NOC to Offer New Whitewater Rafting Trips on the Chattahoochee River

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Big news! Last week NOC announced plans to open its eighth whitewater rafting outpost in Columbus, Georgia. The outpost will offer trips on a 2.5 mile section of the Chattahoochee River touted as "the longest urban whitewater course in the world." The trips will be the southernmost whitewater rafting trips available in the Eastern United States and will likely have an extended season thanks to the warm climate. Here's the whole scoop:

An NOC raft explodes out of the hole at the bottom of Cut Bait rapid on the Chattahoochee during a high-water  scouting run in Fall 2012. Photo by Mike Haskey for the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer.

Coweta Falls: Before the construction of the Eagle and Phenix and City Mills dams in 1866 and 1907 this section of whitewater was known as "Coweta Falls." Like Great Falls on the Potomac, the rapids in Columbus are caused by a fall line, a geological boundary where a harder upland rockshelf transitions to a softer coastal plain. When a river drops over a fall line the elevation change often creates an opportunity for whitewater rapids, like in Columbus. The removal of both dams will be complete in early 2013, restoring the river to its natural state and revealing rapids long hidden below the city's reservoirs. Because only one dam has been removed so far, NOC has yet to actually see the entire run.

Rapids: Get ready for everything; NOC expects to offer trips for all skill levels on Class II to V rapids. Why such a wide range? Because the rafting experience varies with the magnitude of flow running through the rapids. At lower levels the river isn't as pushy or powerful, though it still flows quickly and makes for fun, splashy rafting. The water levels in the Coweta Falls section depend on upstream hydropower facilities; if those are running all-out, the big flows on the Chattahoochee will produce major Class V rapids rivaling the Gauley, New and Colorado rivers. We expect the flows to follow a standard daily schedule offering family/beginner trips in the morning and big-water/high-adventure trips in the late afternoon. 

A Fall 2012 NOC scouting trip paddles through Cut Bait at a moderate water level on the Chattahoochee River  between Columbus, Ga. and Phenix City, Al.

Columbus: NOC will be the exclusive outfitter of Columbus, Ga., and we will be one of only two permitted outfitters running the Coweta Falls section of the river. Beyond rafting, NOC's planned Columbus Adventure Center will provide gear and apparel from leading manufacturers, advice for do-it-yourself outdoor activities, and reservations for additional outdoor adventures.

Learning a New River: Throughout the company's 40-year history NOC has led early commercial rafting operations on nearly every major whitewater run in the Southeast. Most recently NOC started commercial rafting operations on the Cheoah River near Robbinsville, N.C.—the nation's most challenging commercially guided whitewater rafting trip. The Chattahoochee's large flow variations and its unique urban environment provide NOC's guides an exciting opportunity. Full scouting runs will begin as soon as the dam removal is complete, and then NOC will begin training staff for a summer 2013 opening.

How to Reserve a Trip: Reservations to raft the Chattahoochee will be available by phone and at noc.com. Trips are not on sale yet though. NOC must first complete a thorough evaluation of the river at all release levels before we are able to provide essential trip planning information including age restrictions, exact rapid difficulties, fitness levels and trip length. Updates on the Chattahoochee will be available via NOC's monthly enewsletter and this blog.

One Last Note: All of us at NOC would like to say how excited we are to be in Columbus. NOC operates in many communities that embrace outdoor recreation, and we don't know anyone more fired up for whitewater paddling. The restored Chattahoochee will be a great recreational opportunity in a great city! 

ICF World Cup Preview

International Paddling Competition Comes to the Southeast this August and September

The International Canoe Federation (ICF) World Cup is almost here, and that means the best freestyle paddlers in the world are packing their bags for Tennessee and North Carolina. The World Cup consists of three individual three-day freestyle kayaking competitions in late August and early September, and it's a huge event for paddlesport enthusiasts.  "This is going to be a high energy event that will host some of the top whitewater athletes in the world," said Zuzana Vanha, NOC's Special Events Coordinator.

The ICF is the international governing body for nine paddlesport disciplines, including two disciplines that appear at the Olympics, canoe slalom and canoe sprint. This makes the ICF analogous to well-known organizations like FIFA (for soccer/football) and FIBA (for basketball).  Though freestyle canoeing like canoe marathon or wildwater racing, is not an Olympic discipline, it still has wide international participation and the ICF  sanctions and helps organize these events. For freestyle padding, the ICF holds a World Championships every odd year and a World Cup in the even years giving event organizers (like the Nantahala Gorge Organizing Committee) the chance to fine tune everything for the World Championships.

