Tag: High Country

Winter Fun in the High Country

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment

Karen Rieley

Published in the Winter 2021 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – pp. 31-35

Think of the High Country in the winter and, no doubt, you think of snowboarding and snow skiing. After all, the area boasts three great ski mountains along 42 miles from Beech Mountain Resort to Sugar Mountain Resort to Appalachian Ski Mountain.

But make no mistake, the High Country is no one-trick pony in the winter. There’s lots to do for all ages, whether there’s snow or not. If standing at the edge of a mountaintop with nothing between you and the bottom but two skis and a couple of poles or one lone snowboard isn’t your cup of tea (or hot cocoa), or if you’re ready for a change of pace from snow skiing/snowboarding, check out these other fun winter activities!

Visit the websites for these to check out times, days of the week, costs, age restrictions, advance reservation requirements and other specifics.

Snow Tubing & Ziplining

If snow tubing and ziplining are more your speed and comfort level, you have three great choices in the High Country. All three offer sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, plenty of lanes, snowmaking, plus moving carpet lifts to quickly transport you back to the top. Check out Beech Mountain Resort, Hawksnest in Seven Devils, and Sugar Mountain Resort, all in the northwest mountains of North Carolina.

Ice Skating

While others are skiing or snowboarding on the slopes, you and your children may enjoy ice skating. Two resorts, Beech Mountain Resort and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort, have the added advantage of ice skating located next door to restaurants, retail stores and other amenities. Appalachian Ski Mountain in Blowing Rock is the only ski area in North Carolina with a Zamboni to cut the ice floor on its skating rink.

Kids’ Camps & Lessons

Downhill skiing is a lifelong sport. While you can learn at any age, kids have the advantage of being flexible, nimble and relatively fearless. Enrolling your child in one of the region’s ski or snowboarding camps is a great way to introduce them to a positive and fun first-time experience. Plus, while they’re in camp, you’re freed up to enjoy some adults-only time! Appalachian Ski Mountain, Blowing Rock, N.C., has SKIwee and Cruiser Camp programs designed to teach beginning skiers, ages 4-10, and snowboarders, ages 7-12. Beech Mountain Resort offers several kids’ camps: Burton Learn to Ride Center for ages 6-12 to learn the basics of snowboarding; Snow Kamp for ages 3-5 to provide a positive and fun first-time experience; and Traxx ski instruction for ages 6-12. Also, Ski & Ride School offers hourly lessons for ages 4 and older and Snowflakes Childcare watches kids, ages 1-5, while adults hit the slope. Sugar Mountain Ski Resort’s Children’s Snowsports School includes Sugar Bear Ski and Polar Bear Snowboard schools to teach skiing to children, ages 5-10, and snowboarding to children, ages 7-14.

Sledding

Sledding is the easiest and most accessible winter activity for all ages. It can be done almost anywhere there is a hill and public property, an inexpensive plastic sled will do, and snow in the High Country is almost certain throughout the season!

Beech Mountain has a new sledding hill across the street from the Visitor Center and behind the Brick Oven Pizzeria. It can be accessed from Bark Park Way, the paved road that runs beside the pizzeria. Parking is either in the public gravel lot just before the restaurant off the Beech Mountain Parkway, or the new, paved pay-to-park lot on Bark Park Way. Two state-of-the-art snow guns ensure a good base and quick coverage when the weather is optimal for snowmaking. Weather permitting, the hill will be open for the winter season beginning Nov. 27. Only plastic sleds may be used, no tubes or sleds with metal runners.

Cross-Country Skiing/Snowshoeing

If you’re looking for fun, easy, and safe new ways to stay active and energized over the winter months, cross country skiing and snowshoeing offer great alternatives for active outdoor enthusiasts of every age and skill-level to get out and explore winter.  They are a fantastic way to stay active, are much faster to learn, and are also more affordable as a sport. Eight options, in particular, in the region offer a variety of options. Beech Mountain has an extensive trail system available for snowshoeing with all levels of difficulty. Experienced snowshoers might consider the Emerald Outback trails at the top of the mountain. An easier snowshoeing option is the 1/3-mile walking track surrounding the Buckeye Recreation Center. Sugar Mountain Resort offers a snowshoe guided tour that can be a casual walk or an intense workout in a wonderful winter wonderland. Boone Greenway Trail, Boone, N.C., is a nice flat trail that meanders through the woods and mountains and along creek beds.  The trail is maintained by the Town of Boone, but it is “last on the list” to be scraped for snow after all town sidewalks and roads are clear, so there is a good chance you can get in some skiing if you arrive right after a good snow!When the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed to vehicles due to ice or snow, it is open to hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Visit the National Park Service website for Blue Ridge Parkway road closures. Two good starting points are the gate on U.S. 221 near Beacon Heights to travel to the Linn Cover Viaduct and off U.S. 221, just outside Blowing Rock and south of the Cone estate on the parkway. In both cases, make sure to park without blocking the gates in case a park ranger needs to enter the area. Elk Knob State Park in Todd is the only North Carolina State Park to offer cross-country skiing. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park near Blowing Rock offers some fine cross-country skiing in an attractive and historic venue. Roan Mountain State Park in Tennessee sits at the foot of the soaring ridgetop for which it is named. Roan Mountain gets more snow than other local areas. It offers a variety of terrain — from scenic routes for novices to thrilling downhills for experts (though none of the trails are groomed). Valle Crucis Park has a nice and flat ¾-mile paved loop that is great for cross-country skiing. (The park also offers great trout fishing locations that are accessible on snowing days.)

Hiking

If there isn’t enough snow for cross country skiing or snowshoeing, a winter hike is in order! Winter hiking offers crystal clear views, less people on the trails and peace and quiet. And it’s worth braving the chill to make your way to one of the area’s waterfalls that transform into wondrous works of icy art during the winter season.

In Blowing Rock, Glen Burney Falls Trail is less than two miles long and offers several mini falls along the way that make for good photographs.

Blue Ridge Parkway has many trails to explore:

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park Trails, Milepost 294, near Blowing Rock are 25 miles of historic carriage roads that are now wide, gravel trails. Three top hiking picks are: Flat Top Road Trail, about a six-mile hike from Flat Top Manor; Bass Lake Trail, an easy eight-tenths of a mile loop that takes you around the lake that is accessed from the Bass Lake entrance on U.S. 221 just outside downtown Blowing Rock; and Rich Mountain, about a five-mile roundtrip hike from Shulls Mill Road.

Julian Price Memorial Park, Milepost 296.7, is a majestic 4,200 acres at the foot of Grandfather Mountain. The park lies directly adjacent to Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Price Lake Trail, Milepost 297, is a 2.5-mile loop trail that is mostly flat with plenty of lake vistas. Green Knob/Sims Pond Trail, inside Julian Price Memorial Park is a 2.4-mile loop trail by a pond and cascades and through a highland pasture. Boone Fork Trail, another loop trail in Julian Price Memorial Park is five miles, taking you by many small waterfalls and through rhododendron tunnels.

Tanawha Trail stretches 13.5 miles from Julian Price Memorial Park to Beacon Heights and parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. The many accesses from the parkway let hikers choose as long a section as they like. Marked with white blazes, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) runs jointly with Tanawha Trail. The MST stretches from Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockeys Ridge State Park on the North Carolina coast. Rough Ridge, Milepost 302.8, is actually a part of the larger 13.5-mile Tanawha Trail, but it is also a popular trail in its own right.

Beacon Heights Overlook Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 305.2, near Linville, N.C., is a short hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway to a stone summit with big views, especially nice for picnics.

Flat Rock Nature Trail, Milepost 308.3, is a mostly flat, ¾-mile loop nature that takes offers panoramic views from a “stone mountain” as you walk across the smooth rock summit.             Linville Falls, Milepost 316, is the most popular waterfall in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a spectacular, three-tiered waterfall plunging into Linville Gorge, the “Grand Canyon of the Southern Appalachians.” The Falls Trail distance is 1.6 miles round trip and easy. The Gorge Trail distance is 1.4 miles round trip and strenuous. The Plunge Basin Trail is a one-mile round trip and moderate.

Grandfather Mountain, the privately owned nonprofit nature park near Linville, offers access to 12 miles of premier hiking trails, some of which venture into the adjacent Grandfather Mountain State Park. The nature park offers access to 11 trails varying in difficulty from a gentle walk in the woods to a rigorous trek across rugged peaks. In-park trails include the Woods Walk, Black Rock Nature Trail and Bridge Trail. The nature park also provides access to backcountry trails in the adjacent Grandfather Mountain State Park. Along the Grandfather Trail, a very strenuous trail that runs from the mountain’s Hiker Parking Lot out 2.4 miles to Calloway Peak, hikers use in-place cables and ladders for extra steep sections and at times are traversing the ridgeline of the mountain. If guests plan on hiking the backcountry trails, they’re asked to fill out hiking permits before setting out. These permits also give the hiker contact information to utilize if needed. Profile Trail is a 3.6-mile strenuous trail inside Grandfather Mountain State Park that takes you up the side of Grandfather Mountain to Calloway Gap.

Williams Park in Sugar Mountain is a wooded 14-acre boulderfield forest with three short hiking trails that follow a cascading stream.

Beech Mountain Trails offer hikers of all ages and skill levels a number of options:

Emerald Outback Trails features more than eight miles of outstanding trails near the mountain’s summit.

Upper Pond Creek Trail is Beech Mountain’s favorite trail with an easy one-mile hike and 15 different educational stations.

Wild Iris Trail is an easy 2.5-mile woodland trail with only a moderate elevation change. A trail for all seasons, Wild Iris is perfect for hiking and biking as well as skiing and snowshoeing.

Lower Pond Creek Trail is a one-mile moderate to strenuous trail that offers some of Beech Mountain’s greatest natural beauty.

Hi-Lo Trail starts at Beech Mountain and offers you three choices of trails – the Tasters Loop, Lakeside Loop and Mountain to Mountain Loop.

Elk Knob Summit Trail in Todd, in one of North Carolina’s newest state parks, is 1.9 miles to one of the highest peaks of the Appalachians.

Otter Falls Trail in Seven Devils is a short 6/10th mile trail to a 25-foot waterfall.

Crab Orchard Falls Trail in Valle Crucis is a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike that takes you to the beautiful Crab Orchard Falls waterfall. Access to the trail is behind the Valle Crucis Conference Center.

Elk River Falls Trail in Elk Park is a short half-mile hike that leads you to a 50-foot waterfall cascading over a cliff.

