Vacation in your Own Backyard June 18, 2010

Summer is almost upon us and the kids are almost out of school, by now you’re already thinking about what you might want to do this summer, taking a look at your bank account and thinking “Do we really have money for a vacation this year?”

Over the last few years you’ve probably heard the term “Stay-cation” and if you don’t know what it is, here’s the deal: Instead of planning a week long adventure out of town, look for fun and exciting things to do close to home. Find a zoo, or a local park and plan a day trip.

The Government might like to coddle us and say that we’re coming out of a recession, but those of us who were affected know that even though we’re coming out, we’re still in a recession!

Vacations, with your home as a base of operations, are a fun way to get out of the house and have fun with the family with out breaking the bank. The possibilities are endless, from a one day trip to a week long adventure using your home as the hub for your adventures, you can plan more adventures with out having to worry about the cost of the hotel!

Wildwater Rafting  offer a wide range of activities for the whole family! Book your backyard outing with us, day trips can be made from Atlanta, Greenville, Knoxville, Asheville, Charlotte and surrounding areas. Whatever you do this summer, we hope you and your family have a safe and fun filled trip!

To make reservations for whitewater rafting, zipline adventures, Jeep™ tours, and Raft and Rail© adventures, call our reservation office at 1-800-451-9972

Only One More Week on the Chattooga! October 28, 2009

But Oh what a time it will be!

November 8th is the last day for rafting on the Chattooga River and the 2009 season for Wildwater. For the past few days we’ve had steady rain followed by gorgeous days like today!! This has caused the water levels to rise again, not as much as we saw last month, but a significant amount. Check out the pictures we’ve uploaded to our website. The Chattooga is the only river run by Wildwater that is not dam controlled. While the rain can have an effect on our dam controlled rivers  (conditions are aided by the smaller streams and brooks feeding into the river downstream),  rainfall is the main influence of conditions on the Chattooga.

Need another reason to go rafting? Well we’ve got two! How about the amazing fall foliage. In the last two weeks conditions have been near perfect to get the leaves popping into their show of colors! Although colors are starting to get past peak in Western NC they are just peaking in Upstate SC where the Chattooga is located. Secondly, mention fall specials and receive 20% off of any Wildwater trip. Don’t wait or you might just miss the adventure!!!

Visit our website to find out more about the exciting trips we have to offer this last few weeks, and don’t forget that the weekend of November 7th is also the last release date on the Cheoah River in Robbinsville, NC for 2009!

Plumtree Canopy Tours September 11, 2009

@ Toe River Lodge Campground, Plumtree, NC

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23!!!

Experience a real Canopy Tour and Zipline Adventure that takes you into the trees with Plumtree Canopy Tours. More than just a 3 hour zipline experience, enjoy 11 zips and 4 sky bridges while learning about the trees, wildlife habitats, community of Plumtree, the vast underground mines, the hey days of the early to mid-1900’s, and how this region of peaks soaring 5500 feet above sea level remains a world leader today. Operated by the professionals from Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours, Plumtree flies you 60 feet above Isaac’s Branch Creek, launches you from“Rock & Roll” and zips you past trees and mountainsides on “The Zinger.”
All equipment is provided including the added security of a full-body harness, helmet, trolley, glove, and 2 professional canopy rangers per group.

Plumtree is located in Avery County NC. Due to the twists and turns the roads take it is difficult to give mileage information to guests, but, we can tell you that it is located fifteen minutes from Linville Gorge, and excellent park for camping, hiking and spelunking! Also located thirty minutes away from Grandfather Mountain, and forty five minutes from Boone and Appalachian State University.

For more information you can visit www.vancetoeriverlodge.com or www.wildwaterrafting.com/plumtree.php

Call Wildwater to make a reservation: 800.451.9972

Want to Stay in an Ewok Village!? September 11, 2009

Boy we really lucked out bringing News Channel 7’s  crew up to Bryson City, if you haven’t seen it yet, check out their Cool Jobs segment we posted  a couple days ago. Yesterday they aired their Home Hoppin’ segment. This series take you to up-scale homes (or in this weeks case, campsites) and gives an in-depth tour of the property. I like the end of the clip where Kimberly compares the Yurts to an Ewok Village!

