In the fall of 2005 paddlers from around the southeast converged in a small North Carolina mountain town of Robbinsville to paddle the very first releases on the Cheoah River. American Whitewater began it’s work on the Cheoah River in 2000 and now six years later 2006 will bring a full schedule of 18 release days for the river.
American Whitewater invites you to come and celebrate the rebirth of a future southeastern whitewater classic, the Cheoah River. To celebrate the revival of this Class III – IV big water run AW is hosting a fundraising dinner and party at Tapoco Lodge on the banks of the Cheoah on April 8th. The event will celebrate AW’s work on the Cheoah and help raise funds for the other projects that American Whitewater is currently working on in the southeast and beyond. The dinner will feature Leland Davis, southeastern boating legend and author of NC Rivers and Creeks, as the key note speaker.
Somebody once said that “Freedom is never free!” and for the Cheoah River this certainly holds true. American Whitewater has invested over $28,000 on Cheoah Project in staff time alone, this doesn’t even take into account the work of Canoe Clubs, AW volunteers or support from outfitters. The goal of the Cheoah River Revival Fundraising Dinner is to repay AW some of this $28,000 so we can continue our work on projects throughout the country including these southeastern projects:
- Guaranteed Releases on the Tuckaseegee and Nantahala, and improved access AW has negotiated guaranteed releases on these rivers that before were only guaranteed on “a good word.” As well, recreational releases on the West Fork of the Tuck and Upper Nantahala are slated to begin in 2007.
- Appealing the Chattooga Headwaters Boating Ban After reviewing the boating ban on the Headwaters of the Chattooga, the National Chief of the USFS determined the ban was unwarranted. While the river remains temporarily closed, AW is working hard to open the river to boating based on the Chief’s decision.
- Releases on the Catawba River Thanks to extensive negotiations with Duke Power and a number of flow studies, paddlers will hopefully soon have recreational releases in the Great Falls section of the Catawba River.
- Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic Designation AW has worked with the USFS to protect and mange the newest Wild and Scenic River in the South, Wilson Creek. As a result, Wilson Creek will always be a paddling destination of the highest quality.
Cheoah River Revival Fundraising Dinner.
The event will be held at Tapoco Lodge on April 8th, 2006, cocktail hour will begin at 6:00 and dinner will be served at 7:00. Tapoco Lodge is limited to approx. 80 people so please RSVP early to ensure that you and your friends are part of this memorable night. Tickets for this fundraising event are $100 and can be purchased by calling AW’s office in Cullowhee, NC at (828) 293-9791, all reservations must be made by March 20th, no tickets will be sold the day of the event. The evening includes a full dinner and dessert and admission to the after party.
Who is Leland Davis?
When choosing a speaker for this event, it didn’t take us long to think of the best person for the job. Leland Davis is southeastern boating, in fact he wrote the book on it. We are very excited to have Leland honor us with his presence.
Leland Davis first paddled in a tandem canoe on North Carolina‘s Lower Green River while at Camp Arrowhead in 1982. He got into canoeing, kayaking, backpacking, rock climbing, and skiing more through the Outdoor Education Program at his high school, traveling to paddle and play on weekends and school holidays. After a short stint as a rock climber in Colorado, he moved to Asheville in 1993 and enrolled in UNC-Asheville, where he co-founded the paddling club with AW’s Kevin Colburn and Chris Bell. After graduating from UNCA in 1997 with a degree in environmental science, Leland hit the rivers full time for a couple of years, except for summer breaks which he still spent running the high adventure and paddling programs back at Camp Arrowhead. In 1999 he found work in the paddling industry – working as a graphic designer, computer nerd, warranty guy, tech rep, or anything else that was needed for a variety of companies over the next few years. Most recently, Leland and his girlfriend Andria Baldovin have started their own publishing company, Brushy Mountain Publishing, which makes and distributes their products, including Andria‘s "Yoga for Paddlers" DVDs and Leland‘s new paddling guidebook, "North Carolina Rivers & Creeks." This spring, they are continuing thier love for teaching and paddling by offering their second series of creek boating clinics. Check out Leland’s website at www.nccreeks.com!
Cheoah River Revival Party
Following the fundraising dinner, an after party will take place at Tapoco Lodge featuring live music from Big City Sunrise. Tickets can be purchased for this at the event for $5 per person. Stay tuned for more information about the Revival Party.
Photo of Leland Davis is courteousy of Ben Edson / downstreamphoto.com.
