Deep Woods to White Water trip Logistics

“Hey all!!
Put it right here!!, lol

Carpools / tent sharing / airport travel - to and from / questions about campsites and routes - etc etc / etc etc

Post it here so you/we don't have to sort through hundreds of posts to find important info.(I stole this from ENS,Thanks) lol

See ya later.
Randall
last edited: 5/25/07 3:37:49 PM”

“This sounds like fun. I'm already looking at the calander!”

“thanks for the invite, and I would love to join you all, BUT I'll be on the JMT. [yeahhhh...yeah....yeah....]

It does sound like an awesome trip.”

“This does look like a blast. Maybe, just maybe..... Have to see how money is in July.”

“This is a lonnngg way from home for a couple days of hiking. It sounds fun though.

I'll put myself in as a solid maybe.”

“thanks for the invite, Randall.

600 miles/ten hours driving. i've gotta think about this”

“I'll be in Vegas for training but thanks for the invite.”

“Hub,
If you do decide to go, ya might be able to ride down with me.
See ya later.
Randall”

“Sounds fun. I've been wanting to put a Gauley combo hike/raft together and it just never seems to come together.

I'm anxious to hear how this one turns out.”

“It looks like I might have my two adult kids with me on this trip! I've been wanting them to do a trip with me, so this should be way cool.
last edited: 5/28/07 3:31:18 PM”

“Windi!!
Sign em up!!! It will be a rugged hike though! (800 Hundered steps to the top, Whew!! That's a big staircase!!!)
See ya later.
Randall”

“I'll be out of town , I like the New and have ran it twice ,many moons ago

have fun ,watch out for the Bango players”

“Hey all!
Just wanted to make sure that everybody knows that reservations have to be made by 7/06/2007 or we won’t have a raft to float back on!
See ya later.
Randall”

“I'm a "definite maybe" at this point. I have a trip to WV planned later in June. I have to see how I fell about the 11-hour drive after that trip.

I see that New River Gorge is one of the parks in Garmin's 24K line of GPS maps. I'm a sucker for technology......”

“Chin.
Cool!!! Hope ya make it there!!!
See ya later.
Randall”

“I have a 11 yo daughter who looks much older. If I can come and I tell the rafting company she is 12, that will be good enough for them, correct?”

“Hyway,
I think their biggest concern is the wavier stuff. I have been on this trip with kids who were younger than that. Does the website say anything about age???
See ya later.
Randall”

“Does the website say anything about Mugsys?”

“Hey all!
Just wanted to make sure that everybody knows that reservations have to be made by 7/06/2007! I have not contacted the Rafting Outfitter for reservations as there are only “Maybes” on the list. If no one is interested by the above date, I will go ahead and delete the trip. Not trying to pressure anyone here, just trying to see where the trip stands. LOL
See ya later.
Randall””

“Chin!!
I don't know about dogs, I am guessing that there my be a claw issue. I cannot remember if thier were dogs on the other trips or not.
See ya later.
Randall”

“I am looking for a replacement trip for the lost cove trip I planned to take my girls on the weekend before this trip. We might elect to have an All Harry Potter, All The Time weekend since thats the release of the 7th book. Your trip sounds grand. Yes the website does say they must be 12 or older, but my kids don't carry drivers licenses to prove their age :). They both have been white water rafting the previous 2 summers - Nantahala and Ocoee rivers so they should be ok for this. The other think I noticed was that I didn't see a $71 price on their website. I saw something slightly higher for the 3 hour trip but it didn't include a lunch (which your trip page said would be included) Not a major matter, but was just wondering if you have made preliminary arrangements or the price you quoted was last years price.”

“Randall - Can I wait until after my WV trip this weekend to confirm? That's a dang long drive for me and I want to see how this weekend's trip goes.

If you AND guitargal are performing you can INK me in, Mugsy or no Mugsy.......
last edited: 6/18/07 2:40:58 PM”

“I just called Songer Whitewater. This section is a 3-5 rated segment.....good grief....FIVE. So much for considering Mugsy. A 5 is a hang-on-for-dear-life number, hopefully with a guide.

