This year it comes to Boone for the 15th annual “best of the festival” world tour on Friday April 1st and Saturday April 2nd @ 7:30 pm at Farthing Auditorium. The Banff Mountain Film Festival features the world’s best films on mountain adventure, culture, and the environment selected from hundreds of entries submitted from around the world. Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs choose screenings designed to educate, entertain, and inspire you. Tickets are currently on sale at Farthing Auditorium and Footsloggers in Downtown Boone for $7 (students) and $9 (all others).

It’s always been the case that the Boone stop for the tour has had the biggest turnout, and more importantly those that watch the films show the most enthusiasm for the festival and the filmmakers that make it possible.  It’s definitely a must-see event for the travel and outdoor enthusiast.

Here are some more clips from this year’s films:

I look forward to seeing you there!

Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs is seeking your help in identifying the High Country’s role models and young mountain sports stars. These young men and women will be recognized through the first ever A4 inititiative – Appalachian Adventure Achievement Award. Honors will include recognition on stage at the Banff Mountain Film Festivals, and a selection of prizes made possible by project sponsors.

There are two age categories for the A4: 17 and under, and 18-24 years old. Nominees must either reside or attend school in the High Country of NC (Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties) to be eligible. Nominations can be submitted for individuals in successive years, but a nominee can only receive the A4 once for their age category. The April 1 screening of Banff will recognize the 17 and under A4 winner, while the April 2 screening will honor the 18-24 year-old A4 winner.

Deadline for nominations is March 18, 2011. For more information on nominations, and to actually submit a nomination, please check out the A4 Nomination Form.

These films focus on themes of environment, culture and adventure in the mountains and represent the best of the best. Hundreds of entries were submitted from around the world and Outdoor Programs has selected films for this viewing that will not only educate, but will also inspire and entertain you.

Online ticket sales for Banff can be purchased through Farthing Auditorium, or if you’re in downtown Boone, NC you can pick up your tickets at Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters. Tickets are $9 (students can grab tickets at $7).

Check out the Banff Mountain Film Festival trailer for 2010-2011:

For more information on the Banff Mountain film festival, please visit Outdoor Programs, including a list of sponsors that make this event possible, and to see clips of other films available for viewing.

You’ll also find waterfalls, major recreation areas, and several backroads identified to make your trip an adventurous one. Buying all 3 maps together means you’re covered from milepost 0 to 469.1. Who wouldn’t want America’s Favorite Scenic Drive accessible at their fingertips?

• Blue Ridge Parkway Detailed Guidemap Gift Set – Buy Now

You can still purchase these maps separately, in case you feel like covering a smaller area.

• Northern Section Guidemap to the Blue Ridge Parkway
• Central Section Guidemap to the Blue Ridge Parkway
• Southern Section Guidemap to the Blue Ridge Parkway

Happy Travels!

About 20 feet from the gift shop and camp store, was an amphitheatre for the campground. Here, campers could go for solitude as it stretched out across a grassy field and was far from disturbances. The campsites were just beyond the amphitheatre and could be reached by a short trail leading from the gift shop. That way, if campers ever forgot an essential like their toothbrush, were craving some candy, or wanted ice to keep their food cold, the gift shop wasn’t far for them to journey.

Crabtree Meadows Campground was the quietest campground I have been to thus far. Tucked away beyond the parkway main road, it was very serene and peaceful. Whether you have an RV or a tent, you are handicapped or ready to hike; Crabtree Meadows has facilities for the whole family. Campsites were surrounded by large trees and spread out from neighboring sites.

This campground is near an ample amount of activities for folks of all ages. The ranger programs go on throughout the summer and different activities happen in the evening at the amphitheatre. Mt.Mitchell is only a couple miles from Crabtree Meadows and accessible by car for a daytime adventure. Also Crabtree Falls is only one mile from the campground entrance sign. Which means the trail is smack dab in the middle of the campsite for hikers to utilize during the daytime hours.

Visit Virtual Blue Ridge to view and print a free map of this campground.

There are the obvious facilities in this section; the Otter Creek Campground with its new entrance bridge and Kiosk, the concession operated Otter Creek Restaurant, and the James River Visitor Center.  But there is so much more.

The inquisitive visitor will discover the Otter Creek Trail.  This 3.5 mile trail meanders along the creek and Parkway motor road from the campground to the visitor center.  The trail is easy to walk and crosses the creek numerous times on stepping stones and pedestrian bridges.  Sharp rock bluffs, mountain laurel, redbud, and bird life are abundant.  At State Route 130 the trail travels through an underpass of the road.  If you are observant you will see what appears to be a ditch that follows the edge of the trail.  This is the remains of what was once a large mill operation that was obliterated when the present bridge for 130 was built.

