Interline Adventures....

GOOD GAULEY!

A RIVER GUIDE'S MECCA

I'm a Bud man. That's Bud, as in Bud Frantz, one of the best river guides north, south, east, or west of West Virginia, one of my favorite states in the U.S.. To see him or other guides at their best, you have to get on the state's famed Gauley River this fall. I'll be there and so will Bud.

Every fall, some of the best river guides from around the world converge on West Virginia. They come to guide more than 60,000 people that also converge on the state to raft down the Gauley River. Many of these intrepid thousands are trying whitewater rafting for the first time and several are heading down the Gauley for the 50th wild and wonderful time. But it's the guides who get them down safe and happy.

Bud Frantz, with Class VI River Runners, was one of the first guides on the Gauley River and he probably has logged more guided Gauley River trips than any other human being. If the river could talk, it would sound like Bud.

The West Virginia resident says sagely through his beard, "I never get tired of the river or showing it to others. The world-class whitewater is certainly great." After a dramatic pause that all story-telling guides seemed to have learned, he continues, "But it's the sheer beauty and the remoteness of the Gauley that keeps me out here year after year."

Bud is typical of many local guides who seemingly live for the Gauley season, but the river also gets guides every year from much further away than the Mountain State. On any given day, you're liable to hear northeast accents, comments about last spring's Rocky Mountain skiing, and some Spanish from the guides who head up from South American or Latin American countries like Chile or Costa Rica. Guide Toni Hall, who comes from California, says, "I like the fellowship and camaraderie of the other guides, who come from all over and get thrown together, but always seem to get along."

They all come to guide and tame the famed Gauley. "I love the flurry of activity in Gauley season," says Class VI guide MaryAnn "M.A." Reiniger. "It always brings interesting people into our area. There are guides from all over the world that somehow make it to West Virginia just to work Gauley season. There is something mystical about it."

Of course, the Gauley River isn't the only West Virginia whitewater for guides, with the New, Tygart, and Cheat also well-known venues. But running the Gauley is a guide's badge of honor. In Wildwater West Virginia, the authors write "The Gauley has become the East's qualifying cruise for the title of expert paddler. It's big, it's long, it's inaccessible, it's tough, it's dangerous, it's intoxication."

The 1998 Gauley River season is the 25th consecutive year for commercial rafting by West Virginia's numerous outfitters and guides. A full season of rafting is already anticipated by guides and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls dam releases for the river.

Steve Wright, public affairs officer for the Army Corps of Engineers, says, "We will have a tremendous whitewater season on the Gauley this year because there will be plenty of water for optimal flows. It should be a world-class whitewater experience for those who come to West Virginia to raft."

The Corps will open Summersville Dam with water releases of around 2,500 cubic feet per second on each release date, beginning September 11th this year. Then there will be five consecutive four-day Friday-to-Monday sessions of whitewater fun and a sixth session that just includes Saturday and Sunday. That gives you 22 chances to become a Bud man or woman.

With a riverbed that drops more than 800 feet in 27 miles, the Gauley River is the ultimate challenge in whitewater rafting for guides and their groups of rafters. The ruggedly carved canyon has two distinct river sections, called the Upper Gauley and the Lower Gauley. Guides and their rafters must make their way through more than 100 rapids, 56 of which are classified from Class III to Class VI (the hardest).

The put-in just below Summersville Dam is legendary, with the huge holes in the dam releasing walls of thundering water into the river. The ground shakes and the hearts of many guests, and even a few guides, involuntarily race in amazement (and a bit of fear).

Larry "LV" Vermeeren, a North American River Runners guide, says, "I love being one of the first trips on the river, with fog swirling over the rapids." He's a Gauley veteran who returns every year from guiding in Colorado, but has also guided in Arizona, North Carolina, Honduras, Chile, Ecuador, and Nepal.

