‘A dangerous place to be:’ Kayaking and rafting suspended on popular NC river
Two paddle sports are temporarily banned on a popular North Carolina river after landslides pushed debris into the waterway, officials say.
Commercial kayaking and rafting have been suspended on the Nantahala River, which runs through the mountains in the western part of the state.
The U.S. Forest Service made the announcement on Facebook just before the start of the Labor Day weekend.
Kevin King, Swain County manager, says the region could lose up to $100,000 a day in revenue, according to WLOS.
“Obviously it impacts every business in the Nantahala Gorge,” said Juliet Jacobsen Kastorff, owner of Endless River Adventures. “It’s devastating. It’s definitely the last big weekend of the season.”
She says her customers will be able to go onto nearby rivers and that local businesses will be open for visitors to enjoy.
The Natahala Outdoor Center is also making adjustments, according to its Facebook page.
“At this time we will be unable to raft the Nantahala, but we are working diligently to open up additional spaces on our lake tours, zip line trips, and additional rivers,” the post said.
The western North Carolina river was blocked after landslides barreled down over the weekend near Bryson City, roughly 65 miles west of Asheville, The News & Observer reported.
In some sections, the Nantahala River is 90 percent jammed, forcing the water to move in ways that could cause erosion and put “nearby roads and bridges” at risk, the U.S. Forest Service said.
Photos appear to show tree trunks and limbs spread across the waterway, according to posts on the agency’s Facebook page.
“The river is a dangerous place to be right now and you’re safety is very important to us so please refrain from visiting the area right now,” David Perez, acting Nantahala district ranger, said in one of posts.
The weekend’s landslides also left vehicles trapped and closed U.S. Highway 19/74, the North Carolina Department of Transportation tweeted on Sunday. The roadway has since reopened, officials said.
The U.S. Forest Service says it’s “working to clear the debris and blockages from the river in order to restore the flow.”
This story was originally published August 29, 2019 at 1:02 PM with the headline "‘A dangerous place to be:’ Kayaking and rafting suspended on popular NC river."
