Archive for the ‘Nantahala River’ Category

NOC Freestyle Shootout kayak rodeo this weekend

Friday, April 16th, 2010
The third annual Nantahala Ooutdoor Center Freestyle Shootout kayak rodeo on the Nantahala River will happen this weekend, April 17 and 18, in which some of the biggest names in paddling will dish up their best stunts and tricks.

Similar to skateboarding or snowboarding on a half-pipe, freestyle kayaking involves technical tricks and highly-stylized moves — including spins, turns, cartwheels and flips that often involve the boater going completely airborne.

The NOC Shootout is one of only six events in the country where paddlers can score points toward the USA Freestyle Kayaking national championship series. Paddlers are hoping freestyle will be recognized as an official Olympic sport for the 2012 games.

The NOC competition begins late Saturday morning and runs throughout the afternoon. The top five paddlers in each class advance to the finals on Sunday. The awards ceremony is Sunday evening with $10,000 in cash and prizes on the line.

Throughout both days, visitors can enjoy a festival-like atmosphere that includes live music.

Open surf will be offered on the wave feature from 8–10 p.m. tonight. Afterwards, there will be a freestyle kayaking presentation by Eric Jackson, founder of Jackson Kayak. He will talk about the rules, moves and scoring of freestyle kayaking at The Pourover.

Please click here for more information.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Posted in Freestyle Shootout, NOC, Nantahala Ooutdoor Center, Nantahala River, kayak rodeo | Comments Off

U.S. Open brings paddlers to Nantahala Gorge

Thursday, March 25th, 2010
The best of USA Canoe/Kayak’s whitewater team will descend on the Nantahala River this weekend intent on making a clear impression about their Olympic aspirations.

The Bank of America Whitewater U.S. Open this weekend (March 27-28) is the first measuring stick in the paddling season that will intensify at the U.S. National Trials in Wausau, Wisc., and culminate in a trip to September’s World Championships in Tace, Slovenia.

Paddlers from across the country will be competing to qualify for the USA Canoe/Kayak team. The race is organized by the Nantahala Racing Club and hosted by the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

It features two paddling events. One is whitewater slalom, where competitors navigate a series of gates hanging above the river on a stretch of rapids. The other is wildwater racing, where competitors paddle down river as fast as possible.

Slalom racing will begin both days at 9:45 a.m. It will run until 5 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. To watch the slalom race, walk upriver from Nantahala Outdoor Center about 100 to 200 yards.

Wildwater racing features both a Sprint competition, where the course is 500 to 750 meters long, and a Classic competition, which could be up to nine miles long. In wildwater racing, all paddlers compete in one run, head-to-head. Wildwater racing will begin both days at 11 a.m., with a spring on Saturday and classic on Sunday.

The awards ceremony for both events will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday.

For race schedules go to www.nrcrhinos.com or for info on USA Canoe/Kayak go to www.usack.org.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Posted in Canoe, Nantahala Gorge, Nantahala River, U.S. Open, kayak, paddlers, whitewater | Comments Off

248-acre tract at Nantahala headwaters protected

Sunday, November 29th, 2009
A 248-acre tract of land known as Rainbow Springs at the headwaters of the Nantahala River in Macon County, North Carolina has been protected through a conservation agreement between the long-time landowners, Myra Waldroop and her family, and the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee.

The tract is adjacent to the Standing Indian area in the Nantahala National Forest, contains nearly 4000 feet of the Nantahala River, and lies on either side of the Waterfall Scenic Byway, which runs from Rosman in Transylvania County to Murphy.

The property has been in the family since the 1850s, at first as a hunting and fishing retreat then a site for family vacations.

“Many family traditions live on,” said Myra. “With this long history, my family and I decided we wanted this property protected from development. The LTLT was our solution. We appreciate working with the folks at LTLT.”

During the 1920s and ‘30s, the Ritter Lumber Company operated in one of the meadows. A thriving lumber town included a post office, commissary, hotel and school. A railroad hauled lumber down the river to be shipped away. In 1948, Myra’s father, Carl Slagle, retired to Rainbow Springs, and later, Myra inherited a portion of the property where both of her daughters now live. The property is currently used for farming and sustainable timber harvest.

“The Waldroop Family conserved their land because of their love of the land and the heritage that the land represents,” said Sharon Taylor with LTLT.




Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

Posted in Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, Myra Waldroop, Nantahala River, Rainbow Springs | Comments Off