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Ever Wonder Why the New River Gorge Bridge Looks Rusty?

Friday, January 27th, 2012

Most people who casually glance at the New River Gorge Bridge aren’t thinking about what it is made of.  But to a highways engineer, or maintenance supervisor, or architect, this would be the first thing they’d think of.

Why?  Because the New River Gorge Bridge is a beast when it comes to maintenance, upkeep and inspections. Imagine trying to paint or work on a bridge that is almost 900 feet off the ground.

There's a reason why it's rusty.

Fortunately, that challenge was foreseen by design engineers before the bridge was built.  The solution?  COR-TEN steel.

COR-TEN

COR-TEN steel is a trademark registered product of United States Steel Corporation. It was developed in the 1930′s, mostly to use in railroad coal cars. It is a special blend of steel alloys that, when exposed to weather, develop a thin, protective rust layer that coats and protects the metal. Some of its early use in civil engineering projects in the 1960′s gave way to architectural uses not long after.

It was an ideal choice for the New River Gorge Bridge because it solved a couple of problems. The expense of painting such a large structure would have been cost-prohibitive. Using COR-TEN not only saved $300,000 in construction costs, but also an estimated $1,000,000 every time the Bridge would have had to been painted.

Also, when COR-TEN weathers, it turns a dark rust color.  This means it blends in with its outdoor environment. This is even more evident in the late fall when the Bridge almost disappears into its surroundings.

Challenges

The use of COR-TEN on the NRG Bridge was not completely ideal. One of the issues that must alway be addressed with COR-TEN is to make sure the welds weather at the same rate as the rest of the steel.

Another issue, discovered after the Bridge was built, was the challenge of using road salt in the winter to keep ice off the Bridge. It was accelerating the rusting process and deteriorating the metal. An alternative had to be eventually be developed and used.

So the next time you look at the New River Gorge Bridge, you’ll know why it looks rusty.  There’s a reason!

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Rappelling the New River Gorge Bridge

Monday, November 28th, 2011

As far as high adventure goes, leaping off the New River Gorge with a parachute attached to one’s back (aka BASE jumping) is about as extreme as it gets. Over 400 individuals take the plunge each Bridge Day.

But there’s another whole group of thrill seekers that use Bridge Day as a platform (no pun intended) to have their fun too. Rappelling on Bridge Day attracts almost as many participants as BASE jumping.  You may have seen these rappellers raising and lowering flags on Bridge Day.

Here’s the skinny on the rappelling on Bridge Day.

History of Rappelling on Bridge Day

Teams of Rappellers on Bridge Day

Bridge Day rappelling has been organized the same way for 20 years. Benjy Simpson has been the rappel coordinator since 1992 and has seen this part of the festival grow in popularity over the years.

In Benjy’s initial year of coordinating the event, there were 10 teams with 95 total rappellers. The event was opened to anyone who had rappelling experience and was a part of a team with the appropriate gear to participate.

Due to limited space the number of teams has remained capped at 25, but the number of people on each team has steadily risen. Most teams now have between 12 and 16 members.  A blind draw of the eligible teams determines rope positions, as the first position gets the longest rappel and ends up closest to the river.

2011 By The Numbers

Bridge Day 2011 had a total of 23 teams with 311 rappellers. They completed 860 rappels. Only 2009, when there were 25 teams that performed a total of 895 rappels, was larger.

Other Facts

According to registration records, almost a third of the rappel participants each year are first-time Bridge Day rappellers.  The youngest ever participant was 14 and the oldest was 81. These folks have come from approximately 35 different states and 6 different countries.

Benjy relies on a team of volunteers to assist him in putting this event together. Close to 60 people assist in everything, from being part of a safety team to taking registrations and making sure all participants are informed and taken care of while they rappel. Safety is a main priority,  and there has only been one injury in 20 years (in 2002).

The rappel team keeps 2 ropes available just for people who desire to ascend back up from the bottom. These participants must also have their own approved gear; the average ascent takes around 45 minutes. Teams are welcome to ascend their own ropes, but due to time constraints most people use the designated ropes instead.

