*Cancelled** Gauley Fest Hiking Trip

OVERVIEW

GAULEY FEST 2016… DRIVERS GET PRIORITY

For those of you who want to watch the kayakers tumble, check out the merch, and listen to all the live music going on, but are not experienced enough to shred, join me! We will hike the Gauley River Rail Trail (extremely easy, but very remote). The Gauley River Rail Trail is one of the most unique hikes in the area, full of fun features like 2 abandoned railroad tunnels, 1 railroad bridge recently converted for foot traffic, etc. The trail is never more than a few hundred feet from the river itself, so we’ll be able to watch whitewater rafters and kayakers run some of the most challenging water on the East Coast.

Plan is to leave at 6:30am, get to Gauley River in Summersville, West Virginia around 9:30/10. Hike the 5-7 miles, listen to live music, walk around the vendor tents, and eat food until around 7/8pm, and then drive home. The entry fee for Saturday only to the fest is $20, so plan to bring more for food. Drivers DO get reimbursed for gas (up to $150/vehicle).

Things to bring:
-$$$ for food… or pack a cooler
-comfortable clothing for the weather (duh)
-lots of water (2L+)
-$20 at LEAST

“Thousands of paddlers from all over the world make their way to West Virginia the third Saturday of September to partake in the largest whitewater festival of the year, Gauley Fest. Vendors from all over the country will be there selling and giving away stuff, along with about 3000 people, kayakers and groupies alike.”

Here’s the link to the American Whitewater website for the festival: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/aw:events_gauley
(includes destination info)