Blue Ridge Outdoors November-December 2019

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

FREE!

BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

TopAdventure Towns

READERS PICK THE REGION’S BEST OUTDOOR HUBS

WINTER GEAR OF THE YEAR

SOUTHERN SNOW GUIDE RESORT RUNS AND BACKCOUNTRY FAVORITES

A R T M E E T S N AT U R E O N C O LO R F U L T R A I L S U LT R A PA D D L I N G IN ALABAMA

SweetWater Brewing Company • Atlanta, Georgia • SweetWaterBrew.com • Please enjoy responsibly.

WHO SAYS THE BEACH IS JUST FOR SUMMER? LOVE VIRGINIA BEACH. ALL YEAR.

Plan your next adventure at VISITVIRGINIABEACH.COM

CHECK CHE CH ECK OFF Y YOUR OUR

ADVENTURE AD DVENT D VENTUR RE BUCKET LIST T THIS HOLIDAY!

No matter your destination, Great Outdoor Provision Co.’s expert staff guarantees you the best-in-class gear and unforgettable memories for that experience of a lifetime!

greatoutdoorprovision.com Virginia Beach | Hilltop East Shopping Center | 757-962-6618

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

PRESIDENT BLAKE DEMASO b l a ke @ b l u e r i d g e o u t d o o r s . c o m E D I TO R I N C H I E F J E D D F E R R I S jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com P U B L I S H E R L E A H WO O DY leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com C R E AT I V E D I R E C TO R L AU R E N WO R T H lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com A S S O C I AT E P U B L I S H E R K AT I E H A R T W E L L katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com E D I TO R I A L & P R O D U C T I O N S E N I O R E D I TO R W I L L H A R L A N will@blueridgeoutdoors.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER AMELIA MCCONNELL amelia@blueridgeoutdoors.com T R AV E L E D I TO R E L L E N K A N Z I N G E R ellen@blueridgeoutdoors.com O U T D O O R N E W S E D I TO R

KIM DINAN

C O N T R I B U TO R S M A S O N A DA M S A.K. CLEMMONS DA N I E L D E W I T T WA L LY S M I T H

HIT THE SLOPES THIS WINTER WITH OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST RESORT RUNS IN THE R E G I O N ( PA G E 35). PHOTO COURTESY OF MASSANUTTEN R E S O R T.

D O U G S C H N I T Z S PA H N DAV E S TA L L A R D G E R R Y S E AVO JA M E S N OA H P O U LO S

C O P Y E D I TO R S JULIA GREEN, ROBERT MCGEE ADVERTISING & BUSINESS S E N I O R AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E

M A R T H A E VA N S

martha@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E H A N N A H C O O P E R hcooper@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E K A R L K N I G H T karl@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E TAY LO R L E A L taylor@blueridgeoutdoors.com B U S I N E S S M A N AG E R M E L I S S A G E S S L E R melissa@blueridgeoutdoors.com

F E AT U R E S

D I G I TA L M E D I A O N L I N E D I R E C TO R C R A I G S N O D G R A S S webdir@blueridgeoutdoors.com D I G I TA L C O N T E N T S P E C I A L I S T

S H A N N O N M C G OWA N

shannon@blueridgeoutdoors.com C I R C U L AT I O N I N Q U I R I E S circulation@blueridgeoutdoors.com

SUMMIT

PUBLISHING

116 WEST JEFFERSON STREET C H A R LOT T E S V I L L E , V I R G I N I A 2 2 9 0 2 5 6 C O L L E G E S T R E E T, S U I T E 3 0 3 ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28801

B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

©2019 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

27 TOP ADVENTURE TOWNS For the ninth straight year, Blue Ridge Outdoors’ readers selected the best adventure hubs in the region.

35 THE RUNDOWN: BEST SOUTHERN SLOPES From gentle greens to thrilling black diamonds, check out our guide to the top resort runs in the Blue Ridge. Plus, a look at the South’s favorite cross-country skiing destinations.

42 COLORFUL TRAILS Take a tour of three spots where art and nature are being brought together.

52 DON’T DRAIN THE SWAMP Mining now threatens Georgia’s beloved scenic gem, the Okefenokee swamp.

58 MARATHON A successful writer details his lifechanging shift to becoming a runner.

GOT A STORY IDEA OR COMMENT? submit@blueridgeoutdoors.com B LU E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

ON THE COVER

Illustration by Matt Carlson PlaidMtn.com

D E PA R T M E N T S 7 QUICK HITS Protection for the A.T. – Reel Rock Film Tour Returns to the South – E-Bikes in National Parks – New Ski Minor at North Carolina College – Dispatch from the Great Alabama 650 – Organic Climbing Makes Gear in Pennsylvania – Gift Ideas for Gearheads.

62 THE GOODS Our top picks for the Best Winter Gear of the Year.

66 TRAIL MIX Our favorite spins: Best albums of 2019.

Get ‘em what they really want A vacation and a new skill!

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OUTDOOR NEWS

B Y S H A N N O N M C G O WA N + J E D D F E R R I S

PROTECTION FOR THE A.T.

In Plainfield Township, Pa., officials approved zoning to protect their 1.5-mile section of the Appalachian Trail. The new measure will prevent projects like natural gas pipelines, wind turbines, solar panels, and cellphone towers from being located near the scenic footpath.

According to a story in the Morning Call, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy provided a $16,900 grant covering the cost of a consultant from the Bethlehem-based Urban Research and Development Corp. to draft an ordinance with the township. The ordinance includes guidelines for controlling light pollution, the withdrawal of groundwater, digital signs, noise, commercial outdoor recreation, residential developments, solar panels, natural gas pipelines, and wind turbines.

"

IN QUOTES—“We need our leaders to act on the science and follow the market forces— do their jobs and create policies that protect our planet and our communities. Our customers are demanding we act—this generation of youth is not backing down and neither should we.” —Rose Marcario, President and CEO of Patagonia, in a statement released in solidarity with the Global Climate Strikes that took place around the world in September.

DRINK THIS

Deschutes Brewery’s new HandUp IPA is a cyclocrossinspired new beer, made to honor the venerable craft brewery’s late co-owner Colby Nightingale, who lost a battle with pancreatic cancer last year. The refreshing, citrus-forward IPA, which comes in at a drinkable 6.5% ABV for post-pedaling adventures, will be available year-round starting this fall. Proceeds from sales of the brew—named after the light-hearted heckling practice of spectators giving cross racers beer or donuts—will be donated to support pancreatic cancer research.

FREE PARKS PASS FOR KIDS

From now until August 31, 2020, fourth graders across the United States can get a free pass to any national park in the country as part of Every Kid Outdoors—a government initiative led by an agency partnership that includes the National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service. The offer gives kids access to all federal lands and waters for a full year. Fourth graders are the targeted recipients because research has shown that kids become receptive to developing a broader connection with nature and history between the ages of 9 and 11. For more details and to claim a pass, parents of fourth-grade students, homeschooled kids included, should visit EVERYKIDOUTDOORS.GOV. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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OUTDOOR NEWS PHOTO COURTESY CRAIG S E AV E R

A LIFE IN PARKS

Virginia State Parks director Craig Seaver retired last month after 34 years in the Commonwealth’s park system.

Seaver started as a park ranger at Smith Mountain Lake State Park and through his threeplus decades of service held various positions at Douthat, Caledon, Staunton River, and Natural Tunnel State Parks. He took his final position, which has been held by only seven people in the state park system’s 83 years in existence, in 2014. In a statement announcing his retirement, Seaver remembered fatefully camping on the eve of getting his first park job: “Finances were tight; we’d been married only a month, so my wife Karen and I camped out the night before the interview at Fairy Stone [State Park].”

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REEL ROCK RETURNS

The Reel Rock Film Tour returns to the Blue Ridge this month to bring a slate of compelling indie climbing flicks to theaters around the South. This year the tour’s 14th running will feature three films: "The High Road," a look at the feats of elite boulderer Nina Williams; "United States of Joe’s," a look at a culture clash between climbers and Mormons in rural Utah; and "The Nose Speed Record," which follows the pursuit of a speed record on the 3,000-foot Nose of El Capitan by rock legends Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell. The tour visits Plaza Theatre in Atlanta, Ga., on November 6, Bedrock RRG in Rogers, Ky., on November 8, Rock Creek Paddlesports & Outlet in Chattanooga, Tenn., on November 12, AFI Silver in Silver Spring, Md., on November 12-14, and Onsight Rock Gym in Knoxville, Tenn., on November 15.

PHOTO BY CAMERON MAIER

Cherryville

s a m t s i r h Cin Gaston County

Mount Holly 13

Bessem4er City Kings Mtn 2

1) A Very Cherry Who Ville Christmas Main Street, Cherryville

2) Toys Games & Trains Exhibit Kings Mountain Historical Museum

3

Crowders Mtn

6 7

8

Gastonia

11

mont l e B 9 10

A season of fun and festivities in Gaston County.

GOGaston.org/Christmas

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5) Stowe Dairy Christmas Tree Farm

6) Maurice Sendak Exhibit Gaston County Library

7) Holidays at the Planetarium The Schiele Museum of Natural History

8) Christmas Town USA® McAdenville

9) Santa Hustle Stowe Park, Belmont

10) Christmas Village Downtown Belmont

11) Christmas at the Abbey Belmont Abbey College

12) Holidays at the Garden Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

13) Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Mount Holly

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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WHY BECOME A MEDARVA NURSE? WHY BECOME A MEDARVA NURSE?

52 WE’VE GOT

lives on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall

110 East Main Street Charlottesville, VA 22902

RANDY HOUSER

NOV 16

HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER

NOV 30

WITH PAUL CAUTHEN PRESENTED BY 99.7 CYK WITH VERY SPECIAL GUEST LUCY DACUS & CO. AND GOLD CONNECTIONS

DARK STAR ORCHESTRA

DEC 4

ROBERT EARL KEEN

DEC 8

PRESENTED BY WNRN

WITH SPECIAL GUEST SHINYRIBS

AN EVENING WITH SKIP CASTRO MAT KEARNEY

DEC 28 JAN 22

WE’VE GOT

REASONS REASONS

Fifty-two weekends weekends that MEDARVA Fifty-two that is. is. As As a MEDARVA

nurse, you won’t work weekends or nights. nights. weekends or And you’ll never never be on-call. on-call. So, go ahead ahead and make that day-trip into aa family family weekend. weekend.

MEDARVA.COM/NURSES MEDARVA.COM/NURSES OR OR FOLLOW FOLLOW US US ON ON FACEBOOK FACEBOOK

PACA’s

r a e B r a Pol Plunge

103 S. 1st Street Charlottesville, VA 22902

LADY LAMB

NOV 15

SCYTHIAN FRUIT BATS

NOV 16 NOV 21

WITH TOTH PRESENTED BY WTJU

WITH JOYERO PRESENTED BY WNRN

THE HIP ABDUCTION TOO MANY ZOOZ WITH BIROCRATIC

DEC 6 JAN 22

215 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902

KIP MOORE

WITH DEVIN DAWSON

BELA FLECK AND THE FLECKTONES

DEC 1

FULL CALENDAR LISTINGS AT SPRINTPAVILION.COM - JEFFERSONTHEATER.COM - THESOUTHERNCVILLE.COM

RENT THE JEFFERSON FOR YOUR PRIVATE EVENT! RENTALS@JEFFERSONTHEATER.COM 10

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

ay

Lake Arrowhead, Lur

NOV 22

All participants receive t-shirt, blanket and hot chocolate/coffee

register Saturday February 15, 2020 Age 11 and up can SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2020 Costumes welcome, prize awarded for the best overall costume.

Registration 11am

PLUNGE AT 12:30 PM – REGISTRATION AT 11:00 AM Plunge 12:30pm • No wet suits allowed for participants

• Bring your own lawn chair or beach chair REGISTER Funds raised will be usedONLINE to continue PACA'sAT effortsPACAPOLARBEARPLUNGE.COM • Food Vendors will be onsite to keep our youth healthy and drug free.

ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE T-SHIRT, BLANKET ANDtoHOT CHOCOLATE/COFFEE Donations and Sponsorships greatly appreciated.

“Dash OUT” a glacier to grab tickets for prizes! www.pagecoalition.org • 540-742-9386 Funds raised will be used to continue PACA's efforts to keep our youth healthy and drug free.

Registration Opens August 1st with price break incentives to register early.

Donations and Sponsorships greatly appreciated. www.pagecoalition.org • 540-742-9386

| R I C H M O N D / VA B E AC H E D I T I O N

August 1st - September 30th $30 • October 1st - November 30th $35 December 1st - January 31st $40 • February 1st - Event Day February 15th $50

Teams of 5 or more will receive $5 off the cost of registration per person.

Participants must register by January 31st to guarantee they receive a t-shirt

QUICK HITS NATIONAL PARKS ALLOW E-BIKES

In late summer, the National Park Service announced that visitors can now use electric bicycles, better known as e-bikes, “in the same manner as traditional bicycles, allowing them on park roads, paved or hardened trails, areas designated for off-road motor vehicle use, and administrative roads where traditional bikes are allowed.”

The policy limits e-bikes to 750 watts of assistance, and states that the motor can only be used to help aid the user in pedaling.

The NPS urged e-bike users to check for rules specific to individual parks before riding.

OUTDOOR NEWS

MARATHON RUNNER BECOMES HERO

In late September, elite runner Katie Kellner was training on a well-known portion of the Boston Marathon course at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Brighton when she noticed a man and a dog in the water. Short after Kellner spotted them, the man’s head started bobbing and he began shouting for help. Kellner then threw off her running shoes and swam out to the man and dog, who both initially clung onto her. The weight of both of them was too much for Kellner which led her to make the difficult decision of pushing off the dog.

The dog luckily began to swim back to shore as Kellner dragged the man to the water’s edge. She then stayed with the man until EMTs arrived to take him in for observation. The man and dog are expected to be just fine thanks to Kellner, who not only became a hero but who also finished the remaining 5 miles of her run—part of preparation for the Olympic Marathon Trials in February.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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QUICK HITS

L O C A L LY M A D E

"

“The full picture is it takes a lot of work, and a lot of money to do the right thing,” says Helke. “We’d probably make more if we weren’t devoted to that. But we are gluttons for punishment, and have our morals, and we will do what it takes to get there.”

E M P L O Y E E S AT O R G A N I C C L I M B I N G ' S F A C I L I T Y I N P H I L I P S B U R G , PA . , S E W B O U L D E R I N G PA D S , B A C K P A C K S , B I K E BAGS, AND CHALK BAGS (BELOW).

PHOTOS BY JARROD BUNK

SEWN ON SOLAR ORGANIC CLIMBING MAKES SUSTAINABLE GEAR IN PENNSYLVANIA

BY JOE POTOCZAK

“THIS WHOLE ROOF IS 5,000 SQUARE FEET OF THEM,” SAYS JOSH

Helke, owner of Organic Climbing, as he looks up at the ceiling of the showroom, toward the solar panels basking in the sun above. “We average around 350-405 kilowatt hours a day. 8,000 a month.” The panels are responsible for one hundred percent of the power at the newly constructed, 17,000-squarefoot workshop in Philipsburg, Pa. In November of 2018, Helke and the 22 employees of Organic Climbing and their second brand, Nittany Mountain Works, moved into the shop, and under the array adopted a new slogan, “Solar Sewn.”