This feat isn’t for everyone, and the numbers prove it. There were 74 ascents in 2008, 48 in 2010 and 30 on Bridge Day 2011.

Do you want to go ‘on rope’ next Bridge Day?

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Bridge Day 2011 By the Numbers

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Bridge Day 2011 is history.  Beautiful blue skies and an awesome crowd of BASE jumpers, rappellers, and spectators equaled a pretty amazing day.

A member of the Red Bull Team jumps at Bridge Day 2011

Also amazing?  Some of the numbers from this year’s event:

  • There were 750 BASE jumps by 421 jumpers this year.
  • 11 tandem jumps were made, for the first time ever.
  • $660 was raised by presenting sponsor Subaru for the Fayette County Humane Society.
  • 180 – That’s the number of pick-ups that the Rescue Boat team made this year, more than average.
  • The Fayette County Green Team and the Appalachian State University Outdoors Program collected almost 600 pounds of cardboard for recycling.
  • 82  - The age of this year’s oldest BASE jumper, Donald Cripps.
  • There were 868 Bridge Day rappels.
  • $1,000.  That’s the donation that Subaru made to World Hoop Day on behalf of Stephanie Bercht, the winner of the Bridge Day Tandem Jump Video Contest.
  • BASE jumpers came from 12 countries and 39 states.  9 jumpers were from West Virginia.
  • 1,000 of you downloaded the Official Bridge Day app.
  • 24% of jumpers were making their first BASE jump on Bridge Day.
  • There were 105 trash cans on the Bridge.
Thanks for being part of Bridge Day.  We’ll see you in 2012!

 

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My Ride in the Rescue Boats

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

By Sarah Powell-Henning

I was born and raised just down the road from the New River Gorge Bridge, in Oak Hill, WV.  One of my earliest childhood memories is of being on the Bridge with family and friends.

My mother, father, grandparents and great-grandparents (and several generations before that!) all, were born and raised in the area. My Grandmother has told us stories of watching the Bridge being built. Her house was just a stones throw away.

Dad (in green life jacket) at Bridge Day in the mid-80's

It’s safe to say my family has been here awhile, and it’s safe to say that Bridge Day seems to be in our blood.

My Dad

The Dragan Brothers, founders of Wildwater Expeditions, along with Butch Christian, Tom Stafford, and some other Wildwater originals, were part of a group that formed the Bridge Day rescue boats. Many know them simply as, “The Pick Up Guys”.

My dad, Tom, was a part-time raft guide in the 70’s and 80’s for Wildwater Expeditions, and for a couple of years was part of this team.

I remember hanging out on the rocky shore of the New River, watching the jumpers aim for the target. More often than not (or so it seemed), Dad and the other guys would rush to pluck jumpers out of the water.

The jumpers would get out at the bank, cold and soaked, but smiling and ready to pack up and do it all over again.

Dad and Tom Stafford pull in a jumper

Jon Dragan and Tom Stafford are no longer with us, nor is my Dad. He passed away two years ago.

So this past Bridge Day, I was beyond touched to have the opportunity to get into the rescue boats with Tom Dragan and his crew and experience for myself what it’s like to be part of “The Pick Up Guys”.

Riding with the Rescue Team

I didn’t know which rescue boat I’d be in.  When I stepped into Missy and Shane Dragan’s boat, it was a good feeling.  After all, our fathers had worked together.

Here’s what I learned:

This team moves fast.  Missy and Shane kept their eyes on the sky most of the time, expertly judging where the jumpers would be landing.  Before they even hit the water, a boat was on it’s way.

And once they got to the jumper, they had to quickly pull them up into the boat, gear and all, because chances were good that someone else needed to be picked up.

Dropping a jumper off at shore (side note - some sweet 80's fashion going on in this pic!)

Jumpers (as many as four at a time, at one point that morning) ride in the boats until the rescue team gets a break in the action and can drop them off at shore.

Their job is critical.  There’s no doubt that what the rescue boat team does is one of the most important jobs on Bridge Day.

After the exhilaration of just jumping off The New River Gorge Bridge, some of those who make a water landing might not exactly have swimming at top of mind.  Jumpers are not wearing life jackets, making it imperative that a boat get to the jumpers quickly.

One of the strangest things we saw was a jumper who landed in the water and lost her shoes in the drink. The jumper was fine. The shoes? Never to be seen again.  She didn’t seem too worried about it though, since she’d just made her first jump off the New River Gorge Bridge.

Teamwork is key.  And this team was tight.  There was constant communication about jumpers coming in, who would grab them, the status of jumpers.  There were times when two or three boats needed to work together to assist a jumper.  I’ve never seen a team more focused or in control.

One of the toughest things about being part of the rescue boat team?  Finding time for a bathroom break.  Who would have thought?

Me on the boat in 2011 with Missy and Shane

A Reflective Day

I want to thank Missy, Shane, and Tom Dragan and the entire rescue boat team for providing the opportunity to experience something that was a very special part of my Dad’s life.

For a moment, I was able to close my mind to the action and reflect on how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place, full of determined, generous people.

Most of all, I thought of my Dad.

I thought of his life, and how grateful I’ll always be for our time together.  He was my best friend, and riding with the rescue team gave me a chance to connect with him again in ways I didn’t expect.

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B.A.S.E. Jumping on Bridge Day: An Expert Tells All

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

One of the biggest draws for the Bridge Day crowd are the BASE jumpers.  Anyone who has ever watched these thrill seekers launch themselves towards the rocks and water waiting a mere 880 feet below wonders, “What makes these people do this?”.

Well, we found the answer to that question, and a few others, when we chatted with Jason Bell of Vertical Visions.  Vertical Visions is a parachuting and BASE jumping company in Bridgeport, WV and this is its tenth year as the Bridge Day BASE coordinators.  Owner Jason and his partner Bill Bird are the co-organizers and both have extensive skydiving and BASE jumping experience.

Jason and his wife, Jennifer

Jason is originally from Morgantown and has a Mechanical Engineering background.  It was at WVU where his passion for jumping out of and off of things was spawned.

It didn’t take Jason long to become an experienced skydiver.  After only one year and 150 jumps, he trekked down I-79 and Rt 19 for his first Bridge Day BASE jump.  Jason was kind enough to take a moment out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge.

How many years have you been BASE jumping now?

18 years, which is nearly half my life.

How many BASE jumps do you have total?

I stopped counting around 7 years ago after I reached 500 BASE jumps.  It’s exciting to quantify jumps when you first start, but it became time consuming and unimportant.

How many of those jumps are off the New River Gorge Bridge?


I’ve got 100+ jumps off the New River Gorge Bridge over the years.  This bridge is an amazingly safe object and hopefully jumpers will get to legally leap from the catwalk outside of Bridge Day in the near future.

How was your first Bridge Day experience?

I waited in line for over 5 hours to jump, but enjoyed every minute of the adventure.

What makes jumping off the New River Gorge Bridge so exciting/scary?


We BASE jump entirely because it’s scary.  After 18 years of jumping, I still get butterflies at the exit point.  The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the tallest bridges in the USA, which makes it an ideal location for safe BASE jumps.  As a mechanical engineer, I can also appreciate the structural beauty of this bridge.

Tomorrow, our interview with Jason continues…

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Who Picks Up the BASE Jumpers That Make a Splash Landing? A History of the Pick-Up Boats

Friday, September 30th, 2011

One of the most dangerous parts about parachuting off the New River Gorge Bridge is the landing.

Bridge Day Pick Up Boats

Jumpers may end up hung up in the trees, or a busted “something or other” from crashing into the rocks wouldn’t be very nice either. But the scariest of all landings could be the water. Well, it would be, if it weren’t for the rescue boats that pluck the unlucky jumpers out of the drink each Bridge Day. Some may recall our post last year about, the famed “Pick Up Guys“.

These boats are filled with professional rescuers who have a combination of boating skills, swiftwater rescue training and advanced first aid knowledge.

Here’s a short history of how this necessary Bridge Day service came about, and here is a quick video of them in action on Bridge Day.

The Team
The Dragan family is this area’s first family of whitewater.

Brother’s Jon, Tom and Chris started Wildwater Unlimited in Thurmond in 1968 and were the first to take people rafting on the New and Gauley Rivers.

Because of this extensive knowledge of the New River, they became the official rescue boaters of Bridge Day. But their first event with a boat in the water was completely different than it is today. The way the rescue boats are run now, it is a team effort between the Dragan’s company, Dragan Diversified Inc. and the National Park Service. It is still very much a family affair, with a Dragan family member in almost every boat.

The Task
The very first year the Dragan’s participated as a rescue boat for jumpers was 1981 and they were approached by a jumper to have a raft down in the water as a “target” more so than for safety.

In fact there was a year where safety wasn’t provided for the jumpers. The unfortunate death of a jumper who drowned after his chute drug him down through the next rapid established the need to have a safety presence in the water.

Now they have 8 boats on the water and the boats they use are very specialized to the task at hand. The jumpers aren’t signaled they can jump until the boats are in certain staging points after cleaning up any prior issues.

The Crafts
They use 2 different water craft as rescue boats and each one is used for its unique abilityOne boat they depend on is an aluminum hulled jet boat. There are two of these and they are used for their speed and maneuverability. These boats allow them to get to jumpers in the pool area of the river very quickly.

A Jumper's View

The other boat they employ is an inflatable pontoon boat with a motor called a mini-snout rig. These boats are used because they can navigate the rapid areas safely and work better around the rocky banks.

The park service also employs their snout rigs above and below the rapids on each end of the landing pool as additional safety and to alert and control any river rafting traffic in the event of an emergency. They too, have a boat designated to take medical personnel to jumpers who may need immediate medical attention.

The New River, which flows under the bridge, has two Class III+ rapids on each end of the pool where a majority of the jumpers end up landing. Swimming in the New River without a PFD is definitely not advised, but the addition of the gear a BASE jumper will have on makes it extremely dangerous. It must be rather comforting to the jumpers to know that they have rescuers with over 40 years experience ON THIS RIVER in the boats waiting below.

Have you ever seen a jumper land in a precarious spot?

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Little Known Truths in Bridge Day History

Monday, June 27th, 2011

Bridge Day started as a reception.

When the Bridge first opened, Senator Jay Rockefeller (then Governor of West Virginia) wanted to host a reception to celebrate this great feat. It was 1977, and while the gathering wasn’t officially called ‘Bridge Day’, it was the first official closing of lanes to traffic and the first opportunity to walk out on the bridge.

New River Gorge Bridge

Visitors on the Bridge

Bridge Day was once cancelled.

After the events of September 11, the 2001 event – just weeks later – was too much of a risk and a potential target. While many were disappointed, it was in the best interest of the attendees and all involved.

40,000 people attended the first official Bridge Day.

The Chamber of Commerce expected about 8,000 people and were shocked but pleased by the turnout.  The year was 1980 and all walkers that completed a full trip across the Bridge also received a certificate.

Bridge Day was twice extended.

In 2008, WV Senator Joe Manchin (then Governor of West Virginia) extended Bridge Day, just because he could.  Thanks Joe!  Then, in 2010, Governor Manchin extended Bridge Day for 30 minutes since the morning jumps were plagued by fog.

What cool things will happen at the 2011 Bridge Day?  You may have to be there to find out. It’s only about 100 days away!

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Uncovered Train Facts from the New River Gorge

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Trains in the New River Gorge

Train travel was once commonplace in the Gorge, with regular routes and schedules taking travelers and locals to and fro.  But little is written or documented on train travel’s role in our New River Gorge history.  Maybe because it was so commonplace…our ancestors thought it would last forever.

Here are some fun reminders we uncovered this week on our long train history:

1)       West Virginia’s tie to Ireland was never stronger than in the construction days of the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railroad.  These Irish immigrants built their own church in 1876 on Irish Mountain high above the Gorge.  Later many of those same immigrants were buried in the churchyard.  The St. Colman Church still stands today.

2)      While the Prince Station was one of the more photographed stations of the 1940s, it was for good reason.  Prince was the last passenger station built by the C&O.  It was completed in 1946. The C&O considered the new design  “Art Moderne.”  According to Amtrak, the waiting platform was designed to be oriented such that during the winter, the sun would warm those who waited along the platform and inside the depot; while during the summer, it would provide a shady respite from the heat. The depot was developed to serve the C&O’s newest daytime passenger train at the time which ran from Washington to Cincinnati.  Aptly named the Chessie—this route never really caught on.

3)      You know your area has arrived when someone is singing a song about you.  The song “New River Train” is thought to date back to 1895, but was made quite popular by the “Father of Bluegrass” Bill Monroe in his recording in 1939. This was about the same time Monroe joined the Grand Ole Opry cast.  It’s likely that Monroe rode along the New River route as he was raised in Kentucky until the age of 16.

Know any other interesting train facts about our area? We’d love to hear them.

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10 Ways Bridge Day Can Remind Us to Go Green

Friday, January 21st, 2011

Bridge Day is proud to have been awarded the West Virginia Association of Fairs & Festivals 2011 Environmental Fair & Festival Award.

Green Bridge Day

Saving the environment is more than just lip service to those of us who thrive on a clean outdoor surrounding to work and play in. It’s more important than ever that we remember how to live a more environment-friendly lifestyle. Here are 9 tips from Bridge Day that will hopefully help you “think green” over the year to come:

B – Buy locally…especially from local farmers. Remember the distance it takes to get produce and meats from far-away places to your table. Buying locally not only helps the local economy but cuts down on those transportation greenhouse gases.

R – Respect backyard pests. Don’t become a hater – remember some pests like ladybugs are great eaters of the pests that we really don’t like, so figure out which little creatures to honor and welcome.

I - Invest in trees. Air conditioning bills can be drastically reduced by having trees strategically placed on the southern and western sides of your home.

D – Don’t print unless it’s absolutely necessary. With the advent of electronic file sharing – we really don’t need to keep large files of paperwork any longer – saving valuable trees and space.

G – Grab all unused meds and recycle properly. Did you know that unused or expired prescriptions are one of the biggest contaminates of our streams and waterways? Help protect our rivers by taking your bottles to your local pharmacy’s recycling bin for proper disposal.

E – Enrich the soil of acid loving plants with used coffee grounds. Azaleas and rhododendrons will love you for it.

D – Don’t buy individually wrapped items. Buying in bulk helps save on packaging costs and waste.

A – Adjust your thermostat. Changing your temperature one degree warmer in summer and one degree cooler in winter will save you up to 10% on your bill and save valuable energy resources.

Y – Yearn for more info. It’s tough to remember to be green every day so subscribe to a daily or monthly blog with green tips.

Thanks for helping us care for Mother Earth.

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Bridge Day 2010 Remembered: What a Year!

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

363  jumpers. 100,000+ spectators.  1,030 jumps. Yep, 2010 was quite a year for the Western Hemisphere’s longest single-arch span.

While we are well into the New Year of 2011, we’d like to take a look back at Bridge Day 2010.

We all had a great time organizing the event and had a blast with you the day of.  So here’s our top 7 moments from Bridge Day 2010. We’re sure you could add a few as well…so feel free!

Subaru Scavenger Hunt Winner

7.  Waking up to wonderful weather

6.  Offering the first-ever In the Gorge Subaru Shuttles

5.  Experiencing a record number of rappellers making their way down, down, down under.

4.  Great food! (ahem…Funnel Cake) Need we say more?

3.  Awarding more than $1000 during the Subaru Scavenger Hunt

2.  Seeing a Bridge Day video featured on CNN.com (Wow we’ve come a long way!)

And our #1 moment from 2010….seeing the crowds flock to the New River Gorge yet again.  We’re so glad you joined us!

What was your favorite moment?

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