Whitewater outfitters are offering customers the rides of their lives during the fall rafting season on the Gauley River.
The season started Friday when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the valves at Summersville Lake Dam to start lowering the lake from its summertime pool to its winter level.
The first release of water from the dam at Summersville Lake, coordinated by the Army Corps of Engineers, creates more than 100 rapids along 25 miles of the Gauley River, with more than 60 of these being Class III to V+ rapids.
Although West Virginia offers seasonally driven, year-round whitewater rafting, Gauley Season is known for its especially challenging rapids and narrow window of opportunity which draw more than 40,000 rafters from around the world to experience the "Beast of the East."
The extra flows that give the Gauley its punch will continue on weekends until Oct. 18.
This year, the state Division of Tourism encourages rafters, kayakers, guides and outdoor enthusiasts to share their photos, videos and stories from this year's 22 days of Gauley Season tagged with #GauleySeason.
The season continues with five weeks of four-day releases, culminating with a two-day release that starts on Bridge Day, Oct. 17.
The 2015 Fall Gauley River release dates are: Sept. 11, 12, 13, 14; 18, 19, 20, 21; 25, 26, 27, 28; and Oct. 2, 3, 4, 5; 10, 11; 17, 18.
To view the release schedule, visit www.lrh-wc.usace.army.mil/wc/wwsched.html