty slammed in the days after they’re stocked. That process begins with a caravan of anglers who follow stocking trucks, and then explodes when the agency posts the list of stocked waterways on its website. “Trash has been the biggest challenge we’ve had over the years, and we have lost some stream access due to that,” says Walker.

SPOTS WE LOVE TOO MUCH (AND SOME LESS CROWDED ALTERNATIVES) WILDLIFE VIEWING

And for the last five years or so, the Troutville Volunteer Fire Department has offered up its station to thruhikers, providing a place to shower, do laundry, and sleep. Recently, however, the fire department changed policy and closed its doors to hikers. Why? The increasing number of hikers had started to take up space and interfere with operations. And once, a volunteer firefighter found a loose dog in traffic near the station. When the volunteer entered the station kitchen, the dog’s owner was sitting there drinking coffee and reading the newspaper—buck naked. The hiker was doing laundry, see, and wanted to make sure all of his clothes got washed. Don’t be that guy.

Cades Cove (Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tenn.): You may see a bear, but you’ll sit through lots of stop-and-go traffic along the way. INSTEAD: Check out the Cataloochee Valley on the park’s eastern side, and you may spy an elk.

HIKING

McAfee Knob, Va.: It’s the most photographed spot along the A.T. for a reason, but you may have to wait in line for a shot. INSTEAD: Try Tinker Cliffs a few miles down the ridge, easily accessible from the lesser-used Andy Layne Trail.

TROUT FISHING

BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY OVERLOOK

Grandfather Mountain, N.C.: The highest peak on the Blue Ridge Parkway attracts motorists by the swarm in season. INSTEAD: Rocky Knob Recreation Area, just little farther northeast in Virginia, sees fewer visitors and boasts a sweeping 10.8-mile loop trail.

PADDLING

New River Gorge, W.Va.: It's a premier rafting destination, with the crowds to prove it. INSTEAD: Try the Gauley River, with more than 100 rapids over a 24-mile stretch.

ROCK CLIMBING

Cherokee Trophy Water, N.C.: Great fishing but you’ve got to time the trip right to avoid crowds. INSTEAD: Big Laurel Creek in Madison County, N.C., is a hatcherysupported trout stream with plenty of native brookies in its feeder streams.

Little Stony Man Cliffs: One of Shenandoah National Park’s busiest trails leads to a busy rock-climbing destination. INSTEAD: The cliffs along Iron Gate Gorge, near Clifton Forge, Va., are almost always vacant.

J U N E 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

THE DIRT

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HEARTBREAK AT BARKLEY THE COUNTRY’S TOUGHEST RACE CAME DOWN TO SIX SECONDS AND A FATEFUL DECISION BY JOSH PATTON

he Barkley Marathon starts with the race director blowing on a conch shell and lighting a cigarette, and it ends with either the Easy Button or Taps. It brags that it has a near complete failure rate. In its three decades of existence, only 15 runners have been able to defeat the clock, the mountains, and the briars. The checkpoints are 13 books placed throughout the course, which consists mainly off-trail. Competitors tear the page that matches their race number to show that they have followed the course. The most advanced pieces of technology allowed are a basic watch, a paper map, and compass. No GPS allowed. This year, world-record holders, Mount Everest summiters, and the world’s most elite runners competed alongside weekend warriors in this international event in the backwoods of Tennessee. Thousands apply each year, but only 40 are chosen. The race started at 1:42 am into the heavy and damp fog of the night. Two athletes separated themselves early: John Kelly and Gary Robbins. Kelly grew up in the mountains surrounding Frozen Head State Park. Robbins, meanwhile, was from Canada. They worked together for the first four loops. The race rules require that if two runners make it to lap five, they run it in opposite directions. As Kelly and Robbins started loop five around midnight, with about 13 hours remaining before the 60-hour cutoff, they both restocked quickly and hit the trail solo for the first time. At this point, they had not had any sleep in around 24 hours. During the final lap, it rained heavily. Kelly ran with an orange toboggan he had found on the trail,

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT GARY ROBBINS HUGS RACE DIRECTOR GARY CANTRELL MOMENTS AFTER LEARNING THAT HE HAD BEEN DISQUALIFIED FOR RUNNING PART OF THE FIFTH LOOP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION; KELLY AND ROBBINS COMPLETE LOOP 4 AROUND MIDNIGHT AND GEAR UP FOR THE FINAL LOOP; KELLY AND ROBBINS CLIMB RAT JAW; GARY ROBBINS REACHES THE YELLOW GATE AND COMPLETES THE FIFTH LOOP.

THE BARKLEY 100-MILE ULTRAMARATHON HAS A NEAR-COMPLETE FAILURE RATE. IN THREE DECADES, ONLY 15 RUNNERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEFEAT THE CLOCK, THE MOUNTAINS, AND THE BRIARS. believed to have been dropped by an inmate from the nearby federal prison, along with a plastic grocery bag to keep him somewhat dry during the downpour. With about 30 minutes left on the clock, John Kelly pushed up the hill and touched the famed yellow gate moments later to complete The Barkley Marathons and become the

15th finisher of the event. The raw emotion on his face was a powerful testament to the moment. John pushed the Easy Button and took a seat. Meanwhile, Robbins’ wife and son waited nervously. Then, with a few seconds left, Robbins came running up the same road as Kelly— the wrong direction. Sprinting with everything he had, he lunged for the gate and collapsed on the road breathing heavily and soaking wet. When Robbins touched the gate, the time read 60:00:06—six seconds over the time limit of 60 hours. What had happened on the final lap? After reaching all the checkpoints, Robbins had gotten lost in the fog. He ended up going a few miles out of the way and had to swim across a flooded creek, a decision he

made in his sleep-deprived state. He said that he knew he didn't have the time to go back and get on the correct course route, so Robbins decided to race the clock even though he knew that going off course was grounds for disqualification. At the finish line, after catching his breath, Robbins thanked the race director. Robbins said not to worry about his race, but to congratulate and focus on John Kelly for his accomplishment and becoming the 15th Barkley finisher. Robbins began to walk to his tent with his family to clean up and get food in him, but not before having Taps played for his run. All eyes were on Robbins and his family as Dave the Bugler played what he called the hardest Taps the Barkley has ever heard.

J U N E 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

Presidential

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT AT THE DEDICATION OF GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK.

Playgrounds

RECENT PRESIDENTIAL LAND PROTECTION HIGHLIGHTS President Obama (2008-2016)

• Established more national monuments and protected the most acreage than any president in history • Blocked construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline

For centuries, our nation’s leaders have sought refuge in Appalachia— and played important roles in protecting its public lands

President Bush (2000-2008)

BY CHRIS OLSON

t’s no surprise that many U.S. presidents have found solace in Southern Appalachia when needing to unwind. Several of our country’s commanders-in-chief established private retreats and protected key public lands right here in our Blue Ridge backyard.

Thomas Jefferson

MONTICELLO AND BLACK ROCK GAP

Herbert + Lou Hoover RAPIDAN CAMP

Rapidan is located deep within a forested gorge of Shenandoah National Park, at the convergence of two mountain streams. It’s no wonder our 31st president and his wife saw this as the ideal place to escape the stress of Washington D.C. It was Hoover’s predecessor, Calvin Coolidge, who first suggested that the government provide a nearby retreat, which could be used by presidents to unwind on weekends.

While most Americans recognize former U.S. president Thomas Jefferson as the crafter of the Declaration of Independence, his most prized work of art may have been his Monticello home and property at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Charlottesville, Va. Jefferson spent decades of his life creating a personal utopia filled with vegetable gardens, wildflowers, fruits, and groves of trees. In writing to his daughter, he once proclaimed, “I never before knew the full value of trees. My house is entirely embosomed in high plane-trees, with good grass below; and under them I breakfast, dine, write, read, and receive my company.” Not only can you still tour the grounds of his beautiful estate, but a short HOOVER FLY FISHING AT RAPIDAN. drive to Black Rock Gap along President Hoover put the idea into Skyline Drive will deepen your practice for the first time on personal Jeffersonian adventure. It is within a land at Rapidan Camp, secluded cave, among the rocks at the summit among the hemlocks and nestled into of this easy hike, where legend has it a natural mountain setting enhanced that Jefferson once hid the state seals by rock gardens, waterfalls, and other of Virginia during the Revolutionary stone structures. Here, the Hoovers war. 16

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welcomed many distinguished guests, family, cabinet members, and politicians to share the beauty of hiking, horseback riding, and honest conversation. Hoover spent many hours in the creeks directly below the property enjoying one of his favorite activities, trout fishing. The Rapidan River, which cascades about 50 yards from the deck of the main cabin at Camp Hoover, is still regarded as one of the best trout streams in Virginia.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, C.C.C., AND THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

As our nation’s longest serving president, Franklin D. Roosevelt probably had the most significant impact on the Blue Ridge and beyond. Roosevelt designated Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and he was also responsible for implementing the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway. His Civilian Conservation Corps provided trail maintenance, forest conservation, facility development, and reforestation to Pisgah National Forest, Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks, and the Blue Ridge Parkway. There’s a good chance you’ve benefited from one of their projects in some way, whether enjoying a scenic drive over a stone bridge, catching fish that they helped stock, or hiking to a view from one of their many fire towers.

