Raft Capacity: Our rafts hold 6-7 paddlers (6 is ideal). We have a few rafts that hold 8. Groups of 6, 7, or 8 will have a private raft. Groups with fewer than 6 may we joined by other parties.
Includes: Pre-trip safety instruction, professional guide, PFD and helmet, transportation to and from river, riverside snack, photo presentation of your adventure.
Group Rate: 1 free trip for 12 rafters or check out our Group Rates for Youth Organizations.
Mount Snow Sundance Lodge
Pisgah Road
West Dover, VT 05356
Trip Itinerary
This trip meets at different times. Please consult your e-mail confirmation and check-in approximately 30 minutes before your trip time.
Lifejacket and helmet fitting – (all guests must wear a Personal Floatation Device and helmet issued by Crab Apple)
Safety lecture and paddling instruction
Bus ride to Ball Mountain dam
Raft 4 miles in Class III whitewater
“The Dumplings” rapid-Class IV
Riverside snack
Continue 4 miles in Class II-III whitewater
Take out and ride back to Mount Snow
Slide presentation of trip
TRIP DESCRIPTION
We raft the West River two weekends each year on scheduled dam releases provided by the Army Corp of Engineers. The West offers a unique trip combining eight miles of continuous Class III intermediate action with some bigger whitewater in rapids such as “Landslide” and “The Dumplings”. We meet our trip at Mount Snow Ski Resort and end the trip there with a slide show of the day’s raft trip.
We begin our trip by walking to the top of Ball Mountain Dam. Views from atop the dam are breathtaking as we look down at the first rapid and back across the reservoir at Stratton Mountain Ski Area. We then descend to the river and practice paddling for the upcoming action. The first half of the trip runs through beautiful Jamaica State Park and includes a half-mile rapid called “Landslide” and the feature rapid of the day, “The Dumplings”. “The Dumplings” is a tight S-turn where strong team paddling is necessary to avoid giant boulders and hit the biggest waves. After a quick snack, the second half of the trip has several more Class II-III rapids like “Tornado Alley”, “The Ledges” and works back toward our base camp at Mount Snow.
The West has an unbeatable combination of action and scenery which is universally loved by both veteran and new rafters.
Includes: Pre-trip safety instruction, professional guide, PFD and helmet, transportation to and from river, riverside snack, photo presentation of your adventure.
Raft Capacity: Our rafts hold 6-7 paddlers (6 is ideal). We have a few rafts that hold 8. Groups of 6, 7, or 8 will have a private raft. Groups with fewer than 6 may we joined by other parties.
Schedule: We will run the West in 2025 on June 7 & 8 and September 20 & 21.