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YOUR RESOURCE FOR ADVENTURE IN THE NEW AND GAULEY RIVERS AREAGorGe Guide

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amazing gracewomen rock climbers of the new river gorge

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O P E N D A I L Y | E X I T 4 5 I -7 7 / I - 6 4 B E C K L E Y t a m a r a c k w v. c o m | 1- 8 8 - TA M A R A C K

puBLIsheR/eDItOR Cristina OpdahleDItORIAL COnsuLtAnts Maura Kistler, Christopher Danz

COpY eDItOR Martha OpdahlheALth/enVIROnment eDItOR Ginger DanzCOntRIButInG WRIteRs Jonathan Danz, Jennifer Ginsberg, Katie Johnson, Maura Kistler, Erin Larsen, Kim Maxwell, Lydia McDonaldCOntRIButInG phOtOGRApheRs Christopher Danz, Candace Evans, Colleen Laff ey, Harrison Shull, Mike Turner

ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Jessica Holtzclawplease send request for media kits to gorgeguide@gmail.comor call 304­573­8113

EDITORIAL CONTENT editorial and photo submissions are welcome. send a brief description of your story idea or jpeg of the photo you are submitting to gorgeguide@gmail.com

Copyright© 2012 by nickelville press, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is expressly prohibited.

New River Gorge Adventure Guidep.O. Box 372fayetteville, WV 25840304­573­8113

Outdoor activities are inherently risky, and participation can cause injury or loss of life. please consult your doctor prior to beginning any workout program or sports activity, and seek out a qualifi ed instructor. nickelville press, LLC will not be held responsible for your decision to play outdoors.

COVeR: A hiker enjoys the view from endless Wall, new River Gorgephotograph by harrison Shull/Shullphoto.com

New River Gorge Adventure Guide covers the beautiful natural playgrounds in and around the new River Gorge including the Gauley River and summersville Lake area, the meadow River, and more. It is located in south­central West Virginia near fayetteville, West Virginia, and the new River Gorge Bridge.

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Fall 2012 Issue 8. fantastic flight Large fl ying squirrels? nope, just a wingsuit clinic in the air

above the new River Gorge this October.

9. Art for All public art coming soon to a blank wall near you.

10. up, up, and Away Bridge Day’s newest addition is a catapult that will add height and velocity for a few lucky BAse jumpers.

11. Go take a hike by Katie Johnson every trail is not for everybody, so we’ve selected 11 spectacular and diff erent routes. One is bound to be perfect for you.

14. Amazing Grace by Lydia mcDonald Women rock climbers of the new River Gorge fi nd balance between life’s demands and their favorite sport.

17. Adventure Blitz short on time? A round­up of 4 hours or less adventures that won’t make you late for dinner.

20. Dear new River Gorge Bridge Who knew the bridge could look so lovely in so many diff erent ways? A photo series taken from a variety of angles.

23. Catch Th at Gauley Glow by Katie Johnson not only is running the Gauley River fun, it makes you a better person.

24. Watch the show or Be the show everything you need to know to get the most out of Bridge Day.

26. Wild and Wintery by Jennifer Ginsberg With snow ziplining and icicle watching, there’s plenty to do around here when the temperature drops.

,

26. Drip Drop by Kim maxwell A primer on teaching children about earth’s most precious resource.

28. Wetland Wonders by Jim mcCormac Th e wetlands at Wolf Creek park is teeming with life.

30. Adventure Calendar A regatta, stand­up paddle board race, and an American Alpine Club sponsored climbing weekend is just the beginning.

31. nature & Culture Calendar A wine festival, whitewater video competition, and plenty of art­walking and bird­watching.

32. Be Well by erin Larsen eating locally grown foods is good for your community, and for your health.

33. Th e Gorge Guide Restaurant Guide hungry? We are here to help you source your next meal. Check this chart to fi nd all the good food that this area has to off er.

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Happenings

If On OCtOBeR 1721 you happen to look up and see something that looks a lot like a fl ying squirrel in the air, don’t fret. more than likely, it will be a wingsuit instructor or student here at the new River Gorge for a wingsuit sky diving clinic.

Wingsuits are special jumpsuits with arm and leg “wings” that add lift to a skydiver’s descent making it last longer, and, according to those who wear the birdman suits, even more fun. experienced skydivers only—those who have completed a couple hundred jumps—are allowed to attend. for more information, contact skydive nRG, 606­923­7475; skydivenrg.com.

fantastic flight

BAts ARe CReAtuRes We rarely see or think about, yet we reap huge benefi ts from their existence. Th eir impact is felt on hikes and back decks throughout the Appalachian mountains: one 3­inch little brown bat—a species very common in the east including the new River Gorge— can eat up to 1,000

invisible crisis

mosquitoes in a single night. Th is is one reason why it’s an acute crisis that many bat species including the little brown are in great peril. Th e culprit is a fungus relatively new to north America called Geomyces destructans, which causes the disease known as white­nose syndrome.

Bats that contract the disease display a white fuzz on their nose and wings and wake up pre­maturely during their hiber nation. Th ey cannot survive the disruption in their normal metabolism and starve to death. Th ere is no feasible cure, and so far, an estimated 5.5 million north American bats have died from white­ nose syndrome since it was discovered in a new York cave in 2006.

Th e fungus that causes white­nose syndrome thrives in the cold wet caves where these bats hibernate in winter, and, unfortunately, also in abandoned coal mines of the new River

Gorge that shelter many of our local bats during their winter

hibernation. Th e disease’s presence was offi cially confi rmed in the new River Gorge national River in 2011 when national park service wildlife biologist mark Graham saw little brown bats fl ying outside a mine portal in the winter. Th ey were supposed to be hibernating. Graham captured two and sent them to a lab, where they tested positive for

A little brown bat with the telltale white nose of white nose syndrome, a fungus disease responsible for the deaths of 5.5 million and counting north American bats

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LGET INVOLVED!

Art In Sight ◆ First FridaysArtist CooperativeMusic and Art Festival

Art Classes beginning in September!

Gallery open weekends through Bridge Day.Check out our website for more information:

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white­nose syndrome. While no north American

species of bat has gone extinct yet from white­nose syndrome, the death toll is so staggering that there is a movement to put several species on the endangered species list. some new York colonies of little brown bats infected with white­nose syndrome, says Graham, “lost 90 percent [of their numbers] in one year, then 90 percent of what was left the next year. so that’s in eff ect a 99 percent decrease in 2 years.”

Th e syndrome has been found in new River Gorge little brown bats, but Graham assumes that now that it’s here, fi ve of the other six, more rarely seen cave dwelling species most likely have it as well: the endangered Indiana bat, the eastern small­footed bat, the northern long­eared bats, the big brown bat, and the tri­colored bats. White­nose syndrome has not been found on any endangered Virginia big­eared bats anywhere yet. Th ose bats are the nRG’s seventh cave using bat species.

Th ankfully, the nRG has 3 species of bats that don’t hibernate in caves and thus so far are safe from white­nose syndrome: the silver­haired bat, which hibernates in rock crevices and trees, the eastern red bat, which hibernates in “leaf litter” and the

hoary bat, which migrates south in the winter.

We don’t think about them much, but with 1,000 uneaten mosquitoes per night per bat that dies, we may be thinking about them more soon. “Bats only have one pup per year so it takes a lot longer for them to bounce back,” explains Graham. “It will put a lot of pressure on their populations and I hope we don’t lose any. Th ey’re fascinating creatures and our ecosystem depends on them. We might see things be a lot more buggy for awhile.”

Want to help the bats? Here are 3 things you can do:

• Never enter abandoned coal mines for your personal safety and for the good of the bats.

• If entering caves, follow the u.s. fish and Wildlife service (usfWs) recommendations for disinfection of caving gear so as to prevent the human spread of the disease­causing fungus (whitenosesyndrome.org/topics/decontamination).