We’ve got a “Cool Job” September 9, 2009

Recently, one of our employees was watching the local news in Greenville, SC and saw a segment about cool jobs in the area. Thinking to himself “Hey, I’ve got a really cool job!”, he contacted them about our new Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours. They thought it was a great idea and sent a camera crew out to interview several of our Canopy Rangers and film the action on the zip line. They had a great time up in the trees and can’t wait to come do it again! Here’s a link to Lee “Bob” and Jamarcus from News Channel 7 covering our “Cool Job” just outside Bryson City, NC!

 

Trip Changes on the Pigeon August 24, 2009

Walters Powerhouse, which is responsible for releasing water into the Pigeon River, has their last release for 2009 scheduled on September 5th. In previous years this has signaled the end of rafting season on the Upper Pigeon River. This is because we rely on these scheduled releases to create exciting Class III and IV rapids on set days of the week to be able to guarantee your trip will be the ride that you expect. However this year we are offering a new kind of trip! After Labor Day we will be offering a scenic River Trip with a chance of whitewater. The trip will be a Class I – II experience with the possibility of a full Upper Pigeon Trip! Why the uncertainty about the size of the rapids? Walters Powerhouse will be releasing water "as needed" rather than following a regular schedule. Lake levels, power demand and weather forecasts will all be used to determine these projected release times. As a result, we won’t know more than a day or so in advance when the whitewater will occur and we may not even find out until we reach the launch area! Minimum flows on the river create Class I and II rapids so it can be rafted regardless of flow and the scenery is still fantastic. The Pigeon River will be open on Tuesday’s through Saturdays and this is a GREAT opportunity to see the fall leaf changes and get some excitement in at the same time! September 9th through October 5th trips will start at 12pm and 3pm. From October 6th until November 14th trips will start at 11am and 2pm. The price for the trip is $39 per person – Trips leaving out at 3PM are still eligible for the $8-off discount

A Smoky Mountain Zip Through the Trees July 5, 2009

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA-I’m standing in the treetops enveloped by the lush vegetation of the Smoky Mountains. The Cardinal’s bird song is urging me on, saying “Come join us, you won’t be sorry.” I inhale a long, deep breath and smell the moist aroma of the forest and then…take a step off the platform. I feel the cool breeze against my face and remember to exhale with a high pitch squeal of delight; flavored with excitement mixed with little fear.

I just took my first zip on the new Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours, located 12 miles outside of Bryson City. I checked in at Wildwater Ltd. Rafting then went across the street to their Falling Waters Adventure Resort. The Resort sits on 22 acres and began with lodging of eight Yurts and a Group Lodge. The Lodging used about 5 acres. The rest of the steep and rolling acreage was not utilized, until this spring. Construction began first with an arborist recording the trees health and location then, the course was laid out. All told there are 11 sections; some zip lines side-by-side, 5 sky bridges and 3 transfer bridges.

The half-mile, Canopy Tour course runs from ridge to ridge. The ecosystem is comprised of hardwoods, native rhododendron, azaleas, mountain laurels as well as filled with songbirds. As we waited for the other flyers to complete their zips, the Canopy Ranger explains the history of the area and the uniqueness of the environment.

I’m equipped with a full body harness of webbing that wraps around my upper body and legs. A carabiner and safety line comes from the center up to a trolly. I’m wearing a helmet, and gloves for my hands. I feel comfortable because this course will takes about three hours.

July 10 is the launch date for the new Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours. This is to be a four-season activity which is a nice addition for the Nantahala area. Individual rates are $69 per person and they also offer group rates. Each session has two Canopy Rangers assigned to each group of 12. (877) 398-6222 www.nantahalagorgecanopytours.com.

