Читать книгу Carolina Whitewater. A Paddler's Guide to the Western Carolinas онлайн

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SHUTTLE: From Nantahala Outdoor Center, take US 19/74 south to CR 1310. Take a left onto CR 1310 and go 6.6 miles to Whiteoak Dam on the right. Take out just above the confluence with the Nantahala River on CR 1310.

GAUGE: None. Assuming a normal dam release, a level of 4.5 feet on the Nantahala River gauge may be a good indicator of enough water.

NANTAHALA RIVER

The Nantahala heads up just inside the edge of Nantahala National Forest before entering Nantahala Lake, reportedly the highest lake in North Carolina. From there some water is piped down the mountain to the power plant 0.25 miles above the Section C put-in. Sections A and B only run after heavy, extended rainfall, which results in dam spill-over from Nantahala Lake and heavy feeder-stream influence up high. The piped water meets the natural flow just above Section C, one of the most popular whitewater runs in the country. The water temperature on this stretch is generally 45° F due to the diverted water being pulled from the bottom of the lake. While Section A is recommended only for experts, Section B is challenging for high-intermediate and advanced boaters. Section C is suitable for intermediate-level paddlers and ends just above the Class V Wesser Falls. Below is Lake Fontana. Nantahala, meaning “land of the noonday sun,” was the name given to it by the Cherokee Indians because the deep gorge shuts out the sun for most of each day.