With the end of the summer rafting season almost in sight we have been blessed by the Gauley River fall releases once again. The buzz is in the air and the guides and staff here at Songer have caught their second winds. This Friday marked the first day of Gauley season and the big water began, running through monday it has definately quenched our thirst for big water action.

With the return of the water comes the seasonal appearance of our transient guides from all over the county. Long time favorites such as Charlie Brown, Hobbit and Snuffy have all rolled into town along wth many of our favorite guests who come season after season. The Upper and Lower Gauley runs allow for two distinct 12 mile sections and there are countless lines and technical slots to be explored on the river, making every run unique.

The tight and narrow passages through the river create a veritable whitewater playground for skilled boat guides from all over the rafting world. With more surf waves then Maui, the Gauley has allowed some guides to show off the surfing skills they've been fine tuning all year. A sampling of Songer's guide parking will reveal license plates from Colorado, New Mexico, Georgia, Tennessee, and of course, plenty from right here in West Virginia. Every unique river region brings with it a different style of guiding, making for a very impressive show on the river.

Along with Gauley Season comes new special offers. Check out the buy 1 get 1 half price offers for the weekend of October 3rd through October 6th. Or use the three day weekend for Columbus Day (October 11th-13th) to catch the Gauley at significant savings. Gauley Season will be over before you know it, so give our friendly reservationists a call today, (800) 356-7238, so you can come rafting in Songer Style!
Gauley Guide
Ryan Wines

2800 cfs pounding out of the Summersville Dam can only mean one thing – Fall Gauley season. It's that time of the year when familiar faces start pouring into Southern West Virginia from all over the world. The reason for this annual 7 week pilgrimage is the world-famous Upper and Lower Gauley and the 23 days of scheduled big water releases.

Guests and guides alike begin salivating in sweet anticipation of those classic class V drops and huge wave hits. Gauley season starts on Friday September 5th; there's just enough time left to make plans for an adventure weekend getaway down here in Wild, Wonderful WV! Here’s a guide tip, slip out of the office Thursday afternoon or stick around down here ‘till Monday, and you’ll see what it’s like to beat the crowds and have the amazing Gauley River wilderness nearly all to yourself!

The Gauley is calling. Are you listening?

What: Family Bonfire Night @ Songer Whitewater

When: Saturday evening, August 9th

Everyone welcome, appropriate for families of all ages

Organized activities will include:

6pm – Scavenger Hunt
7pm – Area Ghost Stories by Karen Vuranch, recipient of the 2002 McWhorter achievement Award from the WV Storytelling Guild.

– lighting of the bonfire with complimentary smores!!
9pm – movies on the Songer deck

Don't forget to check out:
18 hole disc golf Small fishing pond Horseshoes Volleyball 2 mile Bike/hike loop trail Hula hoops!! Geaocache treasure hunt ($20 gps rental)

Hope to see you soon,

Melanie Seiler

With water levels falling lower and lower in the last five weeks many were bracing in for another dry season. As the weekend ended the rain began, not so much with us directly but with numerous watersheds including the Greenbrier watershed and as far south as Northwestern North Carolina. As early as Tuesday the rain rose the New from the negatives and by Thursday we were pushing two and a half feet.
Early New water levels on Thursday had risen to more then four feet. With good water and great rapids it was just what the doctor ordered. We had many larger class IV-V rapids then normal. With big hits and large waves it was a playground of whitewater for the guides and guest; a nice blast from the past to cure any dry season hangovers the guides might have experienced. Were expecting our largest weekend on the book this Saturday and with future water levels looking to stay positive for a long time, I cant wait to have another trip!
Raft Guide-Ryan Wines

This past Saturday Eddicar and myself taught an American Canoe Association River Rescue Class for our new guides and for some experienced guides. It is a great class that informs the guides of wading and rope techniques but also pounds into their heads how to prevent rescue situations from happening.

We spent the morning at Songer’s base camp throwing rope bags, reviewing the Broach kits we carry on the river and setting up a Z-drag system (used to unpin a raft). It was great to share stories from some of the experienced guides that pertain to the rapids we run every day. The new guides were wide-eyed, focused and seemed to be sucking it all in.

Early afternoon we headed to the Middle Meadow River to put their skills to the test. The water was freezing! Thankfully it was a really hot day.

Each student had to wade across the river different ways, do a swift water entry (belly flop) and swim through a small rapid. We then had them split to either side of the river and practice getting to a person in the middle.

It was a great class because they all listened to every word. The most important conversations were about educating our rafting guests, preventing rescue situations and continually thinking about rescue scenarios as you float down the river so you are always prepared if something would happen.

The skills being taught are rarely used and need constant review. Each summer we have multiple classes involving all of the guide staff so they stay refreshed and get use to working with one another on a regular basis.

If you have a group that would like to take a class with us, we can definitely do that for you. Songer has 4 ACA River Rescue Instructors on staff. This is a great coarse for boy scouts, kayak/canoe clubs, fire & rescue squads and anyone leading other people on rivers.

Keepin it safe,
Melanie

The gear truck was full of bravado and confidence. Most of the guide trainees didn’t want to let on that the raging Gauley River, the one they’d heard so much about, scared them at least a little. The sky was blue and the air crisp, perfect for Spring rafting.

Getting onto the river, we soon realized the magnitude of the waves and holes that formed when there was this much water barreling down this constricted, ancient river bed. Everything went pretty smooth for the first half of the day, Koontz’s Flume was HUGE. The foamy wave-hole known as 5 Boat Hole that formed below Koontz’s on river left was some serious surfin’- probably the biggest thing I’ve ever surfed in a raft.