Sounds like fun, but def one to leave Mugsy at home. My wife might be interested in shopping on Sat and meeting us on Sunday for the rafting.”

“Hyway,
That was the price that Melanie Sieler, Songer Whitewater, quoted me when I talked with her on the phone.
Chin,
The deadline is from Songer Whitewater and I could not get them to budge on it, sorry.
I am trying to get Guitargal to go, but she has a week long intensive MS course scheduled and will probably not make it. She says I scheduled this just so she couldn’t go!! LOL
Randall
last edited: 6/18/07 3:29:04 PM”

“I would want to come on Friday. If my wife comes maybe guitargal and Sa could shop/sight-see on Saturday and meet us on Sunday for the rafting?????”

“Randall: After checking all the schedules & calendars I'm sorry to say I must pass on this one. I know it will be a great trip, and you know I'm up for just about anything, so I'll be sorry I could not make it. Have fun, don't fall in, if you do, keep you're head above water!”

“Oh man, will I be Sling-Lighting it by myself?”

“I really think I am going to join this trip. Do I need to go to the rafting companies website and reserve a spot with my credit card by July 6 or just tell you how many will be in my group so you can make a reservation and we arrange payment after that?”

“Hyway!!
At this time there is only one person signed up to go on this trip and that’s me. The people at Songer Whitewater told me they need at least 5 for them to do the trip. I feel that it would be best to wait to make any reservations until we have enough people signed up. We have to make the reservations by 7/6/2007. I was hoping that more people would have signed up by now. I have sent emails to those that are maybes explaining the above deadline, but all that did was cause people to cancel out. I would recommend that you go ahead and sign up, but not make any reservations until I post the reservation number that Songer Whitewater gives me. I won’t get that until at least five people are a go. I hope this helps explain things.
See ya later.
Randall
last edited: 6/23/07 12:11:43 PM”

“Randall, I and my 2 girls are joining this trip (they are 11 and 13 yo, errr I mean 12 and 13 yo). So we only need 1 more. Come on people, join up. This will be fun. Also, if you see my name leave the joined list, check to make sure I haven't been banned from Trailtalk before you assume I canceled. The ways things are going that might happen. Anyhoo, we are coming. My girls are cool and pretty rugged so hopefully they should do alright on the hike. Me on the other hand have grown fat and lazy. I will need to start exercising again.

So come on people join up, lets hike the gorge and raft the new river.”

“My daughter is interested as well. She has been teaching in China for the past year and returns home this evening. We will talk it over soon and add our names.”

“April (ChinaGirl) and I are now confirmed.”

“Hey all!!
I have called Songer Whitewater
and am waiting for a return call to get the reservation number. I will post and email as soon as I get it. More info to follow!!
See ya later.
Randall”

“Yeah... I was just going to write that I won't be able to do this. :(

I gotta save money to head to ME to pick up Green Hornet from Baxter. :)

Ya'll have a terrific time and I'll be thinking about you!!!”

“Hey All!!

I have made the initial reservation for the rafting trip on Sunday, July 29, 2007. If you are going you need to call 1-800-356-7238 or go to http://www.songerwhitewater.com/
and make your reservation/payment. You will need to reference this reservation number, 27994, when paying for your trip. The cost of the trip is $71.99 per person (That’s the complete total). Remember we need to have at least 5 people paid up by 7/6/2007. We have not decided exactly when the rafting trip will be scheduled to start as of yet. I am working towards starting the rafting trip close to 10:00 AM Local time.

If you are planning on arriving on Saturday morning, 7/28/2007, and not camping at http://www.songerwhitewater.com/ on Friday night, 7/27/2007 you will need to specify chest sizes for all persons going prior to the trip, so that the people at Songer will have the right size PFD for everyone when we meet them at the put in site. That would be best done by phone!!! Those of us arriving Friday can try on PFDs , pick out paddles, Etc, Etc, at that time.

You will need to sign a wavier and those can be downloaded here:

http://www.songerwhitewater.com/downloads.htm

Fill these out and bring them with you when you hike. I will have some extras, and the bus driver will have some as well.

