THIS SNOW CAN TURN INTO WHITEWATER ANY SECOND NOW…

Just a little secret between you and me… spring is one of my favorite times to be at ACE and live in the New River Gorge. After hibernating all winter, or skiing (ya know, whatever you’re into) there is nothing better than that first thunderous sound of whitewater. Imagine a kid being reunited with his bike after a long winter’s break.

Spring Rafting

The blissful feeling may also have something to do with how awesome the New River is at high water. Don’t get me wrong, the New River is pretty sweet all year; however, in the spring it’s HUGE waves, one appropriately named the Million Dollar Wave. A rapid called Seldom Seen that only shows it’s meaty face at High Water and those flat water pools are pretty much non-existent. It’s a good thing that ACE has their own lunch spot because those riverside beaches that we enjoy all summer are deep underwater right now. House-sized boulders that are exposed in the summer create house-sized holes that should have their own Twitter account. (You could seriously park a school bus down in some of these holes, trust me…we know a lot about school buses around here.)

Another reason to love Spring Rafting is that your Raft Guide will be SO stoked to be back on the river after a winter of teaching kids how to ski. Here’s another little secret: there’s no better job in the world than guiding rafts down Class V Whitewater. Needless to say, they are very happy to be back in action and their enthusiasm is contagious.

If you’re not into rafting, here’s a few equally awesome alternatives:

Rafting may be our bread and butter, or peanut butter and jelly, but we have so many wild adventures to offer. Our Zip Line lives on the rim of the New River Gorge, so prior to spring leaves blooming out, we have twice as many views of the gorge below. The New River Gorge is home to some of the best Rock Climbing in the country. You can rappel down a cliff that seems miles above the river.  Rent a Mountain Bike and explore the 1,500 acres that we call home, on over 35 miles of trails that connect to even more trails within the National Park. A West Virginia spring is usually warm enough to sit around a campfire when you’re ready to relax after a day of adventures. Or continue the hibernation in one of our cozy, mountain cabins and soak your bones in a hottub after a day of paddling. Either way, escape the winter and start exploring the outdoors again… according to the groundhog, spring is here!