New Rafting Trip Planned for 2012

I'm excited to announce a brand new rafting trip scheduled for September of 2012! The Lower Gauley River, during Gauley Season.
In the world of rafting, the Gauley River in West Virginia holds the number 5 spot on a long list of the biggest, hardest hitting, most technical, single day journey, heart-pounding runs in the entire world. The Gauley itself would then be split into two sections; the upper and lower. The Upper Gauley gets all the thunder due to it's spectacular class 5+ rapids. However, the Lower Gauley is not far behind.
I like to think of the lower section as the "little brother"... with spunk. For you Upper Gauley veterans out there that may consider this a cake walk - you still must stay focused on the rapids of the Lower Gauley. Long rollercoaster wave trains such as Upper and Lower Stairstep, big holes such as Backender and Hell Hole, and boulder gardens like those at Upper Mash will keep even the most accomplished rafters on their toes.
So get ready, get excited, for a great run this fall as we return to the world famous Gauley River!
Please visit WildXpeditions for more info on this trip, see you there!

Making a tinder bundle

Dried grasses work well and can be found almost everywhere but lack any accelerants. Most resins, or sap, will act as accelerants within the tinder bundle. Evergreen trees are full of resins to help ignite the spark, or coal, into a flame.

Cedar is by far my favorite material for making tinder bundles, or nest. Cedar’s can be found all over and are easily identifiable. It’s the bark of the cedar that makes the tinder, not the foliage. If you gently scrape across the bark with your fingernails or a knife, you can remove the loose, peeling, dry bark off without harming the tree. Once you’ve got a fist full then you will need to work the material into that bird’s nest shape. To “work” the material, simply ball the bark up in your hands and pull it apart, ripping and shredding it a bit in the process. Be careful not to overdo this and turn your tinder into dust.

Tinder is an easily combustible material used to ignite fires by rudimentary methods. Basically, tinder is the

How to Choose Hiking Boots: Expert Advice from REI

How to Choose Hiking Boots: Expert Advice from REI

From day hikes to long treks over many miles of rough terrain, this covers it all. Nothing trumps comfort when you're out on the trail - and it all starts with footwear. Click the link above for the complete guide to choosing the right hiking boots.

WILD 101 Wilderness Class

Wild 101: A full day class all about “what to do if you’re lost in the wild“.

The location for this will be at Sandy Point State Forest. Sandy point road is off of RT 30 and just a few miles southeast of King William Co. court house. (on the left if you’re heading towards West Point) Follow Sandy Point road all the way to the end and we’ll meet you there in the parking lot. Please contact me at the email below if you need further directions.

Meeting at 10am at S.P. Be sure to pack a lunch you can throw in a daypack and bring water for each member of your family. Be sure and dress for the day’s temperature, being cold is a choice. Hiking boots would be a good idea as we may encounter rough terrain and possible muddy conditions. We’ll be back at the parking area about 4pm.

What does this class cover?

Doug Robinson's photostream

Doug Robinson's photostream on Flickr.

10lbs for 10 miles - Daypacks

Quite often I find myself planning day trips and suggesting certain gear, clothing, etc., that people should take along with them to make their journey safer and more enjoyable. I’d like to tell you a little about proper daypack packing and weight distribution for each person on any wilderness trek.

First of all, each person should have their own lightweight daypack. You could even use your child’s backpack from school if need be, as long as it’s comfortable. When my family goes out hiking we all have our own packs, it helps to distribute weight mostly, but I have also found that

Extreme Rafting Trip Planning

For the last 8 years I have organized annual rafting trips down the famous Upper Gauley river in West Virginia. We go during a 22-day period known as Gauley Season. This is when the Army Corp of Engineers have a controlled dam release from Summersville reservoir dam. At the bottom of the dam the mighty Upper Gauley starts it’s decent through some of WV”s most beautiful scenery, while providing some of the best class 5+ white water action the northern hemisphere has ever seen!

There is a lot a variables that go into scheduling this trip, and after so many years of making this run I‘ve figured out a thing or two about planning it. I’ll share some things that may help you with scheduling your trip to have the best time possible.