Where to Park: GAF 2013

To make your visit as enjoyable as possible, please read the following information about parking before traveling to NOC for the Guest Appreciation Festival on September 27-29.  This is the official event parking plan: 

• We expect most guests will be able to park on-site on Friday and Sunday. When you arrive at NOC, drive across the bridge and let our friendly parking staff direct you to an open spot. Please take their advice, and park efficiently so everyone can park on-property.

• If on-property parking is full--as we expect for Saturday morning and afternoon--we will have convenient satellite lots open within one or two miles of the event site. We'll also provide easy, dependable shuttles to the event for all visitors parking in these lots. 
• If coming from the east (Asheville, Charlotte, etc.) you will see "Event Parking" signs directing you to the open lot at the Gem Mine which is visible from the main highway. 
• If coming from the west (Chattanooga, Knoxville, etc.) you will drive past NOC where a parking attendant will direct you to the Gem Mine by following the signs. 
• From here you will have shuttles available for the duration of the event.   Event shuttles will drop off and pick up at the NOC General Store on a continuous schedule until 7pm. The Gem Mine is just up the street, so riding a shuttle is often easier and more convenient than searching every nook and cranny of NOC for a space.
  
  As a reminder, please don't park alongside Silvermine road. We've seen too many festival attendees get tickets on this road over the years, even though it looks like there are pullouts. 

NOC is also offering free shuttles to the Wayah Forest Service Put-In for those who choose to leave their cars off-property while they are on the river. We usually do this as a thank you to guests helping us avoid a parking crunch during Saturday at GAF. In other words, if you paddle into GAF we'd be glad to drive you back to your car when you're finished. (Just make sure you catch the last rafting bus headed to the put in around 3:30. With all the extra traffic on the river, it should be pretty easy to thumb a ride to the top with another boater this weekend anyway.)

Finally, NOC, in partnership with Endless River Adventures, is offering free shuttles for paddlers running the Upper Nantahala and Cascades section of the Nantahala River on Saturday and Sunday.  Upper shuttles will run from 10am to 4pm. Please "RSVP" for a shuttle by going to the event's Facebook page and letting our staff know your plans. We're just trying to get a good idea of demand; we don't need specific times,

Please note that all GAF remote parking lots close at 7pm. We’d love for you to stay to enjoy the free live music and dancing, so please make your way up to the lots as the afternoon progresses to move your car back down to the center. It’ll make life easier for you when it’s time to go home.

Thanks for planning ahead!

Live Music lined up well into the evening on Friday and Saturday

Check Out What's Happening: GAF 2013

Every year, NOC celebrates another great season of outdoor recreation by offering unbeatable deals on gear and apparel and by providing a weekend full of free, fun outdoor lifestyle events. This is our famous Guest Appreciation Festival, or simply "GAF."

Here are the top 6 things to look forward to during GAF weekend, September 27-29, at NOC:

1. Family-Friendly Activities - With a variety of kid's activities, GAF is a perfect time to bring the family to NOC for a beautiful fall weekend! This year we will have a bounce house, face painting, button making, coloring, games and much more for the whole family to enjoy.  Last year, the kids activities were on the tennis courts, but this year they will be closer to the festival, making it easier for parents to play too!
2. Snakes, Stories and Survival - Join Steve Longenecker for a hands-on lesson about snakes living in our region and around the world, Tim Hall for exciting, humorous mountain-themed stories and Appalachian folktales or sit in for a lesson on how to survive in the wilderness, courtesy of NOC's Survival School.
3. Discount on NOC Activities - As a thank you for your support and loyalty to NOC, we invite you to go whitewater rafting down the Nantahala River, take a ride on the Mountaintop Zip Line Tour or challenge yourself in the Zip Line Adventure Park for 15% off! Reserve your trip for GAF weekend, September 27-29, and use code "GAF15" to redeem this special discount.
4. Upper Nantahala and Cascade Releases - If you are a class IV-V kayaker, this weekend is perfect for you! The Upper Nantahala and Cascades Section of the Nantahala River will be running on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5 pm.  We are offering free shuttles for this release in partnership with Endless River Adventures.  Sign up here to give us an idea of how many people to expect for the shuttles!
5. Of Course, the Gear Sales - Get your outdoor gear from NOC's Used Gear Sale or the Guest Gear Marketplace at some of the lowest prices you will find.  From paddling and rafting gear to clothing and accessories, these marketplaces will have something for everyone! To sign up for a booth to sell your own gear, click here.
6. U.S. Slalom National Championships - Watch the nation's best racers carve up the exciting Nantahala Falls course on Saturday and Sunday morning. The winners will be crowned the national champions for 2013, so the competition will be fierce. Find out more from the Nantahala Racing Club. 

