On May 23, 2012, a National Geographic Young Explorers–sponsored expedition passed its crux in the New River Gorge. Begun on April 5 of this year, the Marshall Expedition—six young explorers, two with whitewater expertise—retraced a route taken by Supreme Court Justice John Marshall 200 years ago from Richmond, Virginia, to Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. Their 250 mile trip began by ascending the James and Jackson Rivers by poling. It took them a month to reach the Greenbrier River, where they turned downstream.
Their craft: a 47-foot long bateau made from white oak and steered by a bow and stern oar. It was modeled after those used during Marshall’s time on the James River.
Once in Thurmond, the crew waited for the New River to drop before running the Class IV Lower New Rapids at about 4 feet. The boat nearly filled with water at Keeney’s Creek Rapid (it is not, like most rubber rafts, a self bailer), but recovered. The crew cleaned the remaining runs and reached Fayette Station unscathed.
Photographs by Christopher Danz
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