Gauley Paddling Weekend – “Not Swiss” Fest

OVERVIEW

Come on out for the first weekend of whitewater releases on the Gauley River near Summersville, WV. Every year, there is a Virginia boater family reunion of sorts at Tawney Farm http://tawneyfarm.com/index.html above the takeout/put in on the Middle Gauley at Mason’s Branch. There is a free spaghetti dinner Friday night, and live music on Friday and Saturday. If you’ve paddled the Gauley before, you know the deal. I’ll be paddling the Upper Gauley by slicey kayak Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There should be plenty of crews at Tawney camp you could join who are paddling the Lower Gauley. But I’d guess somebody else from this group will join this trip and lead a trip down the Lower G (imho, LG is same difficulty as the NRG).

My plan is to leave Thursday evening, and get to camp late (4 hour drive). As people join, I’m sure another group will coalesce around a Friday evening departure time. Remember, 3 members per car needed for gas reimbursement. Heading back to Cville after the river Sunday.

Gear: bring the following kit, find a gear room time if you need something.
Tent
sleeping bag
headlamp
camp chair
non cotton layers- check the forecast for Hico, WV, frequently at least 20 degrees colder overnight than Cville
rain gear
river gear
gallon of water

Food:
I’m planning a pretty simple menu. I’ll have an ez up tent, stove, and some pots and pans.
Fruit, oatmeal, and coffee for breakfast.
PBJ, power bars, and or jerky for a river lunch
Open to suggestions for group dinner Saturday based on group preferences.
Area dining options: breakfast biscuits at the convenience store in Kesler’s Cross Lanes otw to the UG dam put in.
Fat Eddy’s at the dam-greasy spoon burgers and ice cream

Non kayaking options:
Choose your own adventure!
Joining a commercial raft trip will be difficult this trip, it involves a one hour drive to get to the raft companies home base. One or two people *might* be able to join a private trip, but most people there have small rafts and trusted partners, may be reluctant to add a joiner.
River surfing! The camp is less than a mile from “THE PERFECT WAVE”, which is 40 feet wide and 6 feet tall at fall release levels, float onto it from above and ride as long as you can. As the water drops after 3:00, the wave changes shape and you can paddle into it from the eddy. There is a deep half mile long pool of flat water behind it. I have a fiberglass river SUP board, a perfect match for this wave, that you are welcome to use if this is your speed. Low water video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frefi0I0ITo High water video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOsLA1aWPo0
Climbing: Summersville Lake routes are 30 minutes away. Gauley river routes that have been developed in the last few years, accessed from Summersville dam parking, are 20 minutes away and should have NO CROWDS. Check a guidebook for access info.
Biking: not recommended, dirt roads will be pretty heavily trafficked during Gauley season by ancy boaters, and I don’t know of any other good hiking trails on that side of the river. Same for hiking, although it would be pretty entertaining to make the 2 mile hike from camp to watch the carnage as everybody comes through Sweets Falls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkFTPwj4tqg

Hit me up if you have any other questions!
Josh Tracy
434.249.9300