US Whitewater Open Preview

This weekend, paddlers from around the world will sprint through the slalom gates on the Nantahala River, when NOC and Nantahala Racing Club (NRC) hosts the 2010 Bank of America US Whitewater Open. The weekend features two days of high-intensity slalom racing at a spectator friendly course at Nantahala Falls.

Giles Morris wrote this article in today's Smoky Mountain News, it's a great primer for the event. (Click to read more.)

"No matter how you look at it, the U.S. Open is one of the classic showcases in the sport of whitewater racing, and the event will bring some of the world’s best racers in both slalom and wildwater classifications to Western North Carolina to show off their skills."

If you've never watched a slalom race, here's what you can look forward to. In slalom competition competitors get two runs of the course, which is typically paddled in less than two minutes. The paddlers negotiate 20 gates-14 downstream gates and six upstream gates-incurring two-second penalties for any touch of a gate, and an insurmountable 50-second penalty for displacing a gate by more than 45 degrees, proceeding in the wrong order or passing through upside-down. The competitors' two times are added together, with the fastest combined time winning the race.

As always, NOC will offer free parking for the event, and River's End Restaurant will be open for racers and spectators can fuel up. The Outfitter's Store, cabin lodging and even Nantahala River rafting will all be open this weekend.

Another WFR Concludes at SOLO Southeast, with High Praise from Participants

SOLO Southeast at NOC has just wrapped up another Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course, with participants from an array of professional backgrounds receiving WFR certification. Here, one student shares his experience:

"I really enjoyed the WFR Class and believe that it is the most practical emergency first aid class I have ever taken. I wanted to give you a short email to say why I attended the class. I looked for an advanced medical class that would address the issue of working in remote locations as a part of my police department's Dive Team mission. Several classes were available but didn’t seem to fit the category of “Beyond the Golden Hour” issue. I researched wilderness medical classes offered by a number of companies but I kept coming back to SOLO. I decided to look further into SOLO and see what categories would best suit a Public Safety Dive Team. I decided to enroll into the Wilderness First Responder Course. I have no regrets about choosing SOLO nor have I regretted the WFR Course. The hands-on portions of the class really put the students into the situation as well as the class portions. I was surprised and pleased at the number of scenarios the WFR Course has for the students. The class, without a doubt, prepares the student for emergencies in the backcountry. The class and instructor are top notch and I highly recommend anyone working in rural or backcountry locations to seriously consider the WFR Course. I believe this course is well suited for Park Rangers, Conservation Officers, Game Wardens, SWAT, Public Safety Dive Teams and Search & Rescue Teams."
—Detective Dana Rowsey
Crime Scene Unit
Police Dive Team
Charleston, WV

Here's a shot of Dana at NOC last week.

SOLO Southeast instructors strive to provide the highest level of training, whether for the intensive WFR course or the two-day Wildernes First Aid. Whenever possible, special guests are invited and hands-on scenarios are employed. Thanks to Dana for sharing his feedback on his SOLO Southeast experience.

Another SOLO Southeast Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course begins Saturday, March 27. More details can be found at solosoutheast.com.

Taylor's Travels in Chile

NOC Kids and Teens star Taylor Cote shares some of her insights about paddling and traveling in Chile.



This quarter we’re back in Chile and the flight back over all of us were bouncing in our seats, excited about all the new stuff to come this quarter. It is so fun seeing some of the same sights and how they differ in the changing of the seasons. The difference between this quarter and last is that we’re heading south. We’re going to be working our way down to the Futalefu River, one of the most famous rivers in Chile. While we’re traveling down there we’re going to be stopping in at the Rio Negro and Rio Blanco before we make it down to the Futa.



So far we’ve been back in Pucon chilling at David Hughes’s house here. It’s a pretty sweet spot; we have a river right in our front yard. There’s also a play hole that will come in depending on the level. While we’ve been here we have been paddling some new rivers too. My favorite new run is the Rio Palguin. It’s an amazing boof/waterfall run that just blows my mind every time we go there. The put-in is walking over a mossy land bridge and seal launching into the rocky gorge. It can be a little nerve-racking dropping into the gorge because you know you are in for in it. After the first adrenaline rush you realize everything is good to go.



While here we’ve also traveled to the town of Choshuenco which has the Rio Fuy right in its backyard. It was such a small town and had an amazing feel about it. The ladies we stayed with were very welcoming and happy to have us staying there. The town had few streets so the morning workouts when we ran were absolutely hilarious. You would pass everyone at least once or twice before finishing. The river we had there offered many different types of paddling with varying classes. The Upper Fuy consisted of more waterfalls and boofs. The Middle and Lower Fuy however had amazing playboating and wave filled rapids good for working on downriver moves, such as kickflips and wave wheels. Billy Harris joined us during our stay there and he was a great wealth of knowledge, everyday he would make sure we were boofing up a storm.

Today is going to be fun filled, we’re planning on having a boater cross on part of the Trancura River which will be interesting. Afterwards though we have to pack up everything because its our last day in Pucon. I know everyone is nervous and excited to really get started on our trip south.

Happy Paddling!

Taylor


Taylor Cote is the recipient of the 2009/2010 NOC Photography Scholarship. Click Here to see Taylor’s New River Academy blog and more of her fabulous stories.

The photos of Taylor kayaking were taken by David Gorskiare on the Rio Palguin. The photo of the volcano and the town of Pucon, Chile was taken by Taylor.

NOC's Great Outpost Buzz

With a grand opening set for April 2, NOC's Great Outpost—an 18,000-square-foot LEED-certified retail and adventure hub—has been triggering buzz from travel sites across the internet.