• Install a bat box. Little brown bats and Indiana bats both readily make use of properly constructed and installed bat boxes to form maternity colonies, where they raise their young in the spring and summer. more info on bats and bat boxes can be found on Bat Conservation International's website at: batcon.org.

art for allTh e brick building at 233 north Court street, fayetteville, is getting a new look. Th e artist responsible is Rob Cleland, who was selected by the fayetteville Arts Coalition to design and paint the organization’s fi rst mural. Cleland began in August and plans to fi nish in september or October. Th e fAC has also planned a sculpture by Jeff fetty for the corner of Keller and Court street, which will be unveiled in October. stay tuned—according to the fAC, this is just the beginning. for more information, go to fayettevilleartscoalition.org

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new River Gorge Bridge Day’s newest attraction

WhAt COuLD Be BetteR from a BAse jumper’s perspective than stepping off a platform 876 feet high above the ground? Adding velocity, of course. Th is year, 20 lucky and very experienced Bridge Day BAse jumpers will fl y from a human catapult sitting on top of the new River Gorge Bridge. Th ey’ll sit in a seat at the end of a 12 foot long steel arm, and at the turn of a ball valve, get launched 50 feet forward and 20 feet high into the air above the bridge.

“It’s like fl inging a pea from your spoon,” explains Jason Bell, 41, a mechanical engineer, who has been working on his BAse catapult for several years. Th e catapult is pneumatically operated—which means the force of the catapult is generated from a canister of pressurized air. It weighs 2,500 pounds, and is made largely of steel rectangular tubing.

Bell has the creds to create a new wrinkle in new River Gorge BAse jumping: he’s a 20 year veteran BAse jumper, and his company, Vertical Visions, has run Bridge Day BAse jumping for 10 years. Bell has taken

the catapult through its paces: fi rst he tested it with launches of 150­200 pounds of sand bags. Th en, in early August real people got to be the crash­test dummies, including himself. six volunteers were catapulted repeatedly into the air above maple Lake near Bell’s home in Bridgeport, West Virginia. “We wanted to see if there was stability in the air, see if there were any problems with that,” said Bell. “It worked perfectly and we had a blast. Th e launch is very smooth. You almost don’t know you’re out of the chair until, well, you’re out of the chair.”

Bell is handpicking the 20 experienced jumpers who may launch from the catapult, and there will be a charge to help defray his input (he estimates about $15,000). Th e catapult BAse launches will take place at regular intervals from 9am to 3pm on October 20th to give jumper watchers plenty of opportunities to see humans fl y like peas from a spoon.

up, up and away

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fall/winter 2012 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 11

Trails

One Of the mOst recom­mended trails and for good reason. This three­mile loop starts in a cozy forest of pine trees. Cross fern Creek and continue on to the rim of the Gorge. You’ll be treated to some of the best views in Appalachia. Watch the boaters below on the new River or roll out the yoga mat you brought along and find some balance. The end of the loop is a brief walk on Lansing Road. Directions: endless Wall trail, nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/fayetteville_trails.htm

If YOu WAnt see WAteRfALLs, go to Ansted for a hike along this rail trail, more commonly known as mill Creek trail. not only can you get a great view of the 20­foot mill Creek falls, but you can walk out right next to it. This 1.9­mile trail is great for all­terrain strollers and even bikes with training wheels.

Don’t let the easy downhill grade fool you, though. You’ll feel the gradient of what was once the country’s steepest narrow gauge railway when you start back up.

Directions: hawksnestsp.com

Go Take a HikeDon’t have much time? There’s a hike you can squeeze In. Feeling flabby? There’s one that will make you sweat. Want to see relics of coal history? There’s one for that, too. Read on for some of the best trails in the New River Gorge Area.

By Katie Johnson

Best Trail for Landscape VarietyEndless Wall/ Fern Creek Trail, 2.4 miles

Best Trail for A Quick FixBurnwood Trail,1.2 miles

Best Waterfall Viewing:Ansted–Hawks Nest Rail Trail,1.9 miles

Best Trail to Take Your SweetheartBeauty Mountain, length varies

from an off­road parking area very close to the Gorge, take a trail that weaves in and out of rhododendron thickets. It forks in several places. Choose just about any path and follow it for several hundred yards. You’ll be rewarded with spectacular cliff­top views of the Gorge. A camera is a must­have when you go. earn extra points with your honey (or potential honey), by pulling their favorite picnic treats out of your backpack.

ChOOse thIs tRAIL if you only have a little time. It’s amazing how quickly the noise from highway 19 disappears once you leave the car. The trail, lined with blackberries and wildflowers, passes through a field before it enters the woods and circles under the hardwood splendor and big beech trees. This one­mile jaunt is also a children’s wildlife study area. no hunting is allowed here and happy deer abound. Directions: Burnwood trail, nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/fayetteville_trails.htm

early morning fog on the endless Wall/fern Creek trail

Burnwood trail is a great short loop for kids

Best Trail That Ends With a View of the BridgeLong Point, 1.6 miles

LOnGpOInt hIKe Is an easy 1.6 miles one way to its termination, which is a skinny sliver of exposed sandstone directly facing the new River Gorge Bridge. Watch your step, it’s a sheer drop on both sides. But you will be rewarded with nearly 360­degree views of glorious West Virginia.

The hike back always feels shorter. should you want to extend your hike, the Long point trail connects with the fayetteville trails and the Kaymoor trails. Choose a spur route at one of the signs and you’re off.

Directions: nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/longpoint_trail.htm

LookinG for EVEn MorE

GrEAT THinGs To do in THE nEw riVEr GorGE?

Go to www.nrgorgeguide.com• Great Articles •

• New River Gorge Business Directory • • Beautiful Photographs • And More! •

the KAYmOOR tRAILs ARe a long system of trails running from Cunard to fayetteville—basically the length of the commercial whitewater section of the new River—on the southeast side of the river. Along the trails are various branches to explore.

If it’s a calf­burn you crave, choose the branch that begins at the Kaymoor miners trail from the Kaymoor #1 road. Th is trail goes directly to the top of the stairs. You’ll even go past an old mine opening. Ruins from the old town of Kaymoor Bottom are…yep, at the bottom of the stairs. Another, less challenging but also beautiful Kaymoor trail section begins at the Wolf Creek trailhead off fayette station Road.

Directions: Kaymoor miners trail and Kaymoor trail, nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/fayetteville_trails.htm

Best Trail for a WorkoutKaymoor Miners Trail 1 mile including 800+ steps

nO huntInG Is ALLOWeD in Babcock, so head there during hunting season. Th e photogenic grist mill brings people from all over (and so does the fi shing). Don’t be surprised to fi nd quite a few others wandering around, but don’t worry—once you leave the pavement, you’ll leave the crowds as well.

Th ere are several great trails to choose from here. try the hike along Glade Creek. starting at the gristmill, you can take the old roadbed all the way to the new River on creek left , 4.5 miles one way. for a technical scramble, veer off the road and cross the creek on the swinging bridge (look for the sign among the cabins). A fi sherman’s trail parallels the creek downstream on creek right.

Directions: babcocksp.com

(To continue reading, turn to page 29)

Best Hunter-Free Zone:Babcock State Park,lengths vary

Th e view from the top of the Kaymoor stairs

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BIPLANE RIDES« « « « « « « « « «

Amazing GraceWomen Climbers in the New River Gorge Find Balance On and Off the Rock

By Lydia McDonald

fall/winter 2012 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 15

BACK In the fALL Of 1999 I sardined myself into a sedan full of good­natured geeks and a huge load of our university's climbing and camping gear, and blasted off toward the new River Gorge for my first ever climbing trip. We were thrilled to be out of classes and out on real rock instead of the plastic holds of our home gym in south Carolina. I carried my video camera everywhere and video­taped the entire weekend—from our trembling legs on the requisite newbie crack “easily flaky,” to our loud emphatic coaching of each other, even our nocturnal prowling inside a former mine in the depths of Kaymoor. I was hooked. unsurprisingly, my then­boyfriend—who I caught on camera half­jokingly calling out for his mother as he quivered on that first real rock climb—and I soon went our separate ways. I left behind weekends spent at cafés and punk rock shows for weekends on the rocks with friends who held my life at the end of a rope.

Within a few days of returning to south Carolina, I won a job at my local climbing gym. every week I felt stronger, more confident, and more impatient to leave town for new places. even better, I was surrounded by people who encouraged me to be strong, to try hard, and to see how far I could push myself. several years later I was working at a café and going to college four days a week. I’d high­tail it out of south Carolina as soon as I locked the door of that café on Thursday night and drive straight to the new

and Roger’s Campground. There, every climber I knew congregated to mime climbing moves, wait out the rain, engage in stupid human tricks like one­arm pull­ups and slack­line walking, and drink bad coffee. I’d get home early monday morning just in time to slide into a chair in the rear of my first class. After spending several summers between school stints in fayetteville working and climbing, I made the new the place I officially call home.

