10 Ways to Cool Off at NOC

It's hot now, and it's only going to get hotter: Atlanta, Charlotte, Greensboro, Columbia and Knoxville are all preparing for four 100° days spanning this weekend.

So, we created a top-ten list of ways to cool down here at NOC. Whitewater rafting always offers refreshing summer fun, but we tried to focus on some other options to mix things up a bit. So, here it goes:

1. Paddling the Nantahala: Whether you kayak, canoe, stand-up-paddleboard or raft the Nantahala, the river's famously cold temperatures are going to feel great this weekend. Sure, sometimes "the Nanty" is a bit chilly, but not now. The beautiful, shaded river will be the best place in the entire Southeast to cool off this weekend.





2. Get a Chilly Pad: A Chilly Pad? These cooling towels are amazing. Just wet one, and it starts to cool to the touch immediately. Technically there's nothing unusual going on (it's just evaporation), but you'll swear there's more to it. We've got this high-demand item stocked up at the Outfitter's Store and at NOC Gatlinburg, so pick one up before you go hiking or biking, and you'll be much more comfortable.


3. Lake Paddling on Fontana Lake: NOC offers guided tours and rentals of the Nantahala channel of Lake Fontana. Starting below Big Wesser rapid--the Nantahala's last hurrah--paddlers enjoy a two-hour round trip out to spectacular Bird Falls.

4. Catch the Breeze: NOC's new Zip Line Adventure Park uses wind, not water, for its cooling effect. After soaring down an almost-600' zip, climbers take on a series of high-altitude, high-exposure challenges. These include additional zips, wobbling obstacles and fun climbing puzzles. Located at the Nantahala, the Zip Line Adventure Park compliments Nantahala River trips with an additional two hours of excitement.

5. Surf School: Yes, you can surf in a river. And, just like surfing at the beach, it's a blast. Join NOC Paddling School instructors at NOC's Nantahala River campus for a free surfing session almost every summer Saturday. They've got kayaks and stand up paddleboards available for casual demos. Guests can just paddle around in a calm, flat eddy, or they can venture into the small, but exciting Surf School Wave. Either way NOC instructors are only steps away with encouragement and support.

6. High Altitude Hiking: Temperatures tend to drop 3-5° for every 1,000' of elevation you gain. So, Clingman's Dome in the Smokies, which is 5,895' higher than downtown Charlotte should be around twenty degrees cooler. Good, cool, high-elevation hikes include Andrews Bald and most hikes starting from the parking area at Newfound Gap (if your goal is staying cool, drive up to the 5,046' gap and start there). Our guides at NOC Gatlinburg know the best hike for any situation. Stop by and ask for some free advice.

7. The Famous Cool Jewel: The signature dessert at River's End Restaurant. This tasty, cool snack requires smothering a scoop of vanilla ice cream in granola, chocolate and caramel syrup. Easy to make. Easier to enjoy!

8. Rapid Transit: If you really can't enjoy the sizzling outdoors, then you can compromise. Ride the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in a comfortable, climate-controlled car, or enjoy an open air car with the breeze blowing through. You'll be able to see great Smokies scenery without baking in the sun. And after the train ride you'll enjoy lunch and a rafting trip on the refreshing Nantahala River.


9. Treat the Heat: If you're serious about outdoor recreation eventually you'll need to learn about thermoregulation both in hot and cold environments. SOLO Wilderness Medicine classes, like the basic Wilderness First Aid certification, show you how to manage these medical issues and others while having fun outside. The next course starts July 14th.

10. Frosty Brews and Riverside Tunes: Weekly microbrewery tastings at The Pourover make great opportunities to relax after a day of playing in the summer sun. Upcoming events feature the Nantahala Brewing Company and Lonerider Brewery. Cool drinks are on tap every night at The Pourover, and the shady riverside atmosphere always provides an ideal place to chill out. The tastings and the live music schedule just make a good thing even better.