• Created first-ever cabinet committee on ocean policy with 2004 Ocean Action Plan • Provided nation’s highest form of marine protection to over 330,000 square miles of ocean • Created 15 new National Wildlife Refuges

President Clinton (1992-2000)

• Protected over 3 million acres of land from any future development, including Utah's Grand StaircaseEscalante, Arizona's Grand-CanyonParashant, and California's Pinnacles • Launched first federal action for environmental justice • Launched Clean Water Action Initiative to increase wetland protection, and protect water supply quality • Created Roadless Area Rule, protecting millions of acres of national forestlands

Lyndon B. Johnson

THE WILDERNESS ACT OF 1964

Have you ever hiked in Shining Rock Wilderness? Climbed in Linville Gorge? Ever stood atop ‘The Priest’ or swam in the pool beneath St. Mary’s Falls? Fished in the Conasauga or Jacks Rivers? If so, then you can thank L.B.J’s 1964 Wilderness Act, which created the National Wilderness Preservation System. It now includes over 640 wilderness areas. Additionally, Johnson spearheaded the Clean Air Act, Endangered Species Act, National Trails System Act, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which provided funds to acquire land, specifically for public recreation.

LAT

45.487181° N

LONG

110.976162° W

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Dear Adventure, You occupy my every thought. I don’t know how much longer I can go without seeing you. I was at the water cooler today, talking to Herb in accounting. He was droning on about his wife’s Etsy store. Side hustle he calls it. I couldn’t take it. I filled up my cup and dumped a glass of water on my head just to feel something. I know we are not supposed to see each other again until next month, but I may just drive up and see you this weekend. Is that crazy? Yeah, it’s crazy. But life’s too short to spend another weekend inside. You’re the antithesis of Netflix and Chill. The antidote to my smartphone addiction. The reason I get out of bed in the morning. What I’m saying is: I love you, Adventure. See you this weekend. Megan

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PACKRAFTS They’re Not Just For Alaska Anymore

by JESS DADDIO CHRIS JACKSON

The concept of lugging portable, one-man rafts isn’t new to the world of adventure sports. Backpackers in the western United States and Alaska have been using this versatile mode of river transportation for decades. But as packraft technology has continued to improve in the past few years, so, too, have the possibilities for multisport river adventures.

have one person to blame for tempting my adventure itch with a packrafting trip. New River Bikes owner Andy Forron. A few months back, a photo popped up on my Facebook feed. It was a picture of Andy’s bike partially disassembled, strapped to the bow of a peculiar looking raft, floating against a backdrop of the New River Gorge Bridge at dusk. “Time for a whole new level of multisport,” the caption read. A paddler and cyclist at heart,

that’s when I knew I wanted in on this packrafting thing. It was the perfect marriage of two worlds I never expected could overlap. In the past, I had certainly seen plenty of inflatable kayaks on the river, but never a packraft and definitely not a packraft with a bike secured to its bow. If these one-man rafts were so popular elsewhere in the country, why not here in the Southeast and MidAtlantic where the paddling season is longer and warmer?

The Adventure

Thus, the idea of a bikepacking packrafting (say that five times fast) trip was born. After securing a couple of Alpacka packrafts from Packraft America for myself and our third partner-in-grime, Annie Simcoe, the only thing left to figure out was the route. I’d like to say that we spent hours together poring over maps, orchestrating the perfect three-day, two-night ride-to-float, but the fact of the matter is that Andy, our de facto local and guide, literally threw the route together at 11 o’clock the night before. Of course, Andy had been scheming this trip long before I ever approached him about it, so plotting the actual route on a GPS was a mere courtesy to Annie and me. The plan? Ride from Fayetteville to Richwood, W.Va., on over 100 miles of low-traffic country roads, gravel roads, and rail-trails until we arrived at the banks of the Top

Gauley. From there, we would inflate our rafts and head downstream to where Route 19 crosses Summersville Lake, at which point we would pack up the rafts and ride 20 breezy miles back to town. Like any good adventure, our trip was destined for trouble before we even left. More than four inches of rain had dumped on southern West Virginia in the days leading up to our departure, and more was expected on day two of our journey. But when I finally mounted my loaded bike after a sheet-twisting sleepless night, rain was the last thing on my mind.

Day ONE The morning dawned crisp and cool. We rode single file over the New River Gorge Bridge, which hummed with the morning commute. As I gazed at the New flowing big and brown below, it was hard to believe that this trip had been the result of Andy’s packraft picture—the raft, the bike, the bridge. It was all unfolding

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Welcome to summer in the big, blue sky. Where hiking-boot-mornings turn to bikini-afternoons, fishing flies are chosen as wisely as swinging clubs, and the thirst for gravity and velocity never goes unquenched. Where a perfectly banked downhill mountain bike line is worshiped as much as a perfectly seared scallop. And where every day, without a doubt, is an invitation for more adventure, and more sticky memories. Welcome to summer on The Mountain.

snowshoemtn.com/mountainrules

CAMP, DAY ONE. JESS DADDIO

RELIEVED AND WEARY, JESS FINALLY HITS THE WATER. ANNIE SIMCOE

ANNIE SIMCOE DIGGIN' FOR A SNACK DURING A BREAK ALONG THE CHERRY RIVER JUST OUTSIDE OF RICHWOOD, W.VA. JESS DADDIO

beneath my very pedals. Soon, we veered onto Lansing Road and away from the screaming semis on Route 19. Within the hour we were cruising with ease along the loose gravel of the Meadow River Trail. When we popped out of the forest, giddy with glee, we were met with the sobering sight of Nallen, a now mostly abandoned community that had been all but wiped away in last year’s historic flood. Dates and high water lines were scratched above the blown out windowpanes of singlewides, a somber homage to a still-fresh calamity. We started climbing almost immediately and, with the exception of a few downhill reprieves, continued climbing well into the afternoon. Neighborhoods gave way to bucolic farmscapes. We passed through the unincorporated community of Nutterville, which was nothing more than a pocket of homes and one-room churches. Over the course of three hours, the only traffic that passed was a rusty tractor and a Jeep. By early evening, we had arrived in the old coal town of Quinwood,

population 285. With 30-odd miles yet to go, we restocked our water and candy supply at the B&M Grocery. Two guys in camo lingered outside by a four-wheeler. Feeling self-conscious in my lycra and neon yellow gloves, I hung by the bikes while Andy asked for better directions to the Beech Ridge wind turbines. Their input proved invaluable, shaving off eight roundabout miles of even more climbing. As the sun began to settle below the trees, we finally crested Beech Ridge. For a while, we marveled at a whirling wind turbine looming some 400 feet above us. Its breeze cooled the sweat on my back. We pedaled on, landing at a flat patch of forest along an overgrown logging road to camp for the evening.

Day TWO Braced for rain, we woke to a pleasantly dry and warm day. My legs felt used, but not spent. The next 11 miles were mostly downhill as we followed the Cherry River into Richwood. Had I known what the afternoon would bring, I might have

had a beer when we pulled into the Mountaineer Mart. By 2 o’clock, the rain was falling in heavy sheets. We had long turned off WV-55 at the confluence of the Cherry and Gauley Rivers and onto an access road of questionable integrity. At first we passed by summer camps and rental homes, but before long, it was just the three of us, our bikes, and the raging river to our right. One by one we navigated around mud puddles ranging in size from small potholes to lane-wide craters. The going was slow, but enjoyable. We were wet already— what difference did splashing through a mud puddle make? But the overgrown rail bed continued to deteriorate. Bigger, deeper mud craters impeded efficient riding for miles on end. The soul sucking, muddy sand pits stopped my bike dead in its tracks and I fell twice in knee-deep water the color of heavily creamed coffee. The “road,” if you can call it that, was littered with leaves and fallen branches. I desperately looked to the river in hopes of finding a nice

beach to launch our packrafts from, but the bank was steep, and the swollen Gauley River flowing high in the trees. We trudged on, slogging through stream crossings and picking our way over long stretches of baby head rocks. Eventually, we hit the literal end of the line. To our right was an unfortunately trashed, but level, riverside campsite. To our left, an impossibly steep four-wheel “road” (I use that term loosely) that climbed up and out of the river valley. We had a decision to make—float into the unknown on a flooded river, or hikea-bike out of there. It was nearing dinnertime, and with no idea of what lay downstream, we hopped off our bikes and started to climb. For a mile-and-a-half, we pushed our 50-pound bikes up 700 feet out of the valley. In many places, the road was completely washed out, and in others, so rocky and steep as to hardly justify being called a road. When we reached rideable terrain again, we mounted our bikes once more with a weary determination to camp as close to Summersville

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THE OG OF WEST VIRGINIA BIKEPACKINGPACKRAFTING, ANDY FORRON OF NEW RIVER BIKES. CHRIS JACKSON

Lake as possible. Thankfully, the rain clouds parted. As we cooked dinner and reflected on the 100 miles we’d traveled so far, the gray sky melted to night in a brilliant swirl of stormy mauve, the color of my bruised legs.

Day THREE During the night, a thunderstorm rolled in. Even with my eyes closed I could see the bright flashes of lightning strike the ridgeline. A light drizzle still spat intermittently in the morning, but we weren’t concerned with being wet anymore. It was our final day. Within minutes of leaving camp, I got a flat tire and Annie realized her paddle was missing a connector piece. No matter. After two days of lugging packrafts and paddles and PFDs up and over mountains, we were determined to paddle, no matter the obstacle. We changed the flat, stabilized Annie’s paddle with

some tent stakes and zip ties, and proceeded to load up the packrafts. Finally, we were floating. It wasn’t the downriver paddling adventure we had in mind, but still, we were on the water. Sandstone cliffs towered above us, reminding me of how very small we are compared to the natural world. And if those stoic rock formations hadn’t been enough of a reminder, the wind most definitely was. For two hours, we paddled into an angry headwind that only increased in intensity around every bend. The lake’s normally placid water lapped up and over the tubes of my packraft (which is not self-bailing). It took every ounce of dwindling energy I had to keep paddling. Stopping was not an option, for any lapse in forward motion would give the wind a chance to push us back. Parched, spent, and nearing the limits of my patience, we finally landed at a beach just above the

Summersville Dam. In an hour we had assembled our bikes again and were headed down the road. Were it not for the hot and noisy ride along Route 19 back to Fayetteville, I might have reveled more in our multisport success. After all, the packraft truly did add another element to the bikepacking adventure. But in the moment, I had three things on my mind—pizza, root beer, and a dry set of clothes.

beta on river trips near you.