There are a lot of women who have decided, like me, to make the new River Gorge their home crag and carve out a life here. Recently I went climbing with two of them. We chose Junkyard Wall, named thusly because it used to be a favorite local trash dumping ground. One of my companions was elaina Arenz smith, who is slight and quiet—both qualities that are no indicator of her climbing ability. elaina moved to the new with her husband Kurt smith (who put up some of the hardest first ascents in the u.s. and mexico) because, as she says, “there’s nowhere else in the country you can affordably live within 5 minutes of a national park and a world class climbing destination.”

smith donned her helmet and began to lead a traditional 5.10 (traditional climbing, aka “trad” climbing, involves carrying gear of various sizes that you can temporarily place into cracks and holes in the rock to protect yourself in a fall. It's generally more intimidating than “sport” climbing, where you clip into pre­drilled bolt

hangers). she worked her way up slowly and methodically, ensuring that every piece she placed would keep her off the ground should she slip. smith calls the new “the thinking person’s climbing area” because solutions to routes are often not obvious at all. she carved out a life here by starting a climbing guide service that she runs in the summer. In the off months, she and her husband travel to climb. They recently spent a few years on the road visiting virtually every climbing area in the u.s. on a fund­raising tour for the Access fund, which helps purchase and maintain access to our favorite climbing areas.

I watched smith make a flawless ascent and eventually arrive at the anchors at the top. As she lowered off the route, one of her two Weimeraners ran up with a deer leg in its mouth. Laughing, we accepted the gift graciously and stuck it in a low crack, hoping the next climbers who happened upon it would

picture the valiant deer had failed an attempt at escape through the rock wall.

Then it was my turn to pick a climb. I decided to have a go at a nearby sport route that I have tried before and fallen on. Our other climbing buddy Rachel melville stood near me and waited to belay. melville is a former collegiate­level soccer player who now pushes 5.13 routes (a rating very few climbers ever attempt). Knowing this route would challenge me, she offered, “Lydia, if you need beta, just say so. I remember this route pretty well.” melville is here because the new “has all the basics: overhanging pump fests, dead­vertical test­pieces, brilliant splitters of all sizes, deep water soloing, and excellent bouldering, all on perfect stone. Throw in the view, solitude, miles of undeveloped rock, rich history, a killer town, and you've touched the tip of the iceberg.” she sustains her climbing travels working as an environmental engineer, but she’s through and through an athlete—equal parts obsessive climber and walking love­fest.

“Remember, Lydia, you’re practically the strongest climber I know,” she tells me before I step on. “I have no doubt you can crush this route.” Though untrue, it was nonetheless motivating. The crux was a series of moves up open­handed slopers on an arete. I tiptoed, barely breathing, and gripped tiny holds. I felt like I would pop off the rock face with the slightest breeze. After approximately fifteen minutes

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Rachel melville is ripped on “Apollo Reed,” summersville Lake (opposite page); here, Lydia mcDonald finds finesse on “Reckless Abandon,” summersville Lake.

16 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 100% recycled paper

of reaching, high­stepping, and contorting myself into bizarre positions that would never occur to me on flat ground, I clip my rope through the anchors. surprisingly, I hadn’t fallen once.

new River rock climbing attracts a special sort of female. most chicks who climb here are less interested in the career track or settling down with a partner and a sedan, 2.3 children, and picket fence. Career often works its way into the picture eventually—climbers here, many of them national caliber, have also become teachers, guides, graphic designers, nurses, writers, and artists. Women climbers who choose the new remain intent on testing the limits of their strength and endurance. We prefer approach hikes on the way to a route to walks on the beach—even hikes on trails with rocks, fallen trees, and potentially venomous hurdles. We find this terrain a lot more interesting, especially because it leads us to vertical terrain that makes our hearts flutter.

And we are good at living without much in the way of luxury. A lot of us may dig clothes, but if it isn’t comfortable and functional we’re a lot less likely to spend the money. most of the women who ultimately planted themselves here spent months or years traveling while living on a tight budget, sleeping in the backs of their vehicles and eating out of cans, all so they can wake up to the sunrise and clean air that promises a day of stellar rock climbing.

for more than a few of us, climbing teaches confidence. tracy martin, another local climber, first came here seventeen years ago when it was much more difficult to find work. she figured it out for awhile, moved away for more than a decade, and then returned recently to a real job here in her favorite area. martin says she never felt athletic, but she found that “climbing was different. It involved nature and solitude and appeared to be super personal, and yet was a chance to develop trusting relationships.” time and again girls with confidence issues find that rock climbing awakens them to a new person within. “I had terrible self­esteem growing up and was sure I had nothing to contribute,” says tracy. “Climbing opened my eyes to all that I’m capable of.”

Another new River Gorge climber is elissa Colley Williams, who first started road­tripping here in her teens. While she believes that “rock climbing in general

attracts intelligent, interesting people,” the new in particular draws climbers who enjoy problem solving because the holds are often less obvious, making the climbing more cryptic. Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Williams says when her dad introduced her to climbing at the age of fourteen she started to transform from a wallflower who felt entirely out of place in school and sports into someone who earned better grades and learned to be comfortable socially. After meeting her future husband and favorite climbing partner here she began working on her masters degree in teaching. she now teaches math full time and is one of the strongest female climbers the new River has seen.

Jessa Goebel and her partner of several years, pat Goodman, recently moved from north Carolina and bought a house in fayetteville after traveling here to climb for over a decade. since she started climbing at nine her life has almost completely revolved around the sport. she and pat have traveled around the world, often with climbing companies footing the bill. Jessa tells me that rock climbing puts everything in her life in perspective while helping her build bonds with other women.

This is a common sentiment among female climbers. Climbing attracts women who have trouble identifying with your average Cosmo­reading, push­up bra­wearing urbanites, offering something rare and precious to us—an outlet that encourages us to build strength both physically and mentally. even women who never found themselves playing sports before are often surprised at how easily they excel at rock climbing. Women who are trying out climbing tend to move more naturally than men on rock, not relying on brute power to muscle their way up routes, keeping their strength in reserve for the hardest moves. (Bonus: men who rock climb appreciate

1 million people visit the New River Gorge National River every year. Some to look at the Bridge. Some to paddle whitewater.

Others come to climb the rocks. And others

come to commune with barred owls. All of them want to know about your business.

To advertise in the New River Gorge Adventure Guide,

contact gorgeguide@gmail.com

or 304-573-8113.

www.nrgorgeguide.com

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(To continue reading, turn to page 32)

elaina Arenz smith defies “upheaval,” Kaymoor slabs, endless Wall

fall/winter 2012 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 17

Adventure BlitzHaving a hard time fitting in everything you want to do? Check out our list of 4 hours or less adventure blitzes, adrenaline rushes and activities that give you the best bang for your precious time. On your mark, get set... Go.

1. Pull Hammerheads & S-Turns 30 Minutes

3. Jet Up the New River 45 Minutes

2. Hit 50 Miles Per Hour 3 Hours

taking flight in an open cockpit 1940 Stearman biplane is not an opportunity that comes along very often. It also doesn't take very long at all. Don’t worry, you’ll have time to take in the blanket of green that covers the new River Gorge area, gaze at the seemingly endless ribbon that is the new River, and admire the bridge before the aerobatics begin. They are optional, but how often do you get a chance to loop­de­loop in the sky, really?

How to Get There: Wild Blue Adventures, wildblueadventurecompany.com

Whereas canopy zipline tours include a visit in the treetops and all the nature sightings you might expect, Gravity zipline at Adventures on the Gorge is all about zipping, plain and simple. The highest point is higher—199 feet—and the speed is much faster. how much? 50 mph is a good guess, although in the words of a guide, “well, I weigh in at 153 and I can clock 56 mph.”

How to Get There: Adventures on the Gorge, 888­650­1932; adventurewestvirginia.com

One of the best ways to see the bridge is from a jetboat on Hawks Nest Lake, even better when it’s a jetboat piloted by Rick Larson, who manages to deliver one liners he’s no doubt delivered a thousand times and still be honestly funny. he’s not a bad jetboat

pilot, either. On a recent trip this writer actually got butterflies when he carved the jetboat into the tailwaves of Old nasty rapid, our end point.

How to Get There: new River Jetboats, 304­469­2525, newriverjetboats.com

PlayOnTheGorge.com888.406.4675

Play Wild. Stay Civilized. Make Yourself at Home With clean, comfortable lodging and three award-winning restaurants on-site, “roughing it” is no longer a requirement. Now the whole family can STAY CIVILIZED while you PLAY WILD! Luxury Cabins with Hot Tubs and Full Kitchens

Canyon Falls Swimming Pool 3,000 Square Feet of Cool, Sparkling Water

Dine on the Rim of the New River Gorge Only at Adventures On The Gorge!

