Articles

Everyone loves to attend the world’s biggest paddling festival: the American Whitewater Gauley Fest presented by Subaru. However, what most people don’t realize is that outside AW’s 8 full-time employees, it’s a completely volunteer run event!  AW sure could use your help. Please sign up for 2 hours (or more) and become a part of the Gauley Fest Volunteer Team! It’s a fun and easy way for you to be a critical part of an amazing festival. For your time

This September 18th, spend a day paddling with Anna Levesque on the Lower Gauley and raise money for AW! If you haven’t heard of the Ladies of the Lower G event it’s an annual event that Anna Levesque of Girls at Play and North American River Runners (NARR) put on around Gauley Fest. All the ladies who sign up spend the day boating down the Lower Gauley with Anna and others for the low, low price of just $40 (which

To get the word out far and wide about the upcoming American Whitewater Gauley Fest presented by Subaru (Sept. 18-20) we’ve added a Facebook event page. You can jump on there and say you’re attending and share it with all your friends. Very cool. In the meantime, if you’re on Facebook, why not become a fan of American Whitewater at http://www.facebook.com/AmericanWhitewater while you’re at it. Plus, if all that isn’t enough, you can join the American Whitewater Cause on Facebook

There will be a whitewater release on the Rock Creek Reach of the Feather river this weekend.  The flows will take place between 11 a.m. Saturday 8/22 and 3 p.m. Sunday 8/23.  The expected water levels are 800 cfs on Saturday, with flows of 700 cfs planned for Sunday.  Come take advantage of some fantastic water!   There is a fire buring in the canyon and we have recieved the following information from the USFS.     Fire Status as

Just a short note to clear up any confusion regarding weekend releases on the Pit River.     The releases will be happening, and they will take place the Weekend of August 29th.   Flows are expected to be 850 cfs.   So, paddlers, get out there and take advantage of a beautiful river.   The release starts ramping up on Friday, but takes a long time to fill the channel.   The river may be boatable by late Friday.   The release

The Tallulah releases will be held this fall on the following dates:  November 7-8, 14-15, 21-22.  Approximately thirty volunteers are needed each weekend.  Volunteers are the only people allowed at the put-in beside boaters and park rangers.  If you are a boater or a volunteer and want someone else to be able to go to the put-in, please have them volunteer.  Shifts are 8 am-noon and 11:00  am-3:00 pm.  An orientation and travel to the volunteer sites are included in

From the events organizer, Justyn Thompson:   "As many of you know, the Ledges Park in Asheville, NC has been a whitewater staple for many years. About 12 years ago, kayak slalom gates were put in with the hopes that people would use them and maintain them. However, after floods and neglect, they have turned into more of a hazard and an eye sore than anything else. On the weekend of August 22 and 23, we are going to do

The 19th annual Feather River Festival (CA) will be held during the scheduled releases on Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27, 2009. The fund-raiser event for American Whitewater is hosted by local paddling club, the Chico Paddleheads. The benefit event will be held at "Indian Jim School" campground located two miles upstream from the small town of Tobin and one mile upstream from Tobin Vista. Free camping and ample parking is available.   The event will include a free

Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill (SB 670) placing a moratorium on suction dredge mining in California.  This is a huge victory for paddlers, anglers, and anyone who enjoys California’s rivers.    In AW’s official letter to regarding this issue we mentioned multiple efforts being made by all who use the rivers, recreationally and commercially, to protect the plants and wildlife that call these rivers home.  These efforts seemed in vain, when miners weren’t subjected to the same environmental standards.

The following releases on the Bear River are planned: Drum Afterbay to Dutch Flat Afterbay, 4.5 mi, cl IV/V-, 200, 250, 300 cfs on SEP 5,6,7 respectively.Dutch Flat Afterbay to Chicago Park, 4.7 mi, cl IV/II, 200, 250, 300 cfs on SEP 5,6,7 respectively.These reaches are to the north of Dutch Flat, which is north of Highway 80, north-east of Auburn. Maps and detailed directions to put-in and take-out will be posted soon. These reaches have seldom been run; the

American Whitewater is proud to announce the two Affiliate Club recipients of the 2009 Clif Bar Flowing Rivers Campaign: The Jackson Hole Kayak Club of Jackson Hole, Wyoming and the Genesse Waterways Center of Rochester, NY! Each club will receive a $1,250 grant to go towards their respective projects. This year’s grant process saw some excellent entries, but these two stood above the rest. The Jackson Hole Kayak Club’s proposal was to install a set of stairs to access a

American Whitewater was featured prominently in a New York Times article about the benefits of dam removal to whitwater paddlers. The story is a great example of what’s good for a river is also good for recreation, habitat, fish and local communities.   Read the article at:   http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/travel/09explorer.html?hpw

Once again we will be running Ohiopyle Falls during this one day event on August 22, 2009. We need plenty of Help! Volunteers will get discounts and T-shirts. For additional information, registration and updates see: www.FallsRace.com You can sign up for the race and Freestyle event or just run the Falls. Activities Planned:Over the Falls Race and Freestyle EventPractice RunsThe Upstream World Championships held on the Lower Yough and sponsored by Wilderness VoyageursSilent AuctionTown Party with live band – WeedhawksFalls Under

As you probably already know, AW is holding a huge summer-long membership drive with monthly winners through September and two grand prizes being drawn in October.   The contest is simple and you can still be a part of it:   Only open to members of American Whitewater Members Joining or renewing your membership with AW gives you one chance to win Every $10 donation (by a current member) equals one chance to win (i.e. $100 = 10 chances)  

    American Whitewater recognizes Jason Bliler as our August Volunteer of the Month.   Jason was instrumental in helping coordinate American Whitewater’s activities at this years FIBArk Festival in Salida, Colorado.  FIBArk was again a great opportunity to learn more about AW’s work in Colorado and across the country, and we want to thank Jason for making it possible.  Jason volunteered five long days to helping AW grow it’s membership and support through movie premiers, fundraising events, and opportunities