Inaugural Western North Carolina Flyathlon

run. fish. beer. fundraise!

Location: Near Saluda, NC

Event Date: April 29th, 2023

Deadline to Give: Midnight, April 27, 2023

Event Fundraising Goal: $5,000 Campaign

Launch Date: January 15th, 2023

Tax ID: 81-1625829

At Running Rivers, we firmly believe that the best way to ensure the preservation, protection, and maintenance of our irreplaceable public lands and waters is to develop and foster the stewards who will stand up in their defense. Our programs create unique opportunities for people to experience public lands and waters in novel and fun ways, to expand their depth of understanding of the importance of healthy functioning freshwater ecosystems, and to invest in their time, money, and sweat through on-the-ground stewardship projects. The Western North Carolina Flyathlon is a unique, conservation-minded race event that integrates three of the world's greatest activities; trail running, fly-fishing, and craft beer. The premise is simple...

run. fish. beer.

Most importantly, the Western North Carolina Flyathlon is a fundraising event for coldwater conservation projects, with a focus on the Western Appalachian brook trout. We will be raising money through our 501(c)(3) organization, Running Rivers. Since 2014, our Flyathlon races have raised more than $500,000 for native trout related projects completed through our diverse conservation partners, including Iowa Trout Unlimited, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Trout Unlimited, the Western Native Trout Initiative, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. We look forward to expanding our impact and energy to Western North Carolina!

To explore projects that have been completed with Flyathlon funds over the past 8 years, please visit: http://runningrivers.org/projects/

Now is a critical time to invest in the preservation of our public lands and waters. Because Running Rivers is a recognized 501c3 organization, your donations (but not registration) are tax deductible. run. fish. beer. donate!

Running Rivers

Inaugural Western North Carolina Flyathlon

Event Description: The Inaugural Western North Carolina (WNC) Flyathlon is designed to bring the outdoor enthusiast together with the goal of protecting watersheds like the Green River from the increase of pollution and development in the area. Providing habitat for our unique native brookies and public access is a constant battle, and this is one way we can protect this area while running, drinking delicious beer, and catching a few fish friends.

On Thursday night (4/27/23), we gather at New Belgium Brewing Co. in Asheville NC to share fine craft beers and go over the rules. Camping will be available near the start line on Friday and Saturday nights of race weekend!

Bright and early Saturday morning, we will organize at the Green River Ranch which conveniently sits at the trailhead of the Green River Cove trail. A few words are spoken, a crappy domestic beer is sacrificed, and then flyathletes are off.

During a Flyathlon, participants must run/walk/crawl the course (a very generous amount of time is allowed) and stop at some point to catch / photograph a fish. At the finish line, a flyathlete's time is then adjusted down based on the size and species of the fish to come up with an overall score (adjustment factors will be calculated in the days leading up to the event). Prizes will be awarded for the Top Male and Top Female flyathletes, for the Biggest Fish and Smallest Fish, and for the Top Fundraisers. These winners will then compete in a leisure sports Olympics (think cornhole, BB rifle shoot out, etc...) for the title of Grand Champion and additional schwag!

The first mile and half starts on Delayed Harvest regulated river full of the typical 8” – 12” rainbow but a small percentage of those stocked fish are 20+ inch browns and football size brookies. The Green River trail side is public land however the river right side is mostly private property, so wading is acceptable but please be respectful to private landowners. Long flat sections separate a few deep runs with the occasional small rapids most of the time these trout group together in pools and riffles in this area.

At roughly the 1.5 mile mark there is a significant change from old growth hardwoods and gentle class I or II Delayed Harvest river to pine thickets, and tight rhododendron choked trail. From Fishtop up, racers find themselves in “the Narrows.” This NCWRC designated WILD trout water is steep class IV and V whitewater with spooky little wild trout, and some say a few monsters hiding in deep plunge pools.

The largest uphill climb is found in this section with a brutal thigh burning ascent into a boulder garden and brings racers to one of the most spectacular views of the race. A high overlook allows racers to see massive rapids and huge pools just out of reach.

After the ascent, Flyathletes drop back down along the river near rapids like “Hammer Factor” and “Baby Sunshine” (sounds cute but its a gnarly and dangerous rapid) before the last half mile to the turn around point. This last portion pulls away from the river with a gradual ascent to the ridge where the Pulliam Creek Trail intersects, and racers begin making their way back to the Green River Ranch.

One thing to keep in mind is the Green River is a dam released river, check flows here. 0 or 1 unit of generation is fairly easy to navigate, while 2 units of generation from the hydroelectric plant becomes nearly impossible in the Narrows and blows out some of the lower Delayed Harvest runs. We plan to work with the plant to have ideal flows on race day.

With two very distinct sections of river there are two very distinct approaches to fishing. Stockers will eat about anything with an ok drift, especially your favorite “junk” flies (squirmy worms, egg patterns, mop flies). Once you hit the wild water these spooky guys key into more natural selections, a damned good drift and your typical WNC wild trout flies (Parachute Purple Haze, stoneflies, BWOs and caddis imitations.)

After the race is over, the real fun begins back at the Green River Ranch. Fine New Belgium craft beers compliment a delicious meal. Awards are presented to the top finishers and fundraisers, and a grand champion is crowned following a corn hole / BB rifle cage match throw down…

We hope you will join us this year on the Green River!

As any of you familiar with spring in Western North Carolina can attest, the weather at this time of year is unpredictable, the fish aren’t terribly bright, and the after-party will be world class.

Because this race is a fundraising race, we have a requested fundraising minimum of $250 per flyathlete. Money raised will go towards on-the-ground projects with a native trout focus. If you want to participate and this amount of fundraising is prohibitive, please send me an email with your rationale and we can try to work around it.

Date:

Thursday 04/27/2023

Sunday 04/30/2023

WNC Flyathlon- Registration

Sign up for the Inaugural Western North Carolina Flyathlon today!

$75.00

Ending 04-21-2023 @ 10 pm EST

Inaugural Western North Carolina Flyathlon

Inaugural Western North Carolina Flyathlon

run. fish. beer. fundraise!

$75.00

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Inaugural Western North Carolina Flyathlon

run. fish. beer. fundraise!

$75.00

Comments

Join our mailing list:

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