PACKRAFTING 101

Bring a proper repair kit.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! CHECK OUT THESE 10 TIPS BEFORE YOU HIT THE WATER IN A PACKRAFT.

Connect with other packrafters. Packrafters are a rare and enthusiastic breed of outdoor enthusiasts. Check out the forums on the American Packraft Association’s website to ask questions, learn more tricks, and find

Don’t buy a packraft before you’ve actually paddled one. The average packraft falls somewhere in the $800-$1000 range, which is a pretty penny for people just looking to get into the sport. A much cheaper, and smarter, alternative is to rent a packraft from Packraft America. Rates start at $30 per day for a fiveor six-day rental. Prepare for the worst. If you’re biking, this includes materials and tools to repair not just your raft but your bike, too. “I always carry Tyvek tape and some AquaSeal,” says Spencer Williamson, Kennicott Wilderness Guides packraft instructor and Brevard Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education graduate.

Pack light. This is especially important if you’re

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Let Yourself Go.

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planning a bikepacking packrafting trip, as heavy bike frames can easily max out the packraft’s weight limits. Try to keep the weight of food and gear under 50 pounds total so you don’t sink the ship.

Invest in dry bags.

LEAVE THE BULKY RAFT PUMP AT HOME! PACKRAFTS UTILIZE A LIGHTWEIGHT BAG INFLATION SYSTEM. CHRIS JACKSON

It’s okay to be thrifty, but if you’re going to take the cheap road, don’t do it with your storage bags. Nothing sucks more than getting off the bike at the end of a long wet day and discovering your “dry” set of clothes and sleeping bag are now sopping wet.

Have straps. Lots of ‘em. A basic array of dry bags and cam straps are sufficient to get you through your early adventures.

Take a swiftwater course. Or, at the very least, join a local paddling club to get some hands-on whitewater paddling experience, says Roman Dial, author of Packrafting! An Introduction and How-To Guide. “Packrafting is still sorta a new sport,” says Dial. “You need to know how to swim, throw a throwbag, and ferry.”

Make a Plan B. Any good adventure never goes according to plan. So when four inches of rain dump on the river you’re planning to paddle, it’s smart to have an alternate route in mind.

Know the forecast. Rivers can rise and fall dramatically over a short period of time. Keep your eyes on the forecast before you set off, and if you’re unable to check the weather while you’re in the woods, ask a local if you should so happen to cross paths with one.

Ask a local. Even though Andy was our bonafide West Virginia local, he stopped to ask for directions. If there’s a short cut or a scenic route or a road closure, the locals will know about it. They might look at you like you’re crazy, but you are, so own it. J U N E 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

Hundreds of miles of discovery await you on Transylvania County’s legendary roads, including epic segments of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Come take us for a spin. VISITWATERFALLS.COM (800) 648-4523

Gear Journal - JUNE 20 RovR RollR 80

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Pack It In, Pack It Out WHETHER YOU’RE A HIKER OR BIKER, THESE TRAILTO-RIVER TRIPS ARE THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION TO PACKRAFTING IN THE SOUTHEAST AND MIDATLANTIC.

New River Trail State Park + New River

FRIES, VIRGINIA

19 miles 32 miles DIFFICULTY: Beginner trail, class I-III river TRAIL DISTANCE:

RIVER DISTANCE:

Winding for 59 miles in southwestern Virginia, the New River Trail State Park is a linear multiuse park that parallels its namesake, the New River, for 39 miles. In its former life, the New River Trail was a railroad rightof-way, which makes the present-day trail well graded and easy on the legs. With a number of boat launches, primitive campgrounds, and parking lots up and down the trail, crafting your own packrafting adventure is a logistical cakewalk. For a weekend overnighter, park in Allisonia. Strap a pack on or load up the bike. It’s 13.5 miles to Fries Junction, where you can pitch a tent for the evening. In the morning, it’s 5.5 more miles to the boat launch in Fries, where you’ll blow up the packraft and float back downstream to your car at Allisonia.

Greenbrier River Trail + Greenbrier River

CASS, WEST VIRGINIA

9.4 miles RIVER DISTANCE: 10 miles DIFFICULTY: Beginner trail, class I-II river TRAIL DISTANCE:

Though a few miles in the southern district of the Greenbrier River Trail are still closed due to heavy damage from the historic summer floods of 2016, the many miles north between

milepost 13 and milepost 80.4 are untouched. Take a long day in the woods and put in on the Greenbrier River in Cass. It’s a 10-mile float downstream to Clover Lick. The river here quietly meanders through the Monongahela National Forest, and though the rapids are small, the opportunities for fishing are aplenty. Once you take out at Clover Lick, roll up the raft, cinch it to your pack or bike, and hit the trail. It’s 10 easy miles back to your starting point in Cass, the literal end of the line for the Greenbrier River Trail. Extend your trip with ease by paddling farther downstream and utilizing one of the trail system’s numerous established campgrounds or trailside camping.

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

STEARNS, KENTUCKY

7 miles 10 miles DIFFICULTY: Intermediate-advanced trail, class I-III river TRAIL DISTANCE:

RIVER DISTANCE:

Spanning 125,000 rugged miles across the Cumberland Plateau and over the Tennessee/Kentucky border, the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is revered for its remoteness and wild, pristine beauty. Unlike the rail-trail trips suggested above, this itinerary is recommended for more experienced trail and river users. Though most of the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River is flat, there are a couple of larger rapids, namely, a class IV chute called Devil’s Jump. This rapid can be easily avoided by portaging around it on river left. Park at the Ledbetter trailhead to begin your adventure. As of 2013, the Ledbetter Trail was opened to mountain bikes, so you can ride or walk the two miles south to where trail meets river. After some light bushwhacking to get to the river’s edge, switch gears and load up the raft. The riverside camping here is phenomenal, but be sure to choose a site that is elevated enough to keep you safe from the possibility of

rising water levels. Your takeout is at Blue Heron on river right just below Devil’s Jump (which can be identified by the overlook tower above it on river right). Once you’ve packed up the raft, head back over the river toward Dick Gap and Big Spring Falls to your car at Ledbetter.

Potomac River + Chesapeake & Ohio Canal

HARPERS FERRY, WEST VIRGINIA 16.7 miles 18 miles DIFFICULTY: Beginner trail, class I-II river TRAIL DISTANCE:

RIVER DISTANCE:

Riding or walking along this part of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal is part history field trip, part adventure. Running for 184.5 miles in total, the C&O Canal traverses the Potomac River towpath, which once served as the economic and transportation lifeblood of the Mid-Atlantic. Begin your multisport adventure by parking at the Dargan Bend boat launch just outside of Harpers Ferry. Once you’ve inflated the raft and secured your return transportation of choice, be it a pair of hiking boots or a bike, it’s time to hit the water. The Potomac is relatively mild with the exception of a two-mile class II stretch of whitewater between Dam 3 and Sandy Hook. Continue on for another 13 miles past Sandy Hook under the Route 340 bridge to Point of Rocks. There will be plenty of prime camping spots before you reach Point of Rocks—we recommend checking out Bald Eagle Island for some truly unique riverside camping. Once you take out, pack up the raft and hit the C&O Canal for a breezy ride back to Dargan Bend.

Great Allegheny Passage + Youghiogheny River

OHIOPYLE, PENNSYLVANIA

12 miles 9 miles DIFFICULTY: Beginner trail, class II river TRAIL DISTANCE:

RIVER DISTANCE:

Hidden in the folds of southwestern Pennsylvania’s ridges and valleys

is the bustling whitewater hub of Ohiopyle. With a year-round population just shy of 100, what this quaint town lacks in full-time residents it makes up for in its seasonal paddling scene, which attracts some of the world’s best whitewater athletes. The most popular stretches of the Youghiogheny River here are the Lower and Upper, but for low river traffic and beginner friendly rapids, take to the Middle section. Park in the nearby town of Confluence, where you’ll launch your packraft adventure. From there it’s a mellow but fun nine-mile float to Ohiopyle. When you see an abrupt horizon line, that means you’ve arrived at Ohiopyle Falls. Take out on river left before plummeting over the 18-foot waterfall, which is technically allowed but only during certain times of the season. Deflate the raft, roll it up, and head back to Confluence via the Great Allegheny Passage. Don’t be surprised if your hike or ride feels especially slow—the slight uphill gradient can be deceptively taxing.

South Fork Holston River + Virginia Creeper Trail

DAMASCUS, VIRGINIA

32-41 miles 8-14 miles DIFFICULTY: Beginner trail, class II-III river TRAIL DISTANCE:

RIVER DISTANCE:

The classic Virginia Creeper Trail experience goes like this: hire an outfitter for a shuttle ride to the top, cruise 17 miles downhill back to Damascus, be home in time for supper. A much more interesting way to experience the same trail, and then some, is to incorporate the river that runs alongside it—the South Fork of the Holston River. Stash your car just outside of Damascus at Alvarado Station. Once you’re packed, head upstream. If you’re on a bike and not pressed for time, we recommend climbing to the trail’s terminus at Whitetop Station, about 26 miles from Alvarado. The trail climbs gradually and parallels the idyllic Whitetop Laurel Creek, so take your time and soak in the

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rhododendron-packed scenery. Camping is available for free along most portions of the trail, so long as it’s not clearly marked private property. In the morning, enjoy an effortless cruise back to Damascus, where you’ll put in on the South Fork of the Holston River below the Drowning Ford bridge. Depending on water levels, you can put on the river right downtown and add a few extra miles to your float. The continuous class II-III rapids are easy to scout from the bank or readand-run. You’ll be back in Alvarado before you know it.