NOC's Exciting June Rafting Specials

It's June, and we're about to hit peak season on the South's whitewater rivers. But that doesn't mean there aren't any specials or discounts out there for savvy shoppers. In fact, we went ahead and collected these for our blog readers, enews subscribers and and Facebook friends so you could see them all in one place.

Here's a list of the top NOC specials going right now:

1) Ocoee River rafting trips for only $20. Yes, you read that correctly; the 3pm, 4pm and 5pm trips on Sunday the 24th are only $20. That's 60% off peak day rates on the most popular river in the world! Don't worry there's no catch: the rafts are still inflated, there's a great NOC guide in the boat, and you're running the same awesome rapids. This will be NOC's best Ocoee deal of the season. Take advantage of it!

Big splashy fun on the Ocoee River. You can see why it's many rafters favorite run!

2) Nantahala Rafting and Zip Line Adventure Park Combo: NOC opens its new Zip Line Adventure Park this Friday at the Nantahala. It's the perfect compliment to the very popular half-day Nantahala trip: a 550' zip line into a 16-obstacle aerial adventure park 40' above the ground. The entire raft and zip experience only costs $89.99—the normal price for most zip line tours.  

NOC's new Zip Line and Adventure Park features exciting zip lines and complex aerial obstacles testing  concentration, focus and mettle!

3) Save $20 per person on 7am Chattooga River Section IV trips on June 16, 17 and 24. Yes, 7am seems early, but consider these factors:

Perhaps my personal favorite summer experience: approaching the drop
at Seven Foot Falls on the Chattooga. 

a) Scarcity: weekend Chattooga trips tend to sell out throughout the summer—the outfitters only have a very limited amount of availability on the Chattooga, which contributes to the river's wilderness feel.

b) Quality: the morning trips are the guides' favorites due to more plentiful wildlife, moderate temperatures and the early-morning river ambiance.

c) Convenience: yes, it doesn't seem convenient to be at the Chattooga River at 7am, but you'll be finished in the middle of the day, and you'll be able to make it back home or to the cabin for more time with family and friends.

And, to boot, you save $20 per person. Just book as normal, and we'll apply the discount at the end of the transaction.


4) Nolichucky High Adventure Ducky Trips. These are the most exclusive rafting trips NOC offers. When water levels get just right NOC offers exciting guided duck trips through the Noli's Class III and IV rapids. Non-kayakers, will experience the rush that's hooked the hard boaters. If you've enjoyed a duck trip on the Nantahala, this is the big next step. These trips are for paddlers 16+ and include a very high guide-to-guest ratio to ensure guests are appropriately supported. Don't miss this opportunity.

NOC guide demonstrating the line through a large rapid on the Nolichucky
High Adventure Ducky Trip.

5) Pigeon River rafting. So, if you are really flexible you can still grab spring pricing (30% off) on Pigeon trips through Friday. If you can't just drop everything and go rafting, that's ok (get your priorities straight for Pete's sake!). NOC offers standard late-day discount trips for $29.99 and $24.99. Just to put this in context: if you live in Knoxville, and you can get off work a bit early, your group can go rafting on select 5pm trips and save money. Think of that as adding a bit of weekend right into the middle of your workweek—always a good thing.

Family fun on the Pigeon River. These happy rafters will remember this trip forever.

Five Reasons to Raft this Spring

Every paddler understands the huge difference between paddling a whitewater river in July and in January. And most folks intuitively get how fall color adds to the atmosphere of an October outing. However, there’s not much recognition for the unique benefits of the spring. Here’s a primer on why the spring is possibly the best time to hit the water, and why spring 2012 could be the best spring yet.

1 . It doesn’t even feel like spring. Let’s face it, this is strange weather. We’ve got temperatures in the 70s for the entire 10-day forecast. You could bemoan it as an ominous sign about a hot summer, or you could interpret it as the beginning of drastic climate change—or you could just get out and enjoy the rare March treat!

