Not many folks want to go rafting in the New River Gorge during the winter.
That’s understandable. The water is freezing cold. So’s the air, most of the time. We get some snow, too.
Like this, but with snow
Winter rafting is not exactly a day at the beach.
We don’t run commercial raft trips in the winter (no one in WV does), but if we did, you’d need lots of gear before you showed up.
Of course, we still do a lot of winter paddling. Just because you don’t come doesn’t mean we’re not running the river. Plus, we’re crazy 
Here’s a list of some stuff we use…
- Beanies- Mom was right. Don’t go out without a hat on. Essential.
- Booties- Sandals don’t work in January. We use big thick neoprene ones.
- Bunny Suit- This is like a one piece fuzzy fleece, a 21st century union suit.
- Just using this bullet to say how some of the gear we use sounds like baby stuff. Coincidence?
- Dry Suit- Oh, it’s so much better than a wetsuit. This is a whole body shell with gaskets on the ankles, wrists, and neck to keep the chilly water out.
- Pogies- Don’t know where the name comes from, but pogies are mittens that you can attach with velcro to your paddle.
So, if you’re looking to add winter whitewater to your Christmas list of things you need gear for, this should get you started. It’s worth it: The New River in the gorge today is over 60,000 CFS.
How much water is that? In scientific terms, it’s called a crap ton.
And if you are interested in starting to do some winter rafting, give us a call. We’d love to talk about some sub-freezing runs over a cup of hot chocolate, next to the fire.
