Nolichucky – May 20
| River: | Nolichucky |
| Skill: | Intermediate+ |
| Trip Date: | 05/20/2023 |
We had a (motley) crew of 7. Air temperature hovered around 70 and the flow was ~ 1000 cfs on the Embreeville gauge. (neither scrapey nor high) Everyone had been down the Noli before. We used the USA Raft van service rather than shuttle drivers – that worked out quite well. It was a compatible group. It made for a pleasant day.
The Noli gorge is somewhat remote. A railroad track follows the river from the put-in in Poplar to the takeout in Erwin. It is mostly unobtrusive. There are no houses, bridges, other structures, or signs of civilization. It’s a deep mountain gorge with outstanding scenery. We saw a handful of other paddlers. You will not mistake a day on the Noli for a day on the Nantahala or Pigeon gorge.
A few of us got to do some impromptu rolling practice and a few learned some new lines through the rapids. Often a successful combat roll on a river like the Noli is a more rewarding experience than a dry hair day. Not a lot of drama which doesn’t make for a good story but it does make for a pleasant day on the river.