Intermediate White Water Kayaking

OVERVIEW

An intermediate section of the upper James River as it flows through the Blue Ridge Mountains. The put-in is on the Maury River at Glasgow, VA just before it flows into the James. 100 yards after the put-in, the paddler is confronted with a challenging Class II rapid. Upon entering the James, the paddler will enjoy some gentle surfing waves. A couple of Class I-II rapids will meet the paddler before coming onto Balcony Falls – a Class III rapid which offers the most difficult section of the trip. Afterwards, this section finishes with a couple more smaller Class II rapids that lead into a couple miles of flat water paddling before the take-out.
Difficulty: Intermediate
River Distance: 5 miles
Driving Time: 90 minutes
Put-In: Glasgow, VA – Rt. 501
Take-Out: Snowden – Rt. 501

Do NOT sign up for this adventure unless you have prior paddling experience and are confident in maneuvering a boat in white water. It is always helpful but you do not need to be able to roll. We should be on the water for 3-4 hours, depending on how long we play at Balcony Falls.

Outdoors at UVa provides:

Kayak, paddle, skirt, helmet, pfd (personal flotation device), wetsuit, nose plugs, seat in car.

You must bring:

Lunch, appropriate clothing (not cotton. Swim wear under the wet suit is fine.), change of cloths, plenty of water, towel, sunscreen.