Unleash Your Inner Adventurer Whether you want to paddle ferocious whitewater, soar high above the trees, scale sandstone cliffs, or tear up the trails, Adventures On the Gorge can show you how to PLAY WILD in Southern West Virginia!

TimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park “Best New Adventure in the South” – Garden & Gun

TreeTops Canopy Tour “10 Great Ziplines Across the USA”– USA Today

Gravity Zip Lines “World’s Coolest Zip Lines” – Travel & Leisure

Get a FREE Season Pass with your all-inclusive vacation! Visit or call for details

TimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park New & Gauley Rivers Buffl er’s BBQ GrillSmokey’s on the GorgeTimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park Chetty’s Pub Rendezvous LodgeTreeTops Canopy TourGravity Zip Lines

WVTOURISM.COM

800-225-5982

12-ATG-6205-Gorge Guide Spread Ad-vf-r2.indd 1 5/10/12 1:59 PM

4. Roll Down a Hill 20 Minutes

5. Jump from a Plane 2 Hours

Originating in new Zealand is a new activity that involves careening downhill in a large rubber ball, or orb. It’s here in the new River Gorge area now. They add water so the ball rolls underneath you as you slosh around in a compartment on the inside. “Like a really fantastic water slide” is how the guides put it. We would have to agree.

How to get there: Orb the Gorge, 304­250­4555; orbthegorge.com

You’d be hard pressed to find a faster adventure than jumping from an airplane. Skydiving over the gorge really takes only a few minutes. And what about the rest of the time we’ve allotted for this activity? It comes first, when you learn how to do it without becoming turkey vulture food.

How to Get There: skydive nRG, 606­923­7475, skydivenrg.com

Adventure

PlayOnTheGorge.com888.406.4675

Play Wild. Stay Civilized. Make Yourself at Home With clean, comfortable lodging and three award-winning restaurants on-site, “roughing it” is no longer a requirement. Now the whole family can STAY CIVILIZED while you PLAY WILD! Luxury Cabins with Hot Tubs and Full Kitchens

Canyon Falls Swimming Pool 3,000 Square Feet of Cool, Sparkling Water

Dine on the Rim of the New River Gorge Only at Adventures On The Gorge!

Unleash Your Inner Adventurer Whether you want to paddle ferocious whitewater, soar high above the trees, scale sandstone cliffs, or tear up the trails, Adventures On the Gorge can show you how to PLAY WILD in Southern West Virginia!

TimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park “Best New Adventure in the South” – Garden & Gun

TreeTops Canopy Tour “10 Great Ziplines Across the USA”– USA Today

Gravity Zip Lines “World’s Coolest Zip Lines” – Travel & Leisure

Get a FREE Season Pass with your all-inclusive vacation! Visit or call for details

TimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park New & Gauley Rivers Buffl er’s BBQ GrillSmokey’s on the GorgeTimberTrek Aerial Adventure Park Chetty’s Pub Rendezvous LodgeTreeTops Canopy TourGravity Zip Lines

WVTOURISM.COM

800-225-5982

12-ATG-6205-Gorge Guide Spread Ad-vf-r2.indd 1 5/10/12 1:59 PM

7. Walk 851 Feet Up in the Sky 1.5 Hours

6. Learn to Mountain Bike 2 Hours

It’s just like riding a bike. If you’ve never been off the pavement with a bike, you really need to give mountain biking a try. Choosing the right trail helps, one without a ton of rocks or other obstacles. A few pointers help too, like how to look where you want to go, stay loose, and smile.

How to Get There: new River mountain Bikes, 304­574­2453, newriverbikes.com

Walking the catwalk underneath the New River Gorge Bridge used to be illegal, but now it’s not. You get clipped in to a safety wire, which makes it all the better, so you can admire the bridge’s underside. Guides can give all sorts of interesting facts about the bridge, like how much it moves! There’s even time to hang out and check out how tiny the rafters look down below.

How to Get There: Bridge Walk, 304­574­1300, bridgewalk.com

Adventure

below the left side of the bridge. Th e lights on the transfer truck trailers crossing the bridge caused the bright white continuous streak along the top of the bridge.”

Burgin, who lives in Beckley, West Virginia, has been a professional photographer since being trained at the us navy photography school in 1968. he still uses traditional methods to take his photos and processes the negatives himself. his classic black and white photos can be seen at photographyart.com.

attempted the photograph of star trails above the new River Gorge Bridge four times before

technical solutions and the perfect night converged. On the evening of may 8, 2005, he opened his camera’s shutter at 9:45pm on the old bridge across the new River and didn’t close it until 5:00am the following morning.

“When I closed the shutter the stars of the Big Dipper were passing through the bridge,” he later wrote. “Th e sun setting in the west two hours before I opened the shutter created the bright glow

bruce burgin

We'RE not quite sure what it is about you, but we love you, plain and simple:

your steel beams, your Gorge-spanning arch, your beauty and plain usefulness.

What we most love is to take your picture.

It’s impossible to know just how many pictures have been taken of the new River Gorge Bridge, but we’ll take a stab at it: at least a couple million, we’d say, most oft en by us amateurs with a point­and­shoot who are captivated by its beauty. Th ankfully, some professional photographers have fallen in love as well. here are some original takes on this classic and functional bit of architecture from those who do it best.

was on his second trip to the new River Gorge when, he says, “on the

way down to the river I kept noticing all the geometric shapes in the Bridge. It was amazing.” morrow, who is from floyd County, Virginia, is a serious hobbiest recently turned professional. his work can be found at markmorrowphotography.com

began his career by photographing rock climbing when he was a guide at seneca Rocks in northeastern West Virginia. eventually, he fell in love with flying and began to split his

photographic interests. now shull, who lives in fayetteville, shoots grounded outdoor pursuits—mountain biking, hiking, and more—and aerial photography from an airplane.

“The thing that I like about the aerial stuff,” he says, “is the patterns that mankind has put on the ground. some of them are beautiful like a steel arch bridge over a river gorge, and some are hideous like mountain top removal. But there’s an endless variety of patterns you can find: haybales in checkerboard patterns or fences creating dissecting lines.” shull’s work can be found at appalachianaerialimages.com and shullphoto.com.

Harrison Shull “everybody takes pictures of the bridge so

you try to get something that someone else hasn’t captured,” says Candace evans. “It’s a hard thing to do.” evans originally studied photography at the Brooks Institute in santa Barbara, California, before deciding that she loved portraiture and fayetteville and started her photography business (photoearthwv.com) here.

mark morrow

candace evans

was a little nervous about crossing the catwalk under the new River Gorge bridge when she shot this photo. “You can’t see to the other side,” remembers the Roanoke, Virginia–based photographer. “I thought it was really eerie. You don’t know whether you’re going to make it until you do. Which I did. I never did get the butterflies I thought I would. It was wonderful.” mucha’s photography focuses on nature, architecture, and places she’s been. her work can be found at teresamucha.com.

got his start in photography in north Carolina first shooting furniture commercially, then fine art photos, before moving to the new River Gorge to rock climb. many of turner's photographs focus on climbers scaling the nuttall

sandstone along the Gorge. for this picture of the bridge shot from Bridge Buttress, a popular climbing area, he happened to be at the right place at the right time. It doesn’t happen too often here, he says. “shooting the bridge is tricky because in the late afternoon when the light is nice, down in the Gorge it’s dark.” his photographs can be found at the fayetteville Arts Coalition on Keller Avenue and newriverphoto.com.

mike turner

teresa mucha

fall/winter 2012 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 23

eVeRY fALL In sOutheRn West Virginia thousands of people from all over our planet come together for the main purpose of getting themselves on the river. some folks pay a guide to give them a tour; some are lucky guests of friends with skills and a raft; and many navigate their own crafts somewhere on the 26 miles of the Gauley River below the summersville Dam. for six weekends boaters are guaranteed that the river is going to run, usually at a predictable level and at a predictable time. for some purists a scheduled dam release (even a dam) may take away from their natural experience. for some novices, climbing into a boat may be the craziest, most unnatural thing they’ve ever done.