High spring flow on the Wild and Scenic Chattooga

2. Spring water. Our free flowing rivers—the Chattooga, French Broad and Nolichucky—rely on rainfall for their flows. Unlike our dam-controlled rivers that have steady, reliable levels, these rivers go through drastic changes in character and experience as water levels fluctuate. (Kind of like how the ocean surf gets pushier as a storm approaches.) Just because you rafted one of these rivers when things were “normal” or moderate doesn’t mean you’ve experienced these rivers at higher spring flows. A high-water trip on one of these rivers is one of the best adrenaline rushes you can get out of the Southeastern outdoors. Keep your eyes peeled for rain and try to book on the back end of a soggy day or two. If you miss perfect timing it’s not a big deal; all the rivers have strong spring base flows anyway.

Classic rapids on the Nolichucky

3. Flower power. So flowers aren’t as powerful as a boat-rocking wave, but they can have just as much impact on a trip. Imagine paddling down a beautiful river gorge as dogwoods, redbuds, pear trees and beds of wildflowers line the bank. It’s actually pretty amazing. Add some warm sunshine on your still-a-bit-white-from-winter skin and some camaraderie from your group and raft guides, and you’ve got a perfect spring day.

Blue wildflowers along the French Broad

4. It’s all for you. Sometimes rivers get busy in the summer. That makes sense. Everyone loves cooling off in July and August. But if you go in the spring, you’re going to get wide-open vistas, and you’re likely going to be one of the only groups you see on the river. It’s a bit more intimate, and it’s easier to get the enviable “Too bad for everyone stuck in the office today” feeling when you’ve got the river to yourself. You’ll feel pretty lucky to have it all to yourself.

Big, splashy waves of the Middle Ocoee

5. Save some money. It’s a strange world where we can offer premium trips at lower cost, but due to the demand curve that’s just how the rafting business works. Who wins in this situation? Rafters. So take advantage of this quirk and book a spring rafting trip. You’ll be able to see the available savings here, and you’ll help “green up the mountains” by keeping some of that cash in your own back pocket.

To plan a spring rafting trip on a whitewater river go to:

• Chattooga River
• French Broad River
• Nolichucky River
• Nantahala River
• Ocoee River
• Pigeon River
• Cheoah River

NOC to Host First Youth Paddling Rendezvous this Spring

Last fall NOC's Paddling School Director Jon Clark received hundreds of applications from youth across the Southeast to join the 2012 Youth Paddling Team. Now in its second season, Jon has officially announced the members of the 2012 YPT and he has developed a calendar packed full of fun and engaging events, training sessions, and the first bi-annual Youth Paddling Rendezvous.

The 2011 Youth Paddling Team

New for the 2012 YPT season, NOC will host its first Whitewater Youth Rendezvous, bringing together young paddlers and providing them with the skills and awareness needed to become responsible and safe paddlers. This fun and free event is set for April 28th and 29th.

There will be two rendezvous each season, in the Spring and the Fall. The Spring Rendezvous will help provide youth paddlers the opportunity to freshen up their skills and meet new friends as the paddling season begins. The Fall Rendezvous session gives the team the chance to reunite and share all the great experiences had over the summer.

Hosted by NOC Paddling School instructors, participants will work one-on-one with some of the world's top paddlers. In just one weekend paddlers may: get their first kayak roll with Jon Clark, learn the basics of freestyle from Andrew Koch, perfect their boofs with Andrew Holcombe - and all while meeting lots of other paddlers!

Each day begins with classroom training sessions followed by two instruction sessions. Participants will have the option of choosing from different topics and concentrations to participate in. The weekend rendezvous includes activities for YPT parents too. Saturday evening is highlighted with the keynote speaker and Sunday everyone will participate in the closing ceremony.