The 2012 ICF Freestyle Canoe World Cup will be the first international kayaking event held in the southeast since the 1996 Olympic Games, and it will be the first competitive event held here for an entire new generation of competitive paddlers. "This gives us an opportunity to really showcase and share a piece of Western North Carolina with people from around the world." explained Vanha.

A scene from the 2012 NOC Freestyle Shootout held in April on the Nantahala River.

Excitement Building Among Local Competitors

If you have been to NOCs Nantahala River Campus, you've probably seen the fleet of freestyle paddlers in the World Cup feature downstream of the Outfitter's Store. A majority of the time, that fleet contains some of the best paddlers in Western North Carolina, and nowadays paddlers from all over the Southeast are coming in to log time on the competition feature. Two local freestyler paddlers, Matt Anger and Pat Keller shared some insight on the competition.

Bryan Kirk throws a big "loop" in at the NOC Freestyle Shootout.

Anger, a fixture on Southeastern rivers and waves, is very familiar with the kayak lifestyle. "I'm looking forward to World Cup because this is going to be my first international event." Many other boaters in the southeast are also looking forward to testing themselves against the international competitors.  This year, Anger has been concentrating on advancing his freestyle skills, and he looks forward to meeting and learning from of the international paddlers participating in the event.

Keller, a legendary boater in the kayaking world due to expedition runs and impressive performances at the Green Narrows River Race, describes freestyle paddling as "doing a floor routine in gymnastics during an earthquake."  He is excited about the Caney Fork event (the first World Cup event) and looks forward to "taking his RPM max into the Rock Island hole and cartwheeling that 9 foot Goliath of a boat."  It's all about the fun for Keller, who says he'll bring his 'A' game for the competition.

"It's great to have an organization focused on bringing kayakers together on a set schedule. For a few years now the series of competitions set up has been nonexistent, it's great to see it back and expanding," voiced Keller.  The organizing committee is expecting around 200 athletes to compete in the World Cup events. The schedule for these events is as follows:

World Cup 1 - August 24-26
Sparta, TN
Caney Fork

World Cup 2 - August 28-30
Hartford, TN
Pigeon River

World Cup Final - Sept 7-9
Bryson City, NC
Nantahala River

Be Sure to Check Out One of the World Cup Events

Freestyle kayaking is impressive and easy to watch since it all takes place in one location. The World Cup Final will be at the wave just below the Outfitter's Store, so you can just park at NOC's Nantahala River Campus and see all the action from there. Bring your boat or reserve a raft trip, and you'll get to experience some whitewater yourself in addition to watching the pros. NOC will have live entertainment to keep the energy high all weekend long. So make some plans, round up some friends, and drop in for some world-class paddling!

River Leader of the Month – September 2011: The Other Side of Pat Keller

I do realize a lot of you already know Pat Keller or at least heard of him.  You probably know him as a big name in the paddling community, may have read prior interviews with Pat or seen footage of him on the internet, maybe met him in person or even had the opportunity to paddle with him.  Pat’s well known for his many paddling accomplishments including multiple first descents, Green River Race wins, World Kayak Freestyle Championships, river expeditions and the list goes on.  You can read about all of this in his other interviews.  But I’d heard there was much more to him than just all of these wins and accomplishments.  My mission: Meet the other side of Pat, the one that’s having fun while getting others involved in paddling.

Recalling the first time I met him, I didn’t think much of it.  Simply a really nice guy at the Dagger tent one demo day.  After that I continued to see Pat come up in cool videos and articles online and hear his name around town amongst my paddling buddies.  Even one of my friends that has been showing me the ropes (as I am just beginning to paddle) was stoked about having paddled the Green River Narrows with Pat for the first time a couple months back.  I didn’t think much about it and then realized, huh, this guy’s really trying to get others out there and into paddling, opening up, sharing his knowledge and leading the way as a role model for a younger generation of paddlers. 

It all began for Pat with his first experience on the water at age 3 when his father took him down the Nantahala River.  As a youth he continued to return to the Nantahala and progressed over the years to inflatable kayaks eventually getting his first boat, a Dagger Blast.  NOC is a home to Pat having grown up visiting the gorge frequently as if it were chapel.  But Pat was an active child involved in paddling, gymnastics, karate and skiing.  At age 9, when he tore his ACL all else ceased and he turned only to kayaking.  He began attending NOC Paddling School Youth Camps where he learned to steer, ferry and turn.  This made kayaking easier and allowed him to focus his attention on fewer things at once having the basic skills coming to him naturally.  “Learning to kayak is such a fun progression. A fun dance!” as Pat likes to put it.  “It builds self-confidence and awareness even with all of the real consequences.”  He pushes himself now by blending the skills he has gained from years of paddling across disciplines, combining freestyle, slalom and creeking to create new challenges.