In this age of river running, we’ve come a long way. In the 1960s the first rafts descended what we now know as the upper and Lower Gauley River plus part of the river that is now under the lake. In the early 1970s the pioneers of this river tell of a true wilderness experience with long days of scouting, terrifying swims into unexplored depths, and frequent portages in a place few had ever been. Those were weekend­long excursions with no easy take­out or mid­

river put­in. Their fiberglass kayaks sometimes broke midstream and the rafts filled with water well before the end of a rapid. The boaters drove from all over the east without the promise of predictable flow. There was no gauge to call, no one else on the river, and no easy take­out road. It was hard, intense work, probing the unknown, and immensely rewarding. It’s a situation that we can’t replicate today. Thousands have been there before us.

We should remember those pioneers as we launch our crafts, if just for a moment before shove­ off. We should celebrate their bravery and their success in finding a gem deep in southern WV.

for the Gauley truly is a gem. There are plenty of more difficult whitewater rivers in the world. There certainly are more wilderness experiences to be had out there, but if you are a regular on the Gauley you still bask in the magic of whitewater throughout your day. There are plenty of lines to summon your adrenaline and an infinite number of ways to play your way downstream.

every fall, as friends from around the country and the world make their way to my

backyard river I am reminded of why I paddle. I love whitewater and I love people who get themselves out onto the whitewater. I’m not crazy about crowds —and a few days of the season are crowded,—but I can appreciate the effort that every single person with a paddle in hand has made to get themselves on the water. Whether they are paying to ride in a raft or are some of the world’s best kayakers surfing their way downstream, they have been brave enough to get off the couch and away from the computer. In this age of instant gratification, most of these people have learned that the best rewards come after considerable effort.

no one kayaks successfully on day one—definitely not down any part of the Gauley. But with a lot of practice, and a couple of slices of the bittersweet humble pie, you do get better and you do achieve your goals. What better analogy for life? hard work equals great fun. Add the bonus of better health, an enhanced appreciation for beauty, and camaraderie with fellow humans and voila! You are toasting all aglow at the dinner table.

It’s doubtful that I will run around the world chasing the best water like I once did. I’m lucky if I get on the river for two of the four days on a Gauley weekend.

But it is still one of the reasons that I get up every day and exercise. I don’t want to be so out of shape that I can’t paddle this river that flows so close to my home. There are days when it takes me thirty minutes to walk to the put­in because there are so many old friends to hug along the way. At other times, usually fridays and mondays, that I find my party launching alone and we see no one else the whole day (it happens, really).

It’s tough to decide what’s better: being on the river on a bluebird day late in the season when the trees are bursting with color; or the warm, rainy days when the mist swirls in the treetops and the humidity seems to loosen every muscle in my body. Then there are the mystical mornings when the fog is so thick, it’s pea soup at Insignificant, and the roar of the rapid is magnified by the ceiling of fog. everyone drifts away into the rapid, leaving me alone to count my blessings and summon my nerve. fifteen minutes later the fog has lifted and the sunshine is blinding at pillow Rock. someone’s going big on the pillow while someone else is trying to remember where that fine, dry line could be. ◆

Catch That Gauley GlowNovice or pro, in deep blue sky or pea-soup fog, everyone earns their bliss on this beauty of a river.

By Katie Johnson

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River Running

24 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 100% recycled paper

Bridge Day Weekend ScheduleFriday October 19 Taste of Bridge Day 5:00pm –9:00pm Smokies, Adventures on the Gorgesample pies, finger foods, bisques, jambalaya, and more at an annual competition between area restaurants.

Saturday October 20 The New River Gorge Bridge is open to foot traffic9:00am–3:00pmWalk out onto the Bridge filled with arts and crafts and candied peanuts and hot pretzels. Keep walking until you get close enough to the launch pad to watch BAse jumpers take that big thrilling step.

Bridge Day Chili Cook-Off Downtown Fayetteville2:30pm–6:00pm sample traditional and non­traditional chilis, then vote for your favorite. Groove to the tunes of the American soulgrass band, The Boatmen. visitfayettevillewv.com

watch the showmAKe YOuR WAY to the center of the bridge, where BAse jumpers (parachutists who specialize in Bridges, Antennaes, structures, and earth) step off a 876­foot high platform.

Watch for tricks off a 16­foot adjustable spring, aluminum diving board by daring BAse jumpers. This year, look for the catapult, a new device that launches the most daring BAse jumpers even higher before they drop (see page 10 for the full story).

venture Down UnderhOW DO YOu Get tO the bottom to watch the parachutes wafting down? forget about driving yourself—the road down is closed to all vehicles but BAse jumper shuttle buses and rafting trucks.

You have 3 other options: 1. Walk the 4 mile stretch of road from us 19 to the banks of the new River. Remember, you’ll need to walk back up! 2. for $20, you can catch a shuttle below. 3. for $65, you can spend a guided 2 hours down under the bridge with a Down under tour. A box lunch and t­shirt are included. prior registration is required for the shuttle and the tour (officialbridgeday.com).

be the show100 sKYDIVes from an airplane are required before an individual can BAse jump from the new River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day (bridgeday.info). Brave beginners can sign up for one of 10 tandem BAse slots for a mere $1,250 (tandembase.com).

techie alert: new this year is a wireless anemometer that will let jumpers up top know wind speeds and direction at the bottom. Any info helps when you’re trying to land on a 25­foot by 75­foot river bank. A river landing is the second best option: about 25% of jumpers land there.

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bridge Day & Don'tsDon't

Bring your dog or bicycle onto the bridge

Don'tBring alcohol onto the bridge

Don'tBring a backpack or large handbag onto the bridge

DoChoose your side of the bridge early. The bridge is closed to cars from 7am–5pm.

Visit officialbridgeday.com for the official rules

Do's

DoBring plenty of drinking water

DoBring a windbreaker and dress warm—it’s windy out there!

DoPlan to walk some. The Bridge is 1 mile from downtown Fayetteville. See map below for shuttle stops.

Bridge Day Parking and Shuttle Map

26 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 100% recycled paper

drip, drop

By Kim maxwell

thIs YeAR We enJOYeD the first annual new River festival, a fun and educational event about the grand old river that flows through our back yard. In celebration of this new tradition, read on to learn about how to teach children about water and how to help take care of the water we share.

Water is a source of endless fun for most kids. In the spring, the rain boots and umbrellas come out for puddle stomping; in summer, kids shriek through the sprinkler, race on the slip­and­slide, swim at the pool, snorkel in the lake, surf in the ocean, hunt crayfish in the creek, and bathe when they have to. The fall means hikes down to the Gauley River to watch the rafters in awe. And in the winter, days are spent skating, sledding, building snowmen, and watching flakes float through the sky.

Water is our most valuable resource. We need clean water to survive and to be healthy. Our water sources are cur rently facing some pretty serious challenges. It is vital that we educate ourselves and that we teach our children the value of water, the importance of keeping our water clean, and what actions we can take as stewards of this planet.

I love ask ing a group of children where they find water. The first answers are always “pool,” “lake,” and “ocean,” which are all very true. sometimes it takes a little probing before they remember that there is water in other important things as well, like the ground, the air, the clouds, the creeks, the plants, and the

animals. Is there water in your dog? Is there water in a frog? What

about in you?humans are mostly

made of water. We wouldn’t survive a week without water

to drink. And guess what? We can’t make any new water molecules. no new water for us. There are the same water molecules on the planet today as there were when the dinosaurs were around. maybe you drank a little dinosaur spit in your orange juice this morning? (Thank goodness for the earth’s natural cleaning system—the water cycle!)

Your brain is 73% water.

Did you know that

the water molecules that we have on our planet

today are the SAME water molecules that were here when the dinosaurs ruled the land?

We can’t make any new water molecules.

Winter

wild and wintery By Jennifer Ginsberg

Just BeCAuse the temperature drops doesn’t mean that your adventure level has to follow. sure, there’s skiing. There are also many more activities to keep your adrenaline pumping in and around the new River Gorge throughout the colder months.

