As the beauty of fall blankets the Arkansas Valley, many of our guides are returning from their pursuit of whitewater on the Gauley River in West Virginia. Our experienced guides join other passionate paddlers from all over the country to play and work during “Gauley season.”
Unlike the Arkansas River, which is fed by snow melt, the Gauley is fed by abundant rainfall. Once through the hot summer, the water stored in Summersville Lake is released for recreational boating in the fall. Beginning around labor day, “Gauley season” consists of 22 controlled releases of water over a 6 week period making this the most popular stretch of advanced whitewater on the east coast.
A man of wisdom delights in water. — (Confucius)