Saturday, October 30th, 2010
Although there is still lots of colorful leaves on the trees in WNC, the cold temperatures are finally moving into the region and that means that ski season is just around the corner. Last night saw low temperatures close to freezing and there was a blanket of frost on the grass when I took the dogs out for their morning walk. At the same time, we’re still getting up into the 60s during the day, but the first frost usually means that it’s time to bring the potted plants inside for the winter and the ski slopes will be opening soon!
For those who don’t know, there are 6 ski slopes in western NC, all within a 2 hour drive from Asheville. Listed below is general information about all.
- Cataloochee Ski Area – Located in Maggie Valley, this ski area opens in early November. It has 16 slopes and trails, five ski lifts, Tube World, and night skiing. Cataloochee is family-oriented and good for beginners. Contact: 800.768.0285 for rates and information. Cataloochee Ski Area is 43 miles from the Inn (about a 1 hour drive).
- Wolf Ridge Ski Resort - Located in Mars Hill, this ski resort opens in November with 16 slopes and trails, eight ski lifts and Mars Hill Snow Tubing. Contact: 800.817.4111. Wolf Ridge Ski Resort is 44 miles from the Inn (about a 1 hour drive).
- Sapphire Valley Ski Resort - Located in Sapphire, just east of Cashiers off Hwy 64. This resort opens mid-December with two slopes, one trail, and Frozen Falls Tube Park. Contact: 828.743.7663 for rates and information. Sapphire Valley Ski Resort is 44 miles SW of the Inn (about 1 hour 5 minutes away).
- Sugar Mountain Resort - Located near Banner Elk, Sugar Mountain Resort has historically opened in mid-November with 20 slopes and trails, 8 ski lifts, 10,000 square-foot ice skating rink, and tubing. Ski racing and snowshoeing are also offered. Sugar Mountain is the largest ski resort in the state and encompasses over 115 acres. Contact: 800.784.2768. Sugar Mountain Resort is 85 miles NE of the Inn (about 1 hour 45 minutes away).
- Appalachian Ski Mountain – Located near Blowing Rock, ASM is open for the 2010-2011 season from November 19 – March 27. This ski area offers 10 slopes, five ski lifts, two terrain parks, tubing, and an outdoor ice arena. Contact: 800.322.2373 for rates and information. ASM is 99 miles NE of the Inn (just under a 2-hour drive).
- Beech Mountain Resort – Located just past Banner Elk, Beech Mountain Resort opens in November with 15 slopes and trails, 9 lifts, a 7,000 square foot ice skating rink, and tubing. The resort boasts the highest elevation among East Coast ski resorts at 5,506 feet. Contact: 800.438.2093 for rates and information. Beech Mountain Resort is 92 miles from the Inn (about a 2-hour drive).
Believe it or not, I have never been skiing in my life! I grew up in Northern VA, but I tended to enjoy sports requiring a lot less clothing than skiing like soccer, basketball, and volleyball. But this may be the year that I give it a try. If any of my guests are interested, maybe we can plan a day trip together. Just be aware that I’ll be hanging out on the Beginner slopes!
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
I’m not a writer, so I can’t have writer’s block. I’m not a blogger, so I can’t have blogger’s block. But I’ve definitely been having trouble coming up with the topics and the energy to write anything. I think it all started in June when my dog, Hummer, passed away. Since then, I began working at Eagle’s Nest Foundation and July and August have been pretty busy months at the Inn. Between being depressed about losing my baby and dealing with the summer crush as well as a new job, I feel like I haven’t had the energy or inspiration. You’d think that with all the summer action around here, I’d have no problem coming up with interesting topics.
But I can’t think of ANYTHING that I want to/feel like write about!
