Blue Ridge Parkway Journeys

Hikers taking the trek across Grandfather Mountain’s ridgeline can now enjoy five new ladders on the Grandfather Trail.  The new ladders on MacRae Cliff replace the old ones that had been up for decades on what many people consider to be one of the most exciting spots along the ridgeline hike.

The five ladders are all in a row and transport hikers along a steep rock cliff while providing unbeatable views of the surrounding landscape.  The section of trail, part of Grandfather Mountain State Park property, is under a trail easement that assigns responsibility for upkeep to the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.

Members of the Stewardship Foundation Interpretive Staff worked for months in the planning process.  Wood, cables and bolts had to be purchased, ladder posts and rungs had to be cut to size and corners and edges had to be smoothed before each piece of equipment was carried out to the Mountain’s backcountry.

Chief Interpretive Ranger Gabriel Taylor estimates that close to 200 hours of work were put in during the three days in early November when the ladders were actually installed on the trail.  Those helping out included Stewardship Foundation employees, State Park rangers and volunteers from Appalachian State University and the Boone Climbers Coalition.

“The old ladders weren’t dangerous but it was time for them to be replaced,” said Taylor.  “Hikers will notice subtle differences on the new ladders, one being that they are sturdier.”

Carriage bolts were used in place of nails on the new ladders.  The carriage bolts run through the rungs and posts and are much thicker and stronger than the nails that had a tendency to rust or bend. In addition, the cables that provide extra support for the ladder’s placement are now anchored in the rock more than an inch deeper than in the past.

The ladders along the Grandfather Trail allow many visitors the opportunity to traverse a rugged mountain top while offering up a great sense of accomplishment.  MacRae Cliff is located .7 miles up the trail when starting from the Grandfather Mountain nature park.

All those that work and reside in the six counties served by High Country Host, along with guests traveling in the same vehicle, are invited to visit Grandfather Mountain for a discounted rate during the month of December with proof of local employment or residency.

The special December Dollar Days admission is offered to residents and those working in the six counties represented by the NC High Country Host regional travel promotion organization:  Mitchell, Avery, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany and Wilkes.  The discount is also extended to students of colleges and universities in the High Country and to guests traveling in the same vehicle with those eligible for the December discount.  Please present a driver’s license, college ID, or local utility bill as proof of High Country residency.  An employee identification badge or pay stub can be used to show employment at a High Country business.

A slight change has been made to the Dollar Days rates to encourage guests to plan their visits for times when lines are shorter or nonexistent.  Admission for eligible Dollar Days guests will still be $1 per person on weekdays and on weekends before 10 am.  On weekends after 10 a.m., Dollar Days admission will be $2 per person.

“We are pleased that people respond so positively to our Dollar Days promotion,” said Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation President Penn Dameron. “One of the side effects of this popularity, however, has been that we have seen long lines develop at our entrance gate during peak hours.  We hope that this slight change to the promotion will reduce traffic congestion in the middle of the day, and will result in a more enjoyable experience for everyone.”

Due to an immediate need at local food banks, Grandfather Mountain is once again adding an extra way for those who work and reside in the High Country to take advantage of December Dollar Days.

This December instead of paying $1 (on weekdays or weekends before 10 a.m.) or $2 (on weekends after 10 a.m.) in cash for admission to Grandfather Mountain, you can choose to donate 1-2 cans of food per person for Grandfather’s December Food Drive.  All donations will be distributed to High Country food pantries.

“We encourage everyone who wants to take advantage of our Dollar Days offer to donate cans of food as the price of admission. This will double the benefit to the community,” said Dameron.

Many regular visitors believe that winter is the most beautiful season at Grandfather and visitors can expect to see 360 degree views from the Mile High Swinging Bridge that seem to go on forever.

Although the bears will be hibernating in December, the Mountain has four other animal exhibits where guests can see and photograph cougars, river otters, a golden eagle and white-tailed deer from close range in their natural surroundings.

The Nature Museum is a cozy place to duck into for a break from the chill. Mildred’s Grill offers homemade vegetable soup and chili, as well as salads and sandwiches.   Just down the path, Grandfather’s Fudge Shop has 20 savory flavors to choose from including peppermint stick, pumpkin pie and caramel peanut bar.

Another great opportunity while visiting the park during the winter is to visit the Mountain’s gift shops.  Many holiday presents for all age ranges can be found among the dozens of memorable items and collectibles stocked in the gift shops especially for the winter months.

The Mountain is open every day in December, weather permitting, with three exceptions.  The park will have reduced hours December 8 and 24 with ticket sales ending at 2 p.m. and the park closing at 3 p.m. The park will be closed all day December 25.   The hours of operation for the month are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with ticket sales ending at 4 p.m.  For current weather conditions, phone the Entrance gate at 828-733-4337.

Nature is simply something indispensable, like air and light and water, that we accept as necessary to living, and the nearer we can get to it the happier we are.” — Louise Dickenson Rich

Fallingwater Cascades is a beautiful 1.6 mile hike near Bedford, Virginia. It is an overall moderate trek with a few steeper, more strenuous areas thrown in, but the difficulties of those areas are lessened by stone stairways and bridges. The average amount of time that it takes to traverse this lovely loop is 1.5 hours.