Some of the best stories and scenes take place right at the put-in. One time, Class VI's Randy Dotson had such a strong group of psyched-up paddlers that they accidentally started with him still holding the raft on shore, pulling him into the river and raging rapids. They finally looked back to see him hanging on for dear life and pulled him back in. This was all recorded on video and shown that night, as are many thrills and spills in these modern times.

This is also the spot where you're sure to hear the story of how Summersville Dam was named. Most dams are named after the nearest town or the town the dam is putting underwater. In this case, the town they were putting underwater was called Gad, but they couldn't very well call it Gad Dam. Thus, they opted for using the nearby town of Summersville for the name.

The put-in serves as a proper introduction to paddlers, as guides bark out commands to paddle directly into the ocean-like waves. It's just a taste of things to come.

The first rapid is called Initiation and it serves its purpose. Guides use the rapid to make sure their groups understand paddling commands and to develop teamwork with their paddlers. They'll need it later.

The next major rapid is called Insignificant, but it's not. There's a series of long waves and rocks and it's about this time that paddlers and their guides start to get serious.

The relatively easy Iron Curtain rapid provides the warmup for Pillow Rock and 100 yards of sheer whitewater force. This house-sized "pillow" boulder on the left side of the river inevitably stops a few rafts and dumps them into the water. It takes skill (and sometimes luck) to maneuver past Pillow Rock.

Of Pillow Rock and the Gauley guiding experience, North American guide Enga Lokey says, "It is one of the most impressive rapids in the U.S." She should know, having guided in Colorado, Honduras, Ecuador, and Australia. A Colorado resident, she says, "When all the western rivers have been low for months, we can come out to the Gauley and have six more weeks of big water fun. How could a river guide not hear of the Gauley?"

The Meadow River adds fuel to the fire when it joins the Gauley, just before Lost Paddle. The half-mile-long rapid is actually divided into three distinct sections, each one of which will swallow rafts, guides, and passengers.

"If I had to pick one rapid as my favorite, it would have to be Lost Paddle," says M.A. Reiniger. "I like it because it is a long rapid and has quite a few different characteristics that are fun. It is a little tight at the top, the second drop is big and impressive, and leads you right into another tight and challenging spot with the potential of pinning. The Tumble Home is very tight, with quite a few obstacles to avoid." She says, "When you have a clean run on Lost Paddle, it gives you a great feeling of accomplishment."

Next up, Iron Ring (named for a huge logging ring that used to be embedded in the rocks) provides a huge boulder obstructing the river. Good guides always choose the right way to run Iron Ring. Those who don't are in for a rough (and wet) ride.

Sweet Falls is the guiding gold medal. Named after John Sweet, one of the first to paddle the river, there is usually a ten-foot drop and lots of rafters waiting below to see the results. It's a Roman Cathedral-like atmosphere, with the guides and their rafts having their success or failure viewed, photographed, and videotaped for all to see. "Even at my age (a young 52), I still love running Sweets Falls," says Randy Dotson, who grew up at the confluence of the New and Gauley.

Enga Lokey says, "Above Sweet Falls, everyone is nervous, serious, and trying hard to paddle well so that they have a nice line. But as soon as they are sitting at the bottom of the falls, they turn to carnivorous vultures just hoping that every boat behind will crash so they can watch the carnage."

Most trips have lunch either right before or after Sweet Falls and it's typically quite a spread. The guides bring it down the river on their rafts and then set up the buffet right on the banks. All of the outfitters and their guides take pride in the quality and creativity of lunch on the river. Class VI River Runners even has their own cookbook for sale.

It may get a bit easier after Sweet Falls, but not much. Insignificant No. Two (also called Wood's Ferry Rapid) has been known to surprise a few guides and rafters, after three miles of relatively calm water below Sweet Falls. Except for this rapid, however, there is time for guides to trade stories with their passengers, some of which are true.

The questions and stories are typically a fun part of the trip. For more than 20 years, Class VI's Aletha Stolar has probably heard everything. She says she can usually answer most questions with: "Well it depends," "Just around the bend," or "In about 45 minutes."