Waterfalls Park in Newland is a small roadside park on NC Highway 194 across from Ingle’s grocery store with a 50-foot multi-tier waterfall for easy enjoyment for all, including picnic tables and a short trail.

Big & Little Lost Cove Cliff Trails near Newland are two sections of Lost Cove Cliffs in Pisgah National Forest and in the Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River Area. You can hike to both Big Lost Cove Cliffs and Little Lost Cove Cliffs with this 5.5-mile trail combo.

Hawksbill Mountain Trail in Burke County is a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain offering panoramic views of the canyon of Linville Gorge Wilderness Area with the valley floor and Linville River 2,000 ft. below you.

Indoor Climbing

When being outside is less than appealing, indoor climbing offers a great alternative. With indoor climbing you will get both aerobic and anaerobic exercise engaging and working all muscle groups simultaneously, while using and improving balance and coordination. You will burn 500 to 700 calories per hour and work both strength and endurance simultaneously. To facilities in Boone offer great options. Center 45 Climbing & Fitness has 2,000 square feet of indoor climbing (bouldering) terrain. The walls are all 14 feet at the apex with varied terrain. Every week talented and creative route setters craft new and exciting climbs. The facility also offers additional weightlifting and general fitness opportunities, along with a climbing-specific training area. Rock Dimensions Tower stands about 40 feet tall and has more than 4000 square feet of varying climbing terrain to accommodate both beginners and seasoned veterans. The “Tower to Rock” program combines a tower experience with climbing out on real rock all in a day! Staff belays as well as belay classes and certification opportunities for belaying at the tower are also offered.

Attractions

Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster, Banner Elk, N.C., is the first alpine coaster in the North Carolina Mountains. Each cart accommodates one or two people. Once the cart is pulled by a cable to the top, the remainder of the ride is downhill — fed by gravity — on multiple 360-degree loops with riders using hand brakes to control the speeds, which reach up to 27 miles per hour.

Mountain Warriors UTV, Elk Park, N.C. is a recreational UTV touring business that offers scenery, fun and adventure started by mother and son Regina and Carson Gordon. It has more than 80 acres of land and trails, with top-of-the-line Polaris Rzr 1000 XP 4-seater vehicles. This is a guided UTV tour that offers views of the Appalachian Mountains, beautiful trail riding and intense hill climbing.

Sugar Creek Mining Company, Banner Elk, N.C., lets you experience the thrill of prospecting for your very own North Carolina authentic gemstones. You’re guaranteed to find precious and semi-precious gemstones in every bucket. The expert staff will set you up on the heated flume line and then help you pan for gems and identify them. If desired, expert gem cutters can cut your rough gemstones and set it into a piece of jewelry.

Apple Hill Farm, Banner Elk, NC, features llamas, alpaca, donkey, goats, horses, pigs and dogs. Take the 60-minute tour and get back to nature! Public tours are Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during the winter months, with private tours offered seven days a week. Tours by advanced reservation only. 

Tweetsie Christmas, Blowing Rock, N.C., celebrates the holiday season, Nov. 19 – Dec. 30, 5 p.m., with a winter wonderland and a nighttime train ride among thousands of dazzling lights! Enjoy the rides, shops, Santa, and much more.

The Blowing Rock, Blowing Rock, N.C., is North Carolina’s oldest tourist attraction.  Enjoy the endless winter views and read the legend. Call ahead for hours, especially during inclement weather.

Mystery Hill, Blowing Rock, N.C., is a unique blend of indoor and outdoor adventure. Explore the mysterious Natural Gravitational Anomaly, watch a ball roll upwards and water flow uphill! Have fun with weird science in the hands-on science attraction, the Hall of Mystery, or encase your friends in a giant bubble at Bubblerama. Try your hand at axe or knife throwing and brave the Bull Riding Challenge at Tomahawk Hill. This winter experience Crazy Christmas at Mystery Hill with daily elf hunts, Christmas Crafts, Christmas-themed photos, gem mining for Christmas jewels and snowball fights and weekend activities, including a YETI encounter, roaming carolers, Christmas light walk, Santa’s landing and more!

The Children’s Playhouse, Boone, N.C., provides children from birth to age eight with an enriching, educational play environment while at the same time offering their parents and caregivers friendly support in the important job of raising children.

Ellwood’s Hatchet House, Boone, N.C., is the town’s Boone’s first & only indoor axe throwing tavern. Enjoy eight axe throwing targets, two corn hole lanes, a giant connect four, pool table, air hockey, pinball, cold craft and domestic beer and great food.

Let’s Be Artsy!, Boone, N.C., unleashes your creative side. The talented team of instructors guides you step by step through the session’s featured painting. All painting supplies and artist instructions are provided. No art experience is needed. You can even take a fun, introductory belly dancing class, too!

Grandfather Mountain, Linville NC, features the Mile-High Swinging Bridge. Weather permitting, the swinging bridge is the perfect spot to take in the endless winter vistas and capture the snowcapped mountains. Afterwards, head down to the animal habitats and see how otter, bear and eagles stay busy during the winter months!

Linville Caverns, Marion, NC, are the only show caverns in North Carolina and have a constant year-round temperature of 52 degrees. This is a perfect place to visit on a cold and windy winter day! See the winter hibernation of granddaddy long-legs and unique limestone formations. The caverns are only open on weekends in winter. Bring a raincoat or a coat with a hood. The cave tends to drip!

YMCA of Avery County has something for everyone! Visitors can get a day pass and access everything the YMCA has to offer including access to the indoor swimming pool with water slides and aerobics classes, a wide variety of group exercise classes, the Wellness Center with cardio and strength machines, basketball courts, indoor batting cages, golf simulators, drop-in childcare and more! If you’re staying longer, ask about YMCA membership opportunities. You can also see upcoming holiday programs and events on the YMCA website and social media accounts. 

The Fred and Margie Pfohl Buckeye Recreation Center, Beech Mountain, N.C., offers nonmembers day passes for full access to the facility, including a weight room, regulation-sized gym, indoor tennis courts and a soft playroom for kids, eight and under. The lobby provides wi-fi, cozy seating and an extensive lending library, when a quiet day indoors is preferred. Fitness classes are offered as well. The recreation center also manages the free canoe and kayak rentals on Buckeye Lake.

NC High Country Fresco Trail throughout the High Country includes more than a dozen frescoes painted in small mountain churches in the 1970s by artist Ben Long, a native of North Carolina. Follow the trail to see the following: 1849 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Fresco, downtown Wilkesboro; Holy Trinity Church Fresco, Glendale Springs; St Mary’s Church Fresco, West Jefferson; and Sloop Chapel, Crossnore.

Museums

BRAHM (Blowing Rock Art and History Museum), Blowing Rock, N.C., promotes the arts and Southern Appalachian heritage and history, through educational programs, exhibitions, activities and permanent collections. Current exhibitions include “Wildflowers: Glass Sculptures” by Ronnie Hughes, Sept. 14, 2021 – May 3, 2022; “Emergent Landscapes: Mountains, Music, & Improvisation in the Paintings of Abie Harris,” Aug. 24, 2021 – Jan. 15, 2022; “Potters & Patrons: The Gorelick Collection at BRAHM,” Sept. 7, 2021 – April 16, 2022; “Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites,” Oct. 1, 2021 – Jan. 22, 2022; The Janet H. Wilson Collection, ongoing; Philip Moose, permanent collection; and “The Village of Blowing Rock: Exploring Our History,” permanent exhibit.

Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, Boone, N.C., offers free admission to the following permanent collections and rotating exhibitions: “Matters of the Heart (and Other Abnormalities)” by Shawn Morin, Sept. 3, 2021 – Feb. 5, 2022; “98.6 – A Creative Commonality,” July 2, 2021 – Feb. 5, 2022; “35th Rosen Sculpture Competition and Exhibition,” May 15, 2021 – April 16, 2022; “In the Garden of Healing” by Dara Mark, Dec 3, 2021 – May 7, 2022; “To Remain Connected,” Dec. 3, 2021 – May 7, 2022; and “19th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition” March 4, 2022 – June 5, 2022.

Mystery Hill Museums include the 1903 Dougherty House: Appalachian Heritage Museum and Appalachian Fossil Museum, Blowing Rock, N.C. The Dougherty House was the first home in the area to have electricity and running water. The home is being restored to its original 1903 condition. Guests can tour the home, which is filled with turn-of-the-century furniture, antiques and memorabilia. Appalachian Fossil Museum displays North Carolina’s largest private collection of fossils.

Festivals

24th Blowing Rock Winterfest, Blowing Rock, N.C., returns Jan. 27 – 30, 2022. Jump into winter with the Polar Bear Plunge and Beer Garden. Keep warm with restaurant specials, Chili Challenge and family activities at area attractions. Shop till you drop on Main Street while enjoying the Ice Sculptures outside various retailers. Whether you’re looking for a couple getaway or family friendly weekend, WinterFest has something for everyone!

Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock’s Festival of Lights, Blowing Rock, N.C., becomes a Winter Wonderland, Nov. 26, 2021 – January 2022, with over 50,000 dazzling lights around Chetola Lake. Make the drive around the resort and Chetola Lake for a stunning winter lights experience – the warm colors against a cool mountain background makes for a view like no other and highlights the natural beauty of the High Country. The displays illuminate at dusk each evening. The festival is a High Country tradition that culminates in Blowing Rock’s Winterfest, a four-day festival at the end of January packed with family friendly events such as a polar plunge, ice carvings, dog shows and auctions.

Sugarfest 2021, Sugar Mountain, N.C., is a weekend of winter fun, December 10-12, 2021, at Sugar Mountain Ski Resort. Participate in a preseason ski clinic and then try out the latest ski and snowboard equipment; celebrate the ceremonial opening of Sugar’s new Big Birch quad chairlift; kick off the winter right with the first Girls Go Shred Ride Day of the season; and enjoy food, drinks and dancing to live music by Glen Harlow & North Fork band, followed by fireworks.

Horseback Riding

Riding a horse or taking a carriage ride through snow-covered woods can be a one-of-a-kind experience. Two services offer 2.5-hour guided tours with trustworthy horses on easy carriage trails throughout Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, Milepost 294 on Blue Ridge Parkway.  VX3 Trail Rides offers custom rides for individual riders with experienced trail guide Tim Vines. Rides are limited to a maximum of five to give you the best experience possible. If you are a party of only two people and don’t see any availability for when you want to ride, contact Brad. Carriage Run Carriage Service offers carriage rides on the 32 miles of carriage trails in the Cone Estate.