Rural Pennsylvania may not be the first place that comes to mind when conjuring the headquarters of an internationally distributed gear maker pursuing cleaner solutions to the manufacturing process.

The state is steeped in a heritage of extraction, and nowhere is this heritage more relevant than Organic Climbing’s facility, which sits atop reclaimed mining land, overlooking the Moshannon Creek Valley.

Nevertheless, Helke and his company have been up to just that in their 15-year history, and since bringing the business to Philipsburg in 2009.

Helke started sewing crashpads in Wyoming in 2004 after working in the climbing industry as a designer and growing increasingly disappointed with the quality of finished products. He has built his business on producing gear that lasts, softgoods constructed of dense Cordura and ballistic nylons, 95 percent of which he attests are sourced within the U.S. Organic designs their bouldering pads, backpacks, bike bags, and chalk bags not only to be tough, streamlined, and repairable, but also in meticulously unique patterns, so that nearly zero of the diverse palette of fabric cut in their factory goes to waste. Looking for a sustainable path has always been in Helke’s business plan. So when Organic Climbing was awarded a two-percent loan from the Pennsylvania Industrial Development Association in 2017 to build a new home for the company, he knew the next move was running Organic on renewable energy.

“It feels good to show people it can be done,” says Helke. “You put in the labor for a solar panel once and it goes for 300 years. We’d like to keep adding solar as we can. We should be able to get another 2,000 square feet over the production area.”

Organic’s existing panels already exceed the 3,700-5,000 kilowatt hours needed to operate every month. The goal is to contribute more power to the state grid, for others to use in place of burning fuels that release additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere already containing an average of more than 410 parts per million.

Helke believes owning his company

independently has allowed him to steer it in the direction of his ethics, rather than focusing heavily on profit margin. He acknowledges, though, there are still difficult issues to contest with, the toughest being the footprint of distribution. But Helke also believes transparency regarding the complete production process is important for consumers to see.

“The full picture is it takes a lot of work, and a lot of money to do the right thing,” says Helke. “We’d probably make more if we weren’t devoted to that.

But we are gluttons for punishment, and have our morals, and we will do what it takes to get there.”

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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Where do you want to be?

Don’t take the same old journey.

Be somewhere genuine.

Be somewhere amazing.

Be changed.

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QUICK HITS

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

SKI SCHOOL LEES-MCRAE COLLEGE LAUNCHES NEW MINOR IN SKI INDUSTRY BUSINESS AND INSTRUCTION

BY NOAH POULOS

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO WANT TO INCORPORATE THE THRILL OF ADVENTURE INTO THEIR COLLEGE

studies now have a unique option in the mountains of North Carolina. This semester, one of the top adventure colleges in the Southeast, Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., launched a new minor in Ski Industry Business and Instruction, the first of its kind in the region. The college has partnered with neighboring Beech Mountain Resort to offer students an outdoor classroom to gain the skills to become ski instructors or work in ski resort management.

“This program provides students with a true hands-on learning experience and environment through a strategic partnership with Beech Mountain Ski Resort,” says Katie Wall, assistant professor and program coordinator of outdoor recreation management, who was pivotal in the creation of the program. “We incorporate an outdoor recreation management foundation with professional business practices and industry certifications.”

After collecting information from their annual assessment in 2018, LeesMcRae faculty realized that a program focusing on the ski industry was a perfect fit for students at the college. “The data revealed that almost 40% of our students in the Outdoor Recreation Management program either had obtained STUDENTS GET TO LEARN ON THE SLOPES AND IN THE CLASSROOM. PHOTO BY SAM DEAN.

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Home of the legendary fairy stones, Fairy Stone State Park is an adventure lover’s playground. There are miles of multi-use trails for hiking, cycling and horseback riding. The lake offers swimming and boating.

Cabins are open year-round and camping and yurts are open seasonally.

There are playgrounds and programs for the entire family. The park even has a conference center, so the whole office can play and work.

SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA MUSEUM

SKY MEADOWS

FIRST LANDING FALSE CAPE

Learn about all of Virginia’s State Parks at www.VirginiaStateParks.gov/find-a-park

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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Photo by Carey Furman

Extensive Free & Paid Technique Classes • Fly Tyer’s Row Wine & Micro-Brewery Beer Tastings • Specialty Food Section Women’s and Children’s Classes Available 2 02 0 S P O N S O R S

or were obtaining a ski industry certification,” says Wall. “In addition, many of these students were already working at local ski resorts, so naturally our students were treading towards interests and specializations in the ski industry.”

Lees-McRae senior Chrissy Turk took a skiing and snowboarding course as one of her required PE classes in her first year. She’s now to become one of the first students to graduate with the ski industry minor. “They’ve been able to put us in contact with a lot of knowledgeable people in the industry,” Turk said of her instructors in the program. “Being able to work so closely with their ski and snowboard instructors, their director of marketing, it’s really shown me all the different avenues that exist in the ski industry to turn it more from something that I just enjoyed to something that I can see as a career path.”

The program offers instruction from faculty in outdoor recreation management as well as business.

Courses include outdoor risk management, outdoor leadership, contemporary issues in the ski industry, as well as business courses such as accounting, marketing, human

resources, and business law. Students in the program are also offered the opportunity to earn their ski/ snowboard instruction and wilderness first responder certifications, both of which are standards in the industry.

In addition to learning about the outdoors in the classroom, students have the chance to take elective courses in mountain biking, skiing/ snowboarding, and winter recreation.

“On Tuesdays and Thursdays, most students in the program spend their entire day at Beech Mountain, and even nights for practice if they are on the Lees-McRae Ski and Snowboard Team,” says Wall.

The program has already seen serious interest from existing students, and looks to grow in the coming years. “Almost 30% of our Outdoor Recreation Management students have declared the new academic program as their minor. Also, a large majority of our Ski and Snowboard team members are students in this program,” Wall said. “We look forward to seeing the response from incoming freshmen as our admission counselors actively recruit students this year.”

Additional reporting by Ellen Kanzinger.

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NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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The Perfect “Play� List Appalachian Potters Market - Dec 7th Catawba Falls, Linville Falls and 6 Additional Waterfalls Pisgah National Forest 20 HikingTrails Mountain Biking and Running Trails Lake James and Lake James State Parks Tap Rooms, Breweries, Wineries, Music Hall, Galleries, Museums Lake Houses, Log Cabins, Quaint Cottages, Inns, B&Bs, Hotels & Campgrounds

www.bluer idgetravelers.com | 888.233.6111 | Details and infor mation are online.

QUICK HITS

ENDURANCE

(LEFT) THE ALABAMA RIVER NEAR CLAIRBORNE LOCK AND DAM, O N E O F T H E M A N Y O B S TA C L E S C O M P E T I T O R S H A D T O P O R TA G E A R O U N D D U R I N G T H E E V E N T. / ( B E L O W ) S A L L I O ' D O N N E L L PA D D L I N G D O W N T H E T E N S AW R I V E R A F T E R 500+ MILES OF NEARLY NONSTOP PA D D L I N G F O R S I X D AY S .

DISPATCH FROM THE GREAT ALABAMA 650 PADDLERS NAVIGATE SOUTHERN WATERS DURING NEW EPIC 10-DAY RACE STORY AND PHOTOS BY GERRY S E AV O J A M E S

BACK IN SEPTEMBER A SMALL GROUP OF SOME

of the region’s toughest paddlers convened at Weiss Lake to start an epic 10-day, on-the-water race across Alabama. The inaugural Great Alabama 650 took racers across the majority of the Alabama Scenic River Trail—the longest river trail in a single state—for a 650-mile adventure that mixed fast whitewater with plenty of flat wide-open stretches.

The course began in the Appalachian foothills of northeastern Alabama with the crossing of Weiss Lake. From there, paddlers negotiated the Coosa River, which included a rumbling whitewater section, several miles down the Alabama River, and

then a labyrinth of paddling through the remote delta region of the state, along a few rivers that included the Mobile, Tombigbee, and Tenisa.

They also endured nine portages, carrying boats and cargo between two navigable waters, as well as 70mile paddling days, lurking alligators, navigation under extreme fatigue, and traveling significant distances between resupply points.

Out of the gate, a dozen paddlers stepped up to the challenge, and an early rivalry ensued between Salli O’Donnell and Bobby Johnson.

O’Donnell is a retired Army officer and a lithe nearly 60-year-old with extensive ultra-paddling experience.

She led the event within the first three miles, paddling her Epic V8Pro surfski (an Australian-style ocean kayak), and was in the lead heading in and out of the first portage. Trailing not far behind was Johnson—nearly 30 years her junior, paddling his Epic 18X—a strong paddlesports racer and winner of the previous year’s 300-mile Everglades Challenge in Florida.

In the twilight hours of day six, the two early leaders were the only two solo boats left in the race, with the tandem kayak crew of Ryan Gilkin and Susan Jordon hanging on as the sole team boat. O’Donnell, who had

propelled herself to a 20-mile lead, eventually was outpaced by Johnson after they battled through Alabama’s delta region. Both ended up crossing Mobile Bay at night in surf conditions, with Johnson arriving just before midnight at Fort Morgan, winning the event with a time of seven days, eight hours, one minute, and 55 seconds.

O’Donnell arrived around five in the morning, after over five hours of paddling in near-ocean conditions in pure darkness with nothing but her red and green navigation lights providing NOVEMBER-DECEMBER

WINNER BOBBY JOHNSON RECOUNTS HIS JOURNEY AT F O R T M O R G A N H I S T O R I C S I T E A F T E R A N I G H T O F PA D D L I N G A C R O S S M O B I L E B AY I N S U R F CONDITIONS.

illumination. Her total time was seven days, 15 hours, 19 minutes, and 54 seconds. Gilkin and Jordon arrived on Monday, September 23, nine long days after they first dipped their paddles. These four hardcore boaters impressively set precedent at one of the most challenging endurance events to ever emerge in the wild waters of the South.

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Today we went on a hike through the snow-capped mountains and enjoyed the crisp air. Afterwards, we had warm cocktails and a gourmet dinner at the Walnut Kitchen and returned to our log cabin to relax by the fire.

Just another day in the Peaceful side of the Smokies.

SMOKYMOUNTAINS.ORG

QUICK HITS

GEAR Mountain Khakis Pearl Street Flannel Shirt

GIFT IDEAS FOR GEARHEADS

Made in patterns for both men and women, Mountain Khakis’ Pearl Street is a techsavvy flannel partially made from recycled oyster shells. With just the right balance of comfortable warmth and performance stretch, it’s a fall shirt that moves easily between boulder fields and bonfire hangs. $89.95; mountainkhakis.com

THE HOLIDAYS ARE FAST APPROACHING. HERE’S A SHORT LIST OF GIFT IDEAS FOR THE OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS IN YOUR LIFE.

BY JEDD FERRIS

Blundstone Classics 500

There’s a reason these boots have been around for half a century. Blundstone’s rugged Classics are made of supple leather that enables an easy slip-on and gets more comfortable with age.

They’re also outfitted with gritty rubber soles that can take the beatings of long city walkabouts and backyard projects. Available for both men and women. $184.95; blundstone.com

Snow Peak Field Barista Set

It’s tough to a make great cup of campground coffee. Up your game with the highquality stainless-steel Field Barista Set, which includes a kettle, grinder, and drip; all manufactured in Snow Peak’s home base of Niigata, Japan. $260; snowpeak.com

Hydro Flask 32 oz. Wide Mouth

Plastic needs to become a thing of the past, so do your part and give the gift of Hydro Flask’s Wide Mouth water bottle.

Made with pro-grade stainless steel, the 32-ounce size option is extremely durable, and with double-wall insulation, it will keep any liquid of choice cold for 24 hours or hot for six. The bottle’s lid features additional insulation and a rubber handle that makes extended carry easy. $39.95; hydroflask.com

Leatherman Wave +

This is Leatherman’s best-selling multitool for a reason.

The 18 included tools—screwdriver, wire stripper, bottle opener, and spring-action scissors, among others—are easily accessed and locked. Plus, now the tool’s tough hard-wire cutters are replaceable, so this can remain a go-to for years to come. $99.95; leatherman.com

Arcade X Sherpa Adventure Gear Rambler Belt

This lightweight, adventure-ready belt does more than just secure your britches. Arcade teamed up with Sherpa Adventure Gear to offer a limited-release belt with a greater purpose: five bucks from every Rambler sold will be donated to an education fund for children in Nepal. $29; arcadebelts.com and sherpaadventuregear.com

Topo Designs X Madewell Hip Pack

The fanny pack is back. Don’t be afraid to rock it.

Pack gurus Topo Designs teamed up with Madewell for this limited collab that’s constructed from waterresistant nylon with easy-access paracord zipper pulls and plenty of space for your phone, keys, and other essentials. $49; topodesigns.com

BioLite Headlamp 330

Many headlamps have a protruding design that becomes cumbersome on long treks. BioLite’s Headlamp 330 offers a sleek alternative with a bright light (330 lumens) that sits flush against your forehead and is held on by a slim moisture-wicking band. Conveniently, the headlamp’s battery also recharges via micro USB. $49.95; bioliteenergy.com NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THESE SPECIAL EVENTS HAPPENING IN THE BLUE RIDGE THIS WINTER!

DECEMBER Mid-December 3 FREE Learn to Ski/Ride Lessons

ALL SEASON Every Saturday 60 Years of Skiing

OMNI HOMESTEAD RESORT, VA

Celebrate the 60th anniversary of skiing at The Omni Homestead with a live musical performance or DJ at the Mountain Lodge every Saturday throughout the season. visit OMNIHOTELS.COM/HOTELS/

HOMESTEAD-VIRGINIA/THINGS-TO-DO/SKI

NOVEMBER Nov 8–December 2 Mission: Four’dable WINTERGREEN, VA

Mission: Four’dable gives you four unrestricted lift tickets for only $189. That means no blackout dates, they’re transferable, you can buy as many as you want, and you can ski and ride all season long!

Don’t miss the best offer this winter! visit WINTERGREENRESORT.COM/ MISSION-FOURDABLE

November 22 10th Annual Back in Blue Rail Jam OBER GATLINBURG, TN

Dust off your snowboards and skis – it’s time to jam at Ober Gatlinburg! The rails, boxes, and jumps in our Tubing Park will be ready for action for one night before Snow Tubing opens! visit OBERGATLINBURG.COM/EVENT/ BACK-IN-BLUE

WINTERGREEN, VA

For those who want to learn to ski or ride, this is your golden opportunity. Wintergreen is offering three free lessons during mid-December. The program includes a beginner area lift ticket, ski/snowboard equipment rental, and beginner lesson. For ages 8 and older. visit WINTERGREENRESORT.COM December 20–31 12 Days of Christmas WISP RESORT, MD

Wisp Resort is spreading the holiday cheer for 12 solid days surrounding the holiday season! Kicking it off with the Caroling Elvis’, different daily offerings including ski-thru coffee bar, carolers, holly jolly offers, ski with Santa, and more.