Rendezvous team members, parents and family members are all encouraged to participate. Register early for the best availability in accommodations. NOC's Nantahala River location offers cabin, bunkhouse and inn-style lodging as well as a variety of dining options serving breakfast, lunch and dinner at River's End Restaurant and some quick bites and sandwiches from Slow Joe's Cafe. Don't forget, all YPT members receive a discount so don't forget to ask when making your reservation.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a member of the Youth Paddling Team, check out the YPT webpages. Although the application process has closed for the 2012 Elite YPT, Jon is continuing to accept applications for the 2012 Junior Team. Apply here.

Click to view the 2012 YPT Junior Team Calendar and YPT Elite Team Calendar.

For more information on the YPT Spring Rendezvous and to RSVP please contact Jon Clark at Jon.Clark@noc.com.

9 Things to Know about NOC's Whitewater Raft Guide School

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NOC's version of spring break is Whitewater Raft Guide School, five days of learning the skills, techniques and know-how that form the basis for professional raft guiding everywhere. The week-long course is most popular with college students excited to be securing a fun summer job while also enjoying a "you'll never guess what I did" spring break experience.

Interested but not in college? No worries, about 25% to 35% of our guide school guests are regular working folks looking for a fun week outdoors with friends and instructors. We provide equipment, transportation, food, lodging and instruction at a 5:1 student/teacher ratio. At only $450 it's a darn good deal. Click here for Raft Guide School dates and more program details.

NOC Guide School Instructor Stephan Hart chatted guide school with me over lunch today and here are nine observations I gleamed about the program:

Sometimes guides schools get "lucky" and it rains all week. Photos in this post are from a 2011 class that "got" to run the Big Laurel Creek and French Broad combo on their travel date. They paid their dues though, running a high-water Nantahala Falls for the Fantasy Island drill. Good weather classes are more comfortable, but not quite as exciting.

1) "The Weird Middle Dimension." Our guide school guests see NOC from a very unique perspective because many of them are training for future employment. This means they have to carry their own gear and rafts and listen to directions and feedback from their instructors. This leads to an interesting dynamic: our guide school instructors make the students do all the work, so this time the onus is on the guest to impress the guide.

2) The food is delicious. The folks at River's End Restaurant always make good grub, but for guide school they break out a custom, family-style meal plan. It's delicious in its own right, but the daily eight hours of raft guide training and the sometimes chilly weather work up impressive appetites. And food never tastes better than on an empty stomach.

3) It's a cool crowd. Let's face it, guiding rafts isn't for everyone, so the people who show up for guide school are usually pretty fun-loving. Stephan says "the kind of person who is seizing this opportunity to come out and play is just energetic and exciting."

The Fantasy Island drill at Nantahala Falls where guides practice running the Class III rapid over and over. No problems on this run, but not everyone was so fortunate.

4) The "Spring Break Effect." So maybe the folks who come to guide school are adventurous go-getters by nature, but we think there's a spring break effect going on too. By this time of the year, people are so happy to be outside and on the water that they're pretty enthusiastic no matter what mother nature throws at them.

5) 70 Years Old. That's right, we've graduated septuagenarians from guide school. Everyone gets pushed a bit in raft guide school, but most folks can handle everything we throw at them. We'll toss in extra challenges to our more aggressive students to see if they're prospects for guiding some of our harder rivers, but usually everyone finds a comfortable challenge level in the course.

6) Travel Day. Usually on Thursday we roadtrip to another river so guide students can test their skills in a new environment. Usually we go to the French Broad, which can be really interesting if it's been raining. Last year the water was pretty high, and we got a highlight reel of epic "learning" moments.

7) It's not all about NOC. We're well aware that students may head out West for the summer (or something like that), so we give every guide school guide a certificate of completion. We try not to belabor NOC processes and logistics, sticking instead to universal whitewater guide skills. In fact, guide school graduates that we hire go through a "grad school" when they come to work at NOC. This is where they learn all the NOC-specific systems and protocols.