Soar above the tree tops on the Mountaintop Zip Line Tour

Thanks for another great season! We look forward to seeing you at GAF.

For more information and a full schedule for GAF 2013, click here.

Nantahala Bridge Dedication Honors NOC Staff Member's Heroism

Earlier this summer, members of the Nantahala River community gathered to honor NOC's Vice President of Operations, Rob Kelly, for his heroic rescue on the Upper Nantahala last September. In a ceremony held at the Mystic River development, representatives from the Mystic Lands community dedicated their bridge over the Nantahala to commemorate Rob's selfless act and his quick action.

On behalf of the Mystic Lands homeowners Ami Shinitzky made the following remarks:

"Heroes in literature and mythology have always had roles that go farther and deeper than surface plots would suggest. Acts of heroism are acts of transcendence. These are moments in which we exceed our normal or habitual capacity, reaching heights that set new standards for ourselves, and even for all mankind.

Though mostly isolated acts, these heroic acts are important nonetheless, for they reassure us of our hidden reservoirs of strength, even if we do not often tap into them. When we cheer for heroes, we cheer for ourselves, for heroes are the harbingers of the greatness within mankind that is in our collective future to come.

Heroic acts may be as private as holding the hand of a dying friend, or as spectacular as jumping into the rushing whitewater river to rescue a drowning fellow human being. With hardly a thought that both might perish, on that last Saturday of September 2012, that moment of singular supreme courage is what Rob Kelly displayed to the wonderment and admiration of us all.

While we gratefully acknowledge the contributions of others to this memorable rescue, it is your singular yet modest display of heroism, Rob, that hereby shall be memorialized so as to inspire the countless, nay millions, who will raft or kayak down our beloved Nantahala under this Mystic River bridge. A bridge that from this time on shall be known as the Rob Kelly Bridge, underscoring an act of human triumph that you selflessly and heroically displayed: COURAGE!

And who better to dedicate the Rob Kelly Bridge than Sue Martin, for whom what was going to be but another adventurous run down the Upper Nantahala, transformed from a near certain death, to a life where joys, small and large, and not the least the joys of motherhood of her two children, are hers to savor again.

It is our honor to know and celebrate you, Rob."

The ceremony took place on June 30 led by Sue Martin, the rescued paddler. The bridge is located between Patton's Run and Ferebee Park. Look for it next time you paddle the Nantahala, and use it as a reminder to be alert and aware of the other paddlers on the river.

Guest Appreciation Festival 2012: Recap

Cascades, Cascades, Cascades
Some paddlers described it as pure chaos, or even a circus, but the Cascades release was definitely one of the biggest highlights during GAF weekend.  Providing entertainment, personal "first D’s" and what seemed like endless whitewater laps for some, the Cascades were on a-whole-'nother level this weekend.

Hunt Jennings (Yellow) and Matt Anger (Blue) during one of their thirty laps down the Cascades

Being the first recreational release for the Upper Nantahala and Cascades, this past weekend felt like Christmas for many. Boaters came from all over the region to paddle this section of river that is usually dependent on rain fall.

Many of you have requested the photos and video from the release so here they are! To find your photo click here and enjoy!

On Saturday night, The Pourover Pub hosted everyone to watch the Carnage Video from the Saturday release. If you happened to miss it, you can witness some of the chaos for yourself here:

NOC would like to thank everyone who helped with the safety of both spectators and paddlers on the Upper and Cascades during the event. With the extra efforts put in by many, the majority of the release went very smoothly.

Mini Music Festival
With 5 bands performing at GAF, NOC campus felt like a mini music festival!  From mid-afternoon to the wee hours of the night, guests were dancing on the banks of the Nantahala River. The bands fueled the crowd for hours resulting in smiles, laughs and very unique dance moves.

After the live music, the GAF attendees took over the stage during the Ride Garden Dance Party. After a day full of paddling it's amazing so many folks had multiple hours of dancing in them!

And of Course, The Gear Sale
With the combined 30 vendors, 15 private vendors and the Outfitter's Store sales, there were TONS of great deals from this weekend.  If you were looking for boats, gear, or accessories, hopefully you found it in the Marketplace.

The Marketplace was buzzing with energy during GAF.  The atmosphere was full of guests interacting and sharing memories, stories and advice.  It was a great chance to learn about folks interested in similar activities and meet some all around good people!

Take a look at some scenes from GAF 2012 here:

These are just a few highlights from GAF 2012, some others include: learning from Steve Longnecker's birds of prey, wilderness fire starting clinics, stories from Ms. Connie Regan-Blake and much more.  Let us know what you liked the most! GAF 2013 is just around the bend.