Concluding with a New Year’s Eve Celebration to send off 2019 in style! visit WISPRESORT.COM December 20–31 Blue Ridge Mountain Christmas WINTERGREEN, VA

Celebrate the most magical time of year at Wintergreen Resort with snowcat rides, cookie decorating, on-slope games, Santa on the slopes, story-time with Mrs. Claus, and FIREWORKS to welcome 2020.

Don’t forget to work in time for skiing, riding, and tubing! visit WINTERGREENRESORT.COM

December 21 Doom Flamingo

All Month Long Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month

After a day on the slopes, apré right with the six-headed synthwave beast out of Charleston, Doom Flamingo. The band features a powerhouse group of musicians, including Ryan Stasik on bass (of Umphrey’s McGee) and Kanika Moore on vocals in a show that’s sure to keep your feet moving. visit

January is National Learn to Ski and Snowboard month! Ideal for introducing friends and family to skiing and snowboarding, take advantage of the all-inclusive “Learn to Ski Packages”.

Winterplace makes it easy with our “Terrain Based Learning Area,” where we shape the snow to make it easy for you to enjoy sliding with your friends, guided by our professional instructors. visit WINTERPLACE.COM

BEECH MOUNTAIN, NC

BEECHMOUNTAINRESORT.COM/EVENTS

JANUARY All Month Long Learn to Ski & Snowboard Program PENNSYLVANIA SKI AREA ASSOCIATION, PA

SkiPA makes it easy and affordable for beginners to learn to ski or snowboard in January with a $5 discount on already low midweek “Learn a Snow Sport” packages, which include first-time lesson, rental, and lift ticket. Go online for more information. visit SKIPA.COM/DEALS/LEARN-TO-SKI-ANDSNOWBOARD

All Month Long Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month MASSANUTTEN RESORT, VA

January is National Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month! Ideal for introducing friends & family to skiing and snowboarding, take advantage of Learn to Ski packages and promotions.

Massanutten makes it easy with our NEW! Easy Street area with Terrain Based Learning. visit MASSRESORT.COM/SKI

WINTERPLACE SKI RESORT, WV

January 3 Hero’s Day

WISP RESORT, MD

Honoring our Nation’s Military, Police, Fire & Rescue with a complimentary lift ticket and discounted rentals, lessons, and lodging. Thanks for your service and for keeping us safe! visit WISPRESORT.COM Jan 6–Feb 24, Every Monday Monday Night Madness MASSANUTTEN RESORT, VA

Each Monday night (4 - 9 pm) from January 6 through February 24, ski or ride at Massanutten for just $20, rent gear for just $20, and take a free beginner lesson.

A portion of the night’s proceeds will go to a local charity. visit MASSRESORT.COM/SKI Jan 9–March 5, Every Thursday Purposeful Pints BEECH MOUNTAIN, NC

Drink for a good cause! Every Thursday, Beech Mountain Brewing Company will partner with

a select non-profit and will donate 50 cents from each pint sold to that group. Partners include POW (Protect Our Winters), Catalyst Sports, and Blue Ridge Partnership for Children among others. visit BEECHMOUNTAINRESORT.COM/EVENTS

January 17–20 MLK Jr. Weekend

OMNI HOMESTEAD RESORT, VA

Visit The Omni Homestead January 17-20 for a weekend filled with magic shows, live musical performances, fascinating culinary experiences, artisan craft classes, bingo, and more. Enjoy skiing, snowboarding, tubing, ice skating, and mini snowmobiles, then make s’mores around the fire. visit

some music on the Deck while enjoying a local Craft Brew and Hot Brat! Mickey’s Tap Takeovers have become a favorite event during Holiday Weekends. visit WINTERPLACE.COM February 14–17 Presidents’ Weekend

OMNI HOMESTEAD RESORT, VA

This Presidents’ Weekend, experience a fun-filled getaway with family-friendly activities such as bingo, artisan craft classes, live musical performances, magic shows, and children’s craft classes. Plus, enjoy skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, tubing, and mini snowmobiles at our scenic Mountain Lodge. visit OMNIHOTELS.COM/HOTELS/

OMNIHOTELS.COM/HOTELS/HOMESTEADVIRGINIA/THINGS-TO-DO/SKI

HOMESTEAD-VIRGINIA/THINGS-TO-DO/SKI

January 25 3rd Annual Ober Rocks: 80’s Throwback Night

February 15 Valentine’s Weekend with Midnight Spaghetti

Join us for Ober Rocks where the slopes stay open until Midnight!

Featuring a live band, a slope side DJ, hotel specials, and discounts on Ski Area Passes, rental equipment, and lessons, Ober Rocks rocks! visit OBERGATLINBURG.

Bring a date or don’t. Midnight Spaghetti is sure to bring the funk to Bryce. Get down in the Shenandoah Center with live jams after a day of skiing, snowboarding, or tubing. visit BRYCERESORT.COM

OBER GATLINBURG, TN

COM/EVENT/OBER-ROCKS

FEBRUARY February 15–17 Presidents’ Day Weekend

WINTERPLACE SKI RESORT, WV

Presidents’ Day Weekend features great snow and a Tap Takeover in Mikey’s Slope-side Restaurant. Have a great day of skiing, and then slide on down for

BRYCE RESORT, VA

February 22 Berming Man Banked Slalom

SNOWSHOE, WV

Like any good banked slalom, Berming Man is as much of a cultural experience as it is a snowboard race. Either way, you don’t want to miss it. Come help us crown the “Fastest Snowboarder in WV.” Presented by Oakley. visit VISIT.SNOWSHOEMTN.COM

MARCH March Value Season

WINTERPLACE SKI RESORT, WV

Spring may be just around the corner, but historically, March brings some of the best snows of the season. Cool nights and Sunny days make for short sleeve skiing, sunglasses, sunscreen, and discounted prices. Enjoy the last turns of the season at reduced rates as we welcome in spring! visit WINTERPLACE.COM March 1 Ober Gatlinburg’s Spring Fling OBER GATLINBURG, TN

Ober Gatlinburg’s traditional Spring celebration returns for another season! Pond skimming, giant slalom, jump competition, plenty of food and drinks, and cool vendors!

Registration includes a t-shirt, and there will be prizes up for grabs! visit OBERGATLINBURG.COM/EVENTS March 6–8 Snow Moon Fest

MASSANUTTEN RESORT, VA

Massanutten’s season-end celebration features an arctic plunge, 4K race/walk, live music, tap takeovers and samples, fireworks, torchlight parade, and more! Enjoy a weekend full of skiing, snowboarding, and plenty of off-slope activities for the whole family to enjoy! Lodging packages and more available online. visit MASSRESORT.COM/ SNOWMOONFEST

March 7–8 Homegrown Music Festival SNOWSHOE, WV

If you want an extra taste of Appalachia on your visit, this weekend is for you! Enjoy live music, local crafts, and displays in the village all weekend long. visit VISIT.SNOWSHOEMTN.COM March 14 Winterfest

BRYCE RESORT, VA

Bryce celebrates the end of the ski season with a family-friendly party for all. Festivities include live music outside, pond skimming, a bar made out of snow, and more! visit BRYCERESORT.COM March 13–14 Ballhooter Spring Break Festival SNOWSHOE, WV

Ski. Party. Sleep. Repeat.

Ballhooter is back, so buckle up.

It’s time for free music, slopeside games, and weekend-long shenanigans. Stay tuned for more details coming soon. visit VISIT.SNOWSHOEMTN.COM

CHECK BACK

TO BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM/ WINTER-GUIDE to explore the

best adventure-packed resorts in the Blue Ridge, and see what they have up their sleeves for the new season! From their most exciting ski runs to the greatest apres-ski dining options in the area, you will find everything you need to go outside and play this winter!

was voted a Top Adventure Town by the readers of Blue Ridge Outdoors. With over 1,000 miles of trails for hiking, biking and paddling, it’s the ultimate destination for your next adventure! Virginia’s Blue Ridge is a reminder

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to us all that there’s still adventure out there.

Still wide open spaces to explore. Enjoy the ride.

Choose your path. Be a #Trailsetter.

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HIKE VIRGINIA’S TRIPLE CROWN

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Virginia has more miles of the Appalachian Trail than any other state, and the Triple Crown in Virginia’s Blue Ridge offers some of the most incredible views along the trail. Check Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs off your hiking bucket list and experience three of our most epic summits.

EXPLORE THE

Roanoke Valley Greenways The Roanoke Valley Greenway system is a 30-mile network of paved paths and trails that connect many neighborhoods and places of interest in the region. The Greenways are bicycle and pedestrian friendly and make for a great way to enjoy the outdoors in Virginia’s Blue Ridge at a relaxing pace with many local restaurants & breweries located nearby.

MOUNTAIN BIKE

at Carvins Cove With over 60 miles of multi-use trails, Carvins Cove is a world-class spot for mountain biking and was named one of the best places for mountain biking in the Southeast by Singletracks. If you’re planning a trip to America’s East Coast Mountain Biking Capital, you have to spend a day riding at the Cove!

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PADDLE THE

Upper James River Water Trail “Wet” your appetite (pun totally intended) for Virginia paddling on this gorgeous waterway with its cascading falls and rock walls. Consider booking a guided adventure with Twin River Outfitters, which offers multi-day trip options that include waterfront camping and glamping.

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DRIVE THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY – AMERICA’S FAVORITE DRIVE Ready for the ultimate American road trip? The Blue Ridge Parkway is addictive, so beware! It boasts grand views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, cozy picnic spots, overlooks with historical information, access to numerous hiking trails, and surprises around every hairpin turn.

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VISIT

Smith Mountain Lake Pick your spot from 500 miles of beautiful shoreline at Smith Mountain Lake – the Jewel of the Blue Ridge. Fish, camp, picnic, or just relax by the water with the family.

Boat rentals and lodging are available in multiple locations along the lake.

TAKE A TRIP

to Roaring Run For a family-friendly adventure, try an excursion to Roaring Run Recreation Area. Walk along a trail that follows the Roaring Run stream past rock walls and over foot-bridges. You will also find a 19th century, iron ore furnace that was used during the pre-Civil War era. Plan for a relaxing picnic near the breathtaking Roaring Run Falls.

HIKE MILL MOUNTAIN

to the Roanoke Star Doesn’t it sound intriguing? Believe it or not, this trail really does take you to a star – the world’s largest, freestanding man-made one, which overlooks the Roanoke Valley! Start at Mill Mountain’s base and work your way to the summit, where you can check out the Roanoke Star and the views, and also enjoy a family picnic while you’re there.

JOIN THE FUN OF AN

Outdoor Event The calendar is always full of exciting outdoor events in Virginia’s Blue Ridge! Many of our most popular annual events are outdoor related, such as the Roanoke GO Outside Festival in the fall, Blue Ridge Marathon in the spring, and Go Cross Cyclocross Race in the summer. In June 2020, we’ll be celebrating the outdoors with the inaugural Carilion Clinic IRONMAN® 70.3® Virginia’s Blue Ridge! Check out VisitVBR.com/events for more information about upcoming events.

PLAN YOUR NEXT VACATION AT

VisitVBR.com 800.635.5535

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CAMPING & ADVENTURES AT EXPLORE PARK Located at Milepost 114, Roanoke County’s Explore Park is the perfect place to stop during your road trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The park has a variety of unique lodging options, including pod cabins, yurts, canvas tents, and RV sites. There is also a network of trails for hiking & mountain biking, access to the Roanoke River, and an aerial obstacle course.

magical BATH

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The peaceful back roads offer stunning mountain views.

The great food, outdoor adventure and exceptional hospitality turn a weekend getaway into an epic road trip.

That’s a Made in Bath County experience.

DiscoverBath.com · 540-839-7202 · #MadeInBathVA

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

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hich towns took home the crown? In Blue Ridge Outdoors’ 9th annual Top Adventure Towns contest, you picked the winners out of 80 adventure hubs across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.

Our readers narrowed down the choices, week by week, to their top large town (population 75,001+), mid-sized town (population 16,001-75,000), small town (population 3,001-16,000), and tiny town (population less than 3,000). This year we asked your friends and neighbors—fellow outdoor enthusiasts who live and recreate in these top towns—to tell us what makes them special.

2019 Top Tiny Town

HOT SPRINGS VIRGINIA (Pop. 750)

As the name implies, Hot Springs is a town known for the natural mineral springs that bring travelers from all over the world to this tiny town.

With more than 50 percent of Bath County preserved as public lands, there is plenty of open

space for the outdoor enthusiast to discover. Hike miles of trails in the George Washington National Forest, ride 40 miles of singletrack at Douthat State Park, one of the Commonwealth’s original state parks, or fish the Jackson and Cowpasture River for trout, bass, and more.

WHY WE LOVE IT Seth and Emily Ellis (U.S. Forest Service & Bacova Beer)

Working for the U.S. Forest Service ultimately brought the Ellis family to Hot Springs. “We’ve lived all over and it’s probably my favorite place that we’ve lived,” said Emily Ellis, a recreation manager in the George Washington National Forest. “It’s very simple living up there. If you enjoy the outdoors, you’re in a great location. We have no stoplights in the county. The community is very welcoming. It’s a hidden gem that people haven’t found yet.”Emily particularly favors all of the adventure opportunities at Lake Moomaw, which offers camping, hiking, biking, and paddling.

About a year ago, her husband Seth left the forest

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service to start Bath County’s first craft brewery. An avid mountain biker, he sees Bacova Beer as a hangout for outdoor enthusiasts to gather after a long day outside. “I did a ride about a month ago from the brewery in Hot Springs and rode all the way into Covington on I’d say 95 percent singletrack backcountry trails,” he said.

With most of the trails connected through the national forest, you can walk, run, or bike for miles without seeing anyone else. “I’ve ridden all over the country, across the Southeast and Southwest, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah,” Seth added.

“The stuff here rivals anything in the country in terms of user experience. The feeling of remoteness in the backcountry I think is really unparalleled from any place I’ve ridden before.” ( A B O V E ) T O P L A R G E T O W N : F R O M T H E R O A N O K E R I V E R G R E E N WAY T O N AT I O N A L F O R E S T T R A I L S , T H E R E A R E P L E N T Y O F P L A C E S T O GET ON YOUR BIKE IN ROANOKE, VIRGINIA. PHOTO BY SAM DEAN PHOTOGRAPHY—VISIT VIRGINIA'S BLUE RIDGE

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM

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IT’S

A UNIQUE BLEND OF PUMPKIN AND BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN APPLES

Will Hodges ( Angler)

IF YOU GO EAT: Fill up at the Tavern, located in the

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Home to the headwaters of the James Rivers, Hot Springs has fishing opportunities for anglers of all abilities. After growing up, moving away, and returning to the area, Will Hodges has explored many of those spots, including the Cowpasture River, Lake Moomaw, and the creeks and tributaries that feed into those waters.

“It is a little harder to reach than the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, or areas right outside of major urban environments,” he said. “But that difficulty or setback is also probably our greatest attribute. If you’re looking for outdoor recreation, peace, and not being overrun by countless tourists, this is a really good place to do that. It’s a wellpreserved slice of Virginia’s western mountains.

