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prom oummersvme uam to tne ,r,New River, the Gauley runs for 26 'i ■ whitewater-filled miles interspersed -owith placid sections of “flat water.” oc. Rapids are the product of a river’s relationship with the topograv‘phy, created by a combination of i»ivertical drop and narrowing of the river’s width — the steeper the drop !~and the narrower the river, the ortvilder the whitew'ater.
Whitewater rapids are rated lnfrom Class I through Class V (Class GIVI is considered unnavigable), with , "Class I being those with minimum ' ’currents and easily maneuvered •*<routes. As the rating increases, so -ddoes the difficulty. Class V rapids M*are potentially life-threatening, with steep drops, physical hazards like ""Undercut rocks and narrow passages r>*that require expert navigation.
Of the top 10 whitewater rivers .j in the world, two are in North 'America. One is the Colorado, the ‘'other is the Gauley in the fall. (vAWorld Class Whitewater!” the souvenir t-shirts boast. It’s not an idle one. — For those attempting their first whitewater adventure — and the term adventure is appropriate — the Lfower Gauley is the recommended initiation. It flows 14 miles from -Koontz’s Bend to the takeout, passing numerous Class V rapids with inpames like Heaven Help Us, Upper - and Lower Mash, and Kevin’s Folly. V Though difficult, the Class IV i .!and V rapids are somewhat less se“"vere than their counterparts
upriver. And there is more flat wa. ter between them, giving the paddll^ers a chance to rest and the guide an “Opportunity for quick classes in ,/risteering the raft.
Whitewater rafting is definitely a ' participatory vacation. Rafts hold
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