At the Tennessee and North Carolina state line, an exit sign on Interstate 40 reads, “Whitewater Rafting.” The off-ramp exits into Hartford, a small community of around 800 people.

Hartford’s economy relies almost entirely on tourist traffic from the interstate, most of which is attracted by the gentle rapids of the Pigeon River and the outdoor activity centers which take visitors out on the water.

But all of that was put at risk when Hurricane Helene struck in late September, bringing devastating flood waters that plunged much of Hartford underwater. Noah Bryant, a river guide at Nantahala Outdoor Center’s Pigeon River Outpost, was there when it happened.

“It was kind of just a whirlwind of every emotion you could feel,” Bryant said. “We just didn’t know what we were going to come back

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