Published: September 04, 2008 10:50 am      

Gauley Season Brings Splash and Cash to W.Va.

FAYETTEVILLE — The whitewater rafting industry brings in about $45 million a year to West Virginia, and some of that comes from rafters from all over the world who flood the state during Gauley season.



When rafters hit the water Sept. 6, the first Saturday of Gauley season, at least $1.5 million will come into the state, according to Dave Arnold, managing partner of Class VI River Runners. He said direct, specific numbers vary according to which figures are used.



At least 40,000 people will raft the Gauley River in the 23 days rafting season is open, Arnold said. Independent studies have found that 7 percent of Gauley rafters will fly into the state for its whitewater, renowned worldwide among guides and rafters alike.



Arnold said one recent rafter flew in from Kuwait City just to raft the Gauley and one 10-year veteran guide at Class VI was on the Uzbekistan world whitewater team. He lives in Florida but still comes up every year for Gauley season.



He said the state spends a couple hundred dollars to release water each weekend day for the season, but that the economic return is unparalleled.



"There aren't many examples in government where you spend a couple hundred bucks and get a million," he said.



The industry peaked in 1995, with a secondary peak in 2000 and has seen a slow decline since. Arnold said outfitters have lost about 20 to 25 percent of the market share in the past couple years, a national trend in all outdoors activities.



"It's all down and most attribute it to America getting older and the younger generation is more computer oriented," he said.



When Arnold started the business, he and his wife were living in a tent and they spent every cent they had on rafts. A transition came in the late 1970s to '80s, he said.



"When we first started, it was as much about lifestyle," he said. "None of us really knew if it was going to work. It really started when we started getting big bank loans. When outfitters went into debt for $40,000 to $50,000, we knew it was getting big. It's a whole different ball game now."



He said that when outfitters started working together and formed an association, it became an industry. They've had an association for about 25 years.



This season's first day of rafting -- Sept. 6 -- about 700 guides will be on the water, he said. It takes two people working to put a guide on the water, be they security, marketing, retail or food service. That means 2,100 people are employed on the Gauley River on its opening Saturday.



"Now if you going to put reality to that, some of them are weekend warriors, lawyers, doctors, bus drivers," he said.



Whether guides work the river full time or use it as supplementing income. Gauley season is an important economic factor in small town growth for the state, he said.



"People come places and want to experience local culture. Fayetteville is a great example of that," he said. "The simplest thing is smiling and just people being friendly. People constantly say people are so nice here. You can't quantify that, but I can tell you it's hugely important."