 A Few Fun Lines on the Green River Narrows with Pat

Good role models are hard to come by in athletes these days.  We hear it almost everyday on the news and in the media about scandals: baseball player Mike Jacobs testing positive for HGH, Tiger Woods’ infidelity, Michael Vick’s dog fighting fiasco, and many more.  Pat desired to not only further himself and his paddling career meeting personal goals but also wanted to help others get into the sport and be a role model for paddling.   In 2001, he became an American Canoe Association certified instructor and began teaching at NOC’s Paddling School.   “To not spread the love seems bad. Everyone’s welcome.”  He continues to get friends and beginners out on the water even offering his own gear for use, showing the way and giving pointers.  “The life experiences paddling has brought me and the fun of it is satisfying.  Bring others in and you see it click.”

Pat is now living his life as a chameleon: working in the “real” world and continuing to progress his involvement in the paddling world.  He is a “suit and tie” at Merrill Lynch a few days a week working toward his professional career goals.  But he has “a foot in both worlds” and feels comfortable.  His passion for paddling continues to consume his free time.  “I haven’t lost who I am.”  Pat is a Dagger Team member, an Ambassador for American Whitewater and is working on his latest venture: a creek boating safety video.  “Your level of knowledge influences perception.”  Pat has plenty of paddling experience he has gained over the years and now he’s sharing it.  This year he’s looking forward to accomplishing a few personal goals as well and continuing his “Grand Adventure” with paddling in Mexico, getting back to the Green Race and skiing throughout the winter.  “My life is good!”  So, be on the lookout as Pat’s making waves and paving the way as a role model in the paddling community. 

River Leaders of the Month July 2011: Kristin and Sean Bierle

Here at NOC we're looking forward to the Camp Cup Challenge next Monday and Tuesday. The Camp Cup is an exciting youth paddling event that gets a dozen summer camps and about 150 kids on the water for a slalom competition and a downriver race. It's likely the biggest kids whitewater paddling event anywhere. And though we enjoy, welcome and support the event here at NOC, the fact is it wouldn't be happening without two motivated and committed volunteers: Kristin and Sean Bierle. They come all the way from Boise to put this amazing event together for the campers. Why? According to them, "It's one of the highlights of our year."

Sean, Pebbles and Kristin paddling on one of the Alzar School's recent sessions.

Kristin and Sean spend most of their time supporting the Alzar School, a non-profit school that currently runs three-week programs focused on cultural exchange, service learning, leadership training and outdoor adventures. Between these programs the couple is devoted to building the foundation for the school's first full academic year in Fall 2012. Kristin works as the school's Executive Director and Sean is the school's Head Teacher overseeing curriculum development and implementation. The school's main campus will be near Boise, and students will get to embark on two international adventures a year. It is a really cool organization, and it's going to be even better when it goes year-round.

So why do these educators from Boise want to put on a race in North Carolina? Well, Kristin is a Tar Heel from Cornelius, NC who grew up paddling and going on outdoor adventures with her father. When she was 13, her father bought her a kayak, and she took a few lessons from NOC's Paddling School. She further developed her paddling with Gordon Grant at Camp Green Cove, and also at Green Cove she participated in the Camp Cup Challenge as a racer. Back then the race was organized by the Nantahala Racing Club with sponsorship from the American Canoe Association.

Though Kristin moved on to bigger rivers and now has her own kayaking students, the "Camp Cup" stuck in her memory as a wonderful event, and when she learned that the event stalled out in the early/mid 00's she decided to bring it back, which she and Sean did in 2008. Besides just executing on the event, the couple has rallied a strong coalition of manufacturers, instructors and outfitters for support, and the Camp Cup has grown very strong again over the past three years. The expectation is for another 150 kids to hit the water again in 2011.

Racers pose on the banks of the Nantahala before a run through the Camp Cup Challenge slalom course.

The event allows kids and teenagers to compete in a low-stress, supportive environment; they paddle one-person kayak (K-1), one-person canoe (C-1), open-canoe (OC-1) and two-person open canoes (OC-2). Racers get paddling experience, but also get to meet new paddling friends and practice leadership skills by rallying their camp teams.