Shenandoah River + Appalachian Trail

WAYNESBORO—FRONT ROYAL, VIRGINIA 107.8 miles RIVER DISTANCE: 95 miles DIFFICULTY: Intermediate-advanced trail, class I-II river TRAIL DISTANCE:

Looking to spend your precious vacation time on some hard-earned memories? Enter the region’s ultimate packrafting adventure. Popular among Appalachian Trail thru hikers as an “aqua blaze” alternative to hiking through the Shenandoahs, this portion of the Shenandoah River is floatable pretty much year-round. The outfitters between Waynesboro and Front Royal, Virginia, are accustomed to hikers ditching their boots for a canoe, but you won’t need to do either. You will, however, be required to thumb a ride. But what’s an Appalachian Trail hike without a little hitchhiking? Park near the Rockfish Gap Entrance to Skyline Drive where the Appalachian Trail crosses Afton Mountain. You can either arrange for a shuttle to pick you up off the mountain, or thumb a ride to the Port Republic boat launch a half-hour away. You can also put on the South River, a tributary to the Shenandoah, closer by in Waynesboro, but that will add some substantial distance to the packrafting portion. For the next few days, you’ll be floating the

South Fork of the Shenandoah River. Camping is available anywhere that’s not designated private property. Your takeout is the Karo boat launch just outside of Front Royal. Once in town, you can hop on public transportation which makes routine stops to where the Appalachian Trail crosses US-522. Follow the white blaze south back to Rockfish Gap.

French Broad + French Broad River Greenway

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 2.83 miles RIVER DISTANCE: 2.4 miles DIFFICULTY: Beginner trail, class I river TRAIL DISTANCE:

The French Broad River cuts right through the heart of Asheville and, as such, is fast becoming the city’s pride and joy. On any given summer day, the river is packed with inner tubers and paddlers out for a day float. Some of that energy is no doubt thanks to new greenway plans and riverfront development. Explore just a taste of the 140mile long river where it winds below West Asheville. Park at Hominy Creek River Park and load up the raft. You won’t find many rapids here, as opposed to section 9 of the Broad, but this calm stretch of water is perfect for first-time floaters and families. Your takeout is just a couple of miles downstream at the French Broad River Park where you can hike or bike along the French Broad River Greenway and be back at Hominy Creek all in a day’s time.

Lower Green River + Green River Game Lands

SALUDA, NORTH CAROLINA

1.75 miles 6 miles DIFFICULTY: Intermediate trail, class II river TRAIL DISTANCE:

RIVER DISTANCE:

Step up your packrafting game on the Lower Green River in western North Carolina. A gem of a run largely recognized for the class V Narrows section farther upstream, the Lower Green itself is a great float for boaters

of all disciplines wanting to learn more about paddling in current. Put in at the Fishtop Access parking lot on Green Cove Road. It’s impossible to miss, and will likely be packed with kayakers taking off the river after running the Narrows. From here it’s a pleasant six-mile float down to the takeout, if you’re willing to do a little road walking afterwards. If you’d rather skip the road walk, take out on river left when you see Green Cove Road cross the river. The Green River Cove Trail traces the winding path of the Green River back toward Fishtop. You may need to inflate your raft to ferry back over the river to the parking lot, but that’s the beauty of a packraft—it’s there when you need it most.

Cumberland River + Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail

All Out Blaze 2 EXC LUS IVELY AT MERRELL .C O M AND THES E PARTIC IPATING RETAILERS

CHARLOT TE, NC · CHAPEL HILL , NC GREENSBORO, NC · GREENVILLE, NC RALEIGH, NC · WILMINGTON, NC WINSTON SALEM, NC · CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

ASHLAND CITY, TENNESSEE 6.7 miles 6 miles DIFFICULTY: Beginner trail, class I river TRAIL DISTANCE:

RIVER DISTANCE:

Floating along the Cumberland River near Ashland City, you’d never know you were just 30 minutes away from the metropolis that is Nashville, Tennessee. Bordered on one side by the 20,000-acre Cheatham Wildlife Management Area and the Dyson Ditch Wildlife Refuge on the other, the river here is a sanctuary for urban dwellers and wildlife alike. Park a car at the Marks Creek trailhead parking lot for the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail. Whether you’re riding a bike or walking, you’ll need to make your way down Chapmansboro Road toward the river, where you can inflate your packraft and head downstream. It’s a lazy float for almost six miles down to the Cheatham Dam boat launch on river right. Hop out here and head up the street to the end terminus of the Bicentennial Trail. After a short jaunt along half graded gravel, half paved trail, you’re back where you started. It’s the ideal day trip escape from the bustle of city life.

L E X I N G TO N , K Y

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WILD, WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA

EXPLORE THE SOFTER SIDE OF ADVENTURE IN WEST VIRGINIA Stand-up paddle boarding— known as SUP—is one of the easiest watersports to learn. It’s a unique way to sightsee while testing your balance and working your core muscles. Check out these scenic West Virginia spots to give it a try:

SUMMERSVILLE LAKE Summersville Lake’s clear waters prompted Skin Diver Magazine to call it “The Little Bahamas of the East.” West Virginia’s largest lake is an ideal spot for beginners. With 2,700 acres of water and more than 60 miles of shoreline, there’s plenty to explore. You can also go rock climbing, SCUBA diving, snorkeling, fishing and boating. You can rent paddleboards from Sarge’s Dive Shop and Summersville Lake Retreat, or take a guided trip with one of the local outfitters to learn the ropes (and find the most scenic spots on this massive lake!)

POTOMAC RIVER SUMMERSVILLE LAKE

Paddle through gentle ripples on the Potomac River as you explore the region’s rich history. It was here at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers where our nation took one of the first major steps toward the Civil War: John Brown’s raid on the arsenal at Harpers Ferry. Paddleboarders also will find a variety of wildlife on the river, including blue herons, egrets and river turtles. River Riders has rentals and guided tours.

CHEAT RIVER The Cheat River Water Trail winds 40 miles through calm, flat pools and wide, shallow riffles, so you can lounge and drift a bit before you gear up to navigate the next set of mini-rapids. With nine access points, you can take a quick morning paddle to a day-long excursion past quiet farmlands and wooded hillsides. Several sandbars and rocky beaches make convenient spots to take a break. Get rentals or take a guided trip through Blackwater Outdoor Adventures.

SUTTON LAKE If you’re looking for a quiet place to be one with nature, you’re in luck. Sutton Lake is surrounded by more than 10,000 acres of public land. Created by the Sutton Dam, the 1,440-acre lake sits along 14 miles of the Elk River. You won’t see any houses or commercial developments— just miles and miles of pristine water and green mountains. The lake’s 44 miles of shoreline forms hundreds of secluded coves to explore on your paddleboard. Visit GoToWV.com to learn more about these and other must-see stops in West Virginia. WHY WEST VIRGINIA: Low-key adventure and scenic views make West Virginia a great trip for the whole family.

GOTOWV.COM

ADVENTURE WILD, WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA

YOU’LL FIND IT HERE. Whether you’re craving a rush of adrenaline on world-renowned whitewater or a peaceful day on a scenic lake, West Virginia waters are waiting. Grab your paddle - it’s time to make waves. Discover your next big adventure at GoToWV.com/adventure.

GoToWV.com | 1-800-CALL-WVA #GoToWV |

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ACE ADVENTURE RESORT, OAK HILL, WEST VIRGINIA YOUR WEST VIRGINIA PADDLESPORTS CONNECTION

ACE ADVENTURE RESORT, WV

MECKLENBURG, VA

Local boaters in West Virginia know something’s always running in the Mountain State. It’s why they joke the state should be called “Wet Virginia.” From the Class V rapids of the New and Gauley Rivers to the flatwater beauty of Summersville Lake, ACE Adventure Resort is your connection to whatever style of paddling you crave. Experienced boaters will find everything they need for their next excursion at ACE Adventure Gear, now located in downtown Historic Fayetteville, five minutes from the Gorge takeout. For those seeking a guided adventure, ACE offers whitewater rafting, inflatable kayaks, and whitewater kayak trips year-round on the New and Gauley Rivers. Family trips, group trips, couples getaways— we’ve got you covered. New for 2017! ACE is offering custom crafted Summersville Lake adventure trips that combine stand-up paddleboarding, rock climbing and sit-on-top kayaks. It’s a great way to explore the cliff-lined mountain lake famous across the country with climbers and boaters alike. Finish your day, mountaineer style, on our 1,500-acre mountain resort on the New River Gorge of West Virginia with on-base lodging, dining and our Mountain Lake Waterpark. 2017 CALENDAR UPDATES: ACE has an updated 2017 Fall Gauley Season trip calendar including full-day and half-day guided whitewater rafting trips on all sections of the Gauley River.

