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As Gauley Fest grows, the ability to safely have car parking in the same area as camping becomes more and more difficult. In each of the past several years one or more tents have been run over during the festival, luckily with no injuries as a result. It goes without saying that the safety of attendees is the number one concern of American Whitewater. To this end, we’re going to have to limit parking in the inner festival area as

Entrance fees for 2010: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday: $25 Friday and Saturday: $20 Saturday only: $15 Note: these are the exact same prices for attendance and camping that have been in place, unchanged for over a decade (really!). However, what is no longer available are non-camping, entrance-only passes. This minor change is to simplify the pricing and to minimize the number of people who were trying to underpay on their way into the Festival – Gauley Fest is after all

The most recent issue of Currents features a Canadian youth development program that teaches students about the importance of rivers and how to protect them. Not only are the athletes/coaches considered to be some of the best kayakers in the world, they also embody the traits of quality role models and what it takes to be ambassadors of the sport.   Episode 5 of Currents can be viewed at: http://five2nine.ca./ Currents is a river stewardship focused WebTV program (online video

Colorado – On August 14-15, Denver Water will be releasing 300 cfs into the North Fork South Platte River.  When combined with natural flows, we are expecting boatable levels in Bailey and Foxton Canyons. These kayaking flows are being provided in accordance with the South Platte Protection Plan, which was developed by water providers, environmental groups, recreation groups, governmental organizations, local landowners and many other interest groups as an alternative to Wild and Scenic river designation.  Included among the organizations

After two decades of working on Ohiopyle Falls access, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Parks contacted American Whitewater today with official notification granting additional boater access to Ohiopyle Falls starting August 22, 2010. The new guidelines are as follows:First Year Private Boater Ohiopyle Falls Access Guidelines 1.    Prior to launching for each falls run, all boaters must register at the Lower Youghiogheny Launch Booth on SR 381.  A launch permit, governed by the private boater quota reservation system, is required during

On Monday, August 2nd Friendsville Town Council discussed problems with whitewater paddlers taking out above the Maple Street Bridge. This is not, as has been rumored, simply a neighbor dispute! There were complaints from both sides of the river. Too many paddlers are parking and getting out on Water Street (on river left) and Morris Avenue (on river right). These are quiet residential areas where several paddlers now own homes. They are not suitable public takeouts, especially since there’s an

This August 7th the annual Friendsville Days Parade will block the usual Maple Avenue access until 1:00 pm. The town park will also be closed to paddlers. Boaters wishing to drop a shuttle car in town have two choices. First, from the Friendsville Exit, go south on Route 42 towards Sang Run. Turn left on 1st Avenue and enter the town south of Maple Street. Park on First Street or major side streets like Chestnut Street or Oak Street. After running the

American Whitewater would like to recognize Risa Shimoda as our August Volunteer of the Month.   Risa is, amongst many other things, the chief coordinator behind Potomac Fest in VA/MD. Potomac Fest is the third largest whitewater event that AW attends (behind our own Deerfield Fest and Gauley Fest) which raised nearly $10,000 for AW in 2009. This fest has multiple competition and community events, not to mention a great festival itself, over the course of an entire long weekend. Being the lead coordinator

Currents is a river stewardship focused WebTV program (online video documentary) which uses white water kayaking as a means to educate a broader audience about the risks threatening the world’s rivers and to help highlight the intrinsic value of preserving rivers in their natural state.   While international rivers are out of the scope of the stewardship workplan of American Whitewater, many of our members may be interested in river issues from other countries. Rivers in South Korea face many

If you’ve been thinking about submitting an entry to AW’s 2010 Story and Photo Contest, it’s time to get busy. We’ve just passed the two-weeks-to-deadline mark, so now’s the time to write that story or comb through that photo archive. All details and submission guidelines are available here. Please use our new online submission form to enter. Deadline is Wednesday, August 11, 2010. And may the best writer/photographer win!

Pursuant to the authority vested in the Office of the Governor of the State of Colorado, I, Bill Ritter, Jr., Governor of the State of Colorado, hereby issue this Executive Order creating the Governor’s River Access Dispute Resolution Task Force (“Task Force”).     I.               Background and Need   Colorado’s rivers are essential to all Coloradans, not only for the vital drinking and agricultural water they carry, but also to our overall economy and quality of life.  Anglers, rafters and

American Whitewater is to identify the range of preferred boating flows for the main stem and tributaries of the Dolores River below and above McPhee Reservoir in southwestern, Colorado. We have developed this survey so individuals can report their runs and help American Whitewater represent recreational interests in deciding what the future of the Dolores River will look like. Our goal is to utilize information from the survey to help quantify flow preferences for whitewater boating, which will identify the

In 1965, Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).  The idea behind LWCF is simple – some of the wealth from offshore drilling should be reinvested in conservation and recreation.  Although the plan was for Congress to reinvest up to $900 million in LWCF every year (of the billions of dollars collected from energy companies drilling in the Gulf of Mexico), this almost never happens.  In light of the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Congress is

American Whitewater recently had the opportunity to meet with the National Park Service to discuss the Wild and Scenic River plans for the Merced and Tuolumne Rivers in Yosemite National Park.  During this three-day meeting, California Stewardship Director, Dave Steindorf, and Regional Coordinator, Paul Martzen, were able to float the Merced River through Yosemite Valley along with Park Service Staff.  This descent was the first legal descent of the river in recent history. As most paddlers know there is no

Wild Olympics Campaign Launches New Website Broad Coalition Seeks Additional Community Input on Watershed Protection Quilcene, WA – The Wild Olympics Campaign today launched a new website (www.wildolympics.org) to provide information and solicit additional community feedback on their draft proposal to protect key forest and river watersheds on the Olympic Peninsula.  The Campaign has been meeting with local stakeholders for the past year to build support and get feedback on their draft proposal for new wilderness, Wild and Scenic River

Each year, AW takes a look back at the previous year and distills the organization’s projects, supporters and financial information – plus much more – into one document, our Annual Report. The 2009 American Whitewater Annual Report is now available for your perusal and enjoyment.   We hope you’ll take the time to read over this document and see how carefully we spend our supporter’s dollars and just how much work we’re doing on the behalf of all river enthusiasts throughout

The July/August issue of the AW Journal features International Paddling and includes:  River of Dreams: Kali-Sarda, India Memories of Bhutan Jalcomulco with Girls at Play Corsica: Paddler’s Paradise   . . .plus much more!   Want to read the AW Journal online: You need a current membership and you must be registered with the AW website and have your membership associated with your website user account.   Current members – Read the International Paddling issue now! Not a current member?

In response to the ongoing threats to BC’s rivers from run of river hydro development, Leland and Andria Davis are putting on a festival and race to raise awareness and to raise money to help save rivers. Proceeds will go to American Whitewater and the BC Creek Protection Society. From the organizers:     “We have chosen Callaghan Creek as the focus for this event due to its accessibility, high quality, proximity to Whistler, and the fact that it is