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* What is Webster Springs?
The Webster Springs Whitewater Festival is an event hosted by the town of Webster Springs and a local 4H camp, Camp Caesar. It is the weekend of 4/10/10 this year (again in conflict with the Tallulah – Cheoah release weekend
). Saturday, there is a race on a section of the Elk and a party later at Camp Caesar. Since 2005, this has turned in to a popular event for the Club. It has been where some have gotten their first taste of intermediate creeking and is where Shaggy introduces us to the year’s hot items in paddlesport fashion.
I believe this year, there will be a bro down and cookout in the parking lot of the Mineral Springs Hotel Saturday night.
* Where can I stay?
There are pretty much three options:
1. The paddling bourgeoisie insist on the Mineral Springs Hotel but that is now likely full so that’s not really an option. Better luck next year lil' huckster.
2. Camping at Camp Caesar.
3. Those with indie cool stay at the cabin I have rented at Camp Caesar.
*What’s the deal with the cabin at Camp Caesar?
For the past few years, I have gotten the Brookside Cabin at Camp Caesar. It is basically a bunkhouse (sleeps 20) with hot showers, heat, a refrigerator, and flush toilets. It is a ‘snore-free’ environment. If you’re reading this, you’re signed up. I split the cost evenly. It usually works out to be about $20/night. I don’t even try to keep track of who is coming. It has never come close to filling up but, who knows? Be prepared!
* How do I get to Camp Caesar?
There's no good way to get there.
Of all the ways, I've been, the one that sucks the least is to take the Sam Black Church exit off of I-64 to get on 60 West and then take 20 north. 20 north merges with several other roads but stay on 20. Camp Caesar is on the left and the Brookside Cabin the is one of the ones closest to 20.
I googled Camp Caesar and it came right up with an accurate map.
* Where are we going to paddle?
I am looking to fire up some laps on the class IV creeks in the area (Upper Meadow, Cranberry, Williams, Back Fork of the Elk, Laurel Fork of the Cherry, and North Fork of the Cherry).
If those look too big girl, Shawn Creasey will be doing a II-III section of something. Here it is:
http://coastals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=38568#38568
This is how it went down last year:
2009 Trip Report:
http://coastals.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6643
* Do I need a creekboat?
This is my all time favorite Webster Springs question. There is a learning curve to figuring out how to paddle a creekboat well. If the stuff mentioned above sounds challenging to you and you’ve never been in a creekboat, you’d be better off in your old faithful. On the other hand, these rivers are where creekboats shine so it would be a good place to learn how to use it (actually, one of my creeking clinics would be a better place to learn how to use it but those are a ways off
). It all depends on what you’re willing to put up with. Thanks and hope you decide to come.
I'm planning to head up there after work on Thursday night. Who else is gonna there for Friday laps?