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MECKLENBURG, VIRGINIA YOUR VACATION OUTDOORS

You’ve got miles of trails for hiking and riding and a beautiful 50,000-acre lake with 850 miles of shoreline. It’s no wonder most visitors spend their vacation outside in Mecklenburg County. Home to the Southern Virginia Wild Blueway, this unspoiled wilderness is also a short drive from major metro cities. The Blueway’s three rivers and two lakes are great for an afternoon in a canoe with the family or a weekend full of scenic fun with friends. Paddle hundreds of miles of wild and pristine waterways throughout Southern Virginia. History buffs will never get bored in Mecklenburg, either. Check out Prestwould, a striking plantation home in Clarksville. Visit the 18th-century Boyd Tavern in Boydton as well as several local history museums throughout the county. Mecklenburg County also boasts several charming small towns to walk around and enjoy. Explore a thrift store or boutique. Go to one of the local restaurants and enjoy homemade, artisanal meals paired with locally made beers, wines or spirits. They come served up with the perfect combination of our distinct Southern hospitality and a “Bless Your Heart.” NEW MECKENBURG EVENTS FOR SUMMER 2017: Attend the brand new Lake Life Summer Series: LIVE from Clarksville and held the first Saturday of each month, June-September.

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HALIFAX, VA

HALIFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA

DISCOVER WATER ADVENTURE

FRANKLIN COUNTY, VA

Grab your canoe, kayak or SUP board and head to the rivers and lakes of Southern Virginia. The rivers call to you in Halifax County. The lakes of Mecklenburg County draw you in. More than 100 miles of navigable river leading to 1,200 miles of beautiful lake shoreline await you. The unspoiled terrain and abundant wildlife provide a feeling of wilderness, yet the Blueway is a short drive from major metro areas. Are you ready for an amazing paddling adventure? DON’T MISS: Stunning scenery, world-class fishing and miles of true paddling adventure. This is the Southern Virginia Wild Blueway promise to you.

DISCOVERHALIFAXVA.COM

MARTINSVILLE, VA

FRANKLIN COUNTY, VIRGINIA

BLUE RIDGE WATER ADVENTURE

BARBOURVILLE, KY

Franklin County’s vibrantly textured landscape, accented by two lakes and four rivers against a rolling Blue Ridge backdrop, offers something for everyone. For lake lovers, Smith Mountain Lake and Philpott Lake provide endless opportunities for recreation and relaxation. Whether you prefer a gentle float, wind in your sails or a trail beneath your feet or bike, Franklin County presents an array of outdoor activities. This, sprinkled with family fun, authentic food and cultural experiences will help you savor our distinct flavor.

MARTINSVILLE, VIRGINIA PADDLE THROUGH HISTORY

The waterways of MartinsvilleHenry County have a lot of something for everyone. Enjoy a relaxing day of canoeing or SUPing on Philpott Lake, a 3,000-acre reservoir surrounded by the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains and filled with opportunities for fishing, hiking and camping. Or add a little excitement to your vacation by paddling through the rapids on the Smith River, a 45-mile stretch of scenic beauty flowing through the Martinsville community. Explore what was once America’s heart of textiles as you paddle the Smith River Trail System through Martinsville and neighboring towns. DON’T MISS: Be sure to visit on August 12th for the 10th Annual Smith River Festival.

VISITMARTINSVILLE.COM

BARBOURVILLE, KENTUCKY

RACE ON THE RIVER Historic Barbourville is as rich in adventure as it is in history. The Cumberland River Challenge Canoe & Kayak Race is an annual event, hosted by Union College U Canoe and Barbourville Tourism. Racers compete on 15 miles of river that range from calm water to Class II rapids. The winner will receive bragging rights and trophies for each divisions.

RAMBLE WEEKEND: Every May, rain or shine, there is a paddling, music and camping festival that includes a night float on the Blackwater River.

KEEP ADVENTURING: When you’re done paddling, take time to enjoy and attend some of our festivals, events, and parks, or take a hike through time on the Boone Trace, The Wilderness Road or the Warrior’s Path.

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LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

The mighty James River begins its epic journey to the Atlantic in northern Botetourt County at the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson rivers. The Upper James River Water Trail flows from its headwaters down and through the Blue Ridge Mountains in two of Virginia’s most scenic counties. The trail consists of nearly 75 miles of river, including a stretch of the Maury River up to where it meets the James in Glasgow, Virginia. With numerous public access points along the trail, paddlers can choose a short half-day float or a multi-day camping adventure. No matter your style of paddling, you can find a river in this part of Virginia that suits you. When the Upper James is at its normal water level, the trail includes mostly Class I and II rapids, which makes it an excellent choice for paddlers of all skill levels, including beginners or families with children. Some sections are even suitable for a leisurely float in an inner tube. Outfitters and expert fishing guides are available to help plan a perfect day on the Upper James.

If you’re ready for a good time on the water, then head to the Roanoke Valley in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. The region is home to numerous rivers and blueways that wind through the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and offer beautiful natural scenes. Paddlers will love the sights and sounds of the Upper James River Water Trail, a 45-mile trail in Botetourt County that includes 14 miles designated as a Virginia Scenic River. It’s a great spot to get on the water with the entire family, and some segments include Class I and II rapids as well as scenic valleys and rolling farmland. You can also check out the Roanoke River Blueway for an additional 45 miles of paddling fun in Virginia’s Blue Ridge. A popular spot for paddling and fishing, the Roanoke River Blueway is connected by many of the region’s public parks and greenway trails, providing the opportunity for outdoor adventures on both land and water. Get out on the water and see why Roanoke, Virginia was named a 2016 “Top Adventure Town” by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine!

PADDLE THROUGH THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS

LEXINGTON, VA

ROANOKE, VA

FLOAT ALONG THE WATERS OF VIRGINIA SCENIC RIVER: The first 59 miles of the Upper James is designated Virginia Scenic River, offering mountain views and awesome wildlife viewing.

LEXINGTONVIRGINIA.COM

VISIT THE WATERS OF VIRGINIA’S BLUE RIDGE

PLAN YOUR BLUE RIDGE DAY WITH ROANOKE OUTFITTERS: Twin River Outfitters provides gear rentals and guided trips on the James River. Roanoke Mountain Adventures goes to the Roanoke River.

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There are so many ways to see the Blue Ridge Mountains. On a beautiful summer day, the best choice is from the water. In Virginia’s Blue Ridge, the options include the Roanoke River Blueway and Upper James River Water Trail, plus two lakes and four rivers of Franklin County. Canoe, kayak,

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CHESAPEAKE, VA

WHERE HISTORY, NATURE, AND ADVENTURE MEET

CHESAPEAKE, VA

APPOMATTOX RIVER COMPANY, VA

You’ll want to bring your camera when you visit Chesapeake, Virginia. Capture the gorgeous cypress trees as you paddle along Lake Drummond, or enjoy a day exploring the historic Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. It’s as picturesque with its diversity of fish and birds as it is fun with miles of cycling and hiking trails. You may want to bring your fishing pole, too, because the Elizabeth River and Northwest River boast some of the best trout and bass fishing —and even crabbing —in the country. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: From charming boutiques and shops to eclectic places to eat and drink, Chesapeake has everything for every taste.

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APPOMATTOX RIVER CO. FARMVILLE, ASHLAND, AND HAMPTON, VIRGINIA

Established in 1977, Appomattox River Company in Farmville has become a destination shop with over 2,500 canoes, kayaks and SUPs on hand. There are also storefronts in Ashland and Hampton. You can find paddling professionals at all three locations ready to fit you to the right kayak, canoe or SUP, for your adventure. They treat customers like family. It’s how it’s always been done. After 38 years, they don’t know any other way. NEW HOBIE PADDLEBOARD: Stop in to try the new Hobie Eclipse Paddleboard. Hobie products offer unique, fun ways to get on the water.

NANTAHALA OUTDOOR CENTER, NC

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NANTAHALA OUTDOOR CENTER, BRYSON CITY, NORTH CAROLINA LEADING OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SINCE 1972

NOC has been home to legends since its founding in 1972, on the banks of the Nantahala River. Payson and Aurelia Kennedy and Horace Holder Sr. created the NOC with the goal of providing worldclass outdoor adventures in the Southeast. Now over 40 years later, the NOC has expanded its rafting to eight Southeastern rivers and operates the world’s most renowned paddling school. The staff is proud to have exposed millions of people to whitewater and outdoor activities from beginner level through Olympic athletes. As a leader in outdoor adventure, NOC has helped teach, train and support 22 Olympians over the course of 45 years. The NOC’s most recent Olympic contender, Michael Smolen, took his first strokes in front of NOC’s River’s End Restaurant. Today, the NOC’s partnership with the non-profit Nantahala Racing Club makes competitive paddle sports training accessible to youth across the Southeast. Visit NOC’s Bryson City location for unforgettable adventures, mountain lodging, paddling instruction, the specialty Outfitter’s Store, riverside dining and more. MORE ADVENTURE: The Nantahala Adventure Pass combines whitewater rafting, the zip line adventure park, flatwater paddling and mountain biking for a full day of adventure.

NOC.COM

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2:37 PM

THERE’S THE WAY YOU’LL REMEMBER THE RIVER. AND THE WAY YOUR KIDS WILL.

CMY

Summer is Coming. Are you ready?