With that, you have a lot to explore.”

Hodges is especially fond of the Hidden Valley Gorge area and fishing for wild trout on the Jackson River. “It’s not only an incredible place to hike because of its remote nature, but that’s where the fishing gets a little more skilled and potentially a lot more rewarding,” he said. “It’s considered a special regulation, so it’s a much healthier environment for fish. A lot more shade and spring water. You get a lot more native presence there.”

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T O P S M A L L T O W N : FA L L I N G S P R I N G FA L L S , J U S T D O W N THE ROAD FROM CLIFTON FORGE, VIRGINIA, IN THE ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS. P H O T O B Y D A R R E N S E AY.

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first Bath County Courthouse. Choose from several dining options at the Omni Homestead Resort, including Jefferson’s Restaurant and Woody’s. Stop by Bacova Beer Company for some craft brews at this local, familyrun brewery.

PLAY: Plan your visit around the We’re So Fly Festival at the end of April 2020, hosted by the Inn at Gristmill Square.

STAY: The Omni Homestead Resort offers plenty of outdoor adventures, including fishing, skiing, horseback riding, and a zip line. Take advantage of the river adventure package at Vine Cottage Inn for a trip on the Jackson River. Fish Fort Lewis Lodge’s private waters on the Cowpasture River.

Get away to Hidden Valley Bed & Breakfast, surrounded by national forest.

Top Tiny Towns Runners Up ST. PAUL, VA. (POP. 1,007)

Do some off-road riding on the Mountain View ATV Trail at Spearhead Trails. Kayak, canoe, float, or fish the Clinch River. Spend the day outside at Oxbow Lake Park, including fishing, hiking, and biking.

DAMASCUS, VA. (POP. 800)

OUTDO

Ride the Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route through the Appalachian Mountains. Explore Virginia’s Birding and Wildlife Trail and experience the diversity of habitats on the South Holston Loop.

Enjoy live local music along the Crooked Road, a 330-mile driving trail that connects nearly 70 southwest Virginia music venues.

2019 Top Small Town

CLIFTON FORGE, VIRGINIA (Pop. 3,565)

Just down the road in the same mountains of Virginia, Clifton Forge took home the prize in the small town category for the second year in a row.

An old railroad town, Clifton Forge and Alleghany County are capitalizing on the location to draw visitors to the area. Visit the 80-foot Falling Springs Waterfall along Route 220. Walk, run, or bike the Jackson River Scenic Trail. Enjoy a picnic

by Humpback Bridge, the oldest of its kind in the United States.

WHY WE LOVE IT Matt Fischer (Alleghany Outdoors)

In and out of the area his whole life, Matt Fischer settled in Clifton Forge last year to help open Alleghany Outdoors. “It really is an untapped resource up here, as far as recreation,” he said.

“There are boulders that are kind of undiscovered. There are trail systems that you can connect to the Allegheny Trail.”

As manager of the new outfitter, Fischer assists visitors in exploring the Jackson River by bike, kayak, or tube. Located right along the river and the Jackson River Scenic Trail, it’s a great place to explore the area. "The mountains are different here,” Fischer said. “It’s different geology. The rivers are

steeper, the mountains are steeper. It’s a pretty neat little place to get away and get away from people.

It’s one of those places: do you keep it quiet or do you say come out here to this town?”

Jeff Mann ( Cyclist)

Although he no longer lives in Alleghany County, Jeff Mann returns year after year to visit with family and ride the Gran Fondo Alleghany, an epic cycling challenge through the mountains. “It’s just fun,” he said. “It has a really big race feel to it. It’s well organized. It’s very scenic and very challenging.

The terrain is hard. There's just no way around it. It’s tough cycling around here.”

Having done the Gran Fondo multiple times, Mann convinced other cyclists he knew to check out the ride and the area.

“I talked it up with a bunch of my friends for years now and it just never really lined up for all of us to come until this past year,” he said. “I brought a bunch of them and now they’re eager to come back and do some more cycling.”

When he’s riding on his own, Mann likes connecting Pitzer Ridge, Hays Gap, and Rich Patch for a scenic and remote route.

Joan Vannorsdal ( Hiker)

You can find Joan Vannorsdall at Douthat State Park a couple times a week, walking her dog or hiking with friends. In the time since she left Clifton Forge in the 1980s and returned in 2013, she has seen the amount of attention paid to the outdoors in the area increase exponentially.

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T O P M E D I U M T O W N : PA D D L E O N T H E L I T T L E R I V E R AT O L D E R O P E M I L L PA R K I N W O O D S T O C K , G E O R G I A . P H O T O B Y D A R L E E N P R E M

“I think people are beginning to realize this is not a forgotten railroad town,” Vannorsdall said. “This is a town where people have put a good chunk of money into, for example, the Jackson River Scenic Trail. It’s a place where parks are being renovated, where you can mountain bike and most likely not see anybody for a while. It’s not crowded, and it’s not commercialized at all.”

In addition to all of the kayaking, hiking, and biking, Vannorsdall said Clifton Forge has supported outdoor opportunities in the area with a thriving arts community. Downtown you can shop for local crafts at the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Craft Center, take a blacksmithing class at the Clifton Forge School of the Arts, or take in a movie at the restored Historic Masonic Theatre.

IF YOU GO from good food and local brews to a game room and large fireplace. Pick up a sandwich for the road or dine in at the Club Car Shop and Deli.

PLAY: There are plenty of events throughout the year for you to enjoy. Cast a line at the Alleghany Highlands Big Bass Tournament. Ride the winding mountain roads at the Gran Fondo Alleghany or trails at the Middle Mountain Momma Mountain Bike Race. Put on your running shoes for the Jackson River Scenic Trail Marathon.

STAY: Located right on the water, the Smith Creek Inn is centrally located to downtown Clifton Forge and Douthat State Park. Enjoy a five-course breakfast and turn-down service at Hillcrest Mansion Inn.

2019 Top Small Towns Runners Up THURMONT, MD. (POP. 6,646)

Hike to Cunningham Falls, Maryland’s largest cascading waterfall. Bike the covered bridges tour, which takes you through three historic covered bridges. Pick your own fruit and flowers at Catoctin Mountain Orchard.

ABINGDON, VA. (POP. 8,100)

Bike the Virginia Creeper Trail, 34.3 miles from the town to the Virginia-North Carolina border. Hike to the Great Channels to see 360-degree views of the surrounding area and a labyrinth of sandstone.

Kayak the North Fork of the Holston River.

2019 Top Mid-Sized Town

WOODSTOCK GEORGIA (Pop. 32,234)

Less than an hour north of Atlanta, Woodstock has plenty to explore without the big city noise.

Local officials, business owners, and residents are working together through the Greenprints Project to connect more than 60 miles of trails through the town and surrounding areas. Run, hike, or bike the trails at Olde Rope Mill Park and Blankets Creek. Follow the 30

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paved Noonday Creek Trail along the water for views of the area. Fish or paddle the Little River and Lake Allatoona.

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Jay Wilkes (SORBA Woodstock)

Jay Wilkes was spending so much time riding the trails at Blankets Creek, he decided to move to Woodstock to cut down his commute. Since he relocated in 2005, Blankets Creek added several new trails and Rope Mill Park opened just down the road.

Wilkes said mountain bikers are drawn to Woodstock for the variety found on the now 30 miles of trails.

“You have people who enjoy flow trails, crosscountry trails, downhill trails,” he said. “And then you have them on all different levels. We have such a cornucopia of different trails, there’s something for everybody. Each trail has its own personality. People can pick and choose what they want to ride.”

As president of the local SORBA Woodstock chapter since 2008, Wilkes has seen the demand for mountain biking trails explode. “It’s grown so much that we don’t know where to house everyone who wants to come and ride,” he added. “It’s a blessing and a curse. It’s good to see the volume of ridership and the community that is getting involved with this is that expansive. Now it’s the struggle of where do you house all of the cars?”

As an avid trail runner and mountain biker, Woodstock was the perfect fit for Lisa Randall. “We didn’t want to live in the city,” she said. “This was a good compromise. There’s lots of trails. There’s lots of trees and good restaurants. There’s everything you need within a 10-minute drive of the area, including outdoor recreation. It checks all the boxes.”

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

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WHY WE LOVE IT

Lisa Randall (Mountain Goat Adventures)

OUTDO

Not content sitting behind a desk all day, Randall quit her job as a civil engineer and started a race promotion company in 2011.

Mountain Goat Adventures puts on several trail and mountain bike races throughout the year.

“The mountain biking community alone is making a huge economic impact,” Randall said.

“The city and county see that, and so they’ve been really supportive about allocating funds to not only maintain trails but for building new trails. They’ve really put a lot of resources and money into making their parks better because they see the value in them.”

Mike Murphy, (Murphs Surf )

Woodstock is more than just mountain biking. It's less than a half hour from Lake Allatoona and Red Top Mountain State Park and full of a variety of adventure opportunities. Mike Murphy, a full-time firefighter, decided to take full advantage of the town’s location and opened Murphs Surf in 2017.

“I’ve seen Woodstock change so much just in the last 10 years,” he said. “But they really base it around that old hometown feeling where there is plenty of stuff to do but it is really cozy.”

Murphy rents kayaks and paddleboards to people heading out to the lake and Little River; he also sells boards he designs. With Atlanta so close, he said he gets visitors from all over the world checking out the outdoor opportunities in the area. “A lot of people look for a large body of water to go to and check out,” Murphy said. “With Lake Allatoona right there, then Woodstock rolls right into that.”

While you’re on the water, paddle out to the waterfall where Toonigh Creek hits Lake Allatoona for a neat suburban find.

People can and do make a difference.

Join us in-store Thursday, December 5th as we recognize three local change makers.

1099 H Street NW stores.arcteryx.com/washington

TOP TINY TOWN: WITH MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF THE COUNTY PRESERVED AS PUBLIC LANDS, THERE IS PLENTY TO EXPLORE IN HOT SPRINGS, VIRGINIA.

IF YOU GO EAT: Stop by Reformation Brewery for game nights,

evening runs, live music, and barbecue from Queenie’s BBQ. Eat your fill of locally made blue corn tortillas and churros at De Allende Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar. Enjoy all of your favorites at Gameday Fresh Grill.

PLAY: Foodies will enjoy the Taste of Woodstock in April and Restaurant Week in October. Also check out the free Summer Concert Series held in the Park at City Center.

STAY: Choose from several quality chain hotels in the area. The Holiday Inn Express has a bike wash station for anyone hitting the trails while in town.

BRISTOL, TENN./VA. (POP. 44,026)

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2019 Top Mid-Sized Towns Runners Up LU

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Fish and paddle more than 40 square miles of lakes and streams, including the South TOp Holston Lake and River. Explore the 640,000-acre Cherokee National Forest, one of the world’s most naturally diverse areas. Bike and hike multiple city parks, including Steele Creek Park, Sugar Hollow Park, and the Mendota Trail.

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BOONE, N.C. (POP. 17,100)

A longstanding adventure hub in the North Carolina High Country, Boone has plenty to offer. Climb at Ship Rock, right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Paddle or fish the Watauga River. Mountain bike at Rocky Knob Bike Park.

2019 Top Large Town

ROANOKE VIRGINIA

(Pop. 96,000)

From the Appalachian Trail to the Roanoke River, there are countless outdoors adventures in Roanoke.

Climb to the top of Mill Mountain to see the Roanoke Star and view the valley below. Mountain bike miles and miles of trails in Virginia’s Blue Ride, an IMBA Silver-Level Ride Center. Paddle or float the Roanoke River as it flows into Smith Mountain Lake.

WHY WE LOVE IT Shabnam Gideon, (Blue Ridge Off-Road Cyclists)

After 20 years away from the area, Shabnam Gideon moved to Roanoke to be closer to her family and the mountains. “I came here to do more hiking and learn to mountain bike,” she said.

Just three years in, Gideon is now the president of the Blue Ridge Off-Road Cyclists. The IMBA chapter works to create and preserve trails in southwestern Virginia through advocacy, weekly rides, donations, and trail maintenance. In addition to promoting mountain biking at popular spots like Carvins Cove, Mill Mountain, and in the Jefferson National Forest, Gideon said several organizations and land management agencies are working to improve the 32

accessibility for beginner riders. They are collaborating on projects like a beginner flow trail at Morningside Park that will connect to the Roanoke River Greenway.

“Most of the riding in the area is intermediate to advanced,” Gideon said. “It’s hard for people to get started if they don’t have a base level of knowledge or experience. Morningside is one of those initiatives that facilitates us getting people educated as to how to ride a bike safely and getting them involved with the community.”

Kelsey Harrington, (Downshift Bikes)

Two years ago, Kelsey Harrington took a leap of faith and left the non-profit sector to join Downshift Bikes as general manager and a bike mechanic. “I really increased the amount that I bike after moving to Roanoke, having access to so many different trails and bike lanes,” she said. “Biking has become my way to engage with the outdoors, through necessity, through a desire to use less gas and be a clean commuter, and then through a lot of my own recreation as well.”

Harrington sees her position as a way to help others learn new skills and form community through cycling. She started the WTF (women, trans, femme) cycling team to create a welcoming space for riders of these identities.

“My role here is always going to be to encourage different types of people to be exposed and open to different types of cycling and not think that they have to fit a certain mold in order to do that,” she said. Now that she’s a mother, Harrington said the ways in which she gets outside have evolved.

“That idea of epic outdoor adventure for me has shifted to what can we do outside that is also family friendly,” she said. “What I think Roanoke has to offer is something like our greenway system. People of all ability levels can find recreation. It’s a way to be active without feeling like you have to go do some epic downhilling experience or hike a huge section of

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

the A.T. There are these really wonderful hikes in our city that are a little two-mile or four-mile loop.”

IF YOU GO EAT: Hit up Sweet Donkey Coffee for seasonal music,

food trucks, and a farmers' market. Donnie D’s is the new spot in town for bagels and deli sandwiches. For a post-ride drink, visit the nearly 30 craft beverage stops on Virginia’s Blue Ridge Cheers Trail.

PLAY: Plan your visit for the annual Go Outside Fest in October for a weekend of camping, music, races, and gear demos.

STAY: Check in for a night at the Stone House at Black Dog Salvage, right off the Roanoke River Greenway and minutes from downtown. Spend the night outside at Explore Park and take advantage of easy access to trails, the river, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

2019 Top Large Towns Runners Up MACON, GA. (POP. 153,095)

Explore eight miles of trails at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park with historic mounds, wetlands, and the only recreated 1,000-year-old Earth Lodge. Discover 180 acres of pristine forests, meadows, and wetlands at the Amerson River Park.

Kayak, canoe, or float tube down the Ocmulgee River for a relaxing adventure through lush woods and local historic sites.

KNOXVILLE, TENN. (POP. 179,000)

Ride the South Loop Trail in Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness. Fish at Seven Islands State Birding Park.

Hike House Mountain.

Special thanks to SweetWater Brewing Company for supporting the 2019 Top Adventure Towns contest.