The trail forks and makes a loop around Otter Lake.  At the north end of the loop you will find the skeletal chimney and foundation of what was once the Nathaniel Sledd Cabin.  This site is believed to have been the home of the first European settler in Amherst County, Virginia in the early 1700s.  He was drawn to this location to trade with Native Americans for beaver pelts.  Otter Creek was a heavily used travel route from the mountains above to the James River and above the threat of flood.  Otter Lake did not exist at that time being built when the Blue Ridge Parkway came through in the late 1950s.  Beaver still live in Otter Creek today.  Hikers can see their handiwork in dams and the stumps and bases of trees that they have felled for food and construction materials.  Trees around the trail have wire mesh around their base to protect them from the industrious rodents.

Beyond the James River Visitor Center you will find a remnant of our Country’s transportation history.  On the opposite bank of the James River is a fully restored canal lock from the Kanawha Canal System that served as the main commercial transportation from the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond, Virginia before the Civil War.  Looking up river you will be looking into the James River Water Gap, a geological feature left from a millennium of the river cutting its way through the Blue Ridge Mountains.  This makes the James one of only two rivers that flow from west of the Blue Ridge toward the Atlantic Ocean.

So the next time you are driving through this area stop and get out of your vehicle and see what wonders await you.

To view the video in its entirety, go to the YouTube link below:

You will note in the video that the bison gave several warnings that he was uncomfortable with the approach of humans.  First he tried to move away and place a tree line between the threat and himself.  When the person still came on through the trees the bison then lifted his head and looked at him with his head moving up and down.  The bison then kicked his heels up lowering his head and the woman still kept filming him.  Finally the wild animal stressed by the perceived threat had to revert to flight or fight mode.  Since the threat had kept moving toward him even after he attempted to calmly make flight from the area he most likely felt he had no choice but to fight and attack.

These same behaviors can been seen in any wildlife you may encounter in a National Park even if  it is a  bear, deer, or chipmunk on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Always give wildlife their space.  Revel in the opportunity to view animals in their native habitat, but do not crowd or stress them into instinctual reactions.

This incident once again illustrates the lesson I have told several times on this blog and in my book, “A Park Ranger’s Life”, that park visitors should always enjoy viewing wildlife from afar.

Here are some simple tips to help prevent you or a family member from becoming a statistic in a report and ruining a wonderful Blue Ridge Parkway experience.

• Plan ahead for your hike.  Review a map of the area or check for a map posted at the trail head.  Having a vision of the trail route and where it goes will be helpful should you become confused by unofficial social trails.
• After reviewing a map and if available a description of the trail, do not take on a hike that is more physically difficult than all the members of your group can handle.
• Check the weather report for the area before your hike.  Dress and carry appropriate gear to remain comfortable and safe during your time outdoors.  Remember that in mountainous terrain temperatures drop sharply at night, so be prepared to prevent hypothermia should you be late getting to your destination or vehicle.
• Proper foot wear is essential not only for comfort but to prevent injuries.  If hiking in rocky terrain, be sure to wear stout hiking boots with good tread.  Most of the injuries treated by park rangers involve slips and falls on trails by people wearing inappropriate foot wear.
• Stay on the designated trails.  The vast majority of the searches for lost hikers I worked during my career involved people getting off the trail, getting confused, and then trying to cut cross country to get to their destination.
• Keep your group within sight of each other.  Never let some members, especially children, run ahead of the group.  This is a recipe for disaster when members of your hiking group take a different trail and become separated.  The result is generally people overreacting and contributing to the complexity of the situation.  This reaction is amplified when the missing hikers are children.  Well intended emotions then kick in and decision making becomes more difficult for members of the group.  One tip is to have the slowest member of your group walk in the front and everyone has to stay behind them.
• Carry water even on short hikes.  You may be amazed how quickly you can dehydrate while hiking outdoors.  Dehydration and hypothermia both result in confusion and a loss of decision making skills.

Following these simple practices will help you to enjoy your next visit to any park.

For those who haven’t had the opportunity to soak up the inconceivable views, sleep among the North Carolina trees, or feel the cool evening breeze all around them.

Reality is, those privileged enough to call the mountains home, love the surroundings just as much as the visitors of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

On my trip to Linville Falls Campground, I stopped at several parkway overlooks. Around milepost 300 the parkway opens up on the left side and there are no longer trees blocking the view of the mountains.