Fishing

If your passion is fishing, winter is an ideal season to stalk wily mountain trout. The crowds are gone, leaving you with solitude, spectacular scenery, and brook, brown and rainbow trout. There are guide services around the High Country offering outings.

Holiday Festivities

Holiday decorations and twinkling lights are especially magical against a background of snow in the High Country. Check out the parades and Christmas tree and art exhibits offered in each town.

Live Theatre

When the weather turns blustery and cold, a matinee or night at the theater may be in order. Check out the offerings around the region, such as the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, several groups at Appalachian State University (Department of Department and Dance, Hayes School of Music, and the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts), BeanStalk Community Theatre and Blue Ridge Community Theatre in Boone; Ensemble Stage and Lees-McRae College performances in Banner Elk; and Ashe County Little Theatre in West Jefferson, among many others. See the CML Cultural Calendar for a complete listing of upcoming productions and contact information for each theatre.

Breweries & Wineries

The High Country is home to several great breweries, including Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Beech Mountain Brewing Company, Blowing Rock Brewery, Boondocks Brewing Tap Room & Restaurant, Booneshine Brewers, KETTELL BEERWORKS and Lost Province Brewing Company.

If wine is your preference, check out the wineries on the High Country Wine Trail including Banner Elk Winery & Villa, Eagles Nest Winery, Grandfather Vineyard & Winery, Linville Falls Winery, Thistle Meadow Winery, and Watauga Lake Winery.

Live Indoor Music

Check out the restaurants, breweries and wineries throughout this issue to find live music from jazz to traditional mountain jams all season long.

Beech Mountain’s 40th Anniversary: There’s no place like home

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment

Karen Rieley

Published in the Spring 2021 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – pp. 67-68

What do 40,000 yellow bricks, Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, seven elephants, Jean-Claude Killy, Lance Armstrong, pole cats, bobcats and salamanders have in common? They are all part of the story of Beech Mountain, “the highest ski area in eastern America,” which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary throughout 2021.

Each month of 2021, residents and visitors will have opportunities to help Beech Mountain celebrate its 40th Anniversary. May is set aside as the official monthlong celebration, in recognition that The North Carolina General Assembly incorporated the Town of Beech Mountain in May 1981. Visitors and residents can submit comments, photos and other memorabilia to Beech Mountain’s digital time capsule via Instagram @beechmountainnc, by email to beechmountainvisitorcenter@gmail.com, or in person at the town’s birthday party, when the Time Capsule will be buried.

The Town Birthday Party will honor veterans and highlight new recreation programs that the town is offering. In celebration of Arbor Day, guests will be given 40 seedlings to help plant around Beech Mountain. Visit https://beechmtn.com/40th/ for details about all 40th Anniversary events and the town’s 40 Days of Family Fun.

May also highlights the opening of the town’s camping area at Shane Outpost Park, the town’s newest recreation facility. The park is located beside Buckeye Lake and within walking distance to Buckeye Recreation Center. It hosts 10 tent campsites, a natural play area, a low ropes course, bathroom/shower facilities, picnic tables and shelters, trail access and eventually an ADA-compliant amphitheater.

The Beech Mountain History Museum will open a Civil War Exhibit in May about the Battle on Beech, which was fought in 1864. It will also offer an audio exhibit featuring Ray Hicks, who was best known for telling of a group of stories known as the Jack Tales in which he wove fairy tale elements with realistic trappings of Southern Appalachian culture.

In August, the Hi-Lo Adventure Trail, which begins and ends on Beech Mountain, will open with a free High-Lo Merchant Expo at the Buckeye Recreation Center. Visit the Town of Beech Mountain Visitor Center to pick up Hi-Lo maps that highlight fun activities and stops along the trail, including hiking, fishing, water sports, out-of-the-way stops like the Dry Run Grocery Store in Butler, TN, and the old Neva Community Center’s farmers market, as well as better known stops like Doe Mountain, the Watauga Lake Winery and Mast General Store.

“The Hi-Lo Adventure Trail is designed to let people get to know what’s on the ‘Other Side of the Mountain’,” said Kate Gavenus, the town’s director of tourism and economic development.

Photos by Todd Bush

Dr. Thomas Brigham, a Birmingham, Ala., dentist and avid skier, in his search for a Southeast mountain that could support skiing, found Beech Mountain in the late 1960s. At more than 5,000 feet, Beech Mountain’s cold winter climate makes skiing possible from November through early April most years. He approached local businessmen Harry and Grover Robbins who were interested in building a golf course. They attracted 40 investors of $20,000 each to enable them to purchase more than seven square miles. They divided it into lots and subdivisions and formed the Carolina Caribbean Corporation (CCC).

The CCC created a ski resort, golf course, pool and tennis facilities. It built houses based on an alpine Bavarian village theme and laid out roads and water and sewer services.

Charlotte-based designer Jack Pentes, who had helped Grover Robbins design Tweetsie Railroad, designed the Land of Oz theme park. The Land of Oz’s Yellow Brick Road was made of 40,000 glazed bricks. Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, along with other stars, attended the Land of Oz opening day ceremony in 1970.

The Beech Mountain Property Owner’s Association (POA) was formed in 1970 to collect assessments for the maintenance of roads and recreation areas. That was also the year that well-known and much-beloved resident Fred Pfohl first started working at Beech Mountain’s ski resort. His next working gig was with the Land of Oz.

Jean-Claude Killy and other famous skiers put Beech Mountain’s ski slopes on the map in the 70s by competing in the North Carolina Ski Cup professional ski races. 

The POA took over ownership and operation of community services in 1974. Pfohl was the first elected and longtime mayor of Beech Mountain, spearheading countless town projects. His late wife, Margie, and he opened Fred’s General Mercantile in 1979, and the store has been open every day since.

After the town was incorporated in 1981, the POA reorganized as Beech Mountain Club to take over management of the golf course and recreational facilities. Today, the club’s recreation campus features an interactive family pool surrounded by a fitness center, pickleball and tennis courts, pavilion, playground, day camp and a wide range of social events, classes, group excursions, presentations, interest clubs and groups.

In September 1984, the Clyde Beatty Circus was coming to Beech Mountain. When the trucks could not haul the elephants up to mountain, they walked up. Phfol and other town leaders got a ride on them.

Ski Beech was purchased by the Costin family in 1986. Now known as Beech Mountain Resort, it offers snowmaking capabilities that cover 100 percent of the ski slopes, a one-of-a-kind bar at the top of the mountain called 5506’, and an onsite brewery. Non skiers can enjoy onsite tubing with over 700 feet of runs in the winter and mountain biking, disc golf, scenic lift rides and Mile High Yoga in the summer, making the resort a year-round destination.

Beech Mountain and its N.C. Highway 184, which gains 1,450 feet in altitude in three miles, has a long history in the biking world. The mountain has hosted four national bike championships, such as the Tour DuPont, which Lance Armstrong famously won in 1995 and finished first or second each year from 1993 to 1996.

Lees-McRae College’s mountain biking team, which uses the mountain to train, has the nation’s only collegiate Cycling Studies. The team has produced 10 Team National Championships and 59 Individual National Champions since 2001.

The Land of Oz is now family-owned as well. Although COVID-19 has restricted operation, normally the theme park runs “Journey with Dorothy Tours” on select days in June and July as part of Beech Mountain’s Family Fun Month. It also hosts “Autumn at Oz Festival,” one of the world’s largest Wizard of Oz festivals, on two consecutive weekends (Friday through Sunday) in early September. Private tours are available in June through early October.

At an elevation of 5,506 feet, the town draws tourists year-round, many seeking adventure on the winter ski slopes, as well as more seeking cool mountain air, lush trails and country club amenities in the summer.

“The town has 66 miles of street with about 2,500 homes and condos and 3,000 vacant lots ready to be someone’s next home for year-round living or as a second home that tourists may rent,” said Jim Brooks, owner of Beechwood Realty.

The Town of Beech Mountain today is home to at least 53 businesses employing more than 700 people. It is part of a thriving economic corridor created between Beech Mountain and the surrounding areas of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

Town Manager Bob Pudney reports that Beech Mountain’s short-term rental business has grown quickly. “Our goal is to continue building a vibrant resort destination that offers year-round activities with controlled growth in keeping with the charm and history of the town.”

“It’s exciting to see so many new people buying property here on Beech Mountain,” said Pfohl. “I hope they are able to appreciate the wonderful atmosphere and peace of life that the town offers, just as my family and I have, even as we continue to grow and plan for Beech’s future.”

Waterfront Group Brings Fresh Wine Offerings to the High Country

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment

Karen Rieley

Published in the Autumn 2020/21 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – p. 121

With the opening of Eagles Nest Winery and the acquisition of Watauga Lake Winery and Villa Nove Vineyards, the Waterfront Group is bringing new wines and new experiences to the High Country. In a region rapidly gaining a reputation as wine country, these offerings are welcome additions for wine aficionados.

Eagles Nest Winery features the finest wines from California, all shipped in first-use barrels and bottled at its new facility that is set upon a ridgeline at 1965 Old Beech Mountain Road, Elk Park, N.C., just past the North Pavilion and right outside the rear gate at Eagles Nest’s highest elevation. Patrons enjoy a wide range of ever-evolving varietals and blends—French barrel-aged, muscular Cabernet Sauvignon; a tropical Viognier; a luscious barrel-fermented Chardonnay; a crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc; a plum and oak-focused Merlot; or an exotic Pinot Noir— in the rustically-elegant, converted barn with custom wood tables and a grand fireplace. Wine tastings, food service, live music and monthly member wine dinners are offered.

“We’re getting ready to bottle seven new wines,” said Joe Smith, who is the executive winemaker and operations consultant for the two wineries. “We also have some new events coming, such as a wine blending event, a wine pairing dinner and a special winemaker tasting event.”

Outside, five separate gathering areas feature gas- and wood-burning firepits with sitting areas for savoring wine, visiting with friends and enjoying stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

Call Eagles Nest at (828) 898-2027 for daily, weekend or yearly membership options. The winery operates Thursday and Friday, 4-10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1-7 p.m.

“We enjoy creating infrastructure that allows folks to get away and escape to the mountain to get back to basics. Our vision for the wineries is to help others find peace and serenity in a lifestyle that promotes family and nature,” Smith said.

Peace and serenity abound at Watauga Lake Winery and Villa Nove Vineyards as well. Watauga Lake Winery is located in the historical Dry Run Schoolhouse, located at 6952 Big Dry Run Rd, Butler, Tenn.

