Ida's Remnants Fill Dewatered Nantahala Along with Rest of WNC's Whitewater Runs

The Nantahala River (picture above), typically flowing at scenic but scanty levels this fall due to Duke Energy's Nantahala Plant maintance, is at robust high water levels this morning, along with every other runnable stratch of river in WNC after the remnants of Hurricane Ida passed over the region yesterday. Though we predicted last week would be the year's best whitewater week, thanks to the abundant rain, the Green River Narrows Race and the releases on the Tallulah and the Cheoah, it's hard to imagine a more ideal rain scenario. The rains came down evenly and steadily, slowly saturating the already wet watersheds, so we expect many of these flows to hold for the weekend, though the micro creeks will flush out sooner.

Micro creeks really are the story here. Below is a photo of Wesser Creek, a small roadside creek in the Nantahala Gorge that usually has about six inches of water in it. Today it looks really fun! Check out the waterfall dumping into the Nantahala below Worser Wesser. (Be careful on these micro creeks. You can see trees in the middle of the waterfall; running these creeks presents numerous unusual and dangerous challenges and hazards.)
I won't try to enumerate all the rivers that are going off today since American Whitewater already has that info here. Some highlights? Big Laurel, near Hot Springs looks awesome right now, and you'll get to finish the run on the swollen French Broad. I'm a big fan of the creek to river transition on this run. The easier sections of the Watauga look good right now as well as the typical Nantahala run, though it's at a high 2380 cfs . Many of the big runs, like Big Creek need to come back down, so if you can't make it today, that's cool. The Nolichucky at 5900 cfs would be a good way to spend the day waiting.

Check out some of the runs our Nantahala staff like when it's wet: Snowbird Creek, Santeetlah Creek and Slickrock Creek up near Joyce Kilmer if you're looking for something new. (These are way "out there" and there's not much info available. You'll need to be excellent to do the harder sections of these runs and very aware of your capeabilities to do the easier sections. AW and Boatertalk are the best places to get the skinny on these runs.)

Running flooded rivers and newly energized micro creeks not your thing? The other good news is the abundance of waterfalls that appear (sometimes out of nowhere) in WNC after a good rain. For instance, below is the waterfall across the street from NOC's Outfitter's Store that you really can't see on a normal day. So, if your significant other would rather not tangle with high water, s/he will have some nice views to check out while running shuttle for you.

Andrew Holcombe Wins Green Race in Record Time: Post Race Interview

NOC Head Instructor and Team Dagger professional paddler Andrew Holcombe bested his own record of 4:27 by nine seconds to win the 2009 Green River Narrows Race, the most compeititve and popular creek boating race in the world. The course, situated on the Green's steepest mile (which drops over 342 feet) takes paddlers over numerous Class V rapids, including the dramatic 18' Gorilla. (See photo of Leland Davis from AW's Green River page.)

We caught up with Andrew around noon today to ask some questions about his awesome run on Saturday:

NOC: So, How did you feel about beating your own record? Did your 2009 run feel that much better than the '07 run?

AH: At the time I wasn't sure if it was that much faster, but I knew it was better. I had better lines [than in '07]. In '07 there were obvious spots where I could have had a cleaner line. Also, I feel like I was in much better shape this year. I'm a lot stronger this year.

NOC: Did the water level make a difference?

AH: It was at a really good 100, and higher water makes you go faster, but in some places higher water does make things harder.

NOC: What about your boat? You were in a prototype of the Greenboat in 2007, right?

AH: Yeah, and the prototype was faster in a straight line, but the production Greenboat is much easier to paddle. Plus, you know, we've been in the Greenboat for three years now. That certainly helps.

NOC: Shaving 9 seconds off the record is really impressive. That's almost 3.5% of your record run. Can you do that again?

AH: I still think you can go faster, but there was only one place my line could have been cleaner (I kind of plugged at Powerslide). Overall though, my lines were very good, and of course there were a couple of places where I wish I didn't hit a couple of rocks, but to beat my time I'm just going to have to paddle harder. The lines aren't going to get much cleaner.

Introducing Taylor Cote

Hello everyone! Wayner your friendly NOC Ambassador here. I wanted to introduce you to one of the faces from our kids and teens programs Taylor Cote. She is the recipient of the NOC Photo scholarship at the New River Academy. This fall she will be sending her updates from beautiful Chile. We invite you to follow along with her adventures as she travels the world studying and paddling. Enjoy...