The second half of the day found us doing a little bit of swim practice – West Virginia style. We got a little too close to one of the huge rocks known as “Heaven’s Gate’s”, leading to several of us quickly tasting the fresh waters of a flooded Gauley. The other boat had their wild ride at Lower Mash, a technical rapid known for a stompin’ wave hit right in the middle. Coupled with Upper Mash, we were told it’s the steepest single stretch of rapids on the Upper or Lower.

Needless to say, it was an amazing day of whitewater. We love all the different stretches of water that Songer runs, from duckying on the Middle New to big water runs on the Lower New and Gauley. Eventually we’ll get the chance to hit the Upper Gauley as well. Bring on the Summer, and bring on some more rain! Join us down here from some big water Rafting. We’ve got special Spring season rates running until May 15th. Plus – there’s the Spring Gauley Party Package so you too can experience the Gauley before Fall.

Daniel Driver
Guide trainee ‘08

I have been planning some NEW events for our summer season. The timing of these events can assist you in planning the best time to come play with us. In May we have a young adult’s party weekend that has been a tradition at Songer for more than 8 years, River Rage ’08, May 16th & 17th. Raft trip, meals, camping and themed parties Fri. & Sat. nights. Always a blast!

A new evening activity for 2008 will be our Family Bon-fire Nights. The goal for this activity is to bring families closer together and enjoy each other’s company through games, challenges and story telling. We will add in some West Virginia history and roast some S'mores, of course! Dates are; June 7th & 14th, August 2nd & 9th.

Now, if you want to get on the Gauley River but don’t want to wait until September, come join us the first two weekends in May to catch spring water for unknown levels but guaranteed challenging whitewater. (No cry-babies allowed).

I am also working on the fireworks permit for our professional pyrotechnics display at Songer on July 5th, the return of the Famous Songer Olympics on June 28th, and this fall we will have the 3rd Annual Chili Cookoff!

Please email me if you have any questions about our Songer Events! Melanie@songerwhitewater.com

Make your reservations sooner than later to get the primo trips!
Melanie

The early season is moving briskly towards full swing, and our Springtime Big Water Bash special has attracted bus loads of thrill seekers. If you’re looking for something a bit more luxurious than tent camping, our deluxe Cabins on Miller Ridge are available at half price until May 1st. If you haven’t seen the New River at these levels, it’s hard to comprehend just how big these waves get. Floating amongst the peaks and troughs in my little kayak brings to mind the chaos from the ocean scenes in “The Perfect Storm”! Come see it for yourself.

We’re excited about the launch of our new and improved Songer Whitewater website, where you can check out all of our adventure offerings and use such interactive features as the Songer Trip Planner and the Online BOOK IT NOW to create the perfect escape to the Mountain State. If you’ve already come rafting with us, check out your photos online or enter our contest for the most memorable rafting adventure with Songer, as told by our past guests. If your story is the winner, you’ll receive a complimentary two person rafting trip on the New River.

We’re having a blast just being back on the river again. Join us to experience Songer’s very own brand of Appalachian hospitality, right down here in West Virginia – it’s closer than you think!

Austin B
Marketing Director
Songer Whitewater

Simplicity, Community, Quality and Appreciation of your Vacation Dollars.

Simplicity also encompases the experience you will have with us. Having a guide with you all day drifting down the river at it’s pace puts your mental to-do list in perspective. Enjoying a picnic lunch laid out for you, relaxing by a campfire and star gazing before sleeping to the sounds of nature will all help ground you and keep the stresses where they belong.

Community and a sense of family have always been a part of Songer, a part that is becoming more evident and appreciated as folks compare us to other outfitters and other vacation resorts. Being a family owned business, employees that have been with the company for decades and guests that keep coming back make it more like a group of alumnus getting together than a business.

Quality of the experience is there right off the bat! Anytime you throw yourself into Mother Nature, embrace the feeling of wilderness and have a sincere trust in those leading you are able to open yourself up with family and friends and build a bond together.

Appreciation of your vacation dollars means the team at Songer Whitewater makes operational decisions to keep the bottom line in check. You will find our General Manager driving the boats to the river on slower days. I have been known to come in early to finish payroll so I can raft guide an afternoon trip. And you will find a reservation computer in the outfitter store so Eddie can ring up a soda and take a phone reservation at the same time. It is not uncommon to have guides who have a day off to lend a hand servicing our raft fleet.

With all the vacation choices out there it can be overwhelming to get everyone on the same page. Let Songer Whitewater give you some ideas and help you to make multiple arrangements so everyone gets a taste of excitement and relaxation.

Songer Whitewater is currently looking for energetic folks to join the team. Reservationists and raft guides needed. Training provided. Please email me if interested. Melanie@songerwhitewater.com .

Hope to see you on the river!

The real advantage to this offer is to get your cabin rented now based on the 2007 rates. Cabin rates will increase by $25 a night in 2008 (the Hemlock house will increase by $50 a night). Reservation are already being made for spring break and for weekends in Gauley Season.

Our “behind-the-scenes” crew is diligently working on the 2008 brochure and website. Just to give you a taste of what is instore for this coming season; family bon-fire nights (know any good ghost stories), a Bridge Day option that will be the ideal way to spend the day (top secret until the brochure comes out), Songer Olympics on a couple weekends (so silly) and we would love to have some windmills up but that may be more of a daydream.

We are currently looking for anyone interested in guide training and office reservations starting this spring. Please call our office for details 800-356-7238 or email me Melanie@songerwhitewater.com .

Have a Happy New Year!

Melanie Seiler