AOTG: discount for fall rafting on Gauley ends April 30

Gauley rafters barrel into rapid

Whitewater rafters planning to run the Gauley River in autumn have until the end of April to take advantage of savings of up to 37 percent with Adventures on the Gorge.

The adventure resort on the New River Gorge in West Virginia is offering deals on individual trips on the upper and lower Gauley and overnight trips featuring both sections run on consecutive days with riverside camping.

“When the dam floodgates are opened, a run down the ‘Beast of the East’ is one thing we can count on,” said Dave Arnold, co-founder and senior vice-president of public relations and strategic partnerships for the resort.

“We know the river will be running at 2,800 cfs, there will be 97 rapids Class III and higher, and people will come off the river with huge smiles and thoughts of when they can return.”

The Gauley is renowned worldwide for its rapids, which include nine Class V-drops over 25 scenic miles. Its upper and lower sections offer some of the world’s best rafting when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases water from Summersville Lake Fridays through Mondays in September and October. Release dates this year are Sept. 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, 29-Oct. 2, Oct. 6-8 and 21 and 22.

The resort is offering a sale on its trips on either the upper or lower Gauley for $119 per person — a savings of 37 percent. Blackout dates are Sept. 9, 16, and 23.

Rafters who wish to challenge both may break up two days of rafting and enjoy camping at the resort’s private riverside campground, which features hot showers, clean bathrooms, a wood-fired hot tub, and gourmet meals prepared by an expedition chef. Rates for the overnight trip are $309 — a savings of 21 percent. The sale for the overnight is valid for trips launching Sept. 10, 17 and 24 and October 6 and 14.