The camp cup even brings together paddlers who already knew each other: more than once Kristin and Sean have seen kids who attend the same high school "back home" discover that they both like paddling, but they've been at different summer camps. Our hope at NOC is that the race participants will form lifelong paddling friendships and become the future leaders of paddling in the Southeast.

A Camp Cup Challenge downriver racer punches through the bottom of Nantahala Falls.

In the meantime though, we're looking forward to the riverside cheers, exciting gate runs, downriver sprints and, yes, even some of the "carnage" these boaters will provide early next week as they push and expand their abilities on the water. These guys and gals go all out.

So if you happen to be here Monday or Tuesday of next week, stop and thank Kristin and Sean for their meaningful impact on whitewater recreation and their extra effort to make an impact on the water and in the racers' lives.

Chattooga Section IV: the "Ultimate Whitewater Experience?"

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Before I had a driver's license I paddled whitewater rivers two ways: 1) finding rides with driving-age friends or 2) "paddling vicariously" through guidebooks. Being from Georgia I had William Neely's illustrated Whitewater Home Companion: Southeastern Rivers Volume One, Monte Smith's new-at-the-time Southeastern Whitewater and the classic Appalachian Whitewater: The Southern Mountains. Thanks to the accounts in the books I understood the conversations of "real" paddlers, and I knew routes through rapids I'd never even seen. I read each page of the books until I knew every detail about the Ocoee, Nolichucky, Gauley and, of course, Chattooga Section IV.

Even before I ran my first Class IV rapid I knew that running Section IV was my paddling goal even though there were bigger, more difficult rivers in the books. Why? Partially because Section IV was so famous for its contributions to the movie Deliverance, but also because the authors of the books didn't write the same way about Section IV as they did about other rivers.

When authors discussed Section IV I could detect the unique respect. My copy of Appalachian Whitewater reads: "The scenery is nothing short of spectacular for almost the entire length of the river. Its excellence rivals any river in this country." The writers continue, "...the reputation of Section IV as an ultimate whitewater experience is probably what brings throngs to the Chattooga."

Southeastern Whitewater reads: "For a few years after the release of [Deliverance], this stream was the sine qua non of whitewater paddling... Section IV remains a formidable stretch of whitewater. The run is unique in many ways, and it's always a treat. Few rivers live up to their reputation. Section IV does." The latter book even tried to quantify the Chattooga's reputation, assigning it a "reputation value" of 139 on a scale where 100 was the midpoint. This was one of the highest in the book.

Part of what makes the Chattooga special is Section IV's famous Five Falls. The Five Falls are five Class IV-V rapids in quick succession near the end of the run. Monte Smith described these as, "...something else. Few other one-third mile stretches exceed it for sheer excitement... the Five Falls have to be seen to be appreciated. As the water rises about 2.0 feet, the falls progressively lose their individuality as they blend into an uninterrupted maelstrom of frothing, crashing, churning, exhilarating whiteness" (Southeastern Whitewater). I would stare at the book's photos and anticipate my own future approach to the "launching pad" ledge at Soc-em-Dog, the river's Class V finale, hoping to get my line just right.

As I grew up I progressed and made it down Section IV finally. I even started running rivers supposedly more difficult than the Chattooga like the Tallulah and the Cheoah, but I noticed that, even after a few runs on each river, I didn't get nearly as anxious or as excited about those rivers as I did about Section IV. At the other rivers' big rapids I was much more relaxed and conversational than I ever would be above, say, Jawbone on the Chattooga. Why? Probably because I didn't know as much about these other rivers, and I hadn't built the rapids up for years in my mind. But maybe this is also what it's like playing baseball at Wrigley Field or racing at the Brickyard: you just enjoy being a part of it.

That said, there are some objective reasons why you'd be a bit more focused at the Five Falls: first the river's been pretty friendly until you get here. Yes, Woodall Shoals, Seven Foot Fals and Raven's Chute are big, fun, challenging rapids, and then there are all the bouncy smaller rapids too, but the Falls are totally different. The atmosphere changes; the wide open, sunny river closes into a constricted gorge. Direct sunlight fades behind the raised treeline. The river gets loud too—five big rapids that close together make an impressive white noise backdrop. Plus, everyone in your group who was splashing around and jovially goofing off at the lunch spot is suddenly more focused.

Looking downstream from the top rapids you can see water splashing up from the far side of horizon line ledges, and you know there's another pretty steep rapid right after the one you're about to run. This makes you a bit more focused on getting things just right.