Of course, many people want to know what it's like to guide. Jenna Swann, a schoolteacher from Virginia, returns every year to guide on the Gauley. She smiles, "I love this 'job' because I get to drive a 'company vehicle' and I have a beautiful 'office.' She relates one of her favorite experiences as the time an all-female guide trip wore dresses and bows in their hair, with one of them swimming a major rapid in a prom dress. Those are the stories that make the Gauley (and the guides) famous.

Wood's Ferry area is also the typical take-out for one-day Upper Gauley trips. Some diehards choose to pursue the one-day trip that does the Upper and Lower Gauley in one long and hard day, but most just run take the one-day Upper or Lower trip or a two-day trip that takes in both. Those fun two-day trips usually feature camping on the river and more good times with guides, including a good old-fashioned camp cookout.

"Guiding in general is full of laughs," smiles M.A. Reiniger. "We had an English teacher on a two-day trip and one of the guides fixing dinner yelled, 'Hey, Bobby, where's the spatula at?' The teacher told him never to end a sentence with a preposition and he responded by yelling, 'Okay. Hey, Bobby, where's the spatula at, you a--hole.'"

The Lower Gauley is not as spectacular as the Upper Gauley, but it is technically difficult and a fun ride for guides and their guests. The Lower Gauley's first major rapid is Backender, a popular spot for kayakers to perform fancy maneuvers.

Some of the rapids that come in quick succession include: Upper Mash and Lower Mash (huge boulders and waves); Heaven Help Us (a ten-foot squeeze); the appropriately named Rollercoaster; Cliffside (a curving double-drop); and Rattlesnake (a windy series of rapids). This is where teamwork and a guide's talent can come in handy.

Near the takeout, Pure Screaming Hell provides one final Gauley River rampage. This long run has some huge waves and big rocks that have flipped quite a few boats. I guess it's the Gauley's way of saying goodbye to the guides and rafters who may (or may not) have tamed her this time.

The bus rides back to the outfitters provides additional time to learn more about the guides and other outdoor activities in West Virginia. Michael Gray, with Mountain River Tours, says "Typically, most people who come to raft the Gauley will stay for two or three days, which gives them time to discover the other outdoor recreational opportunities, like mountain biking, camping, and fishing."

Most of the guides also pursue these other activities and encourage their raft passengers to do the same. Guide Joe O'Leary says, "I love the state's beauty and its wide variety of outdoor activities. Even my mother has been back a half-dozen times!"

The whitewater industry has grown tremendously in the last few years, with many more creative options awaiting Gauley River rafters. Along with running the river, you can camp, stay in a B&B, enjoy an outfitter barbeque, mountain bike, go horseback riding, enjoy organized nature rock programs, bring your whole family, try a ropes course, and much more. There's sure to be a perfect package for you.

Whatever package and outfitter you choose, you'll find friendly locals to match the far-flung guides. Toni Hall echoes the feelings of guides and visitors when she says, "I like the attitude of the locals in this place tucked away in the midst of the crowded east. One time, a local chased after me on my bike for miles, just trying to return a kayak spray skirt I had dropped. With me, the suspicious Californian, expecting rape and robbery, I immediately suspected the worst and got the best of the Gauley season."

Aletha Stolar moved to West Virginia and tried to tell me why, saying, "Something about the area seems to draw the best people. You find good folks, beautiful scenery, and lots of variety for activities." Aletha also mentioned something about Class VI that I heard about many of the locally-owned outfitters. She said, "The owners are kind, caring, innovative, fun, receptive, encouraging, and challenging. Consequently, everything flows from there." Depending on where you are on the river, I guess the same could be said about the Gauley...and Bud.

Gauley River dates this year are September 11-14, 18-21, 25-28 and October 2-5, 9-12, and 17-18. For further information about West Virginia, this fall's Gauley season, and whitewater outfitters, call (800) CALL WVA.