Last Chance-Cheoah Release for the Summer June 16, 2009

Next weekend (June 20th and 21st) is the last release on the Cheoah River for this spring/summer (there is one more scheduled release-Nov 7th). One of the questions we often get about the Cheoah is why the release schedule doesn’t include more dates during the summer. If whitewater recreation was the only factor to consideration when releasing water into this river, it certainly makes sense that the majority of releases dates would be in the summer. However other factors had to be considered.

 

The Cheoah River is one of many waterways created and controlled by the Tapoco Hydroelectric Project which is owned and operated by Alcoa Power Generating Inc, a subsidiary of Alcoa Aluminium. Every 40 – 50 years all hydroelectric generation plants must be relicensed and during the relicensing process there is an opportunity for interested parties to raise concerns about the management of the river. The dams in the Tapoco Hydroelectric Project came up for relicensing in 2005 but the process began back in 1998.

American Whitewater, in conjunction with whitewater outfitters, local paddling clubs and environmental resource management agencies negotiated for environmental and recreational releases in the Cheoah River under the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) laws. These laws which stipulate that recreational opportunities must be considered for the public and meet certain environmental criteria. The group succeeded in securing an minimum environmental flow for the Cheoah River with periodic high water releases, which are the dates when we are able to offer rafting trips.

 

Previously the river bed had been dry for 77 years. These flow levels are intended to restore the natural habitat of the river bed in addition to providing recreational opportunities. The recreational release schedule was designed to mimic the high water events that would occur naturally on the river due to spring rains, which is why the majority of releases occur in the spring and early summer. The hope is that by releasing a continuous minimal flow with periodic high water releases at time of natural flood events, native species will once again be able to inhabit the river and thrive. High water flows act in much the same way that periodic fires do in forests. The water clears sediment and vegetation, redistributes nutrients and increases the health of the the habitat.

 

The link below is an interesting podcast that American Whitewater broadcasted about the difficult process that occurred while securing recreational releases on the Cheoah. There’s also some great footage of the river itself.

LVMTV :: Monday Morning Madhouse 3/16; American Whitewater’s successes with Cheoah Releases from Lunch Video Magazine on Vimeo.

The Real Fun Begins! June 16, 2009

This post was from a group considering a trip on the Chattooga. If you are looking for a fun group for your teen to join, check out these guys, Teva Treks. They are a Jewish outdoor adventure summer camp for teenagers. Beginning in summer 2010, Teva Treks will offer teens the chance to explore beautiful places, challenge themselves and build a community to last a lifetime.

"While we were out on the river, we really felt separated from the rest of the world – it was great! We rafted with Wildwater Ltd Rafting, a well-established company that has been guiding on the Chattooga since 1971. All of the guides were professional, friendly, and clearly loved their jobs. We’re now debating whether to do an overnight 2-day rafting trip, or to spend one day rafting and one day kayaking."

Bananahalas June 16, 2009

We’ve had a nice break from the rain. Though we certainly appreciate all that Mother Nature has given us, this past sunny warm weekend is appreciated. As the summer season starts to sneak up on us, a lot of people are planning their getaways and a pivotal part of great memories is sitting around a campfire.

Become the star of the weekend with this twist on the traditional s’mores campfire treat. I call it "Bananahalas," after the fruit that is the base of the treat and the first place I tried it, here on the Nantahala.

Buy a bunch of bananas, not too green and not too squishy ripe. Peel one section of the banana skin back, but not all the way off. Scoop out, with a small teaspoon, the ripe banana fruit. Keep it and set aside. Scoop out enough to create a "bowl" or "trough" so you can put in chocolate chips and mini-marshmallows. Mash the banana fruit that you extracted earlier and then replace it on top of the chocolate chips and marshmallows. Place the banana peel back over the fruit and wrap entirely in aluminum foil.

Place the bananas in the campfire coals so the treat is heated through out.

After the bananahalas are hot, pull out and eat with a spoon. Careful-they might be hot. but oooh, it’s worth it,  it tastes like a banana split. Enjoy and . . . don’t forget the ghost stories.