Photo Credit : Brian Vincent

Get Geared Up at PaddleVa.com

Whitewater rafting adventures at Nantahala Outdoor Center are afternoons you and your kids won’t soon forget. Even if you remember them a little differently. Book your whitewater adventure today: 828.785.5110 • NOC.com

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TOWNSEND AND MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE

MITCHELL COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

Blount County is a water lover’s paradise. From the Little River running through the Great Smoky Mountains to Calderwood Lake near Joyce Kilmer Forest, opportunities abound to get your paddling fix while visiting Blount County. Grab a canoe and explore the beauty of the mountains by taking in a scenic journey along the Little River. Soak up the local history that revolved around this free-flowing gem. It offers adventure at higher flows for the advanced paddler as well a fun ride in a tube at low summer flows. Enjoy a summer adventure in the cool waters of our surrounding lakes and rivers. Paddle-boarding is also an excellent way to see all the natural beauty of our area. Take your craft of choice to Lake Calderwood, which features a turn-of-the-century Lake Tunnel that allowed a Southern Railway train to operate by the river bank. Boat access on Lake Calderwood is free, and you can find parking on River Road just downstream of the Cheoah Dam. Be sure to grab a bite to eat at Tapoco Lodge, especially their trout nuggets.

You won’t have to look far to find a chance to get your toes wet in Mitchell County. Whether it’s canoeing or tubing down the Toe River or taking a rowdy ride down the Nolichucky, Bakersville, Spruce Pine and Little Switzerland, there is something for everyone. Whether it’s a peaceful oasis or heart-pounding fun, you will find what you seek in this wildly gorgeous area. Do you know the Nolichucky? The tributaries headwaters of this mighty river begin on the slopes of North Carolina’s Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. From this peak, the Nolichucky flows into Mitchell County, along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina and through a wild gorge surrounded by flowering rhododendron in the spring and steep and stunning cliffs. The Toe River Canoe Trail—this stretch runs 37 miles along the North Toe River from Spruce Pine to Poplar. Paddle down Class I-III rapids as you pass through pristine forests and valley farmland. Keep on the lookout for wildlife such as the Great Blue Herons, hawks, turtles, fish and more.

PADDLE THROUGH THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS

TOWNSEND AND MARYVILLE, TN

MITCHELL COUNTY, NC

SEEK + FIND

PLAN YOUR ADVENTURE WITH SMOKY MOUNTAIN OUTDOOR CENTER: Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center can help you with tube rental and is a great place to hang out between trips down the river.

RIVER GUIDE: Call Mitchell County Chamber at 828-7659483 for a free guide with river access points, tips, and what to look for as you paddle the North Toe River.

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GAS AND POOP Two of America’s Most Endangered Rivers are threatened by fracking and hog waste BY WILL HARLAN

ake no mistake: all of our rivers are under assault. The current administration has stripped protections from the Clean Water Rule, allowing mining waste from mountaintop removal to poison our streams. Unregulated coal ash is leaking into rivers and drinking water sources. Fracking is making rivers flammable, and pipelines are planned to cross major waterways across Appalachia. However, two particularly threatened rivers in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic have earned a dubious distinction: one of America’s Top Ten Most Endangered Rivers of 2017. For the past 33 years, American Rivers has published its annual top ten list, and this year, North Carolina’s NeuseCape Fear Rivers and Virginia’s Rappahannock River made the cut. RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER, VA.

The Rappahannock River is the longest free-flowing river in Virginia, and its watershed includes all or parts of 18 counties from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Chesapeake Bay. The Rappahannock and its tributaries support a thriving regional agriculture and fisheries, and thousands enjoy paddling, swimming, and fishing. Shenandoah National Park, City of Fredericksburg Watershed Property, and Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge are all pristine, protected public lands within the Rappahannock River Basin, providing over 80,000 acres of permanently protected lands to the public for recreation. Unfortunately, the river and its clean water are threatened by industry interest in expanding fracking operations. Developing natural gas in this area would require drilling 46

THE CAPE FEAR RIVER SYSTEM PROVIDES DRINKING WATER TO FOUR MILLION PEOPLE. INSET: HOG WASTE LAGOONS ARE POLLUTING THE WATERSHED.

through the Potomac Aquifer, which supplies drinking water to three million people in Virginia. The Virginia legislature and local municipalities must maintain and, where necessary, establish strong natural gas regulations and zoning to protect communities, river health and clean water. There are currently approximately 85,000 acres in five counties leased for oil and gas exploration in the Rappahannock watershed. However, only one out of five counties has passed a land use ordinance designed to protect its environment and natural resources, residents, local economy, character and important infrastructure from the impacts of industrial gas development and fracking. In November 2016, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe approved new regulations that would require disclosure of fracking chemicals and baseline water testing and monitoring. However, representatives of the natural gas industry have been pushing legislation designed to weaken the new fracking chemical disclosure requirements. The first line of defense lies with local government, which has the power to establish local

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 017

protections to protect the drinking water for millions of citizens. NEUSE RIVER AND CAPE FEAR RIVER, N.C.

For hundreds of miles, the Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers meander across the state, offering amazing riverscapes as they travel through rural and urban areas. The Cape Fear River Basin is North Carolina’s largest watershed with more than 6,500 miles of navigable waterways. Combined, these two river basins have more than 10,000 miles of streams and rivers and contain nearly 400,000 acres of estuary. More than four million people in North Carolina—two out of every five residents—get their drinking water from the rivers, including Raleigh, Durham, Fayetteville, and Wilmington. In addition, the estuaries of these two river systems play a large role in the economically important seafood industry, accounting for more than 90 percent of the commercial seafood species caught in North Carolina. The Neuse and Cape Fear rivers are vital to supporting North Carolina’s $1.7 billion fishing industry. Now, clean water and public health are threatened by hundreds of

millions of gallons of animal waste from factory farms. The Neuse and Cape Fear River basins have endured two 500-year floods from hurricanes in less than 20 years, during which dozens of animal waste lagoons within the 100-year floodplain were flooded or breached, discharging millions of gallons of raw animal waste directly into the rivers. In 2016, flooding caused by Hurricane Matthew overwhelmed 15 CAFO waste lagoons, spilling waste into public waterways. The Neuse and Cape Fear rivers have repeatedly suffered harmful algal blooms, massive fish kills, and chronically low oxygen levels in two of the most important aquatic nursery systems in the world—the Pamlico Sound and the Cape Fear Estuary. There is a straightforward solution: move these industrial hog farms out of the floodplain. The North Carolina General Assembly must provide funding to make this happen. Allowing these facilities to remain within the floodplain is an imminent threat to rivers, drinking water, and public health.

BlueRidgeOutdoors

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THE GOODS

0 6 . 17

WATERFALL WARRIOR

CREEKBOATER BRAD MCMILLAN'S GO-TO GEAR BY GRAHAM AVERILL

rad McMillan isn’t new to professional kayaking. The 30-year-old boater was a raft guide at the NOC for 10 years, has been a member of the national team, and made a splash in 2014 when he ran the 70-foot Desoto Falls in an open canoe, earning the world record in the process. He still owns that world record, but he added a few more feathers to his cap in 2016, which was a breakout year for McMillan on the creek boat racing scene. He landed on the podium at the Northwest Creek Competition, pulled second at the Eagle Race in the King of New York Series, second at the Russell Fork Race and third at the coveted Green Race. 2017 is poised to be even better, as he refocuses on racing, while also trying to one-up his own open boat waterfall world record. “I tried to break it last year on a bigger waterfall in Oregon, but got ejected,” McMillan says. “I think I can stay in the boat this time.” We talked with McMillan about the gear he needs on the river. Here are his picks, in his own words.

NRS THROW ROPE ($59.95) Speaking of safety, this is super important if you’re paddling whitewater. It’s always in my boat. It’s good to have a couple of them, so that if you’re switching boats out, you’re not going to forget it.

ASTRAL GREEN JACKET ($270) I wear it all the time. It’s super comfortable, low profile, stays out of the way…It has tons of storage, with a clam shell pocket up front, four chest pockets and one big mesh pocket. There’s a spot for your knife and a quick release tow tether for rescue situations. That’s essential if you’re swift water trained. If you’re paddling difficult water, you should be wearing this vest.

DAGGER AXIOM ($1,059) This is my favorite piece of gear overall. It has a splicy stern on it, so you can flip over a lot and get wet and cool off, which is great in the summer. I’ve had one for about three years, and it’s my go-to summer boat.

ASTRAL RASSLERS ($119.95) I’m kind of clumsy when it comes to walking around the banks of rivers, so I like the high tops, which protect my ankles against the rocks. They also have great sticky rubber on the soles that lasts for a long time. Nobody else has been able to compete with Astral in terms of stickiness and durability. And these shoes aren’t heavy when they’re wet.

AT5 PADDLE ($350) This is a new paddle this year, with a bigger blade and a stronger stroke. There’s a larger surface area to the blade, which slows down your stroke rate and makes you think about what you’re doing. It caters to a stronger paddler, someone who can pull hard.

A COLD BEER I like to stay local, so anything that’s made in Asheville. If it’s in a can, that’s even better. Green Man ESB is probably my favorite. I love that beer. It’s hard to find in cans, but when I find it, I grab as much as I can.

MORE GEAR ECŌTHS MATHIS PHANTOM ORGANIC SHIRT ($64) Ecōths’ performance organic cotton blends with Coolmax polyester are designed to keep guys cool and comfortable when the temps heat up. As an added bonus, many of Ecōths’ button-up shirts have a signature Handy Cloth microfiber patch built into the front shirttail to clean glasses or phone screens easily.