Guide School isn't exactly "full service." Up and coming guides still have to earn their stripes.

8) The dreaded swim drill. Many students are anxious about the aggressive swim drill. While this takes place on relatively calm water right here at NOC, students know it's going to be cold. The swim drill is often the elephant in the room until it's over, but it often serves as the test that binds the guide school classes together. You're never "green" again after the swim drill!

9) My favorite part of Guide School was the Fantasy Island drill, where raft crews navigate Nantahala Falls over and over again, rotating so each student gets to guide through the falls a few times. The easier you make it look, the bigger the challenge Stephan and the other instructors will throw at you next time.

Notice the difference? This group has been challenged to run the rapid with upside down paddles. Can you hear the "Getting Stronger" refrain from the Rocky theme?

Does raft guide school sound perfect for someone you know? Either get them professional counseling or send them the link to the guide school webpage at noc.com. Spring break will be here before you know it!

2012 Special Events: What’s New and What’s Back

First of all, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Zuzana Vanha, and I’m the new Events Manager here at the Nantahala Outdoor Center. I’m in an interesting position at the NOC. I’m new, but I’m also back: six years ago I worked as a waitress at River’s End Restaurant, and over 24 years ago, I first visited the NOC as a wide-eyed little girl, fresh off the boat from Czechoslovakia, coming with my family to live with our uncle Vladimir, who, unbeknownst to us, had become a living local legend in the Nantahala Gorge (thanks as much to his eccentricities as to his revolutionary kayak manufacturing company, Noah Kayaks). So I’ve seen the NOC through various metamorphoses, and I have to say I’m excited about the coming year, which is shaping up to be the biggest for events in recent history, and maybe ever.

First, let me take you through the highlights: In May, NOC is hosting the Adventure Travel Film Festival. The ATFF is definitely something new—3 days and 16 films, ranging thematically from the first descent of the Yenisey River through Mongolia, Siberia, and into the Arctic Ocean, to “The Himalayan Adventure,” the 1958 story of three English housewives who bought a Land Rover and drove it from London to Zanskar (then a part of Tibet). In short: inspiring, audacious, and beautifully filmed adventures that will leave you itching to get out and see the world. That’s why we’re also hosting speakers, photography clinics, and survival skills workshops throughout the weekend. The only danger is that when it’s time to leave on Sunday, you might just want to keep driving…

Exciting, gritty, real: The Adventure Travel Film Festival has something to whet every whistle.

But don’t go yet, there’s more to come throughout the summer. NOC is turning 40 this June, and we’re having a party for all of you who have been our family and friends over the years. In the afternoon, we’re hosting the first annual Nantahala River Raft Race, followed by,speakers, contests, and live music into the wee hours. Join us. We’d love to have the chance to thank you for a great 40 years.

Recognize me? NOC's Outfitter's Store, in its early days.

And then in September, there’s the World Cup. That’s right, the 2012 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Cup is coming to the Nantahala River. Top freestyle athletes from around the world will compete at the newly constructed 2013 Wave, built this winter with a generous grant from The Golden Leaf Foundation to accommodate next year’s Freestyle World Championships.

Top international freestyle athletes will compete on the Nantahala in 2012 & 2013.

Our high-profile events continue into October, when we’re hosting the 2012 ACA Open Canoe Nationals. The best open boaters from across the US and Canada will compete for three days in a variety of classes, and you can come out to give them a run for their money, because this event is open to everyone. (Juniors 16 and under will race for free in tandem disciplines when accompanied by a paying adult.)

So, as you can see, there are a lot of new things going on at the NOC this summer to get excited about, but that’s not to say that our returning events are old hat. Many of these events have been growing in popularity for the last several years, and will be bigger and better this coming season. In its second year, NOC’s Appalachian Trail celebration, the Founder’s Bridge Festival will feature local and national hiking/backpacking personalities, speaking on topics such as AT history and conducting free wilderness skills clinics. We’ll also be hosting a trail maintenance hike on a section of AT adjacent to the NOC campus.