I’m sure I could blog about the new piece of flooring in the kitchen I had done last week ($1600 later and it’s only 1/4 of the entire kitchen floor space). Or, I could talk about the Family Reunion Cruise I just returned from (I probably will share that soon). There’s also all the fun summer activities that took place in Asheville or the cool fall lineup, including the Flower Carpet at Biltmore and Octoberfest (another beer festival). There’s a wedding at the Inn this weekend that could inspire me to write and another one the first weekend in October that I’m preparing for. Lastly, I could always talk about my super sister, Jessica, and her admirable battle with breast cancer these past six months (another probably will blog).
There are definitely lots of topics to write about. I just need to find my mojo and get back into the groove. I’d really love to hear from anyone (professional writer, blogger, or novice) what tips they might like to share with me and the general public about how they deal with the infamous “block” that invariably happens. What can/do you do to get past it?
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Saturday, July 17th, 2010
As a youngster growing up in Virginia, I was extremely fortunate to have gone to summer camp for five years at Camp Rim Rock for Girls in West Virginia. My experiences have stayed with me to this day and because of the joy I had, I was able to send my son Brian to Camp Woodmont in Georgia for a few years while we lived in Florida.
Recently, I began working part-time at the Eagle’s Nest Foundation in Pisgah Forest, and it has brought back so many positive memories of my camp experiences from the 1980′s. The Eagle’s Nest Foundation operates Hante Adventures, The Outdoor Academy, and Eagle’s Nest Camp.
Hante Adventures run during the summer for 13-18 year olds. These adventure trips last anywhere from two weeks to a month and provide many of the skills experienced at camp, but in different ways. This year, there are four Hante trips: Outer Banks, Appalachian Trail (AT) Trek, Australia, and Southwestern US Canyons. Small groups trek through the wilderness while rock climbing, biking, and whitewater paddling while learning invaluable skills and making lifelong friends. In the past, trips have gone all over the US and the world.
The Outdoor Academy of the Southern Appalachians is an academic semester-long program for 10th graders, set on the campus of the Eagle’s Nest Camp. There is a fall semester and a spring semester and students live on campus while enjoying and experiential education. The curriculum of the Outdoor Academy is considered a college prep program with small classes in English, Natural Science, World History, Math, Languages, and Arts.
Eagle’s Nest is set on 180 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains. That alone is enough incentive to send your kid(s) to get them off the couch or in front of the TV/video game console. The Eagle’s Nest Camp offers one-week, two-week, and three-week sessions to kids, ages 6-17. Camp is so much more than a babysitting service for parents. In fact, that’s not it at all. I have learned that at this camp, kids come back year after year, many become Junior Counselors and Counselors. Parents also become counselors while their children attend camp and get to enjoy the “camp” experience as well.
Here are three more reasons to consider sending your kid(s) to Eagle’s Nest:
- Adventure – Being in the mountains, Eagle’s Nest offers campers a nature setting to explore their environment and try new things. They will climb mountains, paddle down the French Broad River on a homemade raft, go rock climbing, and backpack on overnight camping trips.
- Leadership – The purpose of this camp is to help young people discover their true selves through activities that promote community awareness and establish a connection with nature. Leadership skills are enhanced and developed when kids work towards common goals like building their own raft, building sets for their session play, and putting together an overnight camp during a hiking trip.
- Education – The mission of Eagle’s Nest is “Experiential education for young people, promoting the natural world and the betterment of human character.” Activities are not mindless time fillers; they all serve an educational purpose while encouraging campers to live naturally, responsibly, and respectfully.
I ended this post with the Summer Camp, but in reality, it is just the beginning of Eagle’s Nest. The amount of loyalty towards Eagle’s Nest is impressive and kids go from summer camp to Hante Adventures to The Outdoor Academy, to possibly camp counselors/Academy Instructors, and on. Being a non-profit, Eagle’s Nest Foundation is overseen by a Board of Trustees, many of whom have sent their children to camp or had some association with the Foundation prior to becoming a Board member. There is a strong sense of family within this Foundation and if you are looking for something different in your kid’s summer camp, I encourage you to check out Eagle’s Nest. This is not just another summer camp; it rises above and offers so much more than the average camp experience. Your kid(s) will never forget their experiences here and the value of what they take away is worth so much more than money.