“Rumor has it the schoolhouse is haunted,” said Smith. “Ghost hunters came here and deemed there is paranormal activity. We’re going to be offering a bold red wine named ‘Fred’ after the friendly ghost that inhabits the school.”

The first winery in Johnson County, Tenn., its wines—from light, fruity and crisp whites to robust and well-balanced reds—exhibit the unique terroir characteristics of the Watauga Lake area. The winery has been recognized in regional competitions, including Wines of the South, Asheville Food and Wine Festival, and the Mid-Atlantic Southeast Wine Competition.

An extensive remodel and makeover for the winery is underway. The patio has been expanded and fun outdoor games like Cornhole have been added. Flatbreads and woodfired pizzas are served, with more food offerings to come. Mixed cases of wine are available at a discount.

“For the first time ever, we will be using a mobile bottling truck named “OLD BLUE” from Georgia to increase the quality of the wine and allow us to produce 2,000 bottles per hour,” Smith said.

Villa Nove Vineyards is next door to Watauga Lake Winery and just minutes away from beautiful Watauga Lake. Its vineyard-laced hills give way to a breathtaking 360-degree view of the mountain ranges that surround the Tuscan-themed wedding pavilion.

The wedding pavilion will accommodate over 200 guests and offers restrooms and a caterer’s staging kitchen. A vineyard cottage is also available, making the property a perfect destination for a wedding. 

Watauga Lake Winery is open on Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 12-6 p.m. Villa Nove Vineyards is open on Saturdays only from 12-8 p.m.

Waterfront Group Brings Fresh Wine Offerings to the High Country

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment

Karen Rieley

Published in the Autumn 2020/21 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – p. 121

With the opening of Eagles Nest Winery and the acquisition of Watauga Lake Winery and Villa Nove Vineyards, the Waterfront Group is bringing new wines and new experiences to the High Country. In a region rapidly gaining a reputation as wine country, these offerings are welcome additions for wine aficionados.

Eagles Nest Winery features the finest wines from California, all shipped in first-use barrels and bottled at its new facility that is set upon a ridgeline at 1965 Old Beech Mountain Road, Elk Park, N.C., just past the North Pavilion and right outside the rear gate at Eagles Nest’s highest elevation. Patrons enjoy a wide range of ever-evolving varietals and blends—French barrel-aged, muscular Cabernet Sauvignon; a tropical Viognier; a luscious barrel-fermented Chardonnay; a crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc; a plum and oak-focused Merlot; or an exotic Pinot Noir— in the rustically-elegant, converted barn with custom wood tables and a grand fireplace. Wine tastings, food service, live music and monthly member wine dinners are offered.

“We’re getting ready to bottle seven new wines,” said Joe Smith, who is the executive winemaker and operations consultant for the two wineries. “We also have some new events coming, such as a wine blending event, a wine pairing dinner and a special winemaker tasting event.”

Outside, five separate gathering areas feature gas- and wood-burning firepits with sitting areas for savoring wine, visiting with friends and enjoying stunning views of the surrounding mountains.

Call Eagles Nest at (828) 898-2027 for daily, weekend or yearly membership options. The winery operates Thursday and Friday, 4-10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1-7 p.m.

“We enjoy creating infrastructure that allows folks to get away and escape to the mountain to get back to basics. Our vision for the wineries is to help others find peace and serenity in a lifestyle that promotes family and nature,” Smith said.

Peace and serenity abound at Watauga Lake Winery and Villa Nove Vineyards as well. Watauga Lake Winery is located in the historical Dry Run Schoolhouse, located at 6952 Big Dry Run Rd, Butler, Tenn.

“Rumor has it the schoolhouse is haunted,” said Smith. “Ghost hunters came here and deemed there is paranormal activity. We’re going to be offering a bold red wine named ‘Fred’ after the friendly ghost that inhabits the school.”

The first winery in Johnson County, Tenn., its wines—from light, fruity and crisp whites to robust and well-balanced reds—exhibit the unique terroir characteristics of the Watauga Lake area. The winery has been recognized in regional competitions, including Wines of the South, Asheville Food and Wine Festival, and the Mid-Atlantic Southeast Wine Competition.

An extensive remodel and makeover for the winery is underway. The patio has been expanded and fun outdoor games like Cornhole have been added. Flatbreads and woodfired pizzas are served, with more food offerings to come. Mixed cases of wine are available at a discount.

“For the first time ever, we will be using a mobile bottling truck named “OLD BLUE” from Georgia to increase the quality of the wine and allow us to produce 2,000 bottles per hour,” Smith said.

Villa Nove Vineyards is next door to Watauga Lake Winery and just minutes away from beautiful Watauga Lake. Its vineyard-laced hills give way to a breathtaking 360-degree view of the mountain ranges that surround the Tuscan-themed wedding pavilion.

The wedding pavilion will accommodate over 200 guests and offers restrooms and a caterer’s staging kitchen. A vineyard cottage is also available, making the property a perfect destination for a wedding. 

Watauga Lake Winery is open on Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 12-6 p.m. Villa Nove Vineyards is open on Saturdays only from 12-8 p.m.

Beech Mountain’s 40th Anniversary: There’s no place like home

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment

Karen Rieley

Published in the Spring 2021 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – pp. 67-68

What do 40,000 yellow bricks, Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, seven elephants, Jean-Claude Killy, Lance Armstrong, pole cats, bobcats and salamanders have in common? They are all part of the story of Beech Mountain, “the highest ski area in eastern America,” which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary throughout 2021.

Each month of 2021, residents and visitors will have opportunities to help Beech Mountain celebrate its 40th Anniversary. May is set aside as the official monthlong celebration, in recognition that The North Carolina General Assembly incorporated the Town of Beech Mountain in May 1981. Visitors and residents can submit comments, photos and other memorabilia to Beech Mountain’s digital time capsule via Instagram @beechmountainnc, by email to beechmountainvisitorcenter@gmail.com, or in person at the town’s birthday party, when the Time Capsule will be buried.

The Town Birthday Party will honor veterans and highlight new recreation programs that the town is offering. In celebration of Arbor Day, guests will be given 40 seedlings to help plant around Beech Mountain. Visit https://beechmtn.com/40th/ for details about all 40th Anniversary events and the town’s 40 Days of Family Fun.

May also highlights the opening of the town’s camping area at Shane Outpost Park, the town’s newest recreation facility. The park is located beside Buckeye Lake and within walking distance to Buckeye Recreation Center. It hosts 10 tent campsites, a natural play area, a low ropes course, bathroom/shower facilities, picnic tables and shelters, trail access and eventually an ADA-compliant amphitheater.

The Beech Mountain History Museum will open a Civil War Exhibit in May about the Battle on Beech, which was fought in 1864. It will also offer an audio exhibit featuring Ray Hicks, who was best known for telling of a group of stories known as the Jack Tales in which he wove fairy tale elements with realistic trappings of Southern Appalachian culture.

In August, the Hi-Lo Adventure Trail, which begins and ends on Beech Mountain, will open with a free High-Lo Merchant Expo at the Buckeye Recreation Center. Visit the Town of Beech Mountain Visitor Center to pick up Hi-Lo maps that highlight fun activities and stops along the trail, including hiking, fishing, water sports, out-of-the-way stops like the Dry Run Grocery Store in Butler, TN, and the old Neva Community Center’s farmers market, as well as better known stops like Doe Mountain, the Watauga Lake Winery and Mast General Store.

“The Hi-Lo Adventure Trail is designed to let people get to know what’s on the ‘Other Side of the Mountain’,” said Kate Gavenus, the town’s director of tourism and economic development.

Photos by Todd Bush

Dr. Thomas Brigham, a Birmingham, Ala., dentist and avid skier, in his search for a Southeast mountain that could support skiing, found Beech Mountain in the late 1960s. At more than 5,000 feet, Beech Mountain’s cold winter climate makes skiing possible from November through early April most years. He approached local businessmen Harry and Grover Robbins who were interested in building a golf course. They attracted 40 investors of $20,000 each to enable them to purchase more than seven square miles. They divided it into lots and subdivisions and formed the Carolina Caribbean Corporation (CCC).

The CCC created a ski resort, golf course, pool and tennis facilities. It built houses based on an alpine Bavarian village theme and laid out roads and water and sewer services.

Charlotte-based designer Jack Pentes, who had helped Grover Robbins design Tweetsie Railroad, designed the Land of Oz theme park. The Land of Oz’s Yellow Brick Road was made of 40,000 glazed bricks. Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, along with other stars, attended the Land of Oz opening day ceremony in 1970.

The Beech Mountain Property Owner’s Association (POA) was formed in 1970 to collect assessments for the maintenance of roads and recreation areas. That was also the year that well-known and much-beloved resident Fred Pfohl first started working at Beech Mountain’s ski resort. His next working gig was with the Land of Oz.

Jean-Claude Killy and other famous skiers put Beech Mountain’s ski slopes on the map in the 70s by competing in the North Carolina Ski Cup professional ski races. 

The POA took over ownership and operation of community services in 1974. Pfohl was the first elected and longtime mayor of Beech Mountain, spearheading countless town projects. His late wife, Margie, and he opened Fred’s General Mercantile in 1979, and the store has been open every day since.

After the town was incorporated in 1981, the POA reorganized as Beech Mountain Club to take over management of the golf course and recreational facilities. Today, the club’s recreation campus features an interactive family pool surrounded by a fitness center, pickleball and tennis courts, pavilion, playground, day camp and a wide range of social events, classes, group excursions, presentations, interest clubs and groups.

In September 1984, the Clyde Beatty Circus was coming to Beech Mountain. When the trucks could not haul the elephants up to mountain, they walked up. Phfol and other town leaders got a ride on them.

Ski Beech was purchased by the Costin family in 1986. Now known as Beech Mountain Resort, it offers snowmaking capabilities that cover 100 percent of the ski slopes, a one-of-a-kind bar at the top of the mountain called 5506’, and an onsite brewery. Non skiers can enjoy onsite tubing with over 700 feet of runs in the winter and mountain biking, disc golf, scenic lift rides and Mile High Yoga in the summer, making the resort a year-round destination.

Beech Mountain and its N.C. Highway 184, which gains 1,450 feet in altitude in three miles, has a long history in the biking world. The mountain has hosted four national bike championships, such as the Tour DuPont, which Lance Armstrong famously won in 1995 and finished first or second each year from 1993 to 1996.

Lees-McRae College’s mountain biking team, which uses the mountain to train, has the nation’s only collegiate Cycling Studies. The team has produced 10 Team National Championships and 59 Individual National Champions since 2001.