Last week, Gatlinburg was listed as one of SmarterTravel.com 's Top Five Bargain Destinations for spring, with NOC's Great Outpost mentioned as a highlight of visiting town. From the outdoor gear, clinics and classes to the indoor climbing wall and adventure concierge service, NOC's Great Outpost will be a brand-new family destination for visitors to Gatlinburg and the Smokies. Click below to read the full article.

This story also appeared on usatoday.com and aarpbulletin.com among other news websites.

Expect to see more information about NOC's Great Outpost Grand Opening celebration, scheduled for Friday, April 2. While you're in Gatlinburg for the event, make time for some of these new diversions and events, including the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage April 21–25.

In the meantime, you can click the photo above to view a slide show of the construction process at NOC's Great Outpost. We have been converting the old Open Hearth Restaurant into a LEED-Certified adventure destination like only NOC can, and we hope you'll be as excited as we are!

WEMT: Week Two Update

SOLO Southeast students awoke to a fresh layer of powdery snow at Nantahala Outdoor Center, and class began with a visit from orthopedic surgeon Dr. Pat Kessler from Angel Medical Center. Dr. Kessler came to speak about muscular and skeletal systems, and advice for EMS providers, from a post-emergency point of view. Do you know the difference between the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton? Our Wilderness EMT students do!

Now two weeks into the course, students are gaining confidence and skills. Paul Meyer from Ohio remarked, "I spend the evenings studying. It's an intense course." Meyer is a wilderness firefighter, splitting his time between Wayne National Forest in Southeastern Ohio and northern California. He's taking the WEMT course to help provide proper, immediate care in his fire unit, which often finds itself far from hospitals or convenient transport.

A second guest speaker, Jocelyn Beasley spoke to students on behalf of the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, GA. This is the largest burn center in the US, with local clinics spread across the Southeast. Her talk centered around current trends in burn care, as relevant to the EMS providers who are among the first to encounter burn victims. These special guest speakers make SOLO Southeast's wilderness medicine courses unique, providing interdisciplinary instruction from experts working in the field.

The WEMT students have diverse backgrounds, which is also contributing to the rich learning environment. Brooks Wolfe is a kayaking and survival instructor, who has worked at one of the top survival schools in the nation. JR is an outdoor expert who drove all the way to NOC from Alaska to participate in the class. Trevor from South Africa shared this photo of himself in EMS action outside Johannesburg. This photo appeared in a magazine article about the South African police forces back in 2006. That's Trevor on the right, in those cool blue pants.

If you're interested in attending a SOLO Wilderness Medicine course at NOC, click here. A nine-day Wilderness First Responder course is set to begin February 20, and it's not too late to reserve your spot.

WEMTs-in-Training Arrive at NOC

SOLO Southeast's first WEMT course got into full swing this week, with the arrival of 15 students on Monday. Students have come from across the country—as far away as Alaska—and even across the world, with one student traveling from another continent, all to receiving WEMT-certification at NOC's SOLO Southeast.

"I wanted to get EMT certified in another county other than my own," said Trevor, who already works for an EMS squad in his native South Africa. Below, Trevor checks on a patient in an in-class simulated scenario.

These students have signed up for an EMT-Basic intensive course, meaning a large amount of material will be covered in four short weeks. Class runs every day of the week from 8am to 5pm, with some night sessions included. Students are also required to complete four three-hour sessions volunteering and shadowing area EMS outfits and hospital emergency rooms. In addition to receiving EMT-B certification upon successful completion of the course, students also participate in a final week of Wilderness training, vital to providing the highest level of care in backcountry situations.

In the photos below, students are practicing their skills in a simulated scenario, assessing a non-traumatic patient by taking vital signs and obtaining some medical history from the patient. We'll check in with these students throughout their course and update on their progress.

The Latest News from Taylor Cote

We're suckers for good whitewater!

Everyone snuggled into the hotel room bed laptop in hand, settling back into the comforting coldness of the technology. Making sure to send out those important emails to worried parents, about where their baby has been hiding out for the last week. The hostel was truly a humble, cozy place. Its quaintness and lack of electricity brought us closer together. I think everyone enjoyed having dinner all together at a big table every night; one giant family I suppose? The food was amazing, it really interesting to be eating like a Chilean. For instance, instead of our common grilled cheese or whatever you may call it. They have something call an empanada. It has a fried doughy outer shell and they’ll put whatever you like on the inside. The ones we had though were just cheese and we’re friend to perfection. This place definitely brought us closer together as a group, accepting your friend’s stink because they refuse to take a shower and the ferocious snoring of the slumbering beasts.Of course all this isn’t even the best part.

We were right next to the Claro River. It was another one of those places where we could have school and eat lunch. Then quickly throw on our stinky paddling gear and head out onto the water. While we were there we were able to go to these beautifully formed waterfalls called the Siete Tazas (Seven Teacups). We did everything you could possibly do off them-boof like a madman, freewheel, plug super deep, and even jump. It was truly was a waterfall paradise.

As their name describes they’re definitely teacups…7 of them! Each has a round basalt pools at the bottom and the water flowing from each one was mouthwash blue. Sometimes it made me wonder if we were in some giant’s cup of Kool-Aid. It was so surreal and the waterfalls were the friendliest I have ever paddled on. Sitting in those big circular eddies with friends all around kept me smiling from ear to ear. It was so awesome to be another colorful speck in the pictures with them all. It was another amazing adventure and I’m so excited for all the more to come.

Taylor Cote is a NOC Teen Camper and winner of the New River Academy Photo Scholarship. To read Taylor’s blogs click here. Special thanks to Melina Coogan for the great photos!!!