Despite the action at the Five Falls, I think that the river's wide range of experiences and moods is why it's the "ultimate river experience". When it's relaxed, it's as casual and benign as a river can be: you're swimming in lazy warm pools, jumping off rocks into the gentle current, walking under beautiful waterfalls and eating lunch on sandy beaches. But when things start to pick up the action gets going. The rapids on Section IV tend to drop over ledges and broken ledges, making them fast and technically challenging to the guides and paddlers, and when the rapids come in quick succession, things get intense.

At the end of the trip you float into the flatwater Lake Tugaloo, and you've got time to reflect on the experiences of Section IV. This is one more feature I love about the river; it's got a good narrative form, with solid rising action, a clear climax at the Five Falls and a pleasant denouement crossing the lake. The Chattooga doesn't easily allow you to "squeeze it into your schedule" or "just do the biggest part." You've pretty much got to experience the whole thing.

This is a big reason why the Chattooga is a true wilderness experience. Not only is it protected as a Wild and Scenic River (which means you won't see many rafts while you're out there), but it's also deliberate. The river demands that you invest some real attention in your surroundings and your companions, not just the rush and thrill of the rapids.

At NOC, where we work and play on rivers all across the Southeast and the world, Section IV is still one of our staff's most beloved whitewater rivers. It's probably the trip I'd select if I was trying to demonstrate to someone why I love rivers and rafting as much as I do. On most other rivers I'd talk about the rapids and the scenery to describe why it's so great, and I'd do that for the Chattooga too, but the reason it's so great to me is its "aura." The Chattooga just has something other rivers don't.

*See pages 32-39 in Appalachian Whitewater and pages 107-121 in Southeastern Whitewater for the sources of the excerpts above.

Spring Rains + Rising Creeks = Paddler’s Paradise!

From Jon Clark, Director of NOC's Paddling School. "Creeking" or "creek boating" is a type of whitewater paddling for kayakers and canoeists that takes place on smaller (both in width and volume) streams. Creeking tends to be steeper, more technically demanding and, if you take the word of many advanced paddlers, even more fun than running full-size rivers.

Rain in the Southeast means one thing for whitewater paddlers: creekin’! As cold fronts roll in off the Gulf of Mexico they creep into the Appalachian Mountains dumping massive amounts of rain. The creeks begin to rise, and I become reminiscent of days past creek boating with friends on some of my favorite Southeastern creeks.

Here at Nantahala Outdoor Center’s main outpost in Wesser, NC we’ve been experiencing heavy rain making for plenty of on-the-water action. The rivers are rising and NOC Paddling School instructors are back for the season just in time to join in on the fun. With so many creek boating options near NOC, part of the fun is just deciding which river to paddle.

Spend a week (or a weekend) with the pros and experience creeking at its best on a different river every day. With an instructional focus, Advanced Creek Clinics are designed to take advanced paddlers to the next level giving them the right tools and skills to do so safely. At the same time, you will be introduced to rivers and creeks that you may never have the opportunity to experience again on your own, creating the adventure of a lifetime.

NOC’s most distinguished instructors are teaming up to lead this year’s Advanced Creek Clinics. Our team will be by your side the entire time on the water aiding in the development of new skills and techniques as well as refining those you already have. Participants receive hands-on instruction that hone in on each individual’s specific needs and goals. Our instructors’ profound knowledge base and extensive creek boating experience create the perfect team to lead you down some of the best runs in the South.

Our goal at the NOC Paddling School is to teach both the hard and soft skills necessary to develop the most solid and competent paddlers. Just making it to the take-out is not enough. We want to see our paddlers come away from every course capable of adding to the overall experience of everyone on the river. Good decision-making, planning, and self-awareness are skills just as important as the boof stroke, dual sided roll and rescue. Often forgotten, these soft skills commonly create adventures that reach the “epic” level. We strive to teach a balance of these skills, helping paddlers excel at being not only a great paddler, rather a great paddler that is also a competent leader.

So come get your boof on and join us in one of the most rewarding courses you’ll ever experience! Advanced Creek Clinics have just kicked off with our first weeklong session and will be followed by two weekend sessions March 26-27 and April 16-17. A final weeklong course is available April 25-29 just in time to wrap up the peak of creeking season. These courses are all-inclusive with meals, lodging and daily transportation to all rivers and creeks. Gear is also available upon request.

Safe Paddling!

Cheers,
Jon Clark

Transforming NOC's Outfitter's Store: Expanding Beyond Paddling

With a storied paddling history, former Olympians on staff and a thriving rafting business, you might make the mistake of thinking NOC’s Outfitter’s Store is just your run-of-the-mill paddling establishment.

Think again.