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FROM DOWNHILL RESORT RUNS T O B A C K C O U N T R Y S TA S H E S , HERE’S OUR PRIMER ON WHERE TO EXPLORE THIS WINTER WHEN T H E S N O W S TA R T S T O F A L L .

TOP SLOPES IN THE SOUTH

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

W

hether you’re just clicking into skis for the first time or a seasoned pro hunting for fresh powder, BRO’s guide to the Southern slopes has something for everyone.

Best for Beginners If you’re just learning to turn or need to

shake the rust, resorts in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic have you covered with plenty of beginner-friendly terrain. When searching for gentle greens and blues, these are the runs for you.

POSSUM WISP RESORT, MD.

Meander down the mountain on this beginner favorite at Wisp Resort—set in the scenic Deep Creek Lake area of western Maryland. The one-mile run has a generous gentle grade that’s just right for novices learning to carve. Once you get your ski legs, head over to the North Camp, combining Happy Camper, Backbone Pass, and Big Dipper for another long run.

EASY STREET MASSANUTTEN RESORT, VA.

At Massanutten Resort, located just east of Harrisonburg in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Easy Street is a terrain park geared toward beginners with small features that are just right for aspiring tricksters. New skiers and riders should also check out

T H E S L O P E S AT S N O W S H O E R E S O R T A S T H E S U N S TA R T S T O S E T. P H O T O COURTESY OF SNOWSHOE

This winter, break free from over-priced season passes, costly winter vacation getaways, and unreasonable lift ticket prices. Instead, feel the freedom at Massanutten – an authentic, independent, 100% employeeowned resort that’s unconditionally awesome. With inexpensive ski vacation packages & lift ticket options, new and improved Easy Street with Terrain-Based Learning, and the lowest season pass prices in the region, there’s no reason to go anywhere else.

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A SNOWBOARDER C A R V E S AT M A S S N U T T E N RESORT IN VIRGINIA. PHOTO COURTESY OF MASSANUTTEN

Southern Comfort, a long run with an easy grade that’s ready for cruising.

OZ RUN BEECH MOUNTAIN RESORT, N.C.

In the North Carolina High Country at Beech, which sits at 5,506 feet, Oz Run is one of the most coveted blue runs in the South. Running down the backside of the mountain with its own chairlift, the intermediate run offers solitude not usually found at a resort, and it is one of the few western-facing trails in the United States.

Expert’s Choice WESTERN TERRITORY SNOWSHOE, W.VA.

With 1,500 feet of vertical drop, the Western Territory area of Snowshoe Resort—which gets pummeled with an annual 180 inches of lake effect snow every year—is an expert’s go-to in the region.

Featuring only black and double-black diamond runs, it’s perfect terrain for satisfying the need for speed. Longstanding favorites include Lower Shay’s Revenge and Cupp Run, a fast one-mile slope designed by French alpine skier Jean-Claude Killy.

LOWER WILDCAT SLOPE LAUREL MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT, PA.

Approximately 70 miles east of Pittsburgh and part of Laurel Mountain State Park, this resort boasts one of the most thrilling runs in the East with Lower Wildcat, a double-black diamond that averages a 60 percent grade, reaching 72 percent at its steepest.

UPPER/LOWER CLIFFHANGER WINTERGREEN RESORT, VA.

Located in the scenic Highlands Area of Wintergreen, the largest ski resort in Virginia, Cliffhanger comes with a steep drop and great views. Grab the Highlands Express lift to access this and the expertfriendly area’s six other black-diamond trails.

Start ‘Em Young For young ones just getting comfortable on sticks,

check out these kid-friendly slopes and ski schools.

FRONT FACE HIDDEN VALLEY RESORT, PA.

With its beginner-friendly terrain, the Front Face of Hidden Valley offers a variety of trails, perfect for kids of all ages and abilities. The western Pennsylvania resort also has the well-reputed Rippers Adventure Program for lessons with experienced instructors.

LITTLE PENGUINS PROGRAM OMNI HOMESTEAD RESORT, VA.

Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains of western Virginia, the Omni Homestead holds great history in the foundation of Southern skiing. The resort also has a relaxed atmosphere and some of the region’s most gentle terrain for learning. Kids can get started in the Little Penguins Program, open to youngsters ages five to 11.

POLAR BEAR SNOWBOARD SCHOOL SUGAR MOUNTAIN, N.C.

H E A D I N G O U T F O R A D AY AT M A R Y L A N D ' S W I S P R E S O R T. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F W I S P.

Geared towards kids aged seven through 14,

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

Basye | VA

bryceresort.com 540-856-2121

SOUTHERN SKI GUIDE

KICK BACK AND RELAX AT L A U R E L M O U N TA I N S K I R E S O R T. PHOTO COURTESY OF LAUREL M O U N TA I N

this program in the North Carolina High Country includes slope tickets, rental equipment, and expert instruction that will get kids standing and sliding in no time.

HORST LOCHER SNOWSPORTS SCHOOL BRYCE RESORT, VA.

Bryce Resort’s Horst Locher Snowsports School is known as one of the best in the country with a staff of top-notch instructors willing to customize lessons for all abilities. The resort, located two hours west of Washington, D.C., has First-Time Packages that include a full-day carpet-only lift ticket, equipment rental, and a 75-minute lesson.

For the Boarders Snowboarders looking to play in terrain parks can find plenty of adrenaline-pumping features in the Blue Ridge.

MOUNTAINEER TERRAIN PARKS SNOWSHOE, W. VA.

With five terrain parks around the resort, there’s something for every rider at Snowshoe. Start off at Progression Park or Robinson’s Run, perfect for beginners testing out their developing freestyle skills. When you’re ready, make the transition to bigger features at Timberjack and Evolution Park, the resort’s newest park. Experienced riders will find plenty of large jump and technical jibs at the Mountaineer Park.

THE ALLEY

SEVEN SPRINGS MOUNTAIN RESORT, PA.

This mile-long terrain park is packed full of rails, boxes, and jumps. Six other terrain parks on site offer

A N E W D AY B E G I N S AT S E V E N S P R I N G S M O U N TA I N R E S O R T. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y OF SEVEN SPRINGS.

a rotating array of features. Head over to the Spot Superpipe, home to major qualifying events for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team.

OBER GATLINBURG FREESTYLE TERRAIN

OBER GATLINBURG SKI AREA, TENN.

Return to the terrain park at Ober Gatlinburg throughout the winter as they add new and more difficult features as the season progresses. Tom Royther, the snowsports coordinator, said they start out with a small area with four to six features.

“After we make enough snow, we open up the backside and open up the terrain park over there,” he said. “We have as many features as we can fit. We try to graduate the park throughout the season. So, we make it a little more difficult, [then] a little more difficult. But we always have options for beginners as well.”

After Dark Just because the sun has set doesn’t mean it’s time to pry off your boots. Check out these regional

resorts for some powder under the bright lights.

OBER GATLINBURG, TENN.

Extend your time on the slopes at Ober Gatlinburg until 10 p.m. every night except Sundays (open until 7 p.m.), as every run in the park is open for evening action. Also, mark your calendar for Ober Rocks on January 25, 2020, when the slopes will stay open until midnight, alongside live music and a wing eating competition.

MASSANUTTEN RESORT, VA.

With all of its trails, including the mile-long, steep black ParaDice, lit for night riding, Massanutten is open until 9 p.m. every night, except Tuesdays. Get in up to 12 hours of powder time from morning past sunset.

WISP RESORT, MD.

With 90 percent of the area lit for night skiing, Wisp Resort is open until 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and select holiday Sundays. Use the new resort app to track your vertical and miles covered as you ride from open to close.

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Top Cross-Country Skiing Destinations in the Southeast

Tracks

BY NOAH POULOS

C

ross-country skiing—also known as Nordic skiing—evokes thoughts of the far north.

Places where the thermostat stays below zero and snow blankets the ground for months on end. With fewer winter whiteouts in the South, you have to strike fast when there's fresh powder in the Blue Ridge backcountry. From a metro-accessible greenway to secluded wilderness areas, here are some top spots to explore on skis when fresh snow falls in Appalachia.

Delaware Water Gap

P E N N S Y LVA N I A A N D N E W J E R S E Y To glide through the snow in eastern Pennsylvania, look no further than Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Located along the Delaware River on the border of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, this national park offers cross-country skiers over 70,000 acres for an off-the-beaten path winter adventure.

Visitors can ski along the frigid Delaware River from campground to campground, stopping to admire the cliffs, wetlands, and lakes. Delaware Water Gap is also home to some of the few remaining old-growth hemlock trees in the eastern United States. There is no entrance fee to the park and it is open yearround. Only hours away from Baltimore, Cumberland, 40

Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh, this park is truly worth a winter escape.

Roaring Run Natural Area

P E N N S Y LVA N I A Just outside Pittsburgh is the scenic Roaring Run Natural Area. Most of the nearly 4,000-acre park is wooded, featuring eight marked trails, including old logging roads, which together account for a network of 15 miles of excellent cross-country skiing territory. Along the way, skiers get to experience mountain streams, rich hardwood forests, wildlife, and icy waterfalls, all within an hour of the Steel City.

Camping is prohibited, but there are a number of bed and breakfasts in Stahlstown, less than 30 minutes from the park, making for a weekend trip that is both thrilling and relaxing.

Grayson Highlands State Park

VIRGINIA Many are familiar with Grayson Highlands State Park for the wild ponies that graze the rolling, open meadows. These same meadows receive a bounty of fresh powder each winter, setting the stage for Virginia’s best cross-country ski destination. While there are designated trails throughout the park,

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

the area is so open and sprawling that skiers can feel free to spread out and explore over 200,000 snow-covered acres. With access to Mount Rogers, the highest peak in Virginia, the park offers breathtaking views and a unique, high-elevation wintery climate—open for exploration with more than 500 miles of trails when including the adjoining Mount Rodgers National Recreation Area.

Cranberry Wilderness

WEST VIRGINIA Cross-country skiers seeking solitude would do well to explore the Cranberry Wilderness within the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.

One of the largest wilderness areas on the East Coast, the 47,815-acre forest has a network of over 200 miles of remote trails that vary in difficulty and length. Visitors should prepare themselves for a challenge, as many skiers find themselves off trail for miles, navigating the elements that a truly wild landscape offers. The area has seven camping shelters and four campgrounds, so serious skiers can go deep into the winter wilderness for days at a time.

SOUTHERN SKI GUIDE

ENJOY EPIC VIEWS OF THE BLUE R I D G E M O U N TA I N S A L O N G T H E R O A N M O U N TA I N R A N G E , L O C AT E D O N THE NORTH CAROLINA/TENNESSEE B O R D E R . / P H O T O B Y T R AV I S B O R D L E Y

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Historical Park

MARYLAND For urbanite adventurers in the nation’s capital, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Historical Park offers 185 miles of skiing in a flat, lowland forest with wide paths and open views. In addition to the beautiful natural landscape, the park features centuries-old canal structures including locks and aqueducts that were used during the Civil War. Private and public camping options are available and, for a small fee, visitors can also spend the night in a restored 19thcentury lockhouse along the canal. For residents of Washington, D.C., this is the spot to come for winter adventure on the weekend, or even after work during the week.

Roan Mountain State Park

NORTH CAROLINA AND TENNESSEE With evergreen forests, wide-open grassy balds, and over 100 inches of snow annually, Roan Mountain State Park leaves visitors feeling closer to Ontario than Asheville. The Roan Mountain range is ideal for skiers seeking a real challenge as the steep terrain offers highly technical routes. Most of

the range is over 6,000 feet in elevation, offering stunning views of Tennessee to the north and North Carolina to the south. Located along the Appalachian Trail, Roan Mountain is the perfect spot for a southern ski-packing trip.

Moses Cone Memorial Park

NORTH CAROLINA At mile marker 294 along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Boone, is the expansive Moses Cone Memorial Park. Known as one of the High Country’s best crosscountry ski destinations, the park has 25 miles of

trails that offer access to a serene winter landscape.

The gently sloping carriage trails throughout Moses Cone Memorial Park make it a great option for beginners and families. Along the trails, skiers can admire the icy surface of one of the park’s lakes, trek to the summit of Rich Mountain, rest atop the Flat Top fire tower, and have a glance at the history of the Cone family at the Cone Cemetery. Centrally located a few hours from Charlotte, Roanoke, and Greenville, Moses Cone Memorial Park is truly a winter gem in the Southeast.

More XC at the Mon From Spruce Knob and Seneca Rocks to Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia’s Monongahela National Forest holds endless areas for cross-country skiing, and thanks to high elevations and cold climate, the region holds plenty of snow throughout the winter.

Alex Schlueter, a recreation manager for the area, recommends getting out on the Allegheny Trail.

Although the trail runs from Virginia to Pennsylvania, the five miles that run through the national forest connect Blackwater Falls State Park and Canaan Valley State Park. Explore

other trails, including Lundy Run, Mountainside, Pointy Knob, and Table Rock for a full day of skiing.

Additionally, the Highland Scenic Highway running through the national forest is not maintained during the winter.

While you’re in the area, head to the White Grass

Touring Center for over 40 miles of trails through pristine glades. The ski area prides itself on its sustainable operations and low electricity bill as it relies on snowfarming to collect natural snow and feed it to the trails.

—Ellen Kanzinger

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Colorfu

T he Inter sec t ion of A r t a nd Nat u re

BY ELLEN KANZINGER

There are many ways to enjoy a trail—a long run, a hard ride, a contemplative stroll. Much like a path winding through the woods, art is also wide open for personal exploration, existing to challenge us, ground us, and encourage discovery. Projects around the Blue Ridge are merging art and nature, offering opportunities to enjoy creativity outside of traditional museum and gallery spaces.

In addition to enhancing outdoor experiences, Miranda Kyle, arts and culture project manager for the Atlanta BeltLine, says placing installations outside and along trails helps democratize art by making it accessible to more people.

“There may be that kid out there who would never go to a museum and feels like that space is not for them,” Kyle said. “Then they see the artwork on the trail and get inspired as the next generation of creatives. Public art serves to be an example of the best of our hopes and dreams, what we want for ourselves and our city. If that isn’t inclusive and accessible, then it has failed.”

Whether in the middle of a city or a forest, here are a few scenic spots to find art in the wild.

Atlanta BeltLine, Ga.

When completed, the Atlanta BeltLine will loop 22 miles around the city, connecting parks, neighborhoods, and people by trail. In the decade since the first section of trail opened, it has become a place for people to commute, recreate, and gather.

“When the Atlanta BeltLine was originally envisioned as this rail to trails project, one of the biggest things is how do you get community buy-in when their whole experience with this space is that it is covered in kudzu and there’s rusted rail tracks out there,” Kyle said.

That’s where the public art comes in.

“Art was used as a tool to get people to explore because humans are inherently curious, and we will never be able to resist something big and shiny in the woods,” Kyle said. “The Atlanta BeltLine is a giant infrastructure project with tons of moving parts.

The art program allowed people to fall in love with a component that gave them a doorway into bigger conversations about everything else. It’s something they can take ownership of.”

Kyle helps curate over 11 miles of murals, sculptures, photography, and performances along

ul T rails the completed sections of the multi-use trail. Part of her job is figuring out the best location for each piece.