The Land of Oz is now family-owned as well. Although COVID-19 has restricted operation, normally the theme park runs “Journey with Dorothy Tours” on select days in June and July as part of Beech Mountain’s Family Fun Month. It also hosts “Autumn at Oz Festival,” one of the world’s largest Wizard of Oz festivals, on two consecutive weekends (Friday through Sunday) in early September. Private tours are available in June through early October.

At an elevation of 5,506 feet, the town draws tourists year-round, many seeking adventure on the winter ski slopes, as well as more seeking cool mountain air, lush trails and country club amenities in the summer.

“The town has 66 miles of street with about 2,500 homes and condos and 3,000 vacant lots ready to be someone’s next home for year-round living or as a second home that tourists may rent,” said Jim Brooks, owner of Beechwood Realty.

The Town of Beech Mountain today is home to at least 53 businesses employing more than 700 people. It is part of a thriving economic corridor created between Beech Mountain and the surrounding areas of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

Town Manager Bob Pudney reports that Beech Mountain’s short-term rental business has grown quickly. “Our goal is to continue building a vibrant resort destination that offers year-round activities with controlled growth in keeping with the charm and history of the town.”

“It’s exciting to see so many new people buying property here on Beech Mountain,” said Pfohl. “I hope they are able to appreciate the wonderful atmosphere and peace of life that the town offers, just as my family and I have, even as we continue to grow and plan for Beech’s future.”

Winter Fun in the High Country

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment

Karen Rieley

Published in the Winter 2021 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – pp. 31-35

Think of the High Country in the winter and, no doubt, you think of snowboarding and snow skiing. After all, the area boasts three great ski mountains along 42 miles from Beech Mountain Resort to Sugar Mountain Resort to Appalachian Ski Mountain.

But make no mistake, the High Country is no one-trick pony in the winter. There’s lots to do for all ages, whether there’s snow or not. If standing at the edge of a mountaintop with nothing between you and the bottom but two skis and a couple of poles or one lone snowboard isn’t your cup of tea (or hot cocoa), or if you’re ready for a change of pace from snow skiing/snowboarding, check out these other fun winter activities!

Visit the websites for these to check out times, days of the week, costs, age restrictions, advance reservation requirements and other specifics.

Snow Tubing & Ziplining

If snow tubing and ziplining are more your speed and comfort level, you have three great choices in the High Country. All three offer sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, plenty of lanes, snowmaking, plus moving carpet lifts to quickly transport you back to the top. Check out Beech Mountain Resort, Hawksnest in Seven Devils, and Sugar Mountain Resort, all in the northwest mountains of North Carolina.

Ice Skating

While others are skiing or snowboarding on the slopes, you and your children may enjoy ice skating. Two resorts, Beech Mountain Resort and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort, have the added advantage of ice skating located next door to restaurants, retail stores and other amenities. Appalachian Ski Mountain in Blowing Rock is the only ski area in North Carolina with a Zamboni to cut the ice floor on its skating rink.

Kids’ Camps & Lessons

Downhill skiing is a lifelong sport. While you can learn at any age, kids have the advantage of being flexible, nimble and relatively fearless. Enrolling your child in one of the region’s ski or snowboarding camps is a great way to introduce them to a positive and fun first-time experience. Plus, while they’re in camp, you’re freed up to enjoy some adults-only time! Appalachian Ski Mountain, Blowing Rock, N.C., has SKIwee and Cruiser Camp programs designed to teach beginning skiers, ages 4-10, and snowboarders, ages 7-12. Beech Mountain Resort offers several kids’ camps: Burton Learn to Ride Center for ages 6-12 to learn the basics of snowboarding; Snow Kamp for ages 3-5 to provide a positive and fun first-time experience; and Traxx ski instruction for ages 6-12. Also, Ski & Ride School offers hourly lessons for ages 4 and older and Snowflakes Childcare watches kids, ages 1-5, while adults hit the slope. Sugar Mountain Ski Resort’s Children’s Snowsports School includes Sugar Bear Ski and Polar Bear Snowboard schools to teach skiing to children, ages 5-10, and snowboarding to children, ages 7-14.

Sledding

Sledding is the easiest and most accessible winter activity for all ages. It can be done almost anywhere there is a hill and public property, an inexpensive plastic sled will do, and snow in the High Country is almost certain throughout the season!

Beech Mountain has a new sledding hill across the street from the Visitor Center and behind the Brick Oven Pizzeria. It can be accessed from Bark Park Way, the paved road that runs beside the pizzeria. Parking is either in the public gravel lot just before the restaurant off the Beech Mountain Parkway, or the new, paved pay-to-park lot on Bark Park Way. Two state-of-the-art snow guns ensure a good base and quick coverage when the weather is optimal for snowmaking. Weather permitting, the hill will be open for the winter season beginning Nov. 27. Only plastic sleds may be used, no tubes or sleds with metal runners.

Cross-Country Skiing/Snowshoeing

If you’re looking for fun, easy, and safe new ways to stay active and energized over the winter months, cross country skiing and snowshoeing offer great alternatives for active outdoor enthusiasts of every age and skill-level to get out and explore winter.  They are a fantastic way to stay active, are much faster to learn, and are also more affordable as a sport. Eight options, in particular, in the region offer a variety of options. Beech Mountain has an extensive trail system available for snowshoeing with all levels of difficulty. Experienced snowshoers might consider the Emerald Outback trails at the top of the mountain. An easier snowshoeing option is the 1/3-mile walking track surrounding the Buckeye Recreation Center. Sugar Mountain Resort offers a snowshoe guided tour that can be a casual walk or an intense workout in a wonderful winter wonderland. Boone Greenway Trail, Boone, N.C., is a nice flat trail that meanders through the woods and mountains and along creek beds.  The trail is maintained by the Town of Boone, but it is “last on the list” to be scraped for snow after all town sidewalks and roads are clear, so there is a good chance you can get in some skiing if you arrive right after a good snow!When the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed to vehicles due to ice or snow, it is open to hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Visit the National Park Service website for Blue Ridge Parkway road closures. Two good starting points are the gate on U.S. 221 near Beacon Heights to travel to the Linn Cover Viaduct and off U.S. 221, just outside Blowing Rock and south of the Cone estate on the parkway. In both cases, make sure to park without blocking the gates in case a park ranger needs to enter the area. Elk Knob State Park in Todd is the only North Carolina State Park to offer cross-country skiing. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park near Blowing Rock offers some fine cross-country skiing in an attractive and historic venue. Roan Mountain State Park in Tennessee sits at the foot of the soaring ridgetop for which it is named. Roan Mountain gets more snow than other local areas. It offers a variety of terrain — from scenic routes for novices to thrilling downhills for experts (though none of the trails are groomed). Valle Crucis Park has a nice and flat ¾-mile paved loop that is great for cross-country skiing. (The park also offers great trout fishing locations that are accessible on snowing days.)

Hiking

If there isn’t enough snow for cross country skiing or snowshoeing, a winter hike is in order! Winter hiking offers crystal clear views, less people on the trails and peace and quiet. And it’s worth braving the chill to make your way to one of the area’s waterfalls that transform into wondrous works of icy art during the winter season.

In Blowing Rock, Glen Burney Falls Trail is less than two miles long and offers several mini falls along the way that make for good photographs.

Blue Ridge Parkway has many trails to explore:

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park Trails, Milepost 294, near Blowing Rock are 25 miles of historic carriage roads that are now wide, gravel trails. Three top hiking picks are: Flat Top Road Trail, about a six-mile hike from Flat Top Manor; Bass Lake Trail, an easy eight-tenths of a mile loop that takes you around the lake that is accessed from the Bass Lake entrance on U.S. 221 just outside downtown Blowing Rock; and Rich Mountain, about a five-mile roundtrip hike from Shulls Mill Road.

Julian Price Memorial Park, Milepost 296.7, is a majestic 4,200 acres at the foot of Grandfather Mountain. The park lies directly adjacent to Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Price Lake Trail, Milepost 297, is a 2.5-mile loop trail that is mostly flat with plenty of lake vistas. Green Knob/Sims Pond Trail, inside Julian Price Memorial Park is a 2.4-mile loop trail by a pond and cascades and through a highland pasture. Boone Fork Trail, another loop trail in Julian Price Memorial Park is five miles, taking you by many small waterfalls and through rhododendron tunnels.

Tanawha Trail stretches 13.5 miles from Julian Price Memorial Park to Beacon Heights and parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. The many accesses from the parkway let hikers choose as long a section as they like. Marked with white blazes, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) runs jointly with Tanawha Trail. The MST stretches from Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockeys Ridge State Park on the North Carolina coast. Rough Ridge, Milepost 302.8, is actually a part of the larger 13.5-mile Tanawha Trail, but it is also a popular trail in its own right.

Beacon Heights Overlook Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 305.2, near Linville, N.C., is a short hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway to a stone summit with big views, especially nice for picnics.

Flat Rock Nature Trail, Milepost 308.3, is a mostly flat, ¾-mile loop nature that takes offers panoramic views from a “stone mountain” as you walk across the smooth rock summit.             Linville Falls, Milepost 316, is the most popular waterfall in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a spectacular, three-tiered waterfall plunging into Linville Gorge, the “Grand Canyon of the Southern Appalachians.” The Falls Trail distance is 1.6 miles round trip and easy. The Gorge Trail distance is 1.4 miles round trip and strenuous. The Plunge Basin Trail is a one-mile round trip and moderate.

Grandfather Mountain, the privately owned nonprofit nature park near Linville, offers access to 12 miles of premier hiking trails, some of which venture into the adjacent Grandfather Mountain State Park. The nature park offers access to 11 trails varying in difficulty from a gentle walk in the woods to a rigorous trek across rugged peaks. In-park trails include the Woods Walk, Black Rock Nature Trail and Bridge Trail. The nature park also provides access to backcountry trails in the adjacent Grandfather Mountain State Park. Along the Grandfather Trail, a very strenuous trail that runs from the mountain’s Hiker Parking Lot out 2.4 miles to Calloway Peak, hikers use in-place cables and ladders for extra steep sections and at times are traversing the ridgeline of the mountain. If guests plan on hiking the backcountry trails, they’re asked to fill out hiking permits before setting out. These permits also give the hiker contact information to utilize if needed. Profile Trail is a 3.6-mile strenuous trail inside Grandfather Mountain State Park that takes you up the side of Grandfather Mountain to Calloway Gap.