This spring our Outfitter’s Store is prepped for its own extreme makeover. The store recently underwent new wall construction that increases the strength of the walls, enhancing merchandising capabilities and resulting in a completely redesigned layout. With the expansion of all departments and the introduction of multiple new product lines, the store will confidently dive deeper into markets like backpacking and trail running.

NOC’s new Outfitter’s Store General Manager Doug Wright thinks they’re poised for a season unlike any other in Wesser. “It’s exciting. We’re headed in a new direction that builds on our paddling background, but allows us to service a wider range of customers participating in all kinds of activities available in this area.”


Backpacking / Camping / Hiking

This spring NOC reintroduces a comprehensive camping department, catering to the unique needs of thru-hikers, while also supporting and servicing the many day hikers and casual campers utilizing local trails. With a focus on better service, Wright’s staff has greatly increased the quantity of camping products and consolidated them into one functional area.

Building on the background of his 2006 Appalachian Trail thru-hike, Wright is bringing in a number of new product lines popular with serious backpackers. “With our store being directly on the AT, we need to be able to enhance the experience of thru-hikers and service the many backpackers coming through our store with ultralight backpacks, stoves, water purifying options and apparel.”

NOC is now carrying Ultralight Adventure (ULA) packs, becoming one of seven dealers in the US. These comfortable and durable packs are favorites among long-distance backpackers and weigh in at a mere 17 to 48 oz. In addition to the current insulation options the store carries from Patagonia and The North Face, the store is bringing in the “Light and Fast” Mont-Bell line of synthetic jackets, known for their incredible weight to warmth ratio. Alcohol stoves from Etowah Outfitters, cooking options from Anti-Gravity Gear, hydration options like Aquamira droplets and bladders from Platypus are among other ultralight offerings available at the Outfitter’s Store.

As the store gears up for the 2011 AT thru-hiker season, NOC is positioned as one of the premier backpacking and hiking shops in the Southeast.

Paddling

NOC is synonymous with paddling, but the retail staff continues to push ahead making the paddling department bigger and better. Wright notes, “We’ve re-vamped paddling, creating a well-defined department showcasing premier brands.”

NOC continues to boast the largest selection of whitewater Werner Paddles in the country. The store’s new spring offerings include a selection of stand-up paddleboards, one of the largest selections of Shred Ready helmets with a rainbow of 2011 colors, and a brand-spanking new fleet of demo boats. NOC is one of the first paddling shops in the country to carry the new Pyranha Varun whitewater boat and the new 2011 Jackson kayaks. The store will be the only dealer in the Southeast to carry the 2011 Prijon Pure kayak as well. “We remain the go-to paddling location in the Southeast, and will always be on the cutting edge when it comes to serving paddlers.”

Apparel and Outerwear
The new layout will also lend itself to a diversified apparel department. A wider selection of casual apparel and travel wear, as well as more technical outerwear perfect for backpacking, hiking and other activities will make a strong appearance. More insulation pieces like those from Mont-Bell and Patagonia will keep visitors warm in cooler seasons, and lightweight and waterproof rain shells from Marmot and Go-Lite will not only keep you dry, but the high breathability factor will keep you comfortable in winter or summer temps. A full line of Go-Lite and The North Face multi-sport apparel and a wider offering of base layers will service active customers, as well as those just looking for casual comfort.

Trail Running

Trail running opportunities in Western North Carolina are endless, and the community of local runners continues to grow by leaps and bounds. To appeal to the growing popularity NOC will carry a wider selection of trail running shoes from Brooks, Salomon and Vasque. Staples like Smartwool and Keen socks will continue to be available, along with new options like handheld hydration bottles for tackling longer miles. Runners can fuel their runs with an all-new employee-approved assortment of gels, chews and Nuun electrolyte replacement tabs.

With over $90,000 of product coming in before March, the store’s makeover will be complete in time for a busy spring filled with backpackers, paddlers and rafting guests. Wright wants to make sure all customers know this is their destination store. “We are a paddling store, but now we’re also a backpacking store, a trail running store, a gear up for bad weather store, and a casual tourist-friendly store.”

And you thought NOC was just a paddling store. Think again.

Store Winter Hours
Sunday – Friday: 11-5
Saturday: 10-6

Glacier Breaker Event Hours
Saturday, February 26: 9-6
Sunday, February 27: 9-5

Spring Hours – Beginning February 28
Monday – Friday: 9-5
Saturday: 9-6
Sunday: 10-5

Get Ready to Raft: Guide School at NOC

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So what if the average high in early March is only in the upper 50s, or if the lows reach into the 20s? When March is here, rafting season is too—at least for the aspiring raft guides and diehard whitewater lovers at NOC’s annual Raft Guide Schools.

