Even with the world’s best guaranteed fall rafting approaching, there are still deals to be found during “Gauley Season.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opens the flood gates at West Virginia’s Summersville Dam Fridays through Mondays on seven weekends in September and October, and the result is the biggest water in the world with 97 rapids Class III and above, including nine Class V.
“Not surprisingly, our busiest days are Saturday and Sunday,” said Dave Arnold, co-founder and senior vice president of strategic partnerships for of Adventures on the Gorge (AOTG), the leading whitewater outfitter in the mid-Atlantic region. “But those who are flexible or call Fridays and Mondays parts of their weekend can score some smoking deals.”
The stretch of the Gauley River popular with rafters is 25 miles long and is commonly rafted in two sections called the Upper Gauley and Lower Gauley. Many rafters opt to run the Upper and Lower Gauley on successive days.
Release dates this year are Sept. 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, 29-Oct. 2 and Oct. 6-8, 14-15 and 21-22.
Gauley Season concludes Sunday, Oct. 22, the day after the hugely popular Bridge Day celebration featuring BASE jumpers diving, catapulting and hurling themselves from the 876-foot New River Gorge Bridge.
AOTG offers several deals for rafters who want to experience the “Beast of the East.” Prices do not include taxes, fees or gratuity.
Gauley Marathon Mondays features a full day of rafting both the Upper and Lower sections of the river plus two nights of camping, one breakfast buffet and lunch on the river. Rates are $179 per person.
The ultimate rafting experience is running the Upper Gauley twice. On Gauley Double Upper Fridays rafters take on the gnarliest stretch of the river and then go back and do it again. In addition to rafting the deal includes two nights of camping, one breakfast buffet and lunch on the river. Rates are $189 per person.
The Gauley Reverse allows rafters to “warm up” on the Lower Gauley on Sunday and then take on the Upper on Monday. In addition to rafting the deal includes two nights of camping, two breakfast buffets and two lunches on the river. Rates are $269 per person.
On select dates throughout the season, rafters can take advantage of Gauley Deal Days. This deal is available for either section of the river with rates starting as low as $99 per person.
Other Adventures
In addition to rafting, Adventures on the Gorge features aerial adventures, lake activities, an array of overnight accommodations, dining and more. Rafting is still the most popular activity, but now guests often stay for multiple days to enjoy the diversity of a leading adventure resort.