Bald Eagle SightingNew River Gorge National RiverA large American sycamore tree in the southern part of new River Gorge national River has been the home to a nesting pair of bald eagles for three straight winters since 2009–10. Check to see if they’re back this year: february is the time to start looking for them. Once the eggs are laid, the pair take turns sitting and hunting for more than a month. (sandstone Visitor Center, 304­466­0417; nps.gov/neri/naturescience/bald-eagles.htm)

Tour a CaveLost World Caverns, Lewisburg, WVforget heading south for warmer weather; the 52­degree temperature of this cave offers a break from the colder climate above. Cool stalactites and stalagmites 120 feet below the earth’s surface, including a 30­ton stalactite, one of the u.s.’s largest, plus a dinosaur museum. (866-228-3778; lostworldcaverns.com)

Generate Your Own Heat Kula Yoga, FayettevilleIf you strive to make your body and mind more flexible, focused and relaxed, you can’t

do better than yoga. It’s perfect for the cold weather months, too. The studio in downtown fayetteville offers classes for students of all levels ranging from Zen meditation to power yoga. (304-207-2988; wvkula.com)

Watch Shackleton’s Antarctic AdventureClay Center, Charleston, WVAlthough the crew of 28 men on sir francis shackleton’s 1914­1916 expedition never achieved their goal of crossing Antarctica, they did survive nearly two years in the barren, frigid Antarctic when their ship was caught in a pack of ice and eventually crushed. (304­561­3570; theclaycenter.org)

Winter in the CanopyAdventures on the Gorge, Ames Heights, WVA zipline canopy tour when the leaves are off the trees gives a great sense of the land contours and easier sightings of fox and other winter critters. If you’re lucky enough to go just after a fresh fallen snow, the experience is (nearly) silent and beautifully surreal. (888­650­1932; adventurewestvirginia.com)

Go on an Icicle HikeNew River Gorge National RiverDo we need to tell you to exercise caution when standing below giant icicles? Well, you do; consider yourself forewarned. The new River Gorge area is a wet climate, which means plenty of big beautiful icicles to admire. The Ansted­hawks nest Rail trail (hawks nest state park, 304­658­5212) is a good bet, as is the Kaymoor trail (nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/fayetteville_trails.htm).

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800-582-0256OpossumCreek.com

Funky, Upscale

& Delicious

312 North Court St.Fayetteville

Hours:Sunday – Thursday 11:30 AM – 9 PMFriday – Saturday 11:30 AM – 10 PMBar open ’til midnight(304) 574-3647

A UNIQUE SHOPPING EXPERIENCE FEATURING

ONE-OF-A-KIND STAINED GLASS CREATIONS

Hours: Wed — Sat 12–5 and by appointment304-894-7905mountainartglass@suddenlink.net

Located at Dove’s Outlet Village, Route 19 and Hinkle Road. Other gift items are available.

There’s always something new!

Children learn best when they are having fun. play in the water, reconnect with your inner child, and take every oppor tunity to recog­nize, investigate, and share the value and the impor­tance of water.

here are some specifi c activities to add to your to­do list:

1. stop at an in ter esting pud dle, creek, or pond. take some time to dis­cover what lives in and around this habitat. pick up rocks and look underneath them. search around for animal tracks. eVeRY thInG needs water.

2. take a rainy day hike. notice where water lands, where it collects, and where it fl ows. Observe that water always travels down­hill and wants to fi nd more water. Discuss where the rainwater will eventually wind up (nearest body of water, traveling downstream).

3. Th e next time you see

a rainbow puddle in a parking lot, talk

about the oil that makes the sheen. Where did it come from? ( Answer: a car leaking

oil.) Where will it go when it rains?

(Answer: It will wash downhill to the nearest

water body).4. On a map, fi nd your house

(or school, or offi ce, etc). Th en fi nd the nearest creek. put your fi nger on the creek nearest your house and trace the creek to the river that it fl ows into. trace that river to the body of water that it fl ows into and so on until you get to the ocean. talk about how what we do at our house aff ects everybody down stream.

5. put a little oil and some glitter on your hands. experiment with the eff ectiveness of cleaning your “germy” hands with: a. just running water b. running water and a bit of hand scrubbing c. running water, soap, and vigorous scrubbing.

for more fun hands­on water activities, visit projectwet.org.

Kim Maxwell is project WET coor-dinator with the WV Department of Environmental protection.

Th e average

American family uses 400 gallons of

water a day. Imagine hauling 400 milk jugs full of water for your family

each day.

Th e average

adult body is about 60% water. children are

even more.

A watershed is

an area of land that drains to a body of water. We all live in a watershed. Do you

know yours?

only 0.003% of all

the water on this planet is unpolluted fresh water that we can

use for drinking.

River goddess on the move: A puppet parade at the 1st annual new River festival near fayette station

Education

Ginger Danz- Artist

art@gingerdanz.com304.640.2850

gingerdanz.com

https://www.facebook.com/GingerDanzArt

28 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 100% recycled paper

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Just A stOne’s tOss sOuth of fayetteville, near the junction of routes 16 and 19, hides a natural gem. Wolf Creek park is a 1,000 acre mixed­use development, but don’t let the “D” word fool you. not all of this forested site is to be developed; preservation of high­quality habitats is a cornerstone of the project.

nestled in a small glen, surrounded by mature timber, is a wonderful wetland. This swamp is the crown jewel of Wolf Creek park and well worth a visit. I’ve stopped here several times, spring and summer, and have always been rewarded with interesting sightings. Birds abound: the wild maniacal laughs of giant pileated woodpeckers ring through the trees. The red­crested woodpeckers are reminiscent of Woody Woodpecker on steroids. The scratchy robin­like twanging of scarlet tanagers is a common soundtrack. These neon­red songbirds look like they’ve been plugged in and glow with 100 watt intensity, every bit the tropical avian superstar. And that they are, having traveled from south American wintering haunts to raise their young in West Virginia.

The Wolf Creek bird list goes on to tally into the dozens, and this potpourri of songsters provides an ever­present soundtrack. But the real beacon of Wolf Creek is the 15­acre wetland, which draws kids and adults alike with a magnetic pull. Wetlands are, well, wet. All too often onlookers are relegated to their shores, only able to sample the muddy margins. But the best stuff is often deep in the boggy, watery

innards of the swamp, where travel by foot can be impractical.

unless there’s a brand spanking new 400 foot boardwalk! Thanks to the hard work of national Civilian Community Corps and local volunteers, and funding from state and local grants, a ribbon of planking snakes its way into the heart of Wolf Creek’s wetland allowing access to its secrets. Visitors traversing the boardwalk are almost bound to see weird stuff if they keep their eyes peeled. There are frogs galore of several species—toads too!—and if you visit in April or may, the peeping, croaking, and rasping of myriad amphibious hoppers will knock your socks off.

“eye of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat, and tongue of dog…” —bring your dog and you’ll have all of these macbeth shakespearian ingredients in this swamp. Wetlands are treasure troves of biodiversity, supporting everything from red­spotted newts, the most aquatic of our salamanders, to Green herons to all manner of strange insects. Wander out on the boardwalk around dusk, and you’ll see fleets of bats darting over the wetland, laying waste to aerial bugs. You might even espy a beaver. These flat­tailed ecological engineers are largely responsible for

creating and maintaining this wetland. A preserve such as Wolf Creek is an

educational goldmine. scores of students, Boy scouts, tour groups, and nature enthusiasts have already marveled at the wetland’s wonders. And it’ll only get better. future plans include expanding the boardwalk to a full one­half mile, which will permit even greater access to interesting nooks and crannies. The proposed centerpiece of the Wolf Creek Wetland is in the planning stages, and with hard work and strong community support will hopefully come to fruition. It’s to be dubbed the new River Birding & nature Center. This building and its exhibits, classrooms, and labs will add an important educational component

to the area and transform the wetland into an enviable land lab.

The new River Gorge region is one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the united states,

and the new River Birding & nature Center should prove to be an invaluable resource to promote the natural wonders of fayetteville and vicinity.

DIReCtIOns: Wolf Creek park lies along Robbins Way, which heads east off Route 16 just north of its junction with Route 19. wolfcreekparkwv.com

Nature

wetland wonderstHe fabulouS

wildlife viewinG at wolf creeK parK

by Jim mccormac

Beaver at work: this industrious mammal is largely responsible for the wetlands

304-574-1300

(304) 250-4555

88 mountain State

campground rd. lansing,

west virginia

CALL AND RESERVE YOUR

ORB RIDE TODAY!

OrbtheGorge.com

LOCAL FINE ARTIST

MEREDITH GREGG

VANDALIAN RESTAURANT101 S Court StreetFayetteville WV304.574.6912

now showing paintings at

meredith.gregg@gmail.comwww.meredithgregg.com

Best Trail for Following the RiverSouthside Junction Trail, 7 miles

thIs tRAIL fOLLOWs the new River from Cunard—a national park service­run public river landing complete with parking lot and toilets—to thurmond, a former bustling town during the coal boom. southside Junction trail is skinny and very flat with only 25 to 30 feet of elevation gain for its entire 7­mile length. plenty of relics from the coal boom still remain along the trail—look for coke ovens and old stone foundations.