“It’s like a math equation,” Kyle said. “There are sculptors who think they’ve made something huge in their studio because it’s eight feet tall. Then you put that outside, and it’s tiny. This needs to be near trees, under an overpass, or somewhere it can still feel large even though it actually isn’t because now that it’s outside, everything is much bigger than it.”

In addition to accepting proposals from artists every year, the BeltLine also supports an artist, curator, and scholar in residence, bringing more people from the community into the project.

As more miles are added to the BeltLine, the art will continue to spread.

“Like kudzu, we will go into every nook and cranny that we possibly can,” Kyle said. “We’re an unstoppable force.”

Andrew Catanese’s mural illustrates Atlanta’s nickname, “City in a Forest,” referring to the dense tree cover throughout the city. As a trail runner and ultramarathoner, Catanese spends a lot of time on the trail.

“When you live in Atlanta, pretty much everybody knows the BeltLine,” he said. “It’s one of the most popular places for people to go to walk or bike. I think my work is shaped by what I’m seeing out there. I definitely incorporate the plants that are blooming in the season I am working.”

This mural along the Eastside Trail, in addition to a lot of Catanese’s other work, explores the idea of nature as a refuge through his depictions of plants and foliage.

“A lot of my work has to do with queerness and gender in the South,” he said. “In a way, the work uses nature as a refuge, but it’s also a way of hiding and masking parts of the self. It’s sort of a duality in the way I experience that because it’s both a place to hide and protect myself, but also a place that I don’t feel any need to hide anything.”

Catanese and a few volunteers worked 10-hour days for 15 days to complete the 100-foot mural.

“With the murals, you get the most feedback from random people when you’re actually working on it,” he said. “They’ll walk up and talk to you. It’s pretty much the only time that you’re making art that you’re getting constant positive feedback, which is nice.”

Artist Sachi Rome said she often forgets about

“A lot of my w o rk ha s to do w ith q u ee r ne ss an d ge n d e r in the S outh,” C atane se sai d . “ In a way, the w o rk u se s n at u re a s a re f uge, b ut it ’s a l so a way of h i ding an d m a sk ing pa r t s of the self. It ’s so r t of a d u a lit y in the way I e x pe r i e nce that bec a u se it ’s both a pl a ce to h i d e an d p rotec t myself, b ut a l so a pl a ce that I don’t feel any need to h i d e anyth ing.”

SACHI ROME'S "IF I WERE A BIRD (LOOKING F O R P E A C E ) , " L O C AT E D O N T H E AT L A N TA BELTLINE. PHOTO BY THE SINTOSES, REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM AT L A N TA B E L T L I N E , I N C .

Winter(green) Wonderland!

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43

her mural on the Westside Trail until someone tags her in a social media post or writes her an email.

“It’s always like finding five dollars in your pocket that you’ve forgotten about,” she said. “People reaching out and taking their time to say those words or take a picture in front of the piece, it really does keep me motivated.”

In her piece, “If I were a Bird (looking for Peace),” Rome deals with the loss of her high school track coach. Rome used items like a broom and giant rubber squeegee to create a textured background before she layered the human face on top of the vibrant colors. A poem she wrote accompanies the mural, describing how it would feel to fly above the tress like a bird and release built-up fears.

Located right along the trail, visitors engage with the mural every time they walk past.

“It’s like a book,” Rome said. “A book is written, but it’s really not activated and living unless you’re reading it. A book sits on a shelf in hopes that someone picks it up and enjoys it. It’s the same thing with my paintings. I need the viewer to activate my work. I need your eyes to see what you see. It doesn’t have to be what I want you to see, but I do need you to engage. If you don’t engage, then I have nothing.”

Beech Tree Trail, N.C.

Most people who visit Elk Knob State Park come for the views of the North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia mountains from the Summit Trail, an advanced two-mile trail that takes visitors to the top of one of the state’s highest peaks.

While the Beech Tree Trail, an easy one-mile loop around the picnic area, does not offer the same views, visitors will walk through an American Beech Forest marked with engraved hand-printed works of art.

Brandy Belville, a ranger at the park, said the original idea for the art along the trail came from former ranger Kelly Safley in 2015.

“One of her jobs was to do a hazard tree inspection on the trail,” Belville said. “She decided instead of cutting the hazard trees all the way to the ground, just cut them three to four feet off the ground.”

Safley cut out sections of the stumps and gave them to students at Appalachian State University to paint.

“It was meant as a temporary art project,” Belville said. “Of course, nature would one day break it all down.”

Scott Ludwig, a professor of art and the printmaking area coordinator at ASU, was hiking 44

T O P : A D A M S M I T H ' S " L I L I E S " AT E L K K N O B S TAT E P A R K . P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F S C O T T L U D W I G . R I G H T: A N D R E W C ATA N E S E ' S " C I T Y I N A F O R E S T " O N T H E AT L A N TA B E L T L I N E . P H O T O COURTESY OF THE BELTLINE.

the Beech Tree Trail with his son when he noticed a lot of the work was looking run down or had been stolen. At the time, Belville was looking to revive the project and continue the collaboration with the community.

The professor and the ranger teamed up to bring new public and community-based works to the park.

“Printmaking is a perfect medium for that,” Ludwig said. “It began as a very democratic medium as a way to mass produce work. At Elk Knob, I saw that as an excellent opportunity for students who are engaged in the medium of printmaking to experience this idea of working collaboratively. This idea of the artist slaving away solo in their studio and not interacting with others, that’s an old model.”

For his Summer 2018 Relief Printmaking class, Ludwig asked his students to design prints highlighting the flora and fauna of the area. They had to professionally present their ideas to the staff at Elk Knob, detailing their concept and proposed budget.

Once the students carved their wood blocks, they made a series of limited edition prints to be sold in the park gift shop. The proceeds will go towards maintenance of the trail.

The hand-painted blocks now line the trail, accessible to all who visit.

“I think it’s important that art is accessible and

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A PERFORMANCE BY THE T X L I P S A S PA R T O F T H E B E L T L I N E ' S A . M . F. M .

S U M M E R F E S T I VA L AT T H E B A K E R Y. P H O T O B Y T H E SINTOSES, REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM AT L A N TA B E L T L I N E , I N C .

seen by a wider population of people,” Ludwig said. “It’s not necessarily there just to beautify the surroundings. It’s also there to generate some reflection and thinking about these issues that are pertinent in our own time.”

Eventually, the weather will break down these pieces as well and they’ll need to be replaced.

“This is an ongoing project, new art every couple of years type of thing,” Belville said. “It’s meant to be a collaboration with the community to let them have a stake in the park.”

Trail Hands, Va.

This summer, giant hand sculptures decorated with paint, mirrors, and stained glass started popping up at various trailheads throughout Patrick County, Virginia.

A group of local businesspeople, artists, and community leaders developed the idea for Trail Hands at an AIR Shift Workshop last year. The three-day collaborative experience challenged small groups to design a project around an economic or tourism goal through creativity.

Sarah Wray, a member of the committee that came up with the project and helped choose the artists, said the project is all about celebrating trails and the community’s heritage through art.

“Our natural resources are an undertapped item here in our county,” she said. “We thought that not only would it bring together our artists by creating an art installation, but also would help us to highlight our tourism initiatives based around getting folks here, getting them on trails, and being in the mountains.”

The hands celebrate the heritage, arts, nature, dreams, and stories of the region.

“We really just asked artists to think about what Patrick County meant to them, what it represented, and a way they could create a work of art that would help bring our community together,” Wray said.

While there are only five hands placed at trailheads throughout the county, the hope is 46

“ O u r n at u ra l re sou rce s a re an un d e r tap ped ite m he re in ou r count y,” Wray sai d . “ We thought that not only w ou l d it b r ing togethe r ou r a r t i st s b y c reat ing an a r t in sta l l at ion , b ut a l so w ou l d help u s to h ighlight ou r tou r i sm init i at ive s ba sed a roun d get t ing f ol k s he re, get t ing the m on t rai l s, an d be ing in the m ountain s.”

that this project will help generate some momentum around building new trails in the area.

“One of the things we noticed when we were putting this project together is that we’ve got some amazing vistas and land here,” Wray said.

“But access to trails was another big component for us that we thought was a really important goal to work towards.

While we’ve identified a trail in each community, our hope is that this is a catalyst for continued trail development and connection throughout the county.

As more trails are developed, we would love to see this project continue to grow.”

Grace Helms, one of the featured artists, teaches art to about 500 pre-K through seventh graders in the area. She said she is excited for her students to be exposed to more art outside of school.

“They get to see me involved in a project besides what we do in class,” Helms said.

Her piece, “Bridging Tradition,” sits at a trailhead at Mountain Top Park. The hand holds a banjo made out of various recycled pieces from Patrick County.

Local farmers, construction companies, a sawmill, and the library donated scraps of metal, tractor tires, and other materials for the instrument.

Helms’ brother-in-law helped her weld all of the pieces together.

For Helms, the hand represents the different industries in Patrick County and the long history of music in the area.

“The story is found in working hard by day and the music we play on our front porches in the evenings,” Helms said. “These are the songs we pass down to our children. Our faith, hard work, and love for family is passed down from generation to generation.”

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

More Art!

Check out these other public art installations highlighting the relationship between art and nature around the region.

The Thrill of 10 Lanes at 25+ mph?

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Josephine Sculpture Park, Ky. NANCY CLARK'S “ T H E FA M I LY FEELING O F PAT R I C K COUNTY” L O C AT E D AT T H E M AY O R I V E R R A I L TRAIL. PHOTO BY ANNA LESTER

Since 2009, the Josephine Sculpture Park has been connecting people to the land through the arts. This park, located in Frankfort, Kentucky, is free and open to the public every day.

Wander the grounds, featuring work from dozens of artists. Keep an eye out for events happening throughout the year, including festivals and workshops.

Mauldin Public Art Trail, S.C. Every year a new piece is commissioned to line the outdoor amphitheater at the Mauldin Cultural Center in South Carolina to fit a different theme, including “Youth: Passion for Change” and “Industry of the Upstate.” Every year, the oldest artwork is replaced and relocated to another location around the community.

The Schuylkill Center, Pa. This environmental center, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, sits on 340 acres of forests, fields, and ponds.

Artists collaborate with scientists, architects, urban planners, and other professionals to create pieces that address environmental issues and solutions.

Works installed along the trails are informed by the surrounding flora and fauna.

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47

THE GO OUTSIDE &PL AY GUIDE

4 ADVENTURE ITINERARIES

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

A WEEKEND IN...

St. Paul

VA

St. Paul, Virginia–a tiny town offering big adventures. Head on over to the banks of the Clinch River where fishing, floating, and kayaking become your new way of life. You’re bound to be hooked. Or start a thrill-seeking adventure on Spearhead Trails’ Mountain View ATV Trail System.When was the last time you played in the mud and loved it?

WINDING GREEN CANOPIES,DIRT TRAILS TO WIDE OPEN M O U N TA I N V I E W S , A N D WAT E R FA L L S D E F I N E S P E A R H E A D T R A I L S ’ M O U N TA I N V I E W AT V T R A I L S Y S T E M .

DAY ONE MORNING

Grab coffee and a muffin at St. Paul’s Fourth Ave Baked Goods before heading over to the Clinch River.

Didn’t bring fishing gear? No problem.

Clinch Life Outfitters can fit you with all you need to bring home dinner. They’ll hook you up. Not into fishing? Maybe you prefer to start your day with an early morning bike ride, run, or hike along the Clinch River. Bike rentals are available. Starting at Blue Bell Island, loop around Oxbow Lake and

The Clinch is home to over 50 species of mussels, more than any other river in the world . Not only known for its mussels, the variety of sport fish makes the Clinch a great destination for anglers.

adventure off onto the Sugar Hill Loop Trail. You can explore approximately 13 miles and never leave town!

AFTERNOON

Refuel after a morning of adventures and take a break before your next one.

Head over to any of the small-town

restaurants, such as Giovanni’s pizza, a local favorite for over 40 years, or St. Paul’s award winning brewery, Sugar Hill Brewing Company, for lunch or late afternoon snack.

EVENING

Get checked in at the award-winning boutique hotel, The Western Front, located downtown in the center of it all.

Plan on a special dinner at Ina + Forbes, St. Paul’s newest restaurant. Located inside the hotel, enjoy a great meal

prepared by Hell’s Kitchen Celebrity Chef, Chef T, and her staff. If the hotel is booked, no worries. There are other places for you to stay. Book an ATV Excursion as part of your lodging choice with St. Paul Suites and Cottages. At Mountain View Lodge, you can schedule an exciting trip around the area to see what else Southwest Virginia has to offer.

No matter where you stay, everything in town is just a few footsteps away.

opportunity to rough it with a packed lunch from Fat Boys BBQ, known for their Heart Attack Baked Potatoes, to enjoy a picnic at any one of the mountain overlooks or waterfalls along the trails. Whether you are visiting a restaurant, the trails, the hotel, or the grocery store, stay on your ATV. The town of St. Paul is ATV friendly!

DAY TWO

Check the schedule in BackYard at the Western Front Hotel for live music, s’mores, and outdoor games such as cornhole and yard Jenga. You just might need a little trivia to help ponder the meaning of life. Grab a friend or two and head out back to wind down from your day of thrill seeking and high adventures. Relax around the fire pit while you take in the sounds of music, laughter, and a good time.

And if at the end of the day, you find yourself just wanting more… Plan another trip to St. Paul. Maybe the Coal Heritage Museum or the Wetlands of Estonia will be on your to S T PA U LVA . O R G do list.

MORNING

Grab your coffee and breakfast and get ready for some thrills. Whiz over the mountains on your ATV to the wide open spaces for some spectacular mountain views. Want to visit the nearby, trail-connected town of Coeburn, Virginia? You can— on your ATV. If you don’t have an ATV, don’t worry about that either, the Western Front Hotel has Polaris Rzrs, 4 seaters and 2 seaters ATVs, for rent.

AFTERNOON

Before hitting the trails, don’t miss the

EVENING

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A WEEKEND IN...

Culpeper

VA

Located just 70 miles from D.C. and 80 miles from Richmond, Culpeper, Virginia is a town with rich history and modern charm. It has a happening downtown where you can stay at a charming B&B, browse the many local shops, and eat at fabulous restaurants. If you want, you can even ditch your car and take the Amtrak right to the heart of the downtown.

DAY ONE MORNING

Start your morning at Frost Cafe for breakfast (it’s cash only, so come prepared), then stroll around the corner to The Frenchman’s Corner or Seriously Sweet and buy some treats for later. Once you have your handmade sweets, pop in to the shops on Davis Street to see what treasures you can find.

AFTERNOON

Drive or get a ride share to a triplethreat local favorite: Old House Vineyards, Distillery, and Brewery.

DAV I S S T R E E T | T H E C E N T E R O F W H AT ’ S G O O D, TA S T Y, A N D B E A U T I F U L I N D O W N T O W N C U L P E P E R

EVENING

You will find something there no matter your beverage preference. To continue your wine tour of Culpepper, try Gray Ghost Vineyards, Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery, Mountain Run Winery, or go back to Davis Street and hit Vinosity wine store for a complimentary tasting.