The program is a five-day introduction to life as a professional river guide. Guides in training learn to master raft control and how to deal with the weight and momentum of large, eight-person rafts. They also get to learn whitewater features, rescue skills, how to carry rafts, the soft skills and more. Not just for aspiring guides, the program is perfect for "average" river enthusiasts who enjoy guiding their friends down the Nantahala in a rental raft and for rescue professionals looking to increase their rafting skills.

The course takes place on the Nantahala and French Broad Rivers, and the it boasts a fun “we’re all in this together” group mentality that provides built-in support and camaraderie for all participants.

This year’s course offerings begin in February and extend until mid-April. Typically guide schools receive a high percentage of college-age students looking for an exciting summer job, but there are also participants looking for an alternative spring adventure. On-campus lodging and dining are included in the price, so it’s really an easy pre-packaged spring break.

If you’re interested in learning more about this unique week of whitewater, read this discussion I had with eleven-year veteran Will Norris, an NOC Head Guide on the Class V Cheoah River. Will leads a guide school every other week during the spring (trading off with Stephan Hart—one of NOC’s only guides to be “checked out” on all seven rivers).

Will actually led my guide school four seasons ago, so I knew a few good questions to ask.

NOC guide school instructor Will Norris by the banks of the Nantahala at a 2008 guide school.

Charles: Do you prefer students to have previous whitewater experience?

Will: No, as a matter of fact many times we’ve seen students with no experience do better than avid kayakers. Sometimes kayakers have a harder time dealing with all the extra weight and momentum [of a raft], and they’re typically harder on themselves if they can’t get it right away. Sometimes a blank slate is easier to work with.

Charles: For the students seeking employment at NOC, there’s an evaluation of their skills. What are you looking for?

Will: We focus on raft control, but there are five main categories we rate; it’s not all about raft control. If we see the learning progression is happening, and that you’re working well with others—like you’ve got a great personality and that you’d be good at working with guests—well, that plays a huge part in it.

Charles: What parts of the course are the most challenging for students?

Will: One of the more challenging elements is the aggressive swim, when we’re actually getting out in the river. It’s physically demanding for many students, and it’s always cold.

Charles: That’s on the Nantahala from above the rentals take out to the pedestrian bridge, right?

Will: Right. I almost always try to do this at the end of the first day, so that students have experience with swimming if they come out of the raft the rest of the week. Here we talk about the different safety aspects of entering the water—body angle, moving through current, crossing current—we tie it in with positioning your body like a watercraft.

Charles: What else is challenging?

Will: For many folks it’s just dealing with all that weight and momentum in the boat. The flip drill is also anxiously anticipated. [This requires the guides to flip the raft to practice flipping the raft back over in moving water.] I almost always do this drill at the pool below Frank Bell’s rapid on the French Broad.

Charles: Frank Bell’s can be a class IV rapid at some water levels—is this the biggest rapid of the week?

Will: Yeah, Frank Bell’s is the biggest rapid we’ll do. Pillow, the Ledges and Kayaker’s Ledge are all in play on the French Broad, so every student in a training raft will get to guide at least one class III rapid on the FB. That’s in addition to the Fantasy Island drill on the Nantahala, where the teams do laps on Nantahala Falls. During that drill, the students carry the rafts back up each time so that each guide gets three runs on the rapid.

Charles: So the guides have to carry the rafts back up the river over ten times. I don't remember that being a major challenge.

Will: Usually students don’t know what to expect going into the drill, but they figure out an efficient system for transporting the rafts and they enjoy it. Usually several groups keep going past the three-run requirement.

Charles: What about weather? It’s still cold outside in March.

Will: Weather can be a large mental factor, usually much more than a physical factor. We let the students know what to bring and we provide necessary gear. Some of the folks you'd expect to be cold and weaker in those conditions surprise you and thrive, while the bigger and stronger participants don’t always handle them as well. We tell the students, if you can make it through this you’ll be even more comfortable in July in your Chacos, river shorts and sunglasses.

Charles: It’s good for the guides to feel the impact of weather on the rafting experience I suppose.

Will: Yes, that’s the upside of making the guides swim in cold water and in cold weather. You can feel what a guest would feel if he or she were to fall out, and it teaches you to be ready with the equipment and gear to respond.

Charles: How physical is guide school?

