Nantahala Outdoor Center

[skibuminwyo]

Has anyone had experience working for them? I'm talking to you NC mags. I was recommended to them by a friend in West Virginia to work for, for the summer. From their website they seem like a pretty decent company. I would be looking for a raft guiding job. I have guided professionally for four years, so I know I have enough experience, however I realize things are done differently back east. Does anybody maybe have any other recomendations? Thanks.

[RootSkier]

Why would you want to guide in NC in the summer?

Why not guide on Sixmile in AK...you should go up there. Or at least ID.

[SuperChief]

^^^^^^

Guide out west in the summer, then go to the Gauley in the fall to guide for Gauley Season.

[ridinshockgun]

Yeah, we have no water in the summer with the exception of the dam release, walmart environments of the Ocoee and Pigeon. Trust me, you'd rather be out west in the summer.

Gauley season is a different story.

But, boatertalk has a few NOC employees that read and post. It might be a better option.

[teledave]

Do not guide at the Nanty for the summer, maybe the Ocoee, maybe the Cheoah, maybe the Pigeon, maybe anywhere else the NOC rafts, but do not raft guide on the Nanty for the summer unless you want to be bored out of your skull. The Nanty is the most basic of entry level whitewater that there is. Of course the location is pretty good and you could hit up tons of underage chicks if you're into that sort of thing, and we could hang out and drink some beers since I'm up there quite a bit, but I really can't think of a worse place to guide than the Nanty. As far as working for the NOC they are probably the most stable rafting company in the SE if not the country.

[pechelman]

when i lived there it was a cool shop
mountain biking and kayaking and rafting

its turn a bit more commercial now and not as cool

i got offered a job there when I was 14 when I called out the salesman for not knowing his mtn bike components.

Id only want to work there for mtn biking related stuff though as is mentioned, the Naty isnt all that great for whitewater. Biking around there is pretty darn good, as is the fly fishing. One of my favorite spots to fly fish ever is on the Natty (no where near the NOC though).

[RootSkier]

The Nanty is the most basic of entry level whitewater that there is.

Whatever, a bunch of knobs on boatertalk says the Nanty is NOT A BEGINNER RIVER.

So quit lying.

[skibuminwyo]

So maybe I should go to the job in Moab for the summer, then when that season kinda starts to die down, head to NC... yay, nay?

[markb]

As above, all depends on what and where for NOC. I guided for them on the Chattooga and Ocoee, and kayak instruction through all of undergrad (95-98). Besides Cherry Creek, Chattooga is the most technical commercial guiding available during the summer. If you want to learn to row, stay out west, but if you want to learn how to paddle guide serious class 4 with raft boofs, shifts, bow guiding, and frequent flips (usually 100+ each summer), go Chattooga.

Ocoee's a good place to learn how to playboat with the downtime, but on water time is rough, up to 4 trips a day. Chattooga is beautiful, trips don't get old, and your tech paddling skills will go way up from after work runs, any water level. Green's about the same distance from each (2ish IIRC).

Not many ladies at NOC Chattooga usually, that's what your Nanty weeks are for. More party scene at Ocoee too, but serious boating gets done at Chatt, and you'll be buff by the end of the season.

Back then the Chatt outpost taught all of NC Outward Bound whitewater canoe components, a nice mix-up a couple times each summer.

Not worth the hassle for Nanty guiding only.

[skibuminwyo]

So there are more "outposts" than just the one in Bryson City, then, I take it.

[ridinshockgun]

So there are more "outposts" than just the one in Bryson City, then, I take it.

Yes, and I hadn't thought of the Chattooga. The serious drought this year caused that one to be pretty much non-existant. NOC does run rafts down section IV and that would be fun. You could get a few Cheoah trips too when it releases.

I've heard some great stories from a few former Chattooga guides.

[RootSkier]

Hey mark, have you guided in AK? I hear burly things about Sixmile...it's real class V, even according to this guy, who claims to get scared guiding it on a regular basis:



Plus those guys get to do lots of multidays, too.

[skibuminwyo]

Holy ! It would make me nervous enough just taking a kayak down the thing.

[markb]

Hey mark, have you guided in AK? I hear burly things about Sixmile...it's real class V, even according to this guy, who claims to get scared guiding it on a regular basis:

Plus those guys get to do lots of multidays, too.

Haven't guided up there but did some fly-in trips in AK back in 2000. After paddlequest I had to go hit 6-mile of course. Actually ran it by myself b/c none of the locals I could find would do it at the high June levels when I was there. Stupidest 45 minutes of my kayaking career. I didn't know that was commercially guided. Totally different from tech east coast, completely continuous.

[markb]

So maybe I should go to the job in Moab for the summer, then when that season kinda starts to die down, head to NC... yay, nay?

Or you could go farther south and guide in Costa Rica for the summer, their rainy season. I went to kayak down there from May-July one year and ended up guiding a little, mostly safety boating, and the pay was really good for the cost of living. Definitely could have worked every day if I wanted to. Kind of hard to hook up with other boaters down there that time of year, but maybe that's changed. Know some folks who were guiding/instructing in Ecuador that time of year too.

Warm rainfed creeks don't suck.

[RootSkier]

Holy ! It would make me nervous enough just taking a kayak down the thing.

Umm...yeah, no. That pic is Big Timber in MT, I am just saying that Aj, who styles shit like that, says that Sixmile is the real fucking deal.

[skibuminwyo]

Ok, I'm a moron. I'll just shut up now. I used to work for Lazy K Bar, went up to the falls every week. I always thought it would be a cool "little" float. Then I started kayaking, and realized I would probably never be able to SAC up enough to do it.

[redelvis]

The NOC is a damn fine company to work for! You won't find any better, I promise. The question is what are you looking to get out of your summer? A good chunk of cash... or tons of class V... or just a change of scenery? I am very familiar with the NOC so if you let me know what you're looking to do this summer I can give ya some tips on which outpost would work well for ya.

[skibuminwyo]

PM sent and whatnot.