DAY TWO

Grab a bite at Flavor on Main and a flight at Beer Hound or Far Gohn. If you MORNING want a little exercise, you can walk through Yowell After breakfast at Raven’s Meadow or Rockwater Every Thursday, Nest, head over to the Inn Park, and then retire Friday, & at Kelly’s Ford Equestrian to one of three sweet Saturday, Center to hit the trail on boutique inns, Suites at The Packard horseback. Novice rider?

249, Loft on Davis, or Theatre (part of No worries–they have Thyme Inn. the Library of options for beginners and

Congress) screens FREE films.

Check their website for listings.

provide helmets. If horses aren’t your thing, consider a trip to the Museum of Culpeper History, and then head out to see some of the Civil War Battlefields and the Culpeper National Cemetery.

AFTERNOON

For an active afternoon, drive a few minutes south of town to Lake Pelham Adventures where you can rent a canoe, kayak, paddleboard, or paddle boat.

While you are there, be sure to check out Ole Country Store & Bakery. Grab a sandwich and browse the aisles in this

unique store that specializes in bulk foods and baked goods.

EVENING

End your day at Foti’s Restaurants, a fine dining option with amazing food and service. After dinner, take one last stroll around downtown to check out anything you may have missed yesterday.

Take Culpeper Home - If you are looking for some local food addictions, stop by Thyme Market and ask for some “Culpeper Crack.”

Then swing by Knakal’s Bakery for their homemade famous donuts, or down to Moving Meadows Farm and Bakery where the Hudson family uses an Austrian Flour mill to hand mill all their grain. Stop by all three and take some Culpeper home with you!

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Alleghany Highlands

VA

It’s easy to get to the Alleghany Highlands, yet it couldn’t be further from the stress of a hectic life. Beautiful mountain views, endless outdoor recreation, and two walkable downtowns with locally owned shops and restaurants add up to a charming and adventurous way of life. It’s Uniquely Alleghany!

DAY ONE

O V E R LO O K F R O M T H E N O R T H M O U N TA I N T R A I L .

L E F T: M O U N TA I N B I K E R AT D O U T H AT S TAT E PA R K .

B OT TO M : K AYA K E R S H E A D I N G TO T H E I R C A M P S I T E O N T H E L A K E .

MORNING

Start your day right with a fresh pastry and coffee to go from Cakes Your Way & The Coffee Café, or sit down and enjoy breakfast at Penny’s Diner. Once you’re fueled up and ready to go, hit the North Mountain Trail. At 6.8 miles out and back, you’ll be treated to mountainous views of the Alleghany Highlands as far as the eyes can see.

When you get back to town, stop at Cucci’s Pizzeria for a sandwich with homemade bread or a slice of pizza.

AFTERNOON

After lunch, stop by Alleghany Outdoors, the newest outfitter in the area. Enjoy a trip on the Jackson River by kayak, tube, or canoe. A shuttle will take you to numerous boat launches of your choice.

A local favorite is at the Smith Bridge

Boat launch for a three to four-hour trip. This 10-mile section of the river has several rapids through crystal clear waters. You will encounter beautiful mountain cliffs and abundant wildlife along this exciting float.

EVENING

Treat yourself to dinner at The Rail Bar & Grille with live music, the Cat & Owl for fresh steak and seafood, or at Café

Michel for an elegant French cuisine experience. Check in to one of several local inns, AirBnbs, or campsites for the night.

DAY TWO MORNING

the county. Afterwards, head to Trani’s Grille for wings, sandwiches, and more to keep your energy up.

AFTERNOON

Park at Douthat State Park, known for its world-class single-track trails, for an exhilarating afternoon of mountain biking on Stony The Alleghany Run and Middle Mountain Highlands Blueway Trail. If you prefer to be on is comprised of the water, Lake Moomaw nearly 40 miles of has more than 40 miles scenic rivers and of undeveloped shoreline hundreds of miles and numerous hiking trails of shoreline on two to enjoy. pristine lakes with

Start at the Olde Town Diner for a breakfast menu full of tasty southern cooking options.

Take a leisurely ride on the Jackson River Scenic Trail, a mostly flat, 14.4over 20 different EVENING mile rail trail that runs boat launches along parallel to the water. If its waterways.

Unwind with dinner at Jack you don’t have a bike – Mason’s Tavern & Brewery, Alleghany Outdoors has a local staple for great food and locally you covered! Afterwards, hop in the brewed beer, and head to the Historic car and go for a scenic drive through Masonic Theatre the area. Sit by the water at Humpback for a movie or Bridge, the last of its kind in the United a show before States. Pull off at the overlook on Route turning in for 220 to view Falling Springs Falls, a the night. breathtaking 80-foot waterfall that is one of the most photographed spots in

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Winchester

VA

The perfect base camp awaits for your next Shenandoah Valley adventure.

Winchester has a thriving Old Town walking mall with 20+ local restaurants, 4 walkable craft breweries, and an up and coming art scene, not to mention a great outdoor outfitter, surrounded by 275 years of history. All of this within easy reach of hiking, biking, and kayaking for every skill level.

DAY ONE MORNING

Morning in Old Town warrants a walk to breakfast at the quirky but tasty Steamy’s Café or laid-back Hideaway Café. A short drive gets you to the local favorite Bonnie Blue Southern Market & Bakery. Stop by Mountain Trails Outfitters on the Old Town Walking Mall for any last-minute equipment or supplies, then head west to the Eagle Rock Trailhead on the Tuscarora Trail. You can take a short 15-minute hike to the namesake overlook, or continue on for more beautiful views. This is a 252-mile bypass route of the AT, so you can hike as far or as short as you’d like. You can

D I S C O V E R AT- Q UA L I T Y T R A I L S A N D S W E E P I N G V I S TA S W I T H O U T T H E C R O W D S O N T H E T U S C A R O R A T R A I L , L I K E H E R E AT T H E E AG L E R O C K O V E R LO O K .

grab a great to-go lunch from Shaffer’s BBQ and Market or West Oaks Farm Market, both on the way.

AFTERNOON

Afternoon brings you back down the mountain. As you descend, drop by

Richard’s Fruit Market for a refreshing homemade peach milkshake or MarkerMiller Orchards for some famous apple cider donuts, baked on-site daily. Then detour to Winchester Ciderworks for fresh UK-style hard cider fashioned in a century-old barn out of apples grown on site. Head back into town to check into the George Washington, A Wyndham Grand Hotel, in the heart of Old Town Winchester, which puts you just feet from a variety of local restaurant

options. Or, if you’d like to truly get away, stay at the luxury Inn at Vaucluse Spring or Japanese-themed Pembroke Springs Retreat, both outside of town.

EVENING

Harper’s Ferry, stay local and hike the Third Battle of Winchester trails, or go on a guided biking adventure arranged

by Element Sports.

EVENING

Make sure to check out the showtimes If you didn’t spend the previous at the popular Family Drive-In Theatre evening exploring in Old Town, this is in nearby Stephens City and catch a a must-do today. Stop by Winchester flick under the stars. Get there a little Brew Works for one of their hikingearly on Saturdays as the themed beers and check cars line up! the showtimes at the Outstanding Bright Box Theatre for mineral water live music, comedy, and abounds in our more. Or for a paranormal mountains – free experience, book an always-running Apparition Trail ghost MORNING spouts can be tour, available nightly in found off Rt 55 Old Town. Save time for a Sleep in on your second near Eagle Rock nightcap and live jazz at morning and have or off Wardensville the Half Note Bar in the brunch at Region’s Grade near George Washington Hotel.

117, Oak Stone Pizza, Pembroke Springs.

DAY TWO

or the Village Square Restaurant in Old Town.

AFTERNOON

Head out to kayak on the nearby Shenandoah River or Potomac River in

VISITWINCHESTERVA.COM

DON’T DRAIN THE SWAMP MINING COMPANY THREATENS THE OKEFENOKEE (AGAIN)

BY CHRISTIAN HUNT

David Brower, one of the 20th century’s most influential environmentalists, once said that “when they win, it’s forever. When we win, it’s merely a stay of execution.”

After spearheading efforts to save several of our most iconic landscapes, such as Redwood and North Cascades National Parks, Brower came to understand that, even with formal protections, few green spaces are truly safe and must often be defended and secured more than once.

For the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, that is indeed the case. Recently, Twin Pines Minerals, LLC, an Alabama-based company, took the first steps towards establishing what it hopes will become a 12,000-acre mine, located along the Over the course of 30 years, the company intends Southeastern refuge boundary. This is neither the to strip the land of vegetation, mine to depths of first proposal of its kind nor is it likely to be the last.

70 feet in some places, and destroy the soils that At 438,000 acres, the Okefenokee swamp is influence water retention within the swamp. The a vast labyrinth of dripping cypress forests, pine U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has already warned islands, lily ponds, and blackwater channels, most that, should mining proceed in this of which are protected within the manner, the damage to the entire Okefenokee National Wildlife refuge—a landscape it states is Refuge. Thousands of species, “like no other place on Earth...may including the imperiled gopher be permanent.” Similar sentiments tortoise and wood stork, call its were expressed by expert unspoiled habitat home, as do VOICE YOUR hydrologists during the latest upwards of 12,000 American OPPOSITION AND public comment period. alligators. Unlike most other North CONCERNS TO As the largest national wildlife American wetlands of significance, H O L LY R O S S A T refuge east of the Mississippi, such as the Everglades or Great THE ARMY CORPS the Okefenokee is of immense Dismal Swamp, the function OF ENGINEERS: value to wildlife and humans alike. and health of the Okefenokee H O L LY. A . R O S S @ U S A C E . A R M Y. M I L The refuge attracts 600,000 has not been compromised by people annually, generates $64 development or agriculture, million in local annual economic earning it the distinction as a output, and supports over 700 local jobs. Offering Wetland of International Importance and a tentative unmatched opportunity for solitude and adventure, UNESCO World Heritage Site. the swamp speaks to people in a manner that few Even though the refuge is legally protected, places are able and represents one of the last history has shown that the swamp is far from secure. true examples of the primitive South. Its hard-won Twenty years ago, the DuPont corporation set its wilderness character, however, is delicate and easily sights on a deposit of titanium found along the solost. According to refuge surveys, 50% of visitors called Trail Ridge, a natural earthen barrier that is indicated they’d be less likely to return for future responsible for ensuring that water is stored within visits were the swamp’s water quality or amount and flows toward the swamp. Forming the eastern to diminish. As Twin Pines’ track record confirms, edge of the refuge, DuPont hoped to mine the Trail impacts of this nature are simply the cost of doing Ridge’s distinct layers of soil, mix them together, business. then dump them back into pits, likely compromising In Florida, Twin Pines was recently cited in a the swamp’s hydrological integrity. That project consent order for failing to maintain silt fences was ultimately killed by a tidal wave of opposition. It and illegally discharging tailings into a wetland. In also sent a clear and unmistakable message to the a cynical display of gamesmanship, the company mining industry: Okefenokee is off-limits. furthermore misrepresented at local hearings Unfortunately, Twin Pines failed to heed this both the size of the mining operation, as well as its lesson and, in brazen defiance, has once more potential impacts to threatened and endangered targeted the edge of the refuge for titanium mining.

52

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

species. Twin Pines also claimed that “mining will not have an impact on the Okefenokee swamp,” yet has offered no definitive evidence to support their claim. Twenty years ago, similar promises prompted then-Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt, to declare that, no matter how many studies or models were produced, mining proponents would never be able to “prove beyond a reasonable doubt” that there would be no impact to the swamp. That was the case then and remains the case today.

The fight to protect the Okefenokee has a long and rich history, with activists struggling for a century to shield it from commercial exploitation.

That effort came to what was thought its natural end in 1974, when roughly 350,000 acres were designated as federally protected Wilderness.

At that time, no one predicted that mining would eventually become the most significant threat to ever face the Okefenokee, with the potential for lasting and permanent hydrological damage. At a minimum, we can be sure that, were the project to move forward, the sounds of cranes and storks would be overwhelmed by industrial machinery; the dark skies tainted by the glow of artificial lighting; the waters polluted by inevitable runoff; and the abundant wildlife that depends on the swamp diminished, spoiling the values for which the Okefenokee is world-renowned. It would also open the door for additional mining companies who’ve long coveted even larger properties along the refuge boundary.

The Okefenokee has been described as one of the 100 most beautiful places on the planet. Only public outcry will ensure the swamp forever remains that way. In the coming months, wildlife enthusiasts, hunters, paddlers, and recreationists of all types must unite against Twin Pines and stand once again in the Okefenokee’s defense.

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Pisgah National Forest boasts forested trails and rushing waterfalls. Climb Looking Glass Rock by trail or with rope and clip from the granite base, navigate swift white waters on the Nantahala, or camp amidst the hardwood forest canopy, all while wearing Landmark’s luxurious 50/50 cotton/polyester, unisex tee.

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Enjoy an authentic Italian-stye meal anywhere adventure takes you! Our new entree is a spun fusilli pasta in a rustic tomato sauce made with fireroasted veggies, garlic, basil and Italian-style fennel sausage. Just add hot water and in minutes you’ll enjoy Fusilli Pasta wherever adventure takes you.

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PERSPECTIVE

MARATHON

A WRITER’S JOURNEY TO BECOMING A RUNNER

BY JEREMY D. LARSON

For nine months, I haven’t met a day without soreness or left it without exhaustion.

Whether nursing an inflamed Achilles tendon or dealing with a pre-arthritic runner’s knee or just a general ache from a speed, distance, or strength workout, my body, at 34, has become the site of a shady remodeling project, a real gut job like someone’s trying to flip me for cash. I ran my first marathon in the spring, came in under four hours, and in the summer I started training for my second. Previously the idea of running two marathons in a year would have seemed preposterous had it crossed my mind at any point during my life, yet here I am, 733 earned miles under my feet since January, hoping to have a good day at the New York Marathon in November.

Becoming an athlete—a class of people I consider myself a part of because of both the constant soreness and exhaustion as well as occasionally not drinking because of a planned workout—has been an all-time great decision, right up there with marriage and seeing OutKast on the Stankonia tour. Unlike becoming a creative—a class of people I consider myself a part of because I occasionally smoke weed and have an astonishing ego—the athlete actually sees measurable progress. Put in work and see results in the body. For instance, mine has gone from writerly schlub to that post-schlub road-biker look with a baby-fat gut and weirdly jacked thighs; the guy who walks into the corner store dripping sweat and tries to buy a huge thing of coconut water and an RxBar with Apple Pay but can’t get the thing to show up on the phone and is holding up the whole line.

But also: Put in work and see numbers. Real numbers, times on a stopwatch, data logged, arrayed, and analyzed. I have a record of the same workout I’ve done for the past year and to see my pace quicken, to see my heart rate decrease as I shorten those times little by little has been the most rewarding thing. They say that you need a hobby if you are going to be a creative type, something where you can be objectively successful instead of subjectively and hopelessly typing words trying to convey meaning and style. Cooking, gardening, woodcraft, Starcraft, whatever. Long-distance running has become my hobby, the tangible and tactile activity that exists alongside this indestructible and altogether unhealthy desire to be regarded as a writer and editor of note.