Will: In five days you do a physical activity every day. You don’t need to be an athlete to do it, but this course shows you what you’ll be putting your body through every day as a guide. Everything is hands on—from rope tying, to loading rafts, to rescue practice.

Charles: Do you stick to a tight schedule?

Will: We have a syllabus and a skills-progression order, but we’re flexible enough to use moments of opportunity. Pinning a raft may present the perfect opportunity to practice unpinning a raft. The first two days are the most critical learning days. By day three folks are getting dialed in, and there’s less emphasis on teaching the control skills. By then we’re fine tuning and working on other necessary skills.

Charles: Anything else you'd like to mention?

Will: We incorporate fun and keep things as light as possible. For a lot of folks it's their spring break, and we don't want them to feel like it's another day in class or at work.

For more photos from previous guide schools see the photo gallery on the guide school page at noc.com.

I’ll leave you with a photo from my guide school in 2007. For the record, I believe we all had a blast, and I think the only time I felt cold was actually on the lake learning the basics. The rest of the time I was pretty focused on the activity.

Except for the swim drill; no doubt, that was cold.

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.

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!

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.

One Hour To GAF.....

GAF's about to start. Here are some photos of the gear spread...

2009 Camp Cup Challenge Video

Thanks to all the participants of this year's Camp Cup Challenge. This year there were 25 more paddlers in the mix, bringing the number of competitors up to 115! Hopefully the momentum will continue to build for 2010's event. Paddlers, keep practicing.

Thanks to Kristin and Sean Bierle for bringing this wonderful event back to life. Here's some footage from the 2009 edition:

NOC Kids Kayak Camp Video

Next week, NOC's Paddling School will host Kids Kayak Camp for the 29th year. This is one of our favorite weeks of the summer, just ask any of our paddling instructors. Like our good friend and Olympian Wayne Dickert says, "Kids + Kayaks = Big Boomin Fun!" To get you fired up about how cool these programs are, check out this video we found from one happy camper.



There are still spaces at next week's Kids Kayak Camp, so if you know of a youngster who you think would love spending a week paddling at NOC, click here for more details. Kids Kayak Week is open to paddlers of any experience level, as long as they're between the ages of 9 and 17. Kids Kayak Camp runs from Sunday, July 12 through Friday, July 17.

NOC/Dagger Freestyle Shootout Features $10,000 in Prizes

The second annual NOC/Dagger Freestyle Shootout is set for August 1-2 this summer, and it'll be twice as big as our very-successful 2008 event. Proof? The purse is twice as big, there're twice as many sponsors and, instead of fumbling around with an ipod, we're gonna have a DJ spinning on the bridge during the event. Sweet. Combine live music Saturday night at the venue-bordering Pourover (our new riverside pub), some brewery reps handing out schwag and our spectator-friendly campus, and you've got all the ingredients for the best freestyle paddling festival in the East.

Also, we've changed the scoring system to make the action more spectator friendly. Into cartwheels? We are too, but only so many. Therefore, in addition to the standard technical and variety judges we've added a "Personal Style" judge who will evaluate contestants on "ride presentation and crowd involvement". You'll have to throw some big moves, or at least try them, to win.

For those of you wondering what the heck a kayaking freestyle competition is, well, it's similar to a half-pipe freestyle event in skateboarding. Kayakers compete at a single feature, in this case a stationary breaking wave, and perform tricks like cartwheels, loops (full flips) , blunts (really fast, near vertical turns that spew a curtain of water) and even dynamic airborne manuevers that require the paddler to spin while totally out of the water. Think X-Games for whitewater, right here in western North Carolina on the Nantahala River.

For a casual spectator it's a really cool event. Hang out by the river, enjoy the scene, watch some stellar athletes, do your own water activities, come back and enjoy the festivities at night. I recommend bringing a lawn chair and plopping down in the shade. Below are some photos of the 2008 event, so you can get a feel for the scene (courtesy of Pat McDonnell).

Creek Week Instructor Rob Barham Talks Paddling Dogmas with Atlanta Whitewater

by Wayner



Rob recently headed down to Hotlanta to give a talk about proper creeking techniques to the Atlanta Whitewater Club members. He met up with a fun and excited crowd and gave his presentation with a lively discussion challenging paddling dogmas. Some say his presentation was in revival style, and told the members of AWC

"It is time to free yourself from paddling dogmas!"

As always, Rob can find a way to make instruction fun! At the end of the presentation, Rob gave away shirts and DVD's to excited participants. According to the Vice President of AWC Chuck Spornick,

"A good time was had by all."

To see more photos and info from Rob's presentation, check out Chuck's photo site.