Williams Park in Sugar Mountain is a wooded 14-acre boulderfield forest with three short hiking trails that follow a cascading stream.

Beech Mountain Trails offer hikers of all ages and skill levels a number of options:

Emerald Outback Trails features more than eight miles of outstanding trails near the mountain’s summit.

Upper Pond Creek Trail is Beech Mountain’s favorite trail with an easy one-mile hike and 15 different educational stations.

Wild Iris Trail is an easy 2.5-mile woodland trail with only a moderate elevation change. A trail for all seasons, Wild Iris is perfect for hiking and biking as well as skiing and snowshoeing.

Lower Pond Creek Trail is a one-mile moderate to strenuous trail that offers some of Beech Mountain’s greatest natural beauty.

Hi-Lo Trail starts at Beech Mountain and offers you three choices of trails – the Tasters Loop, Lakeside Loop and Mountain to Mountain Loop.

Elk Knob Summit Trail in Todd, in one of North Carolina’s newest state parks, is 1.9 miles to one of the highest peaks of the Appalachians.

Otter Falls Trail in Seven Devils is a short 6/10th mile trail to a 25-foot waterfall.

Crab Orchard Falls Trail in Valle Crucis is a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike that takes you to the beautiful Crab Orchard Falls waterfall. Access to the trail is behind the Valle Crucis Conference Center.

Elk River Falls Trail in Elk Park is a short half-mile hike that leads you to a 50-foot waterfall cascading over a cliff.

Waterfalls Park in Newland is a small roadside park on NC Highway 194 across from Ingle’s grocery store with a 50-foot multi-tier waterfall for easy enjoyment for all, including picnic tables and a short trail.

Big & Little Lost Cove Cliff Trails near Newland are two sections of Lost Cove Cliffs in Pisgah National Forest and in the Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River Area. You can hike to both Big Lost Cove Cliffs and Little Lost Cove Cliffs with this 5.5-mile trail combo.

Hawksbill Mountain Trail in Burke County is a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain offering panoramic views of the canyon of Linville Gorge Wilderness Area with the valley floor and Linville River 2,000 ft. below you.

Indoor Climbing

When being outside is less than appealing, indoor climbing offers a great alternative. With indoor climbing you will get both aerobic and anaerobic exercise engaging and working all muscle groups simultaneously, while using and improving balance and coordination. You will burn 500 to 700 calories per hour and work both strength and endurance simultaneously. To facilities in Boone offer great options. Center 45 Climbing & Fitness has 2,000 square feet of indoor climbing (bouldering) terrain. The walls are all 14 feet at the apex with varied terrain. Every week talented and creative route setters craft new and exciting climbs. The facility also offers additional weightlifting and general fitness opportunities, along with a climbing-specific training area. Rock Dimensions Tower stands about 40 feet tall and has more than 4000 square feet of varying climbing terrain to accommodate both beginners and seasoned veterans. The “Tower to Rock” program combines a tower experience with climbing out on real rock all in a day! Staff belays as well as belay classes and certification opportunities for belaying at the tower are also offered.

Attractions

Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster, Banner Elk, N.C., is the first alpine coaster in the North Carolina Mountains. Each cart accommodates one or two people. Once the cart is pulled by a cable to the top, the remainder of the ride is downhill — fed by gravity — on multiple 360-degree loops with riders using hand brakes to control the speeds, which reach up to 27 miles per hour.

Mountain Warriors UTV, Elk Park, N.C. is a recreational UTV touring business that offers scenery, fun and adventure started by mother and son Regina and Carson Gordon. It has more than 80 acres of land and trails, with top-of-the-line Polaris Rzr 1000 XP 4-seater vehicles. This is a guided UTV tour that offers views of the Appalachian Mountains, beautiful trail riding and intense hill climbing.

Sugar Creek Mining Company, Banner Elk, N.C., lets you experience the thrill of prospecting for your very own North Carolina authentic gemstones. You’re guaranteed to find precious and semi-precious gemstones in every bucket. The expert staff will set you up on the heated flume line and then help you pan for gems and identify them. If desired, expert gem cutters can cut your rough gemstones and set it into a piece of jewelry.

Apple Hill Farm, Banner Elk, NC, features llamas, alpaca, donkey, goats, horses, pigs and dogs. Take the 60-minute tour and get back to nature! Public tours are Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during the winter months, with private tours offered seven days a week. Tours by advanced reservation only. 

Tweetsie Christmas, Blowing Rock, N.C., celebrates the holiday season, Nov. 19 – Dec. 30, 5 p.m., with a winter wonderland and a nighttime train ride among thousands of dazzling lights! Enjoy the rides, shops, Santa, and much more.

The Blowing Rock, Blowing Rock, N.C., is North Carolina’s oldest tourist attraction.  Enjoy the endless winter views and read the legend. Call ahead for hours, especially during inclement weather.

Mystery Hill, Blowing Rock, N.C., is a unique blend of indoor and outdoor adventure. Explore the mysterious Natural Gravitational Anomaly, watch a ball roll upwards and water flow uphill! Have fun with weird science in the hands-on science attraction, the Hall of Mystery, or encase your friends in a giant bubble at Bubblerama. Try your hand at axe or knife throwing and brave the Bull Riding Challenge at Tomahawk Hill. This winter experience Crazy Christmas at Mystery Hill with daily elf hunts, Christmas Crafts, Christmas-themed photos, gem mining for Christmas jewels and snowball fights and weekend activities, including a YETI encounter, roaming carolers, Christmas light walk, Santa’s landing and more!

The Children’s Playhouse, Boone, N.C., provides children from birth to age eight with an enriching, educational play environment while at the same time offering their parents and caregivers friendly support in the important job of raising children.

Ellwood’s Hatchet House, Boone, N.C., is the town’s Boone’s first & only indoor axe throwing tavern. Enjoy eight axe throwing targets, two corn hole lanes, a giant connect four, pool table, air hockey, pinball, cold craft and domestic beer and great food.

Let’s Be Artsy!, Boone, N.C., unleashes your creative side. The talented team of instructors guides you step by step through the session’s featured painting. All painting supplies and artist instructions are provided. No art experience is needed. You can even take a fun, introductory belly dancing class, too!

Grandfather Mountain, Linville NC, features the Mile-High Swinging Bridge. Weather permitting, the swinging bridge is the perfect spot to take in the endless winter vistas and capture the snowcapped mountains. Afterwards, head down to the animal habitats and see how otter, bear and eagles stay busy during the winter months!

Linville Caverns, Marion, NC, are the only show caverns in North Carolina and have a constant year-round temperature of 52 degrees. This is a perfect place to visit on a cold and windy winter day! See the winter hibernation of granddaddy long-legs and unique limestone formations. The caverns are only open on weekends in winter. Bring a raincoat or a coat with a hood. The cave tends to drip!

YMCA of Avery County has something for everyone! Visitors can get a day pass and access everything the YMCA has to offer including access to the indoor swimming pool with water slides and aerobics classes, a wide variety of group exercise classes, the Wellness Center with cardio and strength machines, basketball courts, indoor batting cages, golf simulators, drop-in childcare and more! If you’re staying longer, ask about YMCA membership opportunities. You can also see upcoming holiday programs and events on the YMCA website and social media accounts. 

The Fred and Margie Pfohl Buckeye Recreation Center, Beech Mountain, N.C., offers nonmembers day passes for full access to the facility, including a weight room, regulation-sized gym, indoor tennis courts and a soft playroom for kids, eight and under. The lobby provides wi-fi, cozy seating and an extensive lending library, when a quiet day indoors is preferred. Fitness classes are offered as well. The recreation center also manages the free canoe and kayak rentals on Buckeye Lake.

NC High Country Fresco Trail throughout the High Country includes more than a dozen frescoes painted in small mountain churches in the 1970s by artist Ben Long, a native of North Carolina. Follow the trail to see the following: 1849 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Fresco, downtown Wilkesboro; Holy Trinity Church Fresco, Glendale Springs; St Mary’s Church Fresco, West Jefferson; and Sloop Chapel, Crossnore.

Museums

BRAHM (Blowing Rock Art and History Museum), Blowing Rock, N.C., promotes the arts and Southern Appalachian heritage and history, through educational programs, exhibitions, activities and permanent collections. Current exhibitions include “Wildflowers: Glass Sculptures” by Ronnie Hughes, Sept. 14, 2021 – May 3, 2022; “Emergent Landscapes: Mountains, Music, & Improvisation in the Paintings of Abie Harris,” Aug. 24, 2021 – Jan. 15, 2022; “Potters & Patrons: The Gorelick Collection at BRAHM,” Sept. 7, 2021 – April 16, 2022; “Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites,” Oct. 1, 2021 – Jan. 22, 2022; The Janet H. Wilson Collection, ongoing; Philip Moose, permanent collection; and “The Village of Blowing Rock: Exploring Our History,” permanent exhibit.

Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, Boone, N.C., offers free admission to the following permanent collections and rotating exhibitions: “Matters of the Heart (and Other Abnormalities)” by Shawn Morin, Sept. 3, 2021 – Feb. 5, 2022; “98.6 – A Creative Commonality,” July 2, 2021 – Feb. 5, 2022; “35th Rosen Sculpture Competition and Exhibition,” May 15, 2021 – April 16, 2022; “In the Garden of Healing” by Dara Mark, Dec 3, 2021 – May 7, 2022; “To Remain Connected,” Dec. 3, 2021 – May 7, 2022; and “19th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition” March 4, 2022 – June 5, 2022.

Mystery Hill Museums include the 1903 Dougherty House: Appalachian Heritage Museum and Appalachian Fossil Museum, Blowing Rock, N.C. The Dougherty House was the first home in the area to have electricity and running water. The home is being restored to its original 1903 condition. Guests can tour the home, which is filled with turn-of-the-century furniture, antiques and memorabilia. Appalachian Fossil Museum displays North Carolina’s largest private collection of fossils.

Festivals

24th Blowing Rock Winterfest, Blowing Rock, N.C., returns Jan. 27 – 30, 2022. Jump into winter with the Polar Bear Plunge and Beer Garden. Keep warm with restaurant specials, Chili Challenge and family activities at area attractions. Shop till you drop on Main Street while enjoying the Ice Sculptures outside various retailers. Whether you’re looking for a couple getaway or family friendly weekend, WinterFest has something for everyone!

Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock’s Festival of Lights, Blowing Rock, N.C., becomes a Winter Wonderland, Nov. 26, 2021 – January 2022, with over 50,000 dazzling lights around Chetola Lake. Make the drive around the resort and Chetola Lake for a stunning winter lights experience – the warm colors against a cool mountain background makes for a view like no other and highlights the natural beauty of the High Country. The displays illuminate at dusk each evening. The festival is a High Country tradition that culminates in Blowing Rock’s Winterfest, a four-day festival at the end of January packed with family friendly events such as a polar plunge, ice carvings, dog shows and auctions.

Sugarfest 2021, Sugar Mountain, N.C., is a weekend of winter fun, December 10-12, 2021, at Sugar Mountain Ski Resort. Participate in a preseason ski clinic and then try out the latest ski and snowboard equipment; celebrate the ceremonial opening of Sugar’s new Big Birch quad chairlift; kick off the winter right with the first Girls Go Shred Ride Day of the season; and enjoy food, drinks and dancing to live music by Glen Harlow & North Fork band, followed by fireworks.

Horseback Riding

Riding a horse or taking a carriage ride through snow-covered woods can be a one-of-a-kind experience. Two services offer 2.5-hour guided tours with trustworthy horses on easy carriage trails throughout Moses H. Cone Memorial Park, Milepost 294 on Blue Ridge Parkway.  VX3 Trail Rides offers custom rides for individual riders with experienced trail guide Tim Vines. Rides are limited to a maximum of five to give you the best experience possible. If you are a party of only two people and don’t see any availability for when you want to ride, contact Brad. Carriage Run Carriage Service offers carriage rides on the 32 miles of carriage trails in the Cone Estate.

Fishing

If your passion is fishing, winter is an ideal season to stalk wily mountain trout. The crowds are gone, leaving you with solitude, spectacular scenery, and brook, brown and rainbow trout. There are guide services around the High Country offering outings.

Holiday Festivities

Holiday decorations and twinkling lights are especially magical against a background of snow in the High Country. Check out the parades and Christmas tree and art exhibits offered in each town.

Live Theatre

When the weather turns blustery and cold, a matinee or night at the theater may be in order. Check out the offerings around the region, such as the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, several groups at Appalachian State University (Department of Department and Dance, Hayes School of Music, and the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts), BeanStalk Community Theatre and Blue Ridge Community Theatre in Boone; Ensemble Stage and Lees-McRae College performances in Banner Elk; and Ashe County Little Theatre in West Jefferson, among many others. See the CML Cultural Calendar for a complete listing of upcoming productions and contact information for each theatre.

Breweries & Wineries

The High Country is home to several great breweries, including Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Beech Mountain Brewing Company, Blowing Rock Brewery, Boondocks Brewing Tap Room & Restaurant, Booneshine Brewers, KETTELL BEERWORKS and Lost Province Brewing Company.

If wine is your preference, check out the wineries on the High Country Wine Trail including Banner Elk Winery & Villa, Eagles Nest Winery, Grandfather Vineyard & Winery, Linville Falls Winery, Thistle Meadow Winery, and Watauga Lake Winery.

Live Indoor Music

Check out the restaurants, breweries and wineries throughout this issue to find live music from jazz to traditional mountain jams all season long.

Former App State Chancellor John Thomas: In the Right Place at the Right Time

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment

KAREN RIELEY

Published in the Autumn 2020 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – pp. 78-79

John Edwin Thomas, Ph.D.

UPDATE: John Edwin Thomas passed away on Sept. 2, 2021 – https://www.wataugademocrat.com/news/asu_news/former-app-state-chancellor-john-e-thomas-dies/article_8df7bd58-6a72-52a7-888e-1fd1e9dce804.html

John Edwin Thomas, Ph.D., the fourth of eight chancellors for Appalachian State University (1979 – 1993), epitomizes the famous quote: “The two most important requirements for major success are: first, being in the right place at the right time, and second, doing something about it.” Now retired and living in Valle Crucis with his wife, Janice, John, 88, reflects on passions pursued, risks taken and legacies achieved.

“It’s been a damn good ride,” he said.

John and Janice have lived in the High Country since 1974, when he was asked to join the administration of Appalachian State University as vice chancellor for academic affairs. The move to academia was a major shift in John’s career focus. John’s varied career path actually made him uniquely qualified to lead APP STATE at a pivotal time in its history. The university recognizes John as a leader in technology and international education by contributing innovative ways for the university to achieve the expansions it sought.

John’s life story begins in Ft. Worth, Texas. He was born in 1933 into a middle-class family, two years after the Stock Crash of 1929. His father, mother, sister and he moved from Texas to Kansas City, Mo., where he attended grade school and high school. He attended Central Missouri State College for a year, taking pre-engineering courses.

“I chose engineering because I like math, so I thought I’d be good at it,” John said.

As soon as he turned 18, he enlisted in the Navy at the urging of his best buddy, who convinced him that life in San Diego, where he was based, was a lot more fun than in Missouri. After boot camp, the Navy sent him to electronics school for a year as a Seaman First Class. Then his reserve service was transferred to the Naval ROTC at the University of Kansas. He graduated in 1953 at 22 years old with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. After graduation, because he was a member of the ROTC, he was called up as a Second Lieutenant reserve officer and went to boot camp again in the Marine Corps, this time in Washington, D.C.

In 1953 John was hired as an electrical engineer for Wagner Electric Corporation in St. Louis, Mo. “I wanted to be a design engineer of power transformers and work at the blackboard doing the mathematics for that,” John said. Instead, Wagner made him start out in the factory where he could see the products being made and talk with the workers.

Wagner gave John his first life lesson: Hands-on experience helped him more effectively lead others.

In 1955, John was called to active duty and sent to Camp LeJuene in Jacksonville, N.C. He was put in command of a radio relay platoon teaching electronics and supervising troops in stripping down equipment.

At one of these dances held at the camp, John met a very attractive young woman, Ellen, who had a six-year-old daughter named Laura. Ellen and John married, and in 1956 the couple decided that John should return to Wagner Electric where he could make $400 instead $250 per month as a design engineer. In a true case of being in the right place at the right time, John attended a company picnic where he met Wagner’s sales manager who offered him a job in sales.

“I decided on the spot to make a career change from design engineer to selling things.” He was moved to Kansas City.

When John decided he needed to polish up his lack of liberal arts, he enrolled in law school at the University of Missouri at Kansas City in 1957. While working in sales full-time, he took classes at night, graduated in 1961 and passed the bar exam.

Law school was the beginning of John’s second life lesson: A well-rounded education and commitment to lifelong learning helped John stay current and presented him with new career opportunities.

By then, Ellen and John had two children together, Johnny and Christa, along with Ellen’s daughter. John was promoted to district manager, and the family moved to Atlanta where he managed a sales force and worked with large customers such as Georgia Power Company.

“I was really happy. We had built a nice home near Atlanta,” John said.

Once again fate stepped in and took John’s life in a new direction, when John watched on television as Alan Shepard became the first American in space.

That was a sign for John. He decided to go into the aerospace industry. He moved his family to Cape Canaveral, where he wanted to work in the launch area.

“They said they were interested in hiring me because I had both an engineering and law degree,” John said. He joined an impressive team of experts whose one goal was to get a man on the moon and back to Earth safely by the end of the decade.

Dr. Kurt H. Debus, the first director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center, wanted to start a a master’s degree program for NASA employees in research and development management. John was asked to negotiate a contract with the State of Florida. Florida State University was very interested.

“They not only said yes, but also sent their top two professors to Cape Canaveral to work out the curriculum for a master’s degree,” John said. He was asked to be a guinea pig and enroll in the class. Of the 26 students who started in the program’s first year, John was one of about 22 who finished.

John began teaching R&D management to undergraduates at a new satellite campus for Rollins College at the Kennedy Space Center. Then, he created a satellite campus for Florida Institute of Technology at Melbourne.

In 1965, John found himself single again, this time with two children, ages 6 and 10, and one 16-year-old. Laura, who graduated from high school that year, went to live with her biological father. In 1967, he talked his “present and final wife,” Janice, into marrying him.

They eventually had two children of their own. Scott has an engineering degree from UNC at Charlotte, a master’s degree from App State and a doctorate from UNC at Charlotte. He lectures at App State in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and lives in Boone. Younger brother Brandon, a 1992 App State grad, lives in Hillsborough, N.C., where is a marketing writer with PRA Health Sciences.

“Janice and I have been married for 52 years and have had a marvelous life,” said John. “She has been a lifesaver. She took on a man who is seven years older than she is and two young children.”

In 1969, NASA gave him unpaid leave to go to Tallahassee to get a master’s degree at FSU. He graduated in 1970 with a doctorate in business administration. He knew that NASA’s Apollo program was winding down to be followed by the shuttle program. Because his real passion had been the moon landing, the challenge of working for NASA was gone for him. He decided to pursue academia.

East Texas State University needed a chairman of the General Business Department and offered the position to John. In the two years he spent there, he was promoted to dean of the College of Sciences & Technology.

Moving to academia was John’s third life lesson: To find success and fulfillment in his career, John was willing to be open to change and take risks.

When Dr. Herbert W. Wey, App State’s third chancellor approached John about becoming his vice chancellor, John responded enthusiastically.

“We just jived. He got me a lot of elbow room. When you had an idea, Herb encouraged you to take the risk.”

John remembers five projects, in particular. As vice chancellor, he created The Loft program which allowed student artists to live in a New York City loft rented by the university for at least a week. They met face-to-face with a range of practicing artists. The program is now called The Appalachian Loft.

He also helped William C. Hubbard develop a faculty development program now called the Hubbard Center for Faculty Development. The center provides funding to faculty members who have creative ideas for improving instruction.

John also spearheaded two projects focused on interconnectivity. He integrated computers throughout the university with wideband distribution. And, it was his idea to create a transportation system to help students move around the campus and community easier, especially during Boone’s inclement winters, now called AppalCART.

John is quick to broaden the conversation about his accomplishments to include those with whom he has worked. ““Good ideas come from the bowels of the ship,” he said.

“I just love App State and the High Country. I spent the better part of my career at the university.”

After John took the App State position, Janice went back to school and became a nurse. “She had a very successful career as a senior operating room nurse at Watauga Medical Center,” John said. “Our social life expanded because of all the people she came to know, and I became known as Jan’s husband. I loved it.”

John has continued to take on projects after retiring from App State. Jim Hunt, North Carolina’s governor when John retired, asked him to serve as chairman of the North Carolina Utilities Commission. He also continues to be actively involved in North Carolina’s Military Officers Association.

“Janice and I sit down on the deck of our house now and thank God for the blessings we’ve had. Even the tough years we would never change.”