I wasn’t necessarily an athlete growing up: I played sports because that was the main after-school activity you could really do in my town other than Cub Scouts (too churchy) or 4-H (too muddy and too churchy). So I sportsed, but by the time the youth rec league transitioned from charmingly participatory to actually competitive, I was slotted into the also-ran positions in each one: soccer (fullback), track (3000m race), and basketball (guy who’s encouraged to pass it). I was the utility player who clearly didn’t have one of two things that allows young people to excel at sports: the drive to practice or the innate coordination to not have to practice. When I told my dad I wanted to quit baseball, it led to one of the biggest drag-out family fights in our history, the kind everyone looks back on with eyes down and utter shame.

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

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So I grew into an oblong creative-type. Soccer practice turned into play rehearsal, baseball turned to transcribing Stan Getz solos, getting exercise was replaced by a life of the mind which included a lay interest in fiction while getting high and ordering two double cheeseburgers at McDonald's on the way back from band practice. It all flowed easy; there was no one disappointed in my skill level, no teammate disappointed in my fear of the ball, no pithy orange slices to factor into the process.

Until this year, I didn’t really know what it took to be an athlete. I had worked out, yes; I had even gone to the gym for a couple years, but that was more out of vanity than any kind of goal (the goal was to look attractive enough to be able to play a convincing Romeo, a contrapuntal action to distract from the fact that this Romeo was going bald). Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Athleticism is, in my understanding of it, doing the same thing and expecting different results—and actually getting them.

The first day running on the road is misery. You are moving as if a bungee cord is attached to your back. But each day the bungee loosens until it’s gone, as long as you keep doing the same thing, keep setting the alarm, keep committing to honing the rhythm of the day when you are getting up to run and refining the posture and movement of the legs and body. 800-meter repeats, six times up the hill, four-mile loop at your marathon pace.

Running is an exercise of repetition and trust that if you continue to do the workout, it will get better and better.

Fall into the pattern like a trance, add a couple of speed workouts, and suddenly my 34-year-old body is using oxygen like a goddamn 20-year-old.

This, I think, has given me perspective on the struggles of media and music. (I should also add this is why writers are encouraged to embrace a real hobby; to find new perspective through the eyes of a subculture and use it to add dimension to their essays.) In the worst of days online, it can feel like we are trapped in a repetitive, recursive nightmare. We struggle with how to process the same information—delivered in the same kind of way—over and over because nothing seems to be changing. Another day, another spate of horrifying or banal stories and emails delivered with roughly the same tone and commented on wryly or cynically by the same people. At worst, the information becomes toxic and elicits an unwarranted negative response to the sender; at best, we tie our brains into some mariner’s knot to try and have a genuine response to the information. We employ cynicism, nihilism, irony, anger, and contrarianism to try to respond to this sameness.

We elide normal response in favor of something so layered and inscrutable as to be entirely without actual meaning. But do we grow? Do we get faster? Do the numbers really go up?

In music, repetition evokes hypnosis and familiarity—the warmth of a house beat, the comfort of a vi, IV, I chord pattern. In writing, repetition evokes a motif, a signal to pay attention to this, or a crutch a writer relies on. In nature, repetition forms in snowflakes and snail shells, a result of mathematics and natural selection. The phenomena of repetition and recursion are so often signifiers of meaning and beauty, except when it comes to how we consume media. Because of the pace of digital media and publishing, information has to constantly be packaged in different ways else

we over-familiarize ourselves with it and the package begins to curdle. Every day, we are recalibrating ourselves to the speed with which we need to absorb and familiarize ourselves with new news, new emails, new music, books, movies, because there is no governor on the amount of information we can have.

When I’m feeling a pain in my ankle on a run, my brain and body tell me to stop. When I’m blithely checking Twitter before bed, I don’t have any reaction that tells me I have already had too much information for the day.

The term “brain worms” is employed as a kind of in-joke when someone on Twitter leaps to what seems like the most absurd, layered, reactionary, referential response to a piece of information. Mostly “brain worms” is just what happens when you think the online world is exercise, when you believe you are accruing something or making the numbers go up, when in reality you are just loading an overworked, injured brain and nothing is changing. Everything feels recursive because you cannot process new information.

Running has made me more sympathetic to an honest response, to patience, to the idea of approaching the same thing with new eyes. At the end of a long 14-mile training run, knowing that it is a distance greater than a half-marathon, that I am just out here doing the work, running a loop, slowly strengthening and building to do better the next time, I feel better than any one moment in life outside of getting some writing done. ..........

Jeremy D. Larson is the reviews editor at Pitchfork.

20 years ago, ENO became the catalyst that sparked the hammocking counter culture.

With the creation of the DoubleNest Hammock, and the first ever hammock suspension system, ENO revolutionized hammocking and cultivated a tribe of nomadic adventurers.

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BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

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THE GOODS

SNOW ESSENTIALS

Helmet

THE BEST WINTER GEAR OF 2019

Sweet Protection Ascender MIPS Well ventilated with 105 air-flow vents and light enough that you almost forget you are wearing it, this helmet— which is certiified for both skiing and climbing—does not sacrifice protection for light weight. The MIPS system lessens the chance of a concussion via an internal layer that rotates with the skull upon impact. $200; sweetprotection.com

IT’S TIME TO RESTOCK YOUR CLOSET WITH SKIS, BOARDS, SNOWSHOES, SHELLS, AND EXTRAS THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR GAME, UPLEVEL YOUR LOOK, AND KEEP YOU COZY ON THE SLOPES AND IN THE BACKCOUNTRY THIS WINTER.

Ski Boot

Dahu Écorce Drawing on Swiss design and tapping a braintrust of former Black Diamond and Burton execs, this innovative ski boot promises snowboard-boot comfort thanks to a plastic shell with a series of strategic cutouts, a hinged entry system, and a swanky Italian-made liner that takes the pain out of ski boots. $899; skidahu.com

B Y D O U G S C H N I T Z S PA H N

Alpine Ski

Nordica Enforcer 88 Meet your new do-it-all ski. With a wood core and snappy turning power this beast can dampen the chatter of hard, nasty snow, and absolutely rails when the conditions are right. Comfortable at speed, it’s the perfect choice for a season at the local hills, while also ready for big mountains when you travel. $750; nordica.com

Snowshoe

Atlas APEX MTN 25 With a Boa closure system that dials in the fit and an aggressive crampon on the bottom, this snowshoe will not only tromp through deep, untracked snow, it will also get you to the top of steep, burly terrain. $299; atlassnowshoe.com

Poles

Leki Helicon Lite Tipping the scales at just 9.4 ounces per pole and adjustable from 110-145cm, these sturdy poles work for everything from resort skiing to snowshoeing. Plus, you can use the binding basket system to adjust ski touring bindings and boot buckles while you stand. $80; leki.com

Snowboard

Jones Women’s Flagship Protect Our Winters (POW) and Jones founder Jeremy Jones made sure this smooth, responsive board had a Forest Stewardship Council-certified core to be more eco-sensitive. It rides like a dream (the women’s version is slightly more supple than the men’s), thanks to a tapered shape that floats in soft snow and Flax/Basalt Power Stringers that hold a serious edge. $650; jonessnowboards.com 62

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

Spikes

Hillsound Flex Steps Snowshoes are the ticket for off-trail exploration but when you are just out to hike winter trails with some ice and hard-packed snow, microspikes get the job done with far less bulk and fanfare. The flex system in these easy-to-slip-on spikes means they follow the roll of your gait with each step on the trail—or an icy sidewalk. $55; hillsound.com

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THE GOODS

WINTER PERFORMANCE

Ortovox

230 Merino Competition The right baselayer feels dreamy against your skin, wicks away sweat and stink, and keeps you warm without overheating. That’s a lot of demands on a fabric, but merino wool is up to the task, especially in this body-mapped layer that fits like a second skin. $110; ortovox.com

Hestra

Ergo Grip Active While many gloves warm your fingers, you have to remove them to fiddle with gear. Not so here: Articulated fingers and a perfect fit mean you can adjust your bindings with them on, while goat leather and GoreTex Windstopper Breeze keep your hands warm and protected. $100; hestragloves.com

Flylow

Quantum Pro Jacket and Chemical Pant Flylow upped the performance on our favorite winter kit with Omnibloq, a new eco-friendly DWR that beads water off the shell and pant without messing with the membrane, and doesn’t use the earth-degrading chemicals that go into the usual DWR. Plus, you still get the same three-layer, no-nonsense protection and breathability we have come to expect in these standbys. $420 (jacket), $360 (pant); flylowgear.com

BlackYak

Calvana Hoody This warm insulator can serve as your primary shell on balmy days. Tested on expeditions in Tibet, its permeable Cordura material outer layer and warm, light Climashield insulation keep it breathing even when you are huffing and puffing. $230; blackyak.com

Jack Wolfskin Grangers

Down Care Kit Down is a pain to wash and dry, which means we tend to avoid washing and drying it. No bueno. But this simple kit gives you a wash treatment that cleans and revitalizes your down as well as dryer balls that keep it from clumping up. $23; grangers.co.uk 64

BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS | NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019

Big White Jacket and Pant The brand of choice in Germany, Jack Wolfskin has just begun to make big inroads here in the U.S.—for good reason. Built with 100% recycled materials, this cozy combination of women’s jacket and pants can withstand a winter of hard use and weather but won’t feel out of place when you are sipping a toddy on the deck. $250 (pant), $400 (jacket); jack-wolfskin.com

A road trip worth pulling over for.

When it comes to road trips, getting there is half the fun, and the scenic routes in Martin County, Florida offer plenty to look at along the way. Picture canopies of shady trees welcoming you, bright tropical colors, scenic vistas, beautiful sand beaches brimming with photo-ops, and the most bio-diverse ecosystem in the Northern Hemisphere. So go ahead and stretch your legs a bit. You’ll be glad you did.

Plan your trip at discovermartin.com

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TRAIL MIX

SOUNDS

OUR FAVORITE SPINS: ESSENTIAL ALBUMS OF 2019

THE BEST MUSIC WE HAD ON HEAVY ROTATION WHILE OUT ON ADVENTURES OR KICKING BACK AT HOME.

BON IVER—“I,I”

THE HIGHWOMEN—“THE HIGHWOMEN”

BY JEDD FERRIS

WHITNEY—“FOREVER TURNED AROUND”

Prine while also incorporating some of the vintage jangle of early-electric Dylan and the Byrds. He’s turning his honest view of troubled times into music that’s too great to ignore.

IAN NOE—“BETWEEN THE COUNTRY”

BON IVER “i,i”

The fourth fulllength effort from Bon Iver feels like a culminating statement that bridges the different elements found on the Justin Vernonled project’s three previous albums.

Sonically, Vernon has evolved far beyond the artist in wintry isolation who created the trend-setting predominantly acoustic debut “For Emma, Forever Ago” more than a decade ago. He bloomed into majestic folk-rock on his outfit’s 2011-released self-titled effort and went deep into the electronic wilderness on 2016’s “22, A Million.” Bits and pieces of that past work are all present on “i,i,” and it all comes together here with warm and communal cohesiveness. Joined by a bevy of well-integrated special guests, including Bruce Hornsby, Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak, Moses Sumney, James Blake, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, and members of the National, Vernon has crafted some of his most intensely uplifting songs to date—punctuated by the fiercely emotional four-track run of “Holyfields," “Hey, Ma,” “U (Man Like)” and “Nameem.”

Turned Around,” and when drummer/ singer Julien Ehrlich starts to sing in his gentle falsetto it feels like an invitation to relax, slow your thoughts, and ponder what ails you in front of a sunset, rather than the glow of a screen. The effort— full of airy 70s rock callbacks shaded by organic R&B and jazz influences—is cozier and more laid back than the band’s lauded debut, “Light Upon the Lake.”

That feel partially comes from the somber longing in the lyrics of standouts like “Valleys (My Love).” But the band also has chops: Bursts of fun spontaneity, in particular the head-bobbing hornand-guitar instrumental funk jam “Rhododendron,” break up the pensive moments.

BRITTANY HOWARD “JAIME”

While many were hoping for a new Alabama Shakes record this year, the frontwoman BRITTANY HOWARD—“JAIME” and guitarist of the soul-driven Southern garage-roots band had other ideas.

“FOREVER TURNED AROUND” Howard’s first solo record is an extremely bold and dynamic release from an artist In this age of fast-paced digital chaos, clearly intent on avoiding complacency.

Whitney’s music is a patient breath of “Jaime” is named after Howard’s late fresh air. The gratification comes when sister, who died of cancer as a teenager, you have a chance to pause and take it but the album doesn’t dwell on past in. Analog warmth emanates immediately pain. Howard instead looks forward, in the first notes of “Giving Up,” the sonically and personally, celebrating the soulful meandering opener of the beauty of everyday simple things in the Chicago group’s second album, “Forever

WHITNEY

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sparkling, atmospheric R&B of “Stay High” and diving into futuristic funk in the empowering “13th Century Metal.”

In the latter she uses spoken word among a hard-hitting industrial groove, declaring, “Every day I am alive I am given the opportunity to become that which I admire most of others. I am nonviolent.

I am a master student and my spirit will never be stomped out.”

IAN NOE

“BETWEEN THE COUNTRY” Sorrow and strife seem to be around every corner for the struggling smalltown folks in Ian Noe’s vivid storysongs. The main character in “Barbara’s Song” sends out a farewell to his love before a tragic coal train crash, and the addict in “Junk Town” is just “trying to chase away those cold-sweat fears.” Noe, a burgeoning tunesmith from rural Kentucky who sings with a commandingly stark Southern drawl, has a keen eye for dark details, observing angst in his native Appalachia and channeling it into startlingly authentic folk revivalism. He anchors his excellent debut album— produced by Nashville studio ace Dave Cobb—with engaging hard-luck tales, delivered with powerful retro simplicity reminiscent of early John

5

THE HIGHWOMEN

“THE HIGHWOMEN”

Conceptually based on the Highwaymen—the 80s-formed outlaw supergroup featuring Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson— the Highwomen brings together four of the most important female voices in the current country and Americana landscape for a collaboration that challenges the status quo of inequality in Nashville and well beyond.

Featuring Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby, the collective bucks twangy conventions with poignant perspectives and plenty of tongue-in-cheek humor. The latter shines bright in “Redesigning Women,” which features stereotype-stomping lines like “running the world like we’re cleaning up the kitchen.” The true stunner is album opener “The Highwomen,” a remake of Jimmy Webb’s classic theme song “The Highwaymen,” which offers a message of survival after a history lesson of oppression. It cements why this album will be appreciated for generations.

More Essential Albums BIG THIEF, “U.F.O.F.” DORI FREEMAN, “EVERY SINGLE STAR” WILCO, “ODE TO JOY” FRUIT BATS, “GOLD PAST LIFE” JOAN SHELLEY, “LIKE THE RIVER LOVES THE SEA”

There’s no better place if you want to learn to ski. But, sometimes, you just need to flop on an inner tube and let gravity do all the work. We get that. 800.852.9506 ExploreBoone.com