U. S. National Whitewater Center

Gerry, Barbara and I decided to visit the National Whitewater Center today.  I read about it earlier and it was rated one of the best tourist attractions in Charlotte.  We weren't sure what we were getting into, but it sounded like an interesting place to check out.

Barbara had some chores to take care of in the morning and arrived here at the motor home just before noon and we left for the center right after that.  I plugged the address into the Tom Tom GPS and let it guide us there.

We were hungry and decided to have lunch at the Center.  They had a nice menu and we sat outside and watched people taking the zip line.  There were about 25 people waiting all the time and the line moved fast.  Barbara & Gerry decided to try the zip line, but they didn't have closed toe shoes so that ruled that out.  They could have rented shoes, but neither of them like the idea of wearing shoes that so many people had worn before.  The next time we go there, closed shoes will go with us.  Probably a swim suit also since most activities revolve around water.

As my sil Henry says, put this on your bucket list if you are in the Charlotte, NC area.  I just wish I were 25 years younger and didn't have bad knees.  It looks like a fun place to spend the day, all day that is.

Barbara

Main complex

Part of the canopy trail

Barbara & Gerry

The center is the world's largest and most complex recirculation artificial whitewater river and costs $38 million to build and about $7 million a year to operate.

Activities

Water Sports

• Whitewater Rafting - Rafters with trained raft guides can paddle Class II, III, and IV rapids on the artificial whitewater channels. In 2010, the USNWC had 100,000 rafters.
• Whitewater Kayaking - Whitewater kayakers, from beginner to expert, can paddle, with or without instructors, alongside Olympic contenders. Periodic slalom races are scheduled for all ages and all skill levels.
• Flatwater Kayaking - Flatwater kayaking is offered on the Catawba River, which is adjacent to the USNWC’s property.
• Stand-Up Paddle Boarding - Stand-Up Paddle Boarding is new to the USNWC in 2011. Participants stand on a board similar to a surf board and use a long paddle to maneuver along the Catawba River.

Land Sports

• Mountain Biking - The USNWC has over 14 miles of trails, ranging from beginner to advanced trails. Bikers can bring their own bikes and helmets or rent equipment from the USNWC.
• Eco Trekking - Eco Trekking is based on the geo caching system. Participants are given a GPS device and the coordinates to cache points located throughout the trails and facility.
• The Trail System - The USNWC has over 14 miles of trails which are shared by bikers, runners, and walkers. The trails are used for various races including the River Bound Race Series and the XTERRA Whitewater Trail Race and Triathlon. 
• Rock Climbing - The USNWC’s climbing center is one of the largest outdoor climbing centers in the world. The open-air climbing wall has over 40 roped climbs and reaches a height of 46 feet.

Aerial Sports

• Canyon Crossing - The Canyon Crossing opened as a new activity in spring 2011. The Canyon Crossing consists of a circuit of sky bridges with five different aerial challenges that span the south ridge gorge at heights of over 50 feet. At the last platform is a 250 foot zip-line which returns participants back across the gorge.
• Mega Zip - The MegaZip, which opened in 2009, is a 1,123 foot zip-line which begins at the top of a 46 foot tower, goes over the whitewater river and ends at Hawk Island.
• Mega Jump - The Mega Jump is a controlled free fall from a 46 foot tower. The Mega Jump, which opened in 2010, utilizes the POWERFAN® assisted free fall system, technology that was pioneered by the film industry.
• Adventure Course - The Adventure Course is an aerial obstacle course 20 feet high in the trees.
• Climb 2 Zip - The Climb 2 Zip is a 100 foot zip-line which begins at the top of a 32 foot platform.
• Canopy Tour - The Canopy Tour, which opened in 2011 and goes along with the recent demand for eco tourism, consists of 14 tree platforms linked by 7 zip-lines, multiple sky bridges and other aerial challenges. The Canopy Tour reaches heights in excess of 60 feet and goes across wetlands and a 90 foot deep canyon, along the Catawba River and through portions of the Historic Tuckaseegee Ford and Trail. Guests are accompanied by two trained guides who provide educational information about the region of participants as they go from tree platform to tree platform.

Locale	Charlotte, North Carolina USA
Managing agent	U. S. National Whitewater Center
Website	USNWC
Main shape	Two Loops
Length	Slalom: 300 metres (984 ft) Long: 550 metres (1,804 ft)
Drop	6.4 metres (21 ft)
Slope	Slalom: 2.1% (113 ft/mi) Long: 1.2% (67 ft/mi)
Pumped	7 pumps (usually 6 or 3)
Flowrate	Slalom: 15 m3/s (530 cu ft/s) Long: 19 m3/s (670 cu ft/s)
Surf wave	Adjustable M-Wave plus others
Lighting	yes
Canoe lift	yes
Opening date	2006