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A FATHER'S CHOICE AN OLYMPIC PADDLER’S LIFE-CHANGING DECISION ULTIMATELY LEADS TO GOLD by JESS DADDIO

In 1924, canoeist Bill Havens had a choice: compete in the Olympics or witness the birth of his child. Bill chose the latter, and 28 years later, that child, Frank Havens, brought the gold medal home from the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. Today, the Havens family is still on the water, including the now 92-year-old Olympic medalist Frank.

eorgetown, Maryland. 1924. Brothers Bill and Bud Havens, former Mid-Atlantic wrestling champions, are standing at the threshold of a very different athletic benchmark: becoming the first canoeists to represent the United States in Paris at the Summer Olympics. It’s the first year canoe sprint has ever been an event at the Olympics. Bill, 27, and Bud, 21, compete against 20 other paddlers in the Olympic Trials to earn their place on a four-man canoe crew. For months, the brothers train day and night on the Potomac River with the Washington Canoe Club, preparing their physical and mental fortitude for the games. Bill, undefeated in both the one-man single and double blade events, has high hopes of bringing home the gold. But just weeks before the team is set to sail for Paris, Bill is forced to face reality—his expecting wife is due sometime in late July, the exact time at which Bill will be competing on the other side of the globe. The decision, though not easy, is obvious. Bill forfeits his spot on the team, and just four days after the games (at which Bud Havens and the rest of the U.S. canoe crew win three gold, one silver, and two bronze over six events), his son Frank came into the world. Bill never made it to the Olympics, though he

FRANK HAVENS POSES WITH HIS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL FOR A FEATURE STORY IN COOPERATIVE LIVING MAGAZINE. PRISCILLA KNIGHT

J U N E 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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RIGHT: FRANK AND JUNIOR HAVENS (SECOND AND THIRD FROM LEFT) IN THEIR ELEMENT, CIRCA 1947. COURTESY OF THE HAVENS FAMILY

continued to compete with his brother close to home. However, his sons Bill “Junior” and Frank, did. After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, the second generation of brothers qualified for the 1948 Olympics in London. Junior, largely considered the better paddler of the two, placed fifth in the solo 1,000-meter canoe race. Frank, surprising even himself, came home with a silver medal in the solo 10,000-meter event. Buoyed by their 1948 Olympic success, the brothers moved in together in Vienna, Va., to train for the 1952 games. Their coach was none other than their father Bill. Junior and Frank spent the better part of the ensuing four years on the water, training to compete together as a tandem canoe team. “Even in practice they were beating the world record,” says Dodge Havens, one of Junior’s three sons. “It was pretty much guaranteed they were going to get a gold.” But Olympic disappointment struck again during the winter of 1951. Junior, who worked as a schoolteacher off the water, was helping a colleague move a car that

had been buried by snow when he lacerated the tendons in one of his hands. In a matter of minutes, his chance for Olympic glory was gone. Frank, as his Uncle Bud had done 28 years prior, departed for the 1952 games in Helsinki without his brother Junior. With a time of 57:41, Frank set the new world record and took home the gold in the solo 10,000-meter event. In a telegraph addressed to his father after the games, Frank said, “Dear Dad, thanks for waiting around for me to get born in 1924. I’m coming home with the gold medal you should have won. Your loving son, Frank.” Frank competed in the Olympic masters division in 1956 in Melbourne and 1960 in Rome, but he never podiumed again. To date, Frank is the only American canoeist to win gold in a solo single blade event. Like their father and uncle, Frank and Junior continued to compete well into their 60s. The brothers, who preferred to race as a tandem team, regularly crushed the competition on both the national and international stages. “He was never bitter about it,” Dodge says about his father’s unfortunate mishap before the ’52

Olympics. “He was very proud of his younger brother’s success. They loved to race together in tandem events. They were pretty much unbeatable. Even when they were in their 60s and 70s, they’d high kneel [the traditional stance for canoeing] and beat everybody’s butts, even the 25-year-olds.” Between 1936 and 1953, Junior won 19 National Canoe Tilting Championships. Frank went on to be a six-time National Paddling Single Blade Champion. In 1985, at the age of 61, he competed in seven different events at the World Masters Games in Toronto and won every single one. In 1995, Frank was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, a testament to his storied past and countless accomplishments. Frank, now age 92, is still on the water nearly every day. Though he last competed in his late 80s with his son Dan, he’s proud to see that the spirit of the river has been passed down from generation to generation. Dan, age 65, and his son Sean have continued the tradition of training with the Washington Canoe Club. They both compete in the growing East Coast outrigger racing scene and

regularly place in the top three. Junior’s sons Dodge, Keith, and Kirk are also accomplished paddlers and hold multiple Whitewater Open Canoe Downriver National Championships. All three competed in the Olympic Trials for the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, but didn’t make the cut. Keith’s sons Zane and Zaak also join their father and uncles among the nation’s top canoeists and have been competing and winning National Championships since the age of 10. Zane has been serving off and on for the past year as a crewmember aboard the Hōkūle‘a, a Polynesian voyaging canoe that has been circumnavigating the world. “I don’t know whether it’s in our blood or in the culture,” says Dodge, but according to Frank, being a Havens family member is synonymous with being a canoeist. You can’t be one without the other.

Q+A WITH FRANK HAVENS WHAT’S YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF BEING ON THE WATER?

FH: We were all brought up on the Potomac River. We had a camp on

J U N E 2 017 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

EVEN AT 92 YEARS OLD, FRANK HAVENS STILL GETS ON THE WATER. PRISCILLA KNIGHT

the river and my grandfather built this place. There was a huge room where we could congregate and have meals and stuff. I can’t remember when I couldn’t swim, so I guess somebody must have taught me early. WHAT WAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH YOUR BROTHER, JUNIOR?

As a young kid, Bill [Junior] being five years older, I used to follow him around like a puppy. He was the man. In high school he was Mr. Everything. He had such a reputation. He was phenomenal at everything he did. My aim at that time was to be as good as my brother Bill was. My brother was my main competition for a long time, especially in training. Early on, Junior was the best that was around. Having him out there to push me, I’m sure I got a lot better because he was around. I didn’t get to the point where I could whip him until we were both Olympic caliber. HOW DID YOU END UP WITH THE SOLO 10,000-METER AS YOUR SIGNATURE EVENT?

My dad recognized early that Bill Junior used to push me hard in the 1,000-meter, but as I progressed, he recognized I had the capacity to do 52

longer distances. I was always pretty good in staying with it and being able to get into a rhythm that would move the boat. I did better the longer the race was. It just came naturally.

as you can and getting at it from your hip. It’s a rotation of your upper body from the butt up. My dad always said, “If you didn’t have such a big butt, you wouldn’t be as good as you are.”

for a squeaky pully at the podium, I’d have cried, but when they were raising the flag, the damn pully was squeaking so it got my attention. That thing should have been lubricated.

DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE WHEN YOU ARRIVED IN LONDON FOR THE ’48 GAMES?

HOW DID YOU FEEL GOING INTO THE GAMES? NERVOUS? EXCITED?

HOW SOON WERE YOU BACK ON THE WATER AFTER THE ’52 OLYMPICS?

We went to London on a boat from New York and came in at Southampton. When we got there, the Germans had been bombing Britain all during the war, so Southampton still had burned out buildings there on the waterfront. London was still a mess. They put us [the athletes] in an evacuees’ camp. We were over there for six weeks. That’s where it all started. I started to come into my own a bit at those games. AFTER THE ’48 OLYMPICS, YOU AND YOUR BROTHER DECIDE TO TRAIN TOGETHER FOR THE ’52 GAMES IN HELSINKI. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

We moved in together, bought a house out in Vienna, and really hit it hard for four years. He was a schoolteacher in Arlington and I worked for an appraisal company. We would train early in the morning and after work, two workouts a day in the Olympic years. I can remember paddling the Potomac when it was pitch dark but we knew that river like the back of our hand so we never had any trouble with it. Our dad was our coach and he pushed you hard. WHEN JUNIOR INJURED HIS HAND AND HAD TO GIVE UP HIS CHANCE TO GO TO THE OLYMPICS, YOU KEPT GOING. IN WHAT WAY DID YOUR BROTHER STILL HELP YOU PREPARE FOR THE GAMES?

We had planned to go to Helsinki as a tandem. We had trained tandem so long that I think I was able to increase my stroke rate which doesn’t sound like much but it takes some doing when you’re already paddling somewhere in the high 50s strokes-per-minute. To pick it up was something else. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR FATHER AND COACH, BILL?

High kneeling, it’s all about getting the blade in the water as far forward

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / J U N E 2 017

I was always in Bill Junior’s shadow, like all my life. Up until ’48, I had never done anything that was “outstanding.” When I won the Olympic trials that year, that’s when everything changed for me. The girl I was really interested in decided I was finally a keeper. Everything seemed to start working out then. WALK ME THROUGH THE DAY OF THE RACE, FROM THE START TO THE FINISH LINE.

I was behind at first. I didn’t have a great start. In the finals there were a dozen competitors. I think I was probably in the first five out there. I remember passing the German, mainly because he made a grunt when I went by. And then all that was in front of me was the Czech and the Hungarian. I could see they were riding each other’s wake a little bit. Every time we’d come to a turn, they would come as close to the buoy as you can. Really they were kinda blocking me out on the turns, but I was still in the top three, so as long as I hung in there I knew I could possibly catch them if I had anything left. When we came to the final turn, they let a little gap out while they were changing positions. I put the bow of my boat right in that gap and gave it just about all I could. When we came out of that turn and headed into the last 1,500 meters I was probably a deck’s length ahead of them. I could see them in my peripheral vision. I knew they were right there. I think I only won by 12 seconds. NOT ONLY DID YOU WIN THAT YEAR BUT YOU ALSO SET A NEW WORLD RECORD. WHAT DID THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT FEEL LIKE?

I was completely exhausted after this one. My teammate picked me up and handed me a flag and carried me around on his shoulders. It was quite an ending to a day. If it hadn’t been

I had a day or two off, then I had to go back to work. I raced the Nationals in Philadelphia the next weekend. HOW HAS THE SPORT OF CANOEING CHANGED SINCE YOU FIRST STARTED PADDLING?

