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Click here for Final BridgeDayInfo.pdf
The New River Gorge Bridge is the world's second longest steel arch bridge with a main span of 1,700 feet. At 876 feet above the New River, the New River Gorge Bridge is the second highest bridge in he United States and the highest bridge east of the Mississippi.
Bridge Day is unique in that it is the only day visitors may walk across the bridge. BASE jumpers are permitted to parachute off the bridge. Rappellers are allowed to descend and ascend fixed ropes. Vendors line both ends of the bridge selling stained glass, crafts, shirts, photos, and refreshments. Bridge Day is West Virginia's largest one-day festival and is rated one of the top 100 festivals in North America.
The Rappel Team
We are putting together 2 teams this year due to the level of interest. Teams are 12-14 people.
We currenty have two complete teams and applications have been mailed to Benjy. The lottery is complete and we are teams 16 and 18.
The X's indicate required rappels. If you are marked as good for the Bridge you have recent Bridge Day experience and are not required to come to Whitesides, but practice is recommended:
Bridge Day Practice Rappels Information
Team Positions on the Bridge
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1 |
Extreme Rappels #1 | |
|
2 |
Vertically Inclined | |
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3 |
Ohio SRT | |
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4 |
The TAG Team | |
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5 |
Canadian Fire | |
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6 |
Born Rescue Riggers | |
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7 |
Rope Smokers & Slow Pokers (MIOH) | |
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8 |
Bridge Abseiling Team (BATs) | |
|
9 |
Monongahela Grotto | |
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10 |
OHKY |
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|
11 |
Good to the Last Drop | |
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12 |
Rock-n-Rappellers | |
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13 |
42 North | |
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14 |
TAG Pit Crew | |
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15 |
Southern Descent | |
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16 |
VBats |
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|
17 |
High Riders II | |
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18 |
VBats 2 | |
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19 |
Team ESSO | |
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20 |
Butler County | |
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21 |
Long Ropers | |
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22 |
Extreme Rappels #2 | |
How to get on the team
Please contact us and we will mail you an application.
When you recieve your applicaiton please look over it carefully and don't forget to sign and initial the back. The rope is PMI and the length is 900'.
If you were not on last years team you need to email us a jpg headshot of yourself for your rappel pass.
Please send two check with your application. The first one to Bridge Day Rappel for $129 and the second to Nikky LaBranche for $12.50 for your share of the non-refundable team fee. We would also appreciate a check in advance for $38 for the camping fees and belay fees since we wil have to pay for the campsite when we reserve it. Camping at Bridge Day is $10 per person per night, which is $20 for the weekend and we estimate each persons share of the shuttle passes for the belay team to be $18. A small price to pay for knowing that someone is there to save you if you should have any problems on rappel.
The deadline for applications is Friday May 16th. Please mail them to: Nikky LaBranche PO Box 3584 Jasper, AL 35502
To rappel the bridge we require that you complete 2 successful rappels of Whitesides. Click here for details for Whitesides and other Bridge Day practice rappels. If you have not completed a 250' free rappel please list Whitesides (650' Highlands, NC) as your last rappel. You will have completed this by Bridge Day.
Each person must have an FRS radio for use on the bridge.
The Belay Team
The Belay team members are not required to fill out an application or send any money to participate. If you want to be a member of the belay team please let us know. We like to have two shifts of belayers to keep them fresh. Our belayers have saved lives at Bridge Day before.
The rappelling teams split the purchase price for the the passes for the belay team which include breakfast and the shuttle pass to the bottom. Belayers will have to pay for their own camping.
Bridge Day Emails
Here is a log of team emails with some additional information if you joined the team later.