"Kayaking. Such a simple word, yet it is everything that I am now.

Paddling has helped me grow up from my younger years into the teen that I am now. Boating has brought me through so much. Kayaking is that good output instead of getting into the mess and sickness the world has. It gives me the confidence to walk with my head high everyday even in the gloom. I love to be me and be my own little individual in this huge world.” ‘I Am Significant!,' screamed the dust speck” –Calvin and Hobbes.

Kayaking has given me many friends. I definitely have made friendships that will last a lifetime. Then there is the trust between those friends especially, when you need them in the scariest of rapids- but also during our regular everyday lives. The amazing rescues we’ve done to get each other out of trouble on the river have helped us bond together. I’ve even seen my kayaking buddies weddings seeing them getting married. I probably wouldn’t have met all these amazing people if it hadn’t been for kayaking.

Kayaking gives me my individuality because really, how many girls kick ass like me on the water? Have the guts to drop into the holes on the Ottawa? How many girls have hucked themselves off Short Creek Falls? The aroma of the outdoors is spread all throughout me, with the mountaineering, mountain biking, and a many other plethora of sports I’ve worked at. I still can recall the crunching of the snow under my mountaineering boots and crampons, leaning on that cold pick axe for support. Even though I do all those things, I still have those nights where I wear the prettiest of dresses; my dad taking me to a lovely musical at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Kayaking has brought me to many places no one will ever see, even in their wildest dreams. So far, it has brought me many places around the U.S., Canada, the Dominican Republic, and now even Chile. It lets me see the world."

Taylor Cote is a NOC Teen Camper and winner of the New River Academy Photo Scholarship. To read Taylor’s blogs click here.

New Course This Spring: Wilderness Survival Skills

Get ready for Survivor: Nantahala Edition! This April, NOC's Wilderness Medicine instructors are working together to offer a brand-new, one-time weekend workshop on Wilderness Survival Skills. The course features four of the area's top experts on survival psychology, shelter building, food sourcing and first aid, and will take place in the outdoor classroom of the Nantahala National Forest.

While the weekend is sure to be a lot of fun, you'll take away valuable survival skills including navigation techniques, fire building, signaling, preparedness and much more. Time is split between NOC's classroom in Kleinrath Hall and scenarios in the outdoors.

This course is a result of the many requests that you, our fans submitted, so book early! NOC is now taking reservations for almost all 2010 adventures, including Wilderness Survival Skills. Stay tuned to the blog for more announcements regarding new courses in 2010!

Nantahala Spills & the Best Whitewater Week All Year

It's no secret that the Southeast has been getting dumped on by heavy rains throughout fall. For paddlers, it's been a stellar season to get out and paddle big water on warm fall days. In addition to all the water in natural-flow rivers, Duke Energy announced last week that it will be spilling water into the Upper Nantahala channel in November.


From Duke Energy's Press Release:
With a prolonged outage at Nantahala Hydro Station and higher than expected rainfall, Duke Energy is expecting to begin releasing water through a gate at the Nantahala Lake Dam on Monday, November 2. On a weekly basis Duke Energy will post an update to our operating plan on the Nantahala Lake and Rivers website. Please note that the website will be updated by noon on Monday projecting operations for the week looking forward.

Thanks to Duke Energy for managing and communicating these spills on the Upper Nanty. If you plan to paddle this section of the Nantahala, be sure to use caution when parking along Wayah Road. A little extra care in these instances can help safeguard future recreational releases and keep everyone safe.

In addition to the Upper Nantahala, the Cheoah River in far western NC is scheduled to release at 1,000 cfs from 9am-5pm Saturday, November 7, and Georgia's Tallulah River is releasing Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am-4pm. The Chattooga River has been running above 2 feet and the Nolichucky River is currently running well above 1,000cfs. For the latest information about river flows, check out AW's River Info Page.


Don't forget "the single most famous, most respected, and most competitive creek race on the planet," the Green River Race is this Saturday, November 7 beginning at noon. NOC instructor Andrew Holcombe still holds the open division record in the Green Race, and instructor Laura Farrell won the women's division in a tie last year. For more information about the Green River Race, visit this page on American Whitewater.