The single blade boat that I raced in at Helsinki, you never see any of those anymore in world competition. They have a boat now that is so narrow, I don’t know if I could get my knee in it. We paddled 17-footers that weighed about 47 pounds, something like that. Pushing [a canoe] for an hour on one knee, well, we did it so many times it was just routine. But the boat I raced in Helsinki would not be comparable to anything they race today. YOU AND YOUR BROTHER CONTINUED TO RACE FOR MANY DECADES AFTER THE OLYMPICS. WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE RACES?

We raced the Canadian Masters for years and the World Masters. We really kicked butt in the World Masters after we were no longer Olympic-type paddlers. Of course, you’re paddling in age groups, so it got awful easy when you only had people within five years of your age to compete against. We went to Denmark and Sweden. We took a crew to Hong Kong, did an awful lot of paddling around the world. It was quite a life we had. DO YOU STILL PADDLE TODAY?

I hate to admit it, but I sit and do it now. I had a knee operation several years ago. I’m paddling a regular canoe. It’s a beast but I know I won’t have any problem staying in it. I’m not going today because it’s pretty damn cold, but I’m on the water most every day. OLYMPIC GLORY

Watch a video of Frank Havens' Olympic story at BlueRidgeOutdoors.com

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WATER WARS THREE STATES FIGHT OVER THE FUTURE OF A DWINDLING RIVER

by JESS DADDIO CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVERKEEPER

Born in the mountains of North Georgia, the Chattahoochee River is the economic and ecological lifeblood of three states: Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. But not all of the water upstream finds its way downstream, and for Florida’s Apalachicola Bay, that’s a problem.

t the Georgia state line, the Chattahoochee and Flint come together to form the Apalachicola. Florida’s Apalachicola Bay is responsible for roughly 10 percent of the nation’s oyster supply, and its waters are a safe haven for sensitive species like the sturgeon, shoal bass, and the blue striped shiner. But the oyster business here is suffering, due in large part to the pitiful amount of freshwater coming into the bay from upstream. For nearly three decades, the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) River Basin has been at the center of a tri-state water war between Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. The basin, which provides drinking water to over four million people, including 70 percent of metro

Atlanta, is a hotbed of recreation and biological diversity. There are species that exist only here, and nowhere else in the world, like the Halloween Darter, a small fish less than five inches in length that favors the rocky shoals of the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers. The Flint River is especially unique in that it flows unimpeded by dams for 220 miles, one of only 40

“GEORGIA HAS SPENT DECADES PERMITTING WATER USE TO THE POINT WHERE THERE IS LITERALLY A PERMANENT DROUGHT STATE.” —SELC ATTORNEY GIL ROGERS

other rivers in the United States to do so. It’s also the main source of water for agriculture in southern Georgia. It is for all of these reasons that the ACF River Basin landed at the number one spot of America’s Most Endangered Rivers in 2016. The problem has been decades in the making, and the solution will likely be, too. “If I thought there was some silver bullet to solve this overnight, I’d pull the trigger,” says Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers. “But I don’t see it.” Tensions over the Chattahoochee finally came to a head last year, resulting in the appointment of a U.S. Supreme Court Special Master to review the case between Florida v. Georgia. In February 2017, Special Master Lancaster recommended that the Supreme Court deny Florida's request to cap Georgia's water use, much to the dismay of Apalachicola's advocates. His report acknowledged that Georgia's water conservation methods have been "remarkably ineffective," but that ultimately, the Army Corps of Engineers, which controls Georgia's dams and

the amount of water leaving the state line, must be included in any decisions made over water use and conservation between the states. Though the ruling is not final, it is likely that the Supreme Court will agree with Special Master Lancaster’s recommendations. But that doesn’t mean an end to the water wars. The Army Corps of Engineers was not included in the current lawsuit, yet they ultimately control the volume of water released downstream from their dams on the river.

THE PROBLEM

“This tiny river is asked to do a lot of things,” says Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Jason Ulseth. “It’s one of the smallest rivers in the country that provides water supply to a major metropolitan city.” Despite Atlanta’s dependence on the Chattahoochee, the city largely treated the river as its dumping ground for decades. As metro Atlanta’s population surged during the ‘70s and ‘80s, so, too, did the amount of sewage the city

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was producing. So much so, in fact, that every time it rained in Atlanta, millions of gallons of untreated sewage spilled into the mainstem of the Chattahoochee. “The river downstream of Atlanta, two-thirds of the time, did not have enough oxygen to sustain fish and wildlife,” Ulseth says. “It was literally a dying river downstream of the city.” At the same time, a couple hundred river miles south of Atlanta in the lower part of the Flint River, center pivot irrigation entered the still-growing agricultural industry in southern Georgia. The irrigation system, which ultimately changed the way farmers farmed, was great for agriculture, but drew heavily on the underground aquifer and, consequently, the Flint River. “Almost one billion gallons a day is coming from the Floridan aquifer when sweet corn is in, and then we get into cotton and peanuts after that. It’s just massive. That’s the only way to describe it," says Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers. Back in Atlanta, the Chattahoochee's troubles seemed to improve. In 1995, the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper sued the city of Atlanta and demanded that the city improve its stormwater and sewage infrastructure. They won, and since then, the city has invested more than two billion dollars in updating its system. The Chattahoochee is now cleaner than it’s ever been, but the number of people who depend on its watershed only continues to grow. “Just the fact that you have this really large metro area sitting at the top of the river basin produces a lot of tension, and then the tension is increased when you have overuse of the water in other parts of the basin,” says Southern Environmental Law Center attorney Gil Rogers. In his 15 years of experience working on the water wars case, the only change Rogers has seen is the river levels, which continue to drop. “The reality right now is that Georgia has spent decades permitting agricultural water use to the point where there is literally a permanent drought state.”

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVERKEEPER

As of 2013, the state of Georgia had more than 6,700 water withdrawal permits approved for agricultural use. Unlike the state of Alabama, which has no formal water permitting or management plan, Georgia at least has some semblance of a water withdrawal permitting process, but it should be much stricter and take into account future climate change predictions, says Rogers. As Special Master Lancaster’s recommendations in Florida v. Georgia suggest, Georgia isn’t entirely to blame for the pitiful water levels in the ACF basin. Over the course of the Chattahoochee’s 434 miles, the Army Corps of Engineers operates a series of dams and reservoirs that compound the problem. At the confluence of the Chattahoochee and the Flint is Lake Seminole, which is formed by Jim Woodruff Dam. Due to increased demand for water in Georgia’s municipalities, especially during dry spells, the Corps has resorted to sending only the bare minimum of water into the Apalachicola. For nine months following the 2007-2008 drought, and for 13 months following the 2012 drought, the Army Corps released just 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) from the dam. The Apalachicola floodplain is disconnected below 8,000-10,000 cfs, which means the fisheries and oyster industry that depend on those freshwater pulses collapsed. “That’s a perfect way to fry an

estuary,” says Flint Riverkeeper Rogers. “When they [the Army Corps] flatline the Apalachicola River for months on end, it gets way too salty for way too long.” The Army Corps recently proposed its Final Environmental Impact Statement and Water Control Manual for the ACF River Basin, which had not been updated since the ‘50s. Much to the dismay of the basin’s riverkeepers and advocates, the manual did little to improve flows in the Apalachicola. Without some major adjustments to the Corps’ control manual, in addition to compromises and commitments to water conservation and efficiency across all three states, the river basin will continue to be at risk. “The longer we kick it down the road, the harder it’s going to be to solve it,” says SELC attorney Rogers.

THE SOLUTION

“The solution here involves private industry, local government, state government, and the Army Corps of Engineers all working together to produce good results for the citizens up and down the watershed,” says Flint Riverkeeper Rogers. “If any one of those entities is not involved in it, you’re going to have a failure.” That philosophy is exactly what spurred the development of the nonprofit ACF Stakeholders (ACFS) in 2008. The group brought together more than 50 individuals representing the water needs of cities, counties,

industries, businesses, fishermen, farmers, environmental, and recreation groups from all three states. After seven years of deliberation and research, ACFS published its Sustainable Water Management Plan for the basin, one that met the basic needs of the aforementioned groups. Though the plan was submitted to each of the states, the governors hardly batted an eye. “It’s really hard politically to make any kind of statement or take a position that would imply that you are willing to give up water or that you’re willing to put some sort of limit on how much water you’re willing to use,” says SELC attorney Rogers. “For a governor that has at most eight years in office, it’s just a lot easier to tread water, so to speak, and leave it for the next administration to solve instead of being perceived as the one to sell out his or her state’s interests.” For now, the future of the ACF basin remains in limbo. It is almost certain that the Supreme Court’s final ruling in Florida v. Georgia will agree with Special Master Lancaster’s recommendations, which ultimately find Florida’s argument lacking sufficient proof linking Georgia’s water mismanagement to negative downstream impacts in the Apalachicola Bay. That’s largely due to the fact that Florida did not include the Army Corps, which controls the water leaving the Chattahoochee-Flint confluence at Lake Lanier into the Apalachicola, in its original lawsuit. SELC attorney Rogers is certain that, pending the final approval of the Army Corps’ control manual, another lawsuit is in the foreseeable future, likely involving Florida, Georgia, and the Army Corps of Engineers. But no matter the litigation that ensues, without a tri-state, transboundary, multi-stakeholder management plan (like that proposed by ACFS) that requires increased water efficiency in all parts of the basin, it is likely that the industries, municipalities, and species who depend on this water will continue to pay the price.

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