We’re also happy to welcome back our annual high-level competitions, including the Bank of America Whitewater US Open. This March, Top level slalom athletes will race on the Nantahala before making their way to Charlotte for the 2012 Olympic Team Trials. Don’t miss this chance to cheer on our future Team USA before they head for London later this summer. The Freestyle Shootout is also coming back to the NOC this April—pro freestylers, enthusiasts, and juniors are invited to participate in the inaugural freestyle event at the 2013 Wave.

Some events that everyone can get involved in this year will be the Canoe Club Challenge and World Kayak Hometown Throwdown, two beginner-friendly competitions that encourage boaters to improve their skills in a friendly, unintimidating setting. Check out these events on the third weekend of June, July, and August.

Come one, come all! Everyone is welcome at this beginner friendly slalom event!

The Duck n’ Run, in its third year this May, is NOC’s seriously silly biathlon. Paddle the Nantahala in an inflatable ducky, then test your lungs (and quads) up Flint Ridge trail: what’s not to love? Boaters and non-boaters, runners and non-runners are welcome!

Devoted fans cheer along competitors at the 2011 Duck n' Run.

And towards the end of the season, come out again for the Great Pumpkin Pursuit, a free-for-all canoe/kayak scramble for hundreds of numbered pumpkins floating through the Nantahala Falls. A beloved component of our annual NOCtoberfest, the Pumpkin Pursuit will take place on the 27th of October. NOCtoberfest itself will be significantly bigger this year.

Autumnal Foliage at the 2011 Great Pumpkin Pursuit.

In addition to our tried-and-true autumn festivities, guests can enjoy a traditional Bavarian-style Beer Garden, set in along the riverbank under the tall maples near Slow Joe’s Café: beer, brats, schnitzels galore, as well as dumplings, sauerkraut, and cider for the kids. Hayrides and haunted houses are also in the works, as well as the Flint Ridge Fall Flight, a multi-option running race along NOC’s trail system.

To sum up, NOC’s mix of high-profile events, returning festivals, fun challenges and community races will make 2012 a year to remember. Come out and join in the fun, and stay afterwards to enjoy live music, refreshments, and good company at the Pourover Pub. We’re sure you’ll find something you like to do this year at the Nantahala, and we’d love to hear your thoughts on NOC events past, present, and future. Your input is what helps us make these events better every year. Please feel free to comment here, on NOC’s Facebook page, or by sending an email to info@noc.com.

I am looking forward to the coming year, and I hope you’ll be a part of it.

Zuzana Vanha

NOC Events

UK's Adventure Travel Film Festival Coming to NOC in May

And now for something completely different: NOC's Nantahala River campus is the new East Coast home for the UK's Adventure Travel Film Festival. The festival will feature sixteen films from Friday May 5 to mid-afternoon on Sunday May 6, including the cult-favorite Mondo Enduro by festival host and promoter Austin Vince. This film details the Mondo Enduro motorcycle expedition that aspired to take the longest route around the world in the shortest amount of time possible.

A complete list of films can be found here at NOC's official event page . Vince's wife, fellow motorcycle adventurer and author Lois Pryce will be cohosting. Don't worry--there's plenty of human powered adventures too. Watch the trailer:

The official 2012 NOC Adventure Travel Film Festival trailer. Take a look!

Besides being bona fide adventure travel stars in their own right, Austin and Lois provide the festival with its trademark quirkiness, independence and authenticity. These two have their own ideas of what's interesting and adventurous, and this is often much less glamorous and perhaps more real than mainstream AdTrav media.

So, mark your calendars for May 4-6. Weekend passes are only$50 and there's plenty of lodging/camping in the area (NOC's Basecamp would be the ideal place to crash that weekend). NOC will provide live music and entertainment to boot.