Anyway you slice it, this weekend's paddling prospects are looking awesome. Visit noc.com and vote for which river you'll be paddling in this week's poll!

NOC Encourages Use of Alternative I-40 Detour With Promise of Scenery and Special Discount

WESSER, NC (October 29, 2009)— Hoping to entice rerouted I-40 traffic onto western North Carolina’s scenic byways, Nantahala Outdoor Center is publicizing a “Detour Discount” that offers a 10% savings to thru-travelers staying in NOC’s lodging. The discount—which is good through the rest of the year and may be extended until the damaged section of I-40 is reopened to traffic—encourages travelers to use the “Southern Detour” as an alternative to NCDOT’s proposed detour.

NOC’s pitch to travelers focuses on the southern route’s scenic splendor, as the route winds through the Nantahala Scenic Byway and the Ocoee Scenic Byway—both designated by the US Department of Transportation as National Scenic Byways. “For travelers able to circumvent the Knoxville area completely on their way to and from Asheville and Nashville, the southern detour provides a less-traveled and more scenic option than the interstate” says Charles Conner, NOC’s Marketing Director.

The southern detour is actually 17 miles shorter than the NCDOT’s recommended route, which requires travelers to take I-81 to Johnson City and I-26 back to Asheville, though the southern alternative does take longer due to two-lane roads in the river gorges. Starting from Asheville, the southern route goes West on I-40, exiting onto US 74 in Waynesville. From Waynesville travelers stay on the same highway all the way to Cleveland, TN (though US 74 becomes TN 64 upon crossing the state line). From Cleveland travelers take I-75 30 miles to Chattanooga, and then take I-24 to Nashville. Other than two-lane sections through the Ocoee and Nantahala River gorges, the entire route is four lanes.

“Why not take the detour?” says Conner. “It’s fall and it’s magnificent out here. Being forced to divert through this beautiful area is more reward than consequence.” Conner hopes to see thru-travelers book lodging in a time of year that is typically NOC’s off-season. Travelers will be able to use the discount on both NOC’s cabins and motel rooms, situated in the middle of the Nantahala River Gorge.

National Geographic Adventure Chooses NOC for One of "25 Best New Trips"

National Geographic ADVENTURE’s November issue touts Nantahala Outdoor Center’s (NOC) 2010 Bolivia expedition as one of the “25 Best New Trips for 2010.” The August expedition—a joint effort with nonprofit Medicforce—aims to bring first aid training and medical attention to remote riverside communities only accessible by running seven days of class IV-V whitewater on the Tuichi River.

The list includes extraordinary adventures across the globe such as biking through Pacific jungles, trekking into the Arctic Circle and snorkeling with humpback whales in Tonga. According to the list’s introduction, “travelers want their dollars to do more—for others, for the planet, for themselves… [h]ere are 25 brand-new adventures, all of them just right for right now.” NGA labeled the expedition a “difference maker” trip, noting its objectives: delivering medical supplies, conducting basic physical exams and relaying information about common health threats.

Jono Bryant, director of Adventure Travel and Wilderness Medicine at NOC commented, “I’m elated that National Geographic ADVENTURE recognized this trip. It is sure to be challenging, but the rewards will be significant. This is a proper expedition that will have positive outcomes for people who live out of reach of traditional medical care. The trip is a totally new concept that has huge potential worldwide. I’m thankful that NOC continues to push the boundaries of whitewater by providing these new and exciting opportunities.”

About NOC’s Boaters without Border Expedition to Bolivia
The Bolivia expedition is the first trip for Boaters Without Borders (BWB)—a new series of unique, expedition-based trips conceived by NOC in association with medical relief charity MedicForce, combining NOC's whitewater expertise with volunteerism in remote riverside communities. Teams of kayakers, medical professionals and expert raft guides will travel to areas of remote jungle only accessible by rivers, training locals to treat basic medical conditions and recognize more serious ones. These individuals are then provided with a comprehensive first-aid kit and interpretative material.

The initial expedition to Bolivia explores the rarely visited whitewater of the Rio Tuichi, in northern Bolivia. This river flows through Madidi National Park, part of one of the largest tracts of protected land in the world. The 21-day adventure begins in La Paz and travels through the upper Amazon basin, with stops in remote villages to deliver medical relief in the form of supplies and sustainable education.