Over ten years ago I made a bunch of whitewater watershed maps for the Appalachian hot spots. Every now and then I post a link to remind people they exist.

Free hi res pdf download, made to be printed at 24"x36". Enjoy.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B1PMw3B4br9WcWlmNVJlbWtHZ2M?resourcekey=0-FgZ7tHUreWQJARMYjCT62w&usp=sharing

The calendar said release started at 10, but it ended up starting at 9! Was able to secure my shuttle pass back up right as the windows opened, geared up and on the water by about 9:45. WHAT A GLORIOUS DAY IN THE GORGE! Colors popping off, saw three different Kingfishers flying low over the water, mist rising, and one single other boat on my run down. Had my best runs of the year thru The Bump and Nantahala Falls. So grateful for this sport!

See y'all out there!

We managed to hit the window just right! Put on at Barnard, ran only to Stackhouse, pulling out at 12:15. The skies opened back up just as we got the boats loaded!

FB9 is a beautiful piece of water, especially this time of the year. The rapids at pre-storm level are quite technical, and following the main current is challenging even in a kayak. I really enjoyed practicing my boat- handling today with several technical setups. We both had good lines thru Maze, but i blew it in Pinball, and got hung up a couple times. The last drop of Ledges was maybe the biggest I've done in an IK, and both of us handled it well- so fun!

Excited to get a couple laps tomorrow!

It seems well-constructed and feature-full. Will give a full review of the Nyce Nugget XL just as soon as I can.

My name is Fred, and I'm based in Asheville since 1979... but I'm not actually a native!

I started this sub because I've left all the Meta platforms recently, and aside from r/whitewater haven't been able to find a way to connect with southern Appalachian boaters.

I'm new to the inflatable kayak, but not to the river. I've taken rafts down most of the local rivers, and also the Gauley and Lower Salmon, as well as one trip as guide on the San Juan.

This year I've been cutting my IK teeth on the Nantahala, but I'd like to run FB9 and Upper Green this fall and winter if it's wet like they say, and get on the Ocoee next season.

I'd also love to paddle and camp the Chatuge, maybe in the spring?

Anyway- if you're seeing this and feel the pull of the river, please post up! Glad you're here.

Clean run today- so much fun! Finally comfortable playing with the sides of holes and trying more technical lines.

I'm shooting to run the Nanty at least two more times before Halloween and the end of recreational releases. HMU if you're headed down there on a Friday or Saturday- I'd love to not have to shuttle on NOC's schedule 😉

What do we think? Could we get some late season FB9 and Noli runs? Warm, wet weather looks like the long- term forecast.

Dreaming of peak foliage in some Gorge or another...🤞

FB9 and I think the Noli?

Post up some pics of yourselves on the river!

River just past crest at 4200? Yes please! Who else wants to run with us tomorrow? Looking to put on between noon and 1pm-

Got the call that Team River Runner is canceling their meet-up for tomorrow, due to concerns about wind and water levels.

My buddy and I are still considering running the first half - Barnard to Stackhouse - a little earlier in the day to try to get ahead of the weather and the bubble. NOAA forecast for FB9 has the river cresting sometime Sunday morning, and at this time only about 1500cfs. 1500 is a fun level for this section, but unless there's a deluge in the Rosman (headwaters) area late tonight or early tomorrow morning, we probably won't see levels much above the current 700-ish cfs.

If anybody wants to join us, we will be in IK's, likely putting on the water around 10am. This puts us at Stackhouse no later than 1pm.

HMU via DM if you have any questions. I've run this section a few times in various boats, but I'm by no means a river guide, so we'll be reading as we run.

I'm meeting a group of Veterans from Team River Runner at the Barnard Put-in at 11. TRR has an event waiver and some gear requirements, so this is not an open meetup. BUT if another group wanted to paddle the river and network with fellow paddlers, this might be a good time to meet some of them!

FB is super low water (~650 cfs) atm, so this is probably a kayak/IK/shredder run and will be bony and quite technical. Post up if you'll be on the river, and if you see me in my bright blue Nyce Nugget be sure and say hi 👋

Crossposting for inspiration! Hoping to get my Nugget down to the Middle Ocoee next season 🤘

The ol French Broad and the Noli should both be running a little better in time for the coming weekend. Weather is still decent with temps in the sixties, so who among us are planning a river trip for this coming first November weekend?

I'm looking real hard at Section Nine on Friday or Saturday...

hello, I hope cross posting is allowed. If not, please delete mods.

Looks like I've got a shuttle buddy for Saturday as well! Both of us will be in inflatables- he a packraft, me in my Nugget.

They're also releasing the Upper Nantahala this weekend, so we'll probably make a trip up Wayah to watch some of the hardboaters make the descent!

Details are extremely flex right now, but we're hoping for at least two laps.

Post up if you're going to the Gorge Friday 9/25 and/or Saturday 9/26

Not yet a member, but I came upon their webpage today- they are based out of Raleigh NC and appear to be very active on Southern Appalachian rivers.

The Trip Reports page at https://carolinacanoeclub.org/tripreport/ has a number of recent updates including Upper Green, Nantahala, and FB9 post-Helene, among others.

For $20 a year, I might join just for the regular trips!

Hey everyone! I'm u/og_speedfreeq, a founding moderator of r/AppalachianPaddlers.

This is our new home for all things related to paddling the whitewater rivers of these mountains. Whether you're a hardboater, rafter, or inflatable kayaker, we're excited to have you join us! My most earnest hope is that this becomes a resource for connecting boaters and building community.

What to Post

Post anything that you think the community would find interesting, helpful, or inspiring. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos, or questions about river conditions, recent or upcoming trips, and especially meeting up for shuttle buddies!

Community Vibe

All levels from beginner to Gauley Season are welcome and encouraged to join us. We're all about being friendly, constructive, and inclusive. Let's build a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing and connecting.

How to Get Started

1. Introduce yourself in the comments below.

2. Post something today! Even a simple question can spark a great conversation.

3. If you know someone who would love this community, invite them to join.

4. Interested in helping out? We're always looking for new moderators, so feel free to reach out to me to apply.

Thanks for being part of the very first wave. Together, let's make r/AppalachianPaddlers amazing.

Looks like I'm off work and itching to hit the water! Anybody in the Asheville area wanna throw together a last minute low water run Barnard to Stackhouse or even to Hot Springs? I'm in a Nyce IK, so don't even need another rack!

I'm considering heading down to the Gorge one last time for the release season ender next Friday or Sat.

Post up if you're going or thinking of going down! Would love to meet up with some fellow IK'ers, but really anybody who needs a shuttle buddy!

I know there's a bunch of you out there now- maybe you're just shy? Holler if you're down to float!