Anyone else interested can, of course, join the trip and make their reservation after the 7/06/2007 deadline. We just need to have at least five by then.

See ya later.
Randall
last edited: 6/29/07 3:28:25 PM”

“Chin, Hyway!!
So, I have not checked with the people at Songer, have you guys made your reservations yet??? Let me know, so I have time to cancel mine and get my money back if your not going.
See ya later.
Randall”

“I am going to register. three of us. Just not sure I want to pay $30 for the privilege of putting up a tent on their ground. Is their land where you can camp free nearby?”

“Thanks for the update!!
I know there are some state parks around the area, but I think they are kinda far from the river!! There are some links on the trip page that might help. I have just always stayed in private campgrounds there.
See ya later.
Randall”

“Thanks for the reminder. I just called in reservations for daugther and myself for Sunday's rafting, using code 27994. I also reserved a rustic cabin for Friday night for wife, daughter, and myself.”

“Hey Chin!!
Thanks for Info!! Glad to hear things are starting to fall into place. Is Sa going hiking and rafting??
See ya later.
Randall”

“Sa will not be hiking and I doubt rafting. She plans on sight-seeing and shopping on Saturday and just chilling out with Mugsy on Sunday. April will be going on her first backpacking trip with me.”

“ok,
First time out huh??? Well, I can't vouch for the trail as I have not been on it before, lol Soooo, Keep that in mind and I,ll see ya later.
Randall”

“I've day-hiked with her before. She'll do fine. I'm planning on borrowing a short-torso pack for the weekend.

The elevation profile you posted shows the big gain early in the day (first 3 miles), with it leveling off after that.”

“Chin,
I have a Kelty Redwing that she could use. It fits me, so that makes it a pretty short torso.
Its a great pack for up to three days!!
See ya later.
Randall”

“All paid up, only it cost me $1 per person more that what Randall quoted me. I expect you to let each of us have a spoonful of what ever you cook up Saturday for your dinner.

I wonder why this trip hasn't gotten more interest from others. Seems like a great combination of outdoor adventures. Maybe its the cost of the rafting?
last edited: 7/05/07 1:49:28 PM”

“Hyway,
Thats great news!!
I was wondering the same thing about the intrest! I think it is the cost of the rafting trip, oh well.
Are you staying with us Friday night?? I see that Dub is on as a maybe! I sent out a lot of invitations, but only got a couple of responses and most were Thanks, but no thanks.
See ya later.
Randall”

“I would love to do this. But even if I thought the hike was doable for me... which is iffy... the cost is prohibitive.”

“Here are the directions to get to the trailhead:

It turns out that the Road to get to Fayette Station (Kaymoor Trial Trailhead) is a one-way road. You will need to access this road only at the New River Gorge Canyon Visitor Center. If you use the other access you will have to turn around and head back!! It is right off of 19 on the north side of the New River Gorge Bridge. You really can’t miss it as it is very well marked. Stay on this road and proceed with caution (Watch out for Stupids Curve, well marked and a good spot to take a funny pic of the sign) The road is very curvy and has a lot of good places to take some good pics. There are some turn offs after this curve, just stay to the main road and keep going down hill, you’ll be fine !! Go all the way to the river, you will cross an old iron trestle bridge and then come to the parking lot of Fayette Station (on the river) You will see where the rafting outfitters take out the rafts. Continue uphill and you will come to the Kaymoor trailhead parking lot. It is well marked and you will be able to see a real nice foot bridge from the trailhead. (See the pic in the trip album)
Ok see ya later.
Randall”

“We are staying at songer's campground. I'll just follow you. BTW, I hope Saturday night's campsite will be easy to find. My girls and I are "leasurely" hikers so you will probably already have set up camp and taken a nap by the time we arrive.”

“We are staying at Songer on Friday evening as well.

Hyway - My daughter and myself will be in no hurry as well.

Randall - I must have an old cell # for you. Will you email me the correct one. I have reviewed the 24K map for the trail. Once the Cunard to Kaymoor trail branches off, on the way to the Kaymoor Top TH (I assume), the trail (road?) "disappears" on my Garmin map.”