By Jay Young

Around Adventures On the Gorge, 2012 is becoming known as the year of new stuff. But the phrase “new stuff” is woefully inadequate to describe it all. In fact, we’ve been on a building spree that would make an Egyptian Pharaoh say, “Huh. That’s a lot of stuff.”

Here’s the rundown on the newness you’ll find waiting for you when you arrive for your vacation.

TimberTrekkin’

TimberTrek, our new aerial adventure park, absolutely dominates this list. Part ropes course, part canopy tour, TimberTrek is 62 obstacles, bridges, zip lines and slides between tree platforms ranging in height from 10 feet to 50. This thing will immediately make you feel like Erroll Flynn and Johnny Weismuller as you fly, glide, pull, climb, zip, yell and giggle your way to forest glory. We’ve got 5 separate courses on TimberTrek ranging from easy to difficult, and in a 3-hour chunk, you can really pack in the adventure.

We’re going to create a whole generation of arbor ninjas with this one, and notably, that generation begins at 7 years old. If you have a young ‘un that’s too little for TreeTops or Gravity, it’s a great option, because even the easiest course has a zip line. If you’re more the swashbuckling type and you want a real challenge, never fear—the hardest course will put gorilla hair on your chest.

TimberTrek is built with spectators in mind, too. You can stroll the forest below, camera in hand, or watch from the new deck at Rendezvous Lodge with a frosty beverage.

The best part: all through May 15, 2012, Timber Trek is half off! Trek the timbers for 3 hours for just $39.50/person (regular $79)!

Canyon Falls Swimming Hole

Consistently, one of the comments we receive from guests is that there isn’t enough around the resort to do that’s free and not limited by time in any way. We’ll we listened. Our new swimming pool, Canyon Falls Swimming Hole, will open by the end of June. Made in part of regional stone and designed to fit seamlessly into the landscape, Canyon Falls is a waterfall pool with a snack bar, a kids’ splash and spray area, a zero-entry end and tons of deck space, including one that overlooks the New River Gorge. Bring your bathing suit and save some quality lounging time!

The New Chetty’s Pub

Over the last few years, Fayetteville has become the hidden jewel of West Virginia dining. Your first thought might be, “Yeah, but that’s not saying much.” Well, I grew up in DC and have spent time in NYC and Chicago, and the restaurants here more than hold their own. Chetty’s has always been a part of that, but now it is even more so.

We hired Virgin Timber Lumber Company to build the new bar from reclaimed wormy chestnut, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Add more space to the equation and 2 quirky garage bay doors that open onto the new Chetty’s deck, plus a new head chef—Rezan Nese and her new menu which goes way beyond the already terrific fare we had before, and you get a restaurant that is primed to become a highlight of a lot peoples’ vacations. We often post specials on the Chetty’s Facebook page, too, so like it to stay up to date.

Stacking the Decks

How do you make a resort that sits on the very rim of the magnificent New River Gorge even more beautiful? You build decks—great big honking decks, where the eye candy flows like river water. We’ve got 2 of them.

The first is at Chetty’s Pub, and while the previous deck gave guests a supreme vantage point to overlook the New River, the new deck gets you just a hair closer than before, and it turns out that makes a big difference! The Chetty’s deck will be THE place to watch the sunset every evening.

The second of 2 new decks is off the side of Rendezvous Lodge on the Mill Creek Campus. Though it doesn’t overlook the New River Gorge, it does sit within 20 feet of one of the TimberTrek courses, which makes it the ideal spot to relax with a beverage while your friends and family whoop it up in the trees like Tarzan. You’ll want a camera here for certain.

Sunset Trading Post

It’s a well-known fact that between the 4 retail stores at Adventures On the Gorge, we have the largest selection of Adventures On the Gorge souvenirs anyplace on Earth. Well, everybody likes to shop on vacation, but let’s face it, sometimes you want a place that sells a little more than a T-shirt, sunglasses or knick-knacks. Peddling artisan crafts, clothing and more, Sunset Trading Post is that place. It’s located right where the sunset shines, too, between Smokey’s On the Gorge and Chetty’s Pub. Perfect!

16 People per Night

Lastly, if you’ve ever been told during Gauley Season, “I’m so sorry, but we don’t have any 4-bedroom Deluxe Cabins available that weekend… rejoice. We’ve got 2 new ones just waiting for you to hot-tub, grill, stock the fridge and sleep the sleep of the truly exhausted.