Hey guys! Glad to be in the community. I have a good trip report of the New River Gorge. I paddled 35 miles from Hinton to Thurmond last July on the Upper River section. The Thurmond gauge was at 12,000cfs, and mostly Class I-III whitewater. At the high levels, the rapids were mostly just big choppy wave trains. I fell out once and had to wet-exit and self-rescue in Class III Silo Rapids. That aside, it was awesome.
I highly recommend this river. I’m thinking of going back and paddling the Lower River, which has bigger Class IV and V, and just signing up for a guided tour. Probably doable in a packraft if you have an experienced entourage. Either way, the New River kicks ass.
Check out my full story on my travelogue: http://danhag3n.wordpress.com/2013/11/16/packrafting-the-new-river-gorge-2/