There are two different places at which you can begin your hike. The first is the Blue Ridge Parkway’s milepost 83.1 at the Fallingwater Cascades Parking Lot, and the second is at milepost 83.5, the Flat Top Parking Area. After beginning on the well-traveled path that is rimmed with rhododendrons and hemlock, it is approximately 0.6 miles to the cascades.

The purling cascades serve to enhance the brilliance of the natural scenery, making this a lovely hike for the intermediate traveler. (It is particularly beautiful with the red, brown and gold of autumn.) Grab a friend, a bottle of water, and a camera, and enjoy the sights and sounds of Fallingwater Cascades.

Photo by Tara Stoll

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This year’s jurors for the 9th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition have been announced!

“All of our jurors this year are passionate about the outdoors, possess a significant and varied photographic background, and have been committed to the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition in some way over the years,” states AMPC Competition Director, Rich Campbell. “We are thrilled to have these individuals be a part of the AMPC who are dedicating their time, talent, and expertise to the competition this year.”

William A. Bake

William A. Bake has photographed the South for over 35 years and has created five successful books as well as booklets, prints, and posters. Considered one of the South’s premier landscape photographers, Bake has captured many of the unique landscapes found in the southern Appalachians.

Among his published photography books are Wayfarer: A Voice from the Southern Mountains with James Dickey; The American South: Four Seasons of the Land and Towns and Cities, both with James J. Kilpatrick; and The Blue Ridge. In addition to being a well-regarded photographer, Bake is also an accomplished writer and interpreter of the natural and cultural heritage of the United States.

Ellen Gwin

Ellen Gwin grew up in a family full of artists and fell in love with photography in middle school. Having graduated from Appalachian State University with a double major in Technical Photography and Communication, Gwin has been working professionally as a photographer ever since. She enjoys shooting photography in both film and digital formats.

Passionate about her home in western North Carolina and the amazing natural and outdoor resources available, Gwin strives to promote these resources at every given chance.

Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller developed a passion for photography in the mid-nineties when he began capturing the wild and unique places he found himself working in as an outdoor educator and guide. He continues to work as a freelance photographer capturing the work of artists for print, web, and archival purposes and has had images published in fine art catalogs and WNC Magazine.

While working at Appalachian State University, Andrew developed the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition and Exhibition and oversaw the competition through the first 8 years.

This year’s competition deadline is fast approaching! Be sure to get your photos uploaded by 5:00 pm Friday, November 18, 2011.

From Rich Campbell, Competition Director for the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition

Rich Campbell

The AMPC has grown into one of the most prestigious regional photography competitions and we aim to strengthen that position. We have developed a very strong partnership with local entities such as the Turchin Center, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Virtual Blue Ridge, Appalachian Voices, the Mast General Store, Bistro Roca, Footsloggers, Peabody’s, Stick Boy Bread Company, and others.

Connections in the community create so many opportunities for us as a competition. We really want this to continue to be a true community event. We want people who visit the exhibition in the Turchin Center between February and June to feel like they have just seen the best collection of images available that depict the unique character, people, places, and pursuits that distinguish the Southern Appalachians.

I have been Associate Director at ASU Outdoor Programs for 15 years, and am thrilled to be more closely linked to the competition. I have directed the Banff Film Festival every year since its inception and I am excited to work closely with both the photography competition and film festival this year. The two events complement one another so well that it is a natural progression.

2011 Banff Film Festival Audience

We have intentionally created the AMPC to be a part of the Banff Film Festival weekend. That weekend has really turned into a celebration of mountain culture. The Banff Film Festival brings films from all over the globe highlighting mountain culture. The AMPC is a way for our community to interact, in a very personal level through photography, with our own mountain region and community. We have Banff bring us films from all corners of the globe, and we have our own community showcasing new aspects of our beloved Southern Appalachian region through the AMPC. It is a great ‘local to global festival’ on mountain culture every spring, right here in Boone.

Our Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions (SOLE) are programs and trips that are longer and they travel to more diverse locations in North America and abroad. SOLE programs emphasize discovery of self and expedition team members – as well as discovery of the landscapes and cultures of the wilderness areas and countries we explore. We travel in regions of countries that are seldom visited, remote and exceptionally beautiful. Traveling in these settings through adventure education, students learn valuable skills in leadership, perseverance, group dynamics, teamwork, responsibility, wilderness ethics and global perspectives.

[Video for New Zealand SOLE Trip]

Proceeds from the Banff Film Festival and the AMPC make these experiences, that many students share with us as life changing, more accessible to more students.

We encourage photographers to enter this competition regardless of their previous experience. We do have professional photographers who enter, but we have also had plenty of success with amateur photographers in the past, including amateurs who have captured Best in Show. Photographers who capture a unique perspective of a familiar landscape or an interesting take on a familiar subject tend to do really well in this competition.

One of the primary goals of the AMPC is to encourage photographers to grab their camera and create their own story that they want to share with our community. When hundreds of people do this, the end result is a powerful exhibition and an important archive of what is so special to our own mountain community that we call home.

Deadline for submitting entries is Friday, November 18, 2011 at 5:00 pm. Follow Virtual Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition on Facebook for all the latest updates and news.