Gauley river/wv raft trip
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,038
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From: NORTH JERSEY
Gauley river/wv raft trip
so my friends raft the gauley every year, and invited me.... ive seen pics, and videos, and it looks KNARLEY!!!!!!!
has anyone here done this, and can offer feedback!!??
has anyone here done this, and can offer feedback!!??
Last edited by rinkishJK; Jul 26, 2011 at 07:52 AM.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 347
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From: Orlando, FL
Did this last year with a group of friends and will be going back to do it again this year. In September and October they open the dam on the lake every morning about 9:00 to augment the rapids, then close it off every evening around 5:00. The rapids are fairly extreme when the river is running
Are you doing the upper, lower, or both. Last year we did the 2 day upper and lower with a campout between. The upper Gauley is where almost all of the Class 5 rapids are. The lower Gauley is like a cool down lap after the upper. This year we are doing the double upper. Run the upper on Saturday, rest up that evening at the hotel, then rerun the upper again Sunday. My butt is already hurting thinking about it. That is what takes the beating...your hindquarters. You sit on the sides of the hard rubber raft and those rapids give you a pounding. I am debating wearing several pairs of underwear to add some padding this year.
What company are you going with? Ace seems to be the big player there, but we run with NARR (North American River Runners). Not much difference between those two now as ACE bought out NARR and they share headquarters. But we are partial to the NARR guides.
Tips: get some gloves with good grip (I recommend water ski gloves) and a set of long sleeve and long pant lycra underclothes at your local sports outlet...I assume you are renting wetsuits, because you will need them. That water is cold!
Watch out for Pillow rock! Crowds gather there to watch the carnage...BTW, your last picture above...that is Pillow Rock.
Good luck and have a great time!
Sorry, I don't have any action pics on this computer, but this is a picture of our group at our campsite after running the upper Gauley last year (arrow points to yours truly). The picture was taken shortly after the closed down the dam for the evening, so the river was pretty calm then.
Are you doing the upper, lower, or both. Last year we did the 2 day upper and lower with a campout between. The upper Gauley is where almost all of the Class 5 rapids are. The lower Gauley is like a cool down lap after the upper. This year we are doing the double upper. Run the upper on Saturday, rest up that evening at the hotel, then rerun the upper again Sunday. My butt is already hurting thinking about it. That is what takes the beating...your hindquarters. You sit on the sides of the hard rubber raft and those rapids give you a pounding. I am debating wearing several pairs of underwear to add some padding this year.
What company are you going with? Ace seems to be the big player there, but we run with NARR (North American River Runners). Not much difference between those two now as ACE bought out NARR and they share headquarters. But we are partial to the NARR guides.
Tips: get some gloves with good grip (I recommend water ski gloves) and a set of long sleeve and long pant lycra underclothes at your local sports outlet...I assume you are renting wetsuits, because you will need them. That water is cold!
Watch out for Pillow rock! Crowds gather there to watch the carnage...BTW, your last picture above...that is Pillow Rock.
Good luck and have a great time!
Sorry, I don't have any action pics on this computer, but this is a picture of our group at our campsite after running the upper Gauley last year (arrow points to yours truly). The picture was taken shortly after the closed down the dam for the evening, so the river was pretty calm then.
Last edited by Paul R; Jul 26, 2011 at 09:30 AM. Reason: added pic
Thread Starter
JK Jedi
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 1
From: NORTH JERSEY
Did this last year with a group of friends and will be going back to do it again this year. In September and October they open the dam on the lake every morning about 9:00 to augment the rapids, then close it off every evening around 5:00. The rapids are fairly extreme when the river is running
Are you doing the upper, lower, or both. Last year we did the 2 day upper and lower with a campout between. The upper Gauley is where almost all of the Class 5 rapids are. The lower Gauley is like a cool down lap after the upper. This year we are doing the double upper. Run the upper on Saturday, rest up that evening at the hotel, then rerun the upper again Sunday. My butt is already hurting thinking about it. That is what takes the beating...your hindquarters. You sit on the sides of the hard rubber raft and those rapids give you a pounding. I am debating wearing several pairs of underwear to add some padding this year.
What company are you going with? Ace seems to be the big player there, but we run with NARR (North American River Runners). Not much difference between those two now as ACE bought out NARR and they share headquarters. But we are partial to the NARR guides.
Tips: get some gloves with good grip (I recommend water ski gloves) and a set of long sleeve and long pant lycra underclothes at your local sports outlet...I assume you are renting wetsuits, because you will need them. That water is cold!
Watch out for Pillow rock! Crowds gather there to watch the carnage...BTW, your last picture above...that is Pillow Rock.
Good luck and have a great time!
Sorry, I don't have any action pics on this computer, but this is a picture of our group at our campsite after running the upper Gauley last year (arrow points to yours truly). The picture was taken shortly after the closed down the dam for the evening, so the river was pretty calm then.
Are you doing the upper, lower, or both. Last year we did the 2 day upper and lower with a campout between. The upper Gauley is where almost all of the Class 5 rapids are. The lower Gauley is like a cool down lap after the upper. This year we are doing the double upper. Run the upper on Saturday, rest up that evening at the hotel, then rerun the upper again Sunday. My butt is already hurting thinking about it. That is what takes the beating...your hindquarters. You sit on the sides of the hard rubber raft and those rapids give you a pounding. I am debating wearing several pairs of underwear to add some padding this year.
What company are you going with? Ace seems to be the big player there, but we run with NARR (North American River Runners). Not much difference between those two now as ACE bought out NARR and they share headquarters. But we are partial to the NARR guides.
Tips: get some gloves with good grip (I recommend water ski gloves) and a set of long sleeve and long pant lycra underclothes at your local sports outlet...I assume you are renting wetsuits, because you will need them. That water is cold!
Watch out for Pillow rock! Crowds gather there to watch the carnage...BTW, your last picture above...that is Pillow Rock.
Good luck and have a great time!
Sorry, I don't have any action pics on this computer, but this is a picture of our group at our campsite after running the upper Gauley last year (arrow points to yours truly). The picture was taken shortly after the closed down the dam for the evening, so the river was pretty calm then.
wow thanks for the great info!!!! i was figuring the water is cold..
i dont know to much about this yet. im waiting for my friend to get back to me with all the details.
thats crazy that they open a dam to create all that!!! i know the season is short.
i think there thinking of a camping overnight trip on upper...
There using narr. Also just running upper only. One day on river.