Directions: southside trail at nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/thurmond-and-cunard-area-trails.htm

(continued from Go Take a Hike, page 11)

thIs “tRAIL” At hAWKs nest is really just a road, perfect for folks who don’t make a habit of walking. At the end of the 0.7 miles is a short trail down to the dam. Th e bedrock on the new River Dries below the dam creates a marvelous playground. Th ere’s lots of good bouldering, fi shing and wondering about the dam’s engineering.

Directions: hawksnestsp.com

Best Trail for Just WanderingHawks Nest Dam, 0.7 miles

Best Trail for Getting Right Under the BridgeBridge Trail, 0.9 miles

tO Get tO thIs tRAIL, travel down fayette station Road and park at the trailhead across from Ace Adventure store. Th e steep climb up the fi rst hill will get you focused for this moderately technical trail that goes right under the bridge. Th is is a favorite trail because it’s lightly traveled and can be quick exercise in and out. It also connects with the fayetteville park trails and the Kaymoor system of trails for a good long outing. Out of towners, go here to get a close­up look under the bridge.

Directions: Bridge trail, nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/fayetteville_trails.htm

Best Trail with Close-to-Town ConvenienceTown Park Trail, 1.1 miles

the tOWn pARK tRAIL Is Just 3 minutes from downtown fayetteville, a the location that means you can grab a coff ee from Cathedral and dive straight into the woods while it’s still piping hot. Th e main loop is 1 mile. stick to just that, or use the loop as an entrance point to connect to other trails that enter the new River Gorge.

Directions: park Loop trail, nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/fayetteville_trails.htm

30 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 100% recycled paper

Adventure Calendar

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October 20Bridge DayWhere: fayetteville, WVWhat: experienced skydivers, BAse jumpers, and rappellers get the opportunity to leap off the 876­foot new River Gorge Bridge or rappel 600 feet of fixed rope.(spectators, see pages 20–21 of this issue for where to watch the action.)More info: verticalvisions.com; bridgedayrappel.com; officialbridgeday.com

novemberNovember 17, 2012Canary in the Cave 25+K Trail RunWhere: fayetteville, WV What: Begin at the fayetteville town park for a 25K run down into the gorge past abandoned coal mines and waterfalls before making your way back up. Limited to 100 runners. More info: wvmtr.org

septemberSept 8-9 Mountain Mama Hospice RegattaWhere: summersville Lake, Battle Run AreaWhat: A second annual regatta on summersville Lake to benefit hospice of southern West Virginia. seven foot to 26 foot divisions and an opportunity to watch the race up close enough to hear the crews holler. Good food and kids activities including a rain gutter race. More info: soapysails.webs.com

September 13Stand Up in Wild and WonderfulWhere: fayette station, WVWhat: two stand up paddleboard (sup) races: the first, an attainment on flat moving water, the second, a downriver race through 3 rapids. Demos, prizes, and afterparty. More info: adventurewestvirginia.com

September 14-16Craggin’ ClassicWhere: new River Gorge American Alpine

Club campgroundWhat: pig roast, demos, and lots of great clinics on trad tricks, bouldering, risk manage­ment, and more. More info: american alpineclub.org/craggin

September 15Cycle to Tamarack Where: Oak hill, WVWhat: Road bike a circuitous 50+ mile route along the mountainous back roads from Oak hill with other cyclists. total elevation gain: 3,700 feet. This ride is unsupported, so have a friend who can come get you should the need arise. More info: facebook.com/NewRiverBicycleunion

September 17Animal Upper Gauley RaceWhere: summersville, WVWhat: A 9.8–mile downstream sprint through famous Class V rapids Insignificant, pillow Rock, Lost paddle, and Iron Ring. Classes include raft, Wildwater C1 and K1, Wavehopper, slalom, and playboat. More info: gauleyrace.com

OctoberOctober 27ACE New River Gorge-ous Trail Run and WalkWhere: minden, WVWhat: A 4.5­mile walk, 7.5­mile run, or 13.2­mile run through the new River Gorge when the leaves are at their most brilliant.More info: aceraft.com/fall-events

photos (clockwise, from top left): postage due rock collects from a raft during the Animal upper Gauley Race; the first annual mountain mama hospice Regatta on summersville Lake; a BAse jumper soars on Bridge Day; a runner hits her stride at the Ace Gorge­ous trail Run, and a climber finds supercrack on Beauty mountain, new River Gorge

fall/winter 2012 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 31

OctoberOctober 3Whitewater Video CompetitionWhere: fayetteville, WVWhat: The best of the season’s whitewater videos face off for crash and burn, skit, and other awards.More info: historicfayettetheatre.com

October 5First Friday Art CelebrationWhere: fayetteville, WVWhat: Local artists exhibit and celebrate an outdoor sculpture installation by designer/blacksmith Jeff fetty.More info: fayettevilleartscoalition.org

October 5-7Fall Birding Weekend Where: fayetteville, WVWhat: Raptor identification at a hawk observatory and warbler watching at Wolf Creek park. Limited to 12 participants. More info: birding-wv.com

October 6Market Day Where: fayetteville, WVWhat: farmers market, Artisans market, and flea market converge on Court street, fayetteville. More info: visitfayettevillewv.com

October 19Taste of Bridge DayWhere: Adventures on the Gorge, Ames heights, WVWhat: sample pies, soups, cheesecakes, jambalaya, and more created by esteemed local chefs for an annual tasting and contest.More info: officialbridgeday.com

septemberSeptember 14-16 Footmad Fall Fling & Jamboree Where: fayette County parkWhat: Old time music jam session and contra dance partyMore info: footmad.org

September 15-16Kirkwood Winery Grapestompin’ Festival Where: summersville, WVWhat: Wine and whiskey tasting all day with bluegrass and Appalachian cloggingMore info: kirkwood-wine.com

September 22AOG Chili Cook-offWhere: Ames heights, WVWhat: Amateur chili masters bring it on with their best recipes, set to live music. More info: adventurewestvirginia.com

Sept 24First Day of Fall at New River Birding and Nature CenterWhere: fayetteville, WVWhat: Late summer birding and nature watching with renowned naturalist Bill hilton, Jr.More info: visitfayettevillewv.com

September 28 —October 14Red Velvet Cake Wars Where: fayetteville, WVWhat: A southern comedy set in small town texas during tornado seasonMore info: historicfayettetheatre.com

September 30Todd BurgeWhere: tamarack, Beckley, WVWhat: Acoustic folk, blues, rock, gospel, and blue grass at a free sunday at 2 concert. More info: tamarackwv.com

October 20Bridge Day & Chili Cook-offWhere: new River Gorge Bridge & fayetteville, WVWhat: Watch parachutists float from the new River Gorge Bridge, walk the bridge and shop at vendors; afterward, sample and vote for your favorite chili in downtown fayetteville. More info: officialbridgeday.com; visitfayettevillewv.com

October 27Halloween Train Where: Cass scenic Railroad, Cass, WVWhat: Ride a haunted train past train yard ghouls up a mountain to Whitakker station. On the way up you can dine on brains and eyeball platters in the dining car.More info: cassrailroad.com

DecemberDecember 7First Friday Art Celebration, Holiday Ed.Where: fayetteville, WV What: Artists present their holiday exhibit at an all­local working studio and gallery. More info: fayettevilleartscoalition.org

December 8New River Youth Symphony concert Where: fayetteville, WV What: Accomplished local musicians give a symphony concert and Christmas themed choral performance. More info: historicfayettetheatre.com

December 31Wild RumpusWhere: fayetteville, WVWhat: The 4th annual new Year’s eve concert from our local, hard driving roots music band, self­described as “Appalachian stomp grass.”More info: historicfayettetheatre.com

Nature & Culture Calendar

photos (left to right): the new fayetteville Arts Coalition’s site on Keller Avenue; flowers and tomatoes at the fayette County farmers market; hawk­watching during fall Birding Weekend

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32 NEW RIVER GORGE ADVENTURE GUIDE 100% recycled paper

• Erin Larsen •Holistic Health Coach & Yoga Instructor

Personal and Group Yoga Instruction and

Individualized Health Coaching

970-708-7947eelarsen@hotmail.comwww.thevitalchange.com

• • •

theRe Is A sWeepInG movement amongst the “foodies” and health conscious to eat locally. You will understand the buzz when you start incorporating local foods into your diet. fayette County boasts strong local food resources and a long growing season, so this is a great time to amp up your diet with fresh local fruits and vegetables.

