Looks like folks are starting to chat up the umpteenth annual New River Rendezvous in West Virginia over Labor Day. My co-dis-organizer Mike Sawyer started a facebook page for the event and I've pasted his words, which are mostly some of my old words (got that?) below. Here's a link:
https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=175098732544630
Folks who know the routine please feel free to just show up and handle your own camping details.
Folks who are not familiar with the event please feel warmly welcomed, read the stuff below, and contact me with questions.
In recent years I have committed to running a group on one of the easier upstream sections if need be on Saturday but someone always steps up for that and I end up on the gorge. I will make that promise again this year. After that, if running upstream sections, you will have made friends to run them with.
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From facebook a la Sawyer with some edits by me.
[The general theme is to be loosely organized, relax, and have a bunch of fun. If you are new, please say so, feel welcomed, and we'll try to help you. ]
(Basic info from 2005 -- it hasn't changed much)
If you get this it is either because you showed an
interest in the upcoming, Labor Day Weekend, trip or
I somehow think you’d be interested in it. If I’ve added
you to this list in error or if you’re just not
interested, please forgive me.
Here’s a copy of the note Ken sent out and some added
stuff from me. If you have any questions don’t
hesitate to ask via email or cell phone.
Cell# [stripped from message by Ken. I'm easy to find. I stay pretty current on the Coastals message board and the MCC too but not as much.]
This is a multi-club event with something for just
about everyone. This year we will camp at Ray's Campground, meet each
morning and go paddling!
http://www.rayscampground.com/ [Contact them yourself please. We don't coordinate the camping. Remember the theme, loosely organized.]
Folks generally paddle on
Saturday and Sunday with a few going out on Monday as
well. For nonpaddling significant others the New River
Gorge National River offers incredible scenery,
hiking, biking, climbing, and more.
Trips will generally be on the New River in WV but, of
course, if we get rain then other options will be
available. The most commonly paddled upper sections
(McCreery or Prince to Thurmond and Thurmond to
Cunard) are bigwater class II's with some rapids
approaching class III mainly because the waves get
kinda big. It's pool / drop in nature so swims tend to
be short and in deep water. I've taken relative
newbies here and they've been challenged but had fun.
A typical rapid consists of the river getting narrowed
down by a shoal, getting deeper and faster until it
ends up in a big friendly wave train which plonks you
into a pool.
Glade Creek to Grandview Sandbar (Quinnimont) which is similar in
difficulty to the two trips mentioned above but
shorter, with more action, an easy shuttle, and it's
kinda on the way home for a lot of folks.
Downstream is the New River Gorge, from Cunard to
Fayette Station. I consider this one to be a
significant notch more difficult than the lower Yough,
particularly if the water is up. One way to see if you
are ready for this one is to try the last rapid,
Fayette Station, which is right at the takeout, and
see how it feels.
Meals are up to you. Ray's does a modest breakfast if you tell him the day before. Group up, and some will go out.
We'll work out shuttles and logistics as needed -- well, we'll work at it...
Sound off and speak up.
Sawyer and Dubell [sic]
.......looking forward to it!