Big Heart, New Hope

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment
KAREN RIELEY
Published in the Summer 2019 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – p. 107

When twin brothers Mark and Will Adkins, 51, first saw High Valley, 160 acres in the mountains of North Carolina on the New River in 2006, they thought it would be a perfect place to build, develop or sell. After all, as owners of Waterfront Group, which they established in 1994 and which has become one of the Southeast’s most successful land development and second-home marketing companies, they know a good business deal when they see one, such as their purchase of The Lodges at Eagles Nest and development of its second phase.

But the Adkinses also believe that land is more than just real estate. “It’s where you lay down roots and build your dreams,” Mark Adkins said. “Our mission is to turn your dreams into realities.”

That mission and the brothers’ strong commitment to helping others led them to put High Valley to special use as a place for families with children who have life-threatening diseases, rather than develop or sell it. They renovated the hunting lodge built in the early 1950s on the property into a place where these special families could come for a week of much-needed relaxation. The Adkinses committed to provide the lodge and food for the week at no cost to the families, so that more could participate.

They began work immediately, with the help of many volunteers, funding the costs themselves. Camp New Hope opened to its first family in just 14 weeks. During the short season of the first year, the lodge provided nine families with a week’s vacation.

Renovations continued in 2007 including glassing in the 30-foot long front porch, adding a 20’x50’ stone patio and grill, picnic areas and a waterwheel with a swing. Camp New Hope is now hosting an average of 42 families each year. Families are able to enjoy canoes, kayaks, tubes, volleyball, baseball, soccer, fishing and a “swimming hole.” A play set caters to the smaller children.

The Adkins brothers want to meet the growing need for no-charge facilities like Camp New Hope. They are actively searching to find another special piece of property that can one day become the second Camp New Hope.

Their mission is to provide campers with a life-changing moment and renewed hope for the future, knowing miracles happen every day. The children who come to the camp have a range of diseases, such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Trisomy 18, mitochondrial disorders and Batten disease which is always fatal. Randy Brown, camp director, remembers one child in particular, Gabriel, who had liver cancer.

“When he arrived at camp, he looked very sick, didn’t smile and was withdrawn for the first couple days,” Brown said. “We tried to interact with him, but weren’t successful until we told him he was going to be visited by Santa Claus.”

Sam “Santa” Simmons, a retired dentist from Sparta, N.C., comes to the camp every week. After he retired, Simmons decided to go to school to become a professional Santa. He loves to tell the campers the story about the best gift of all given at Christmas, Jesus Christ. And the children love him.

“When I told Gabriel that Santa was coming, his face lit up,” Brown said. “He said, ‘Here, he’s coming here?’ I told him, ‘Yes, just to see you.’”

The next day, when Santa arrived, Gabriel went running out to him as fast as he could given he used a crutch. “Santa asked Gabriel what his biggest wish would be if Santa could grant it,” Brown said. “Gabriel told him that it would be a hug from Santa.”

Gabriel ended up having such a great experience that he made “Miss Randy” promise him that he could come back next year. But in December Gabriel’s father emailed the camp to let them know that Gabriel had died.

“Gabriel’s parents said that all he ever talked about was coming back to camp and seeing Santa,” Brown said. “I still cry when I think that I wasn’t able to fulfill my promise to him.”

Brown admits the work is hard, but she finds it very rewarding. “We are so heartened when we see campers enjoying themselves, like turning a caterpillar into a butterfly,” she said. “It keeps your life in perspective. Your back and legs may hurt and you may be tired, but then you remind yourself that’s not that big a deal compared to what the kids put up with every day.”

Mary Sue Street, broker-in-charge for Eagles Nest Real Estate Office, is mother to the Adkins brothers. She shared a special story about a time when Will took one little girl staying at the camp up in his helicopter. “After the ride, her parents told Will that it was the first time she had smiled or laughed in years,” Street said.

“Just look at the smiles on the children’s faces and you will know why this camp is so important to my brother and me,” Will Adkins said.

“Camp New Hope has become an important part of the West Jefferson community, which is next door to the camp,” Street said. “Many of its citizens volunteer regularly to help the campers and their families.

“Eagles Nest occasionally does fundraisers to benefit Camp New Hope as well,” Street said. Proceeds from this year’s Open House & Builder Showcase, May 4-5, which Eagles Nest hosted were donated to Camp New Hope, Spirit Ride, Feeding Avery Families Inc. and Hospitality House.

The lodge was renovated last year to sleep up to 18 people for big family vacations. “Right now, we’re tweaking what we have, buying some new equipment and improving the roads,” Brown said.

Camp New Hope depends on donations and volunteers. Visit http://campnewhopenc.com/ to learn more.

The Story of Crossnore

~ Karen J Rieley, M.A. ~ Leave a comment

Karen Rieley

Published in the Autumn 2019 issue of Carolina Mountain Life – pp. 98-99

Eat, shop, explore—opportunities to indulge abound here for residents and tourists in the High Country. While touring around, be sure to stop in the town of Crossnore to experience a special coffee shop and café, second-hand store, weaving room, fine arts gallery and fresco by a world-famous artist. Crossnore is in Avery County, about halfway between Linville Falls and the town of Linville on US-221.

The town developed around a boarding school established by Dr. Mary Martin Sloop, who, with her husband, Dr. Eustace Sloop, came to Crossnore in 1911 and began providing healthcare. In 1923, she set up two looms to teach native mountain weaving to women and girls living in the area to support themselves. The Weaving Room at Crossnore School & Children’s Home now employs women and students working on 30 looms and in a finishing room.

Crossnore School & Children’s Home is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization providing residential foster care for children in crisis from North Carolina. With 90 children living on the 86-acre Avery Campus in Crossnore, 40 living on the 212-acre Winston-Salem Campus at the edge of downtown Winston-Salem, and a satellite office in the historic district of downtown Hendersonville, Crossnore is a sanctuary of hope and healing for children.

Since its opening, Crossnore School & Children’s Home has operated a second-hand store and fine arts gallery, in addition to the Weaving Room. In 2006, Crossnore School & Children’s Home acquired Miracle Grounds Coffee Shop and Café. The businesses are all located in Crossnore and are self-supporting with net revenue going to help fund the nonprofit’s mission.

Shop from an array of treasures in the Blair Fraley Sales Store, select from beautiful hand-woven goods made on looms by Crossnore weavers and purchase works of art by regional painters, sculptors and fine craft persons in the Crossnore Fine Arts Gallery. A beautiful fresco awaits your viewing in the E.H. Sloop Chapel. When you need a respite from all that shopping and cultural enrichment, stop in the Miracle Grounds Coffee Shop & Café to enjoy specially selected coffees from all over the world, specialty drinks, teas and breakfast and lunch specials.

The Weaving Room is a working museum for Appalachian history. The weavers are always willing to explain their craft and answer questions. Whenever you decide to visit, you are likely to find Ellie Hjemmet and Shirley Gragg at their looms. The women of the Weaving Room are paid by the completed piece and by the hour for some other tasks.

Hjemmet was the manager of the Weaving Room for 12 years, 1986-1998. Now she works part-time four hours a day weaving.

“Weaving not only helps me make some money, but it also eases my mind and makes me feel good,” Hjemmet said. She also teaches in the week-long classes that are offered to the community and plays music at Crossnore events.

Gragg, who has been weaving for 42 years, said, “It’s a lot of fun. You can sit here and meditate. I come here about four days a week for seven to seven and a half hours a day. I’ve made hundreds of pieces over the years and thousands of passes through the loom a day.”

In the Weaving Room store, you can shop for woven goods including wearables, tartans, kitchen and table linens, home décor, baby apparel and more. For those who find the actual act of weaving intriguing, classes are offered to the public three times per year on the Avery Campus. At the end of the session you will have completed handwoven placemats and a table runner. You can come back later to volunteer as a weaver and donate the goods you make.

Crossnore Fine Arts Gallery, open year-round, specifically supports the school’s Stepping Stones program that transitions students from foster care to successful independent living. Gallery shows are held throughout the summer. Local and regional professional artists donate a portion or all of the sales price for Stepping Stones.

The Blair Fraley Sales Store is the largest resale shop in the High Country and offers treasures to locals and visitors alike. Generous friends donate quality new and used goods. The store is immaculate and well-organized with products that are displayed well.

What began as a weekly sale to provide clothing for the children at Dr. Mary Martin Sloop’s school is now an ongoing second-hand store that is a busy emporium and important source of income for the nonprofit. The store is named after Blair Fraley, the young daughter of John Fraley, a former trustee for the nonprofit, and wife Guyann; Blair died in a bicycle accident.

Miracle Grounds is the nonprofit’s newest business. It is open Monday through Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. The coffees are selected from all over the world and roasted in nearby Boone, N.C. Many varieties grow on organic farms and are purchased in fair-trade business agreements.

Children ages 14 and up who are part of Crossnore School & Children’s Home may work in the nonprofit’s businesses. During the school day their work is part of a class. They are paid for work done outside of class and in the summer. They go through an application process and interview before being hired.

“We try to teach them all the skills they will need when they go into the real world,” said Sherry Nixon, who is the Blair Fraley Sales Store manager. “We can help the students overcome behaviors that might keep them from being successful. That’s part of loving them, just like we do with our own children.”

The children receive more than job training from the experience. Working with staff gives them the opportunity to interact with someone other than their cottage parents, case manager and teachers and helps them build positive relationships with adults.

The E.H. Sloop Chapel, open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at no charge, houses world-famous fresco artist Benjamin F. Long IV’s powerful rendering of Mark 10:14, “Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not; for such is the kingdom of God.” The art fills the back wall of the sanctuary and is part of the Benjamin F. Long IV Fresco Trail that includes nine frescoes at six locations in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/destinations/blue-ridge-frescoes/).

Crossnore School & Children’s Home provides love and assistance 24 hours a day on its Avery and Winston-Salem campuses to children in foster care. The children live under the close supervision of two cottage parents, who model a healthy, family relationship in a homelike setting. It is licensed to serve children from the ages of one to 21. The nonprofit also provides clinical services to children and families at all three of its locations. Its community-based services include single-family foster care and therapeutic foster care across western North Carolina.

The Youth in Transition program is designed to support youth who have experienced foster care during their critical transition into young adulthood. It offers financial literacy and peer counseling services, as well as education, housing, transportation, and career support for young adults up to the age of 26.

Visit www.crossnore.org to learn more about the nonprofit’s mission, the businesses that support its work and ways you can be a part.