fresh fruits and vegetables grown in nutrient rich soil, with out chemical fertilizers and pest­icides, keep our bodies buzzing with vitamins, minerals and enzymes. These nutrient rich, low calorie foods can replace processed foods that are high in calories and nutrient deficient. Because industrial processing can destroy nutrients, highly processed foods often cost our bodies more to digest, absorb and eliminate than they offer us in nutritional value, leaving us feeling sluggish and depleted. so why do we eat this way? Because pouring a bowl of cereal and adding milk takes less time than making a fruit salad or cooking some eggs. Our health and energy levels can suffer as a result.

experts agree that nutrient content is higher when fruits and vegetables are just picked, and dwindles as they sit around. The produce you buy in the grocery store was most likely picked 4 to 7 days earlier and shipped an average of 1,500 miles before getting to your plate.

maximize your nutritional dollar by

shopping at your local farmers market. Locally sold fruits and vegetables are picked when ripe, often the morning they are sold.

here are some places to find locally grown food in our area:

Fayette County Farmer’s Market: 4­7pm Thursdays on main street in Oak hill, and 7:30–11:30am saturdays in the Visitors Center parking lot on Court street in fayetteville. Offerings include vegetables, fruits, jams, bread, baked goods, honey, eggs, and meats. Runs through Bridge Day, and because several farmers have installed high tunnels, the growing

season may be extended. CSAs: Community

supported Agriculture, or CsAs, provide packages of produce or meat for a monthly or weekly fee. Local CsAs include: • West Virginia Homegrown Farms Weekly baskets of whatever is in harvest, $10, open Wednesdays 4:30­8:00pm.

(304­719­0079)• The Briar Patch Organically grown berries, apples, peaches, pears, vegetables, and edible flowers. (304­673­0568)• Davis Ridge Farm seasonal CsA programs offering sausage and assorted cuts from antibiotic free “heirloom pork” as well as chicken. (304­661­7663, davisridgefiberfarm.com)

support your health by incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet, and support the local economy by buying your produce directly from the farmer who grew and harvested it!

Do you have a health and diet related question? E-mail Erin at eelarsen@hotmail.com to get your questions answered in the next Gorge Guide or find out more about her tailored health programs.

Be Well

By Erin Larsen

Health

162 S. Court Street Fayetteville (304) 574-2202

CloSed tueSday10% oFF any purChaSe with thiS ad

nuttall sandstone that composes the walls that tower over the second oldest river in the world simply makes for some of the best climbing in existence.

I first came here because I love to rock climb, and I stayed here because of the people who came here for the exact same reason. One of the best things about this place is that the people who wind up living here are used to being not all that normal. I live among women who don’t sweat the small stuff, fight the powers that be, and resist refinement while somehow also maintaining a self­possessed cool. Climbing here is the best reminder I know of that there is strength and beauty in finding your own way, and that’s what keeps me trying a little harder than before at everything, not just my favorite sport. ◆

(Amazing Grace, continued from page 16)

women who do, too—for not only being able maintain a firm grip on overhanging 5.12 but who is grounded in reality and her place in it, cool under pressure and determined to attain her goals.)

Another climbing friend, Karen Domzalski is a transplant originally from Austin, texas, who loves to dance as much as climb. her talent in dance reminds the rest of us, both female and male, to embrace the feminine grace that some of us have long suppressed while trying to just be “one of the guys.” Domzalski recently became a full­time nurse and purchased a home here several years ago. she and her partner built an indoor climbing wall that’s a training ground for many climbers on rainy days and a social hub.

There are many great things about living and climbing here: we have a town with fabulous restaurants, a couple of grocery stores, gear shops that serve as congregating areas/welcome centers/verbal guidebooks rolled into one, a well­developed local climbing advocacy group (new River Alliance of Climbers, newriverclimbing.net), the most fun annual climbing festival I’ve ever attended, and a community that sincerely wants you to stay. Though jobs are somewhat scarce, land here is cheap and the community is growing steadily. new River Gorge routes are renowned for their difficulty relative to other climbing areas, but this is a factor that for the locals is more compelling than off­putting. There aren’t night clubs or chic shopping venues or ample career opportunities. however, the impeccable

fall/winter 2012 NRGORGEGUIDE.com 33

Restaurant Address Fare Meals

The Burrito Bar at Breeze Hill304-574-2750

Oscar White Rd. Lansing

“Mexican fusion” lunch & dinner; closed Tuesdays

Cathedral Café304-574-0202

134 South Court St.Fayetteville

American breakfast & lunch; dinner Fri. & Sat.

Chetty’s Pub888-650-1932

219 Chestnutburg Rd.Lansing

American lunch & dinner

Diogi’s 304-574-3647

312 North Court St.Fayetteville

Latin American lunch & dinner

Dirty Ernie’s Rib Pit304-574-4822

310 Keller Ave.Fayetteville

BBQ, steaks and sandwiches dinner

Gumbo’s Cajun Restaurant304-574-4704

103 South Court St.Fayetteville

Cajun cuisinelunch & dinner; brunch on Sun; closed Mondays

Ole Hickory Pit Bar-B-Que304-574-0075

Laurel Creek Rd.Fayetteville

Old-fashioned BBQdinner; Sundays lunch & dinner

Pies and Pints Pizzeria304-574-2200

219 West Maple Ave.Fayetteville

gourmet pizza, wine, and beer

lunch & dinner

Secret Sandwich Society304-574-4777

1031/2 Keller Ave.Fayetteville

Sandwiches, burgers and salads

lunch & dinner; closed Tuesdays

Smokies on the Gorge888-650-1932

219 Chestnutburg Rd Lansing

Gourmet Buffet breakfast & dinner

Vandalian304-574-6912

101 South Court St.Fayetteville

Contemporary American

breakfast & lunch; dinner Fri.–Mon.

Wild Flour Bakery304-574-0001

105 West MapleFayetteville

Bakerybreakfast & lunch; closed Sundays & Mondays

The Gorge Guide Restaurant Guide

photos, top to bottom: specials at Gumbo’s, ceiling decorations at Dirty ernie’s, tacos at Diogi’s, Cathedral Cafe, the pBt at pies & pints

Gallery

to submit a photograph for the Gallery, email a jpeg to gorgeguide@gmail.com.

Development of the American Alpine Club’s 40­acre campsite on the north side of the new River Gorge is well under way. In June, horses from the Virginia–based healing harvest forest foundation were used to clear land for the access road. The horses were hired because they create less damage than bulldozers. The trees will be used on site. The campground will open primitive sites this september.

photograph by Julia Statler

Old River, New Adventures, Lasting Memories

Don’t Miss Out On All The Fun!

www.VisitFayettevilleWV.com*Check the website often for all that’s happening in the ’Ville❧ Chautauqua and Civil War Heritage WeekendSeptember 7–9, 2012 ~ Commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Fayetteville❧ New River Gorge Heritage Festival September 7–9, 2012 ~ Live music, Kiddie Games, Contests, Vendors, and Fireworks!❧ Market Day

Saturday, October 6, 2012 ~ 8:00AM—12:00NOONArtisan Market and live music ~ Janutolo Park❧ Bridge Day Chili Cook-off Saturday, October 20, 2012 ~ 3:00–6:00PM ~ Downtown Fayetteville Chili/Cornbread Competition, Chili Tasting, and Live Music❧ Fayette County Farmers Market Every Saturday September —October ~ 7:30—11:30AMlocated in Fayetteville CVB Parking Lot

www.NewRiverGorgeCVB.com

❦ Fayette County Farmers Market

Every Thursday September —October

4:00—7:00PM ~ 137 Main St. across from Wendy’s

❦ Country Roads FestivalSeptember 15—16 ~ Ansted, WV

Arts & Crafts, Music, and Great Food!

❦ Taste of Bridge Day October 19 ~ Adventures on the Gorge ~ Lansing, WV

Come Sample Treats from Renowned Local Chefs

❦ Bridge Day FestivalOctober 20 ~ 9AM—3PM ~ BASE Jumpers, Rappel Teams,

Down Under Tours, Into the Gorge Tours, Whitewater

Rafting, Arts & Crafts, and Lots of FOOD

Old River, New Adventures, Lasting Memories

WVTOURISM.COM

800-225-5982