The mountains stretch as wide as the eye can see, and just tall enough to make you feel like an ant. With monarch butterflies stopping on each wildflower, it was a beautiful sight.

I saw many cameras, and even some bikers stop to take a breather from their cycling. In the daytime I spotted numerous cyclists.

Soon after, around milepost 315 I crossed the Linville River Bridge. Next, on the right came signs leading to Linville Falls visitor center and campground. Once the road split off, the first turn was to the campground.

I stopped at the registration center to pick up some information and was greeted by two very friendly hosts of the campground. They directed me in the steps of registration as I picked up a few maps.

I continued on to loop A to check out the river behind some of the campsites. The sound of the river created a very peaceful atmosphere and a great place to set up camp. Out of all the sites, these were my favorite.

Just off the road through the campground, there is a large open field with a forest at the edge. This edge also houses a few campsites for visitors to set up camp. The contrast of the field against the trees leading into the riverbank was very picturesque.

Like any campground, Linville Falls was filled with that inviting smell of a campfire. The thing I liked most about this campground was how quaint it was. The entirety was about medium size, as the sites were fairly spread out.

In my opinion, it was big enough to be able to walk around and explore, but small enough for it not to feel crowded. Sites in Loop B had a large field beside them. This allows children and pets to roam around freely.

Also with Linville Falls large trail system right around the corner, the days spent in the area are sure to be exciting. What I gathered from my trip to Linville Falls Campground was that it is a peaceful, charming area that should be taken advantage of.

Whether you venture north or south on the parkway from the campground, there is plenty to keep you occupied and plenty of views to take in.

Since it was around 8:30pm when I arrived, the office window was shut. Leaving two options- the self-registration drop box, or reservation by telephone.

Curious about the grounds, I went to the camp host house located directly behind the reservation office. During my trip to Price Park Campground I asked several questions to different people sitting on the porch of the Host house. Each time I was graciously welcomed and all of my questions were answered.

The campsites in particular were laid out nicely with not too little space in between your site and your neighbors.

I came across several nice stone water fountains and well structured bathhouses in every loop. The bathhouses had two sinks and three restroom stalls on both the men and women’s sides. It was very clean and well kept!

Perusing through the grounds reminded me of why I love camping. During my trip I came across locals as well as those new to the area. All were very pleasant and up for chatting.

If you chose to camp here, don’t be afraid to say hello to your neighbors, you may learn some new things or meet folks from the opposite side of the country. License plates I spotted on my journey included: Arkansas, Texas, South Carolina, and Virginia.

I spotted several bikers riding through the paved roads on the campground. Bikes are only permitted on roads due to the unexpected terrain of the hiking trails.

Although it is permitted, cycling on the parkway needs to be done with much caution, due to the winding roads!

If you enjoy a waterfront view, I’d suggest camping at a site in loop A, Price Lake is no more than a five-minute walk from your site. The lake was breathtaking at sunset, and during the day there were boaters.

Also, Canoes and paddleboats were available for rent. In the evening I came across many people fishing in the lake. Not sure how much they caught, but fishing is a nice way to relax on your camping trip.

In addition to fisherman, many people brought their pets along for the trip. With so many activities to choose from, your kids definitely won’t be caught bored.

One of the best things about this campground are the hiking trails that surround it. Even if you aren’t an avid hiker, there is a trail or path fit for your level.

I spent four hours on the Boone Fork Trail hiking and photographing every surrounding. The average hiker can hike it in 3 hours. Just incase you have an emergency such as a wildfire, 1-800-Parkwatch is a valuable resource/helpline to keep Parkway visitors safe.

Overall my trip to Price Park Campground was more than pleasant. Please take advantage of all this campground has to offer!

Pamela Bowden's first Parkway adventure was at the age of 8; now since her two children are grown, she travels the Parkway via motorcycle with her husband, Danny. (1984)

Pamela: My parents made the trip almost every year camping along the way. I loved it so much once I was married, Danny and I made the same trip camping with our children. Our youngest child was in diapers when he made the first trip. Once our children left home, we have made the trip every year on a motorcycle. The first five or six years we carried a tent and sleeping bags to camp. Now we stay in the wonderful lodges along the way. To us, traveling the length of the Parkway is a legacy.

Our bug with tent poles attached! Near Doughton Park MP-245

We completed all of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline Drive in August of 1968. We tent camped at first and then bought a fold-out camper. My wife suggests a bumper sticker instead of a certificate which would be nice and provide some publicity to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Though in a wheelchair the last 14 years, I still try to get to the campgrounds once or twice a year.

P.S. Here’s a picture near Doughton Park with our tent poles tied on the back of our VW in 1965.