What it feels like…
To run class 5+ rapids:
“Just running that [Green River] gorge is amazing. It’s intense. The rapids are stacked right on top of each other. When you’re running Gorilla, you don’t hear anything. You’re concentrating on the moment and trying to stay on your line and stay upright. You don’t hear anything because you’re concentrating so hard. You have to be on top of your game when you’re paddling down that thing. It’s a surreal feeling, for sure. Gorilla is 18 feet of vertical drop.”
— Drew Walsh, Diamond Brand sales associate
Photo By Jonathan Welch
Thanks for reading through to the end…
We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.
We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.