SugarFest at Sugar Mountain is December 10th & 11th!
We’ve got winter Olympians, Sugar Bear, the newest ski & snowboard equipment available for demo, fireworks, great camaraderie, authentic Southern bluegrass music, a chance to win a RIDE snowboard, real-live social networking, and a rail jam complete with prizes and giveaways.
SugarFest is sponsored by the Village of Sugar Mountain Tourism Development Authority and hosted by Sugar Mountain Resort. SugarFest is scheduled for Saturday, December 10th and Sunday, 11th, 2011.
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The ninth annual, two-day festival is packed with a long list of winter activities and coincides with Sugar’s 18th Annual Adult Preseason Ski Clinic. Olympic Gold & Silver medalist Diann Roffe and US National Sugar G Champion, Keely Kelleher top the list of the ski clinic’s coaching staff.
Both Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am until 3:30pm, 2012 ski & snowboard equipment will be available for demo. Salomon, Volkl, Nordica, Burton, Head, Never Summer, K2, Atomic, Dynastar, Rossignol, Ride, Line, Fisher and Forum will all be represented. You must have a valid lift/slope ticket as well as a valid driver’s license or credit card in order to demo the equipment. The Sugarfest demo is brought to you by Ski Country Sports.
1992 Olympic Figure Skating Silver Medalist, Paul Wylie dazzle us with his amazing talent followed by an on ice skating clinic and a meet and greet session Saturday at 3:00pm. No fee is required to watch Paul’s inspiring on-ice performance. However, if you would like to skate, a valid skate session ticket is required. Sugar’s ice rink is located next to the Dave Nixon Pro Shop adjacent to parking lot D and is open for one hour and thirty minutes sessions from 10:00am until 10:00pm.
With Mother Nature’s cooperation and the newly installed snowmaking machines designated solely for the tubing area, Sugar’s Tubing Park will be open for six sessions each day beginning at 10:00am and ending a 10:00pm.
The entire family will be wowed by the thunderous and spectacular fireworks display at the base of Sugar Mountain Resort, Saturday evening at 5:45pm. Après ski isn’t a thing of the past. Kick off your ski boots, pull up a chair; indulge in some good food and warm drinks while enjoying live bluegrass music by Boss Hawg from 4:00pm until 7:00pm.
Come out and watch or throw down with some the area’s best riders in the RIDE Rail Jam Expression Session at 12:00 noon on Sunday. The winner receives a RIDE snowboard. Additional prizes and giveaways provided by Alpine Ski Center and RIDE Snowboards.
Text “RIDEBOB” to 35350 or visit www.sugarfestnc.com to enter online for your chance to win one of six RIDE snowboards to be given away SugarFest weekend.
And while you’re here why not stay for a night or two! Lodging agencies within the Village of Sugar Mountain offer discounted rates for slope-side and on-mountain accommodations during SugarFest. Winter Value Packages are available too.
For more information please contact Sugar Mountain Resort at 800-SUGARMT.
Plan your High Country Ski Trip! Visit: SkiTheHighCountry.com!
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Sugar Mountain Ski Resort Reopens!
SUGAR MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT, NORTH CAROLINA. NOVEMBER 29, 2011 Mother Nature’s in charge! And Sugar Mountain Resort is hoping the third time’s a charm. The ski area reopens tomorrow, Wednesday, November 30, 2011 for skiing and snowboarding. Warm temperatures melted away the snow on Monday, November 21, 2011, temporarily shutting the ski area down for the second time this season.
Snowmaking began at 3 a.m. this morning and continues as temperatures dropped into the 20′s. Ray’s Weatherexpects three inches of fresh snow to blanket the slopes of Sugar Mountain by tomorrow. View Sugar’s live, streaming web cam at www.skisugar.com/sugarlive to gauge snow accumulations and slope conditions.
Tomorrow the Upper and Lower Flying Mile slopes providing a run of one mile long will be open. Summit #1 lift will operate to the 3/4′s station servicing both slopes for the day and 1/2 day sessions. Tomorrow’s lift/slope ticket prices will be $30 for an adult full-day session and $25 for an adult half-day session.
Ice skating will be open tomorrow as well. For daily skate session times please check www.skisugar.com/skating.
SugarFest, December 10th & 11th is just around the corner. If you’re looking for an early season deal, take advantage of our Winter Value Packages.
Please call 800-SUGAR-MT (784-2768) or view our website www.skisugar.com for the latest slope and weather conditions.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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The Fall Boone Handmade Market is coming up on December 4th!
Start and end your holiday gift shopping in one day! The Fall Boone Handmade Market will be held at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on December 4, 2011 from 1-5 p.m. This event is presented by the Arts Management Organization (AMO), an active Appalachian student club and is sponsored by Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts. Over ninety emerging and established artists of the High Country will be selling their locally homemade goods at this indoor arts market.
These local artists will be selling everything handmade from delicious sweet treats to jewelry, sculpture, pottery, various arts and crafts and more. This is a great opportunity to support your community, buy locally and add unique handmade gifts to your holiday shopping list! All vendors accept cash and checks and some of the vendors are able to able to accept credit cards. This event not only supports the High Countrys local art scene, but acts as the clubs main fundraiser to support similar art events that the club hosts on campus and around town.
VENDOR LIST
(as of November 10, 2011)
· A Little Art Here, A Little Art There (Sara Zagar)
· æTanner Photography (Ashley Tanner)
· after emily (Nikki Burris)
· Angelique Designs (Angi Covington)
· Apotheosis Herbal (Sara Leverett)
· Appalachian Mountain Knits (Merima Friedman)
· Aquarian Gems (Francine Barr)
· arudegirl (Susan Westphal)
· Bee Kind Family Farm (Jaime Cool)
· Bentley Originals (Teresa Bentley)
· Blue Ridge Botanