We're heading toward our first frothy cauldron of Class V rapids, dubbed "Insignificant."

Packed into our eight-man raft, paddles at the ready, our guide tells us that this section of rapids got its name from the original Army surveyors who labeled this particular section of the Gauley River with the simple notation "nothing significant."

The working definition of a Class V whitewater is basically, "This really can kill you." And so, Insignificant turns out to be, quite simply — deep breath not — keep paddling — insignificant — big plunge — at — huge spray — all.

Fall is in the air and Halloween is approaching, but if you really want to get your seasonal scare on, it's time to head to West Virginia's Gauley River, where big-water rafting enthusiasts are gathering from around the world for the annual whitewater run known to many simply as the Beast of the East.

Even during the spring and summer, the Gauley River is considered one of the top three runs in the country. But when the Army Corps of Engineers lets loose with weekend dam releases from mid-September through Oct. 18, the river is considered the pinnacle of whitewater action this time of year.

Plunging 700 feet over about 26 miles, this gut-wrenching, adrenaline-soaked, rapid-fire run of Class IV and V rapids is among the most technically challenging you can find — yet still accessible to beginners led by expert guides.

Indeed, American Whitewater, the nonprofit alliance of recreational river enthusiasts, dubs autumn "Gauley Season" as "the biggest whitewater party of the year."

Rafting guides and other whitewater aficionados who converge here from around the country call it Whitewater Christmas — the wettest and wildest of family reunions.

Aside from creating epic whitewater action downstream, the Summersville Dam section of the Gauley River is also a climbing and boating paradise.

Photo Credit: Jon R. Anderson/Staff

'Makes the whitewater god smile'

Our raft is captained by Raymond Fillpot, who also serves as the skipper of a four-raft flotilla for an overnight trip down the Gauley.

Like most guides, he's known better by his river-name call sign, Ray-Ray.

He describes himself as an "old hippy," but don't let his just-back-from-the-Jimmy-Buffett-concert vibe fool you. He has a degree in accounting along with an MBA, and is widely considered one of the top whitewater guides in the region.

On the water, he's equal parts comedian, drill sergeant and jet pilot, intermittently telling jokes and barking commands all while carving a tight line through each series of rapids.

Army Sgt. First Class Shawn Riley, a logistics expert with the Army's recruiting battalion in nearby Charleston, West Virginia, says this is where the whitewater magic happens — when perfect water flow meet perfect stretches of deep-cut river gorge during one of the nicest times of the year as West Virginia hits that not-too-hot, not-too-cold sweet spot.

"Where else can you go and get all these miles of whitewater, a marathon of Class V rapids?" says Riley, a two-time Iraq veteran. "This is so rare. It's intense. It's so fun. It's just awesome."

He should know; he's been moonlighting off and on as a rafting guide during his off-duty time for about 15 years.

"When that dam is released, you get this surge of people coming in from all over the country for this high-intensity adventure," says Riley, who guides for Adventures on the Gorge, the largest outfitter in the region. "The guides are excited, the clients are excited. Everyone knows this is as good as it gets.

"We tell people all year long, if you want something more intense, come for Gauley Season. This is our Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthday all wrapped up in one. This is what makes the whitewater gods smile."

OFFduty staff writer Jon R. Anderson, rear right, and fellow crew navigate West Virginia's raging Gauley River, better known among white water enthusiasts as the "Beast of the East" during its peak fall season.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Whitewater Photography

Even for mere mortals, it's easy to see why.

Former Marine Staff Sgt. Antonio Anthony says he tried whitewater rafting in Maine once and wasn't overly impressed.

"It was OK, but nothing I felt like I had to do again," says Anthony, who now pulls wrenches on Marine Corps helicopters as a civilian mechanic at Fleet Readiness Center East in Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Then he met retired Marine Sgt. Maj. Robert Pugh.

"He told me this was the farthest thing from lame I could ever imagine and basically dragged me up here," Anthony says. "He was right. This is the real deal. Such a rush."

His first Gauley baptism was five years ago. Anthony, now a born-again rafter, has made a pilgrimage to the Beast each year since.

'You should be here'

Pugh, another Adventures on the Gorge guide, says it's a reaction he never gets tired of seeing.

"If you're a Marine — anyone in the military, really — you should be here," he says matter of factly. "I've rafted all over, out West, down in Texas, a lot of places where they say they're the best. But then you bring them out here, and they say pretty quickly, 'Oh, I didn't know. This is amazing.' "

Pugh, who's been a whitewater guide for 25 years, tells most newcomers to the sport that they should get their feet wet, so to speak, at the nearby New River Gorge, an impressive run in its own right with a fun series of Class III and IV rapids, then try the lower section of the Gauley River and finally graduate to the most advanced section, known as the Upper Gauley.

"But, if you want bite the dog in the ass, just jump right in and start with the Upper Gauley," he says. "If you're in reasonably good shape and listen to your guide, you'll do fine."

Adventures on the Gorge, perched above the New River not far from where it connects with the Gauley, sits on a sprawling campus of zip lines, restaurants, lodges, cabins and camping.

Single-day rafting excursions start at $100 per person — less during the week, more over the weekend — and include a guide, gear, a hot riverside lunch and all transportation to and from the river.

Your best bet, though, is one of their overnighters for about $300, which also includes riverside camping under tall canyon cliffs, a chef-prepared dinner of salmon and brisket, all the beer and cocktails you can drink, hot tubs heated by wood fires, field showers and a hot breakfast to fuel your next day of river running.

In addition to rafting and zipline and treetop rope courses, Adventures on the Gorge also offers mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing and lake water sports such stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking.

All current and former service members — and any guests — get a 10 percent discount on most adventure excursions.

Another Class V rapids successfully tacked on the Gauley River in West Virginia.

Photo Credit: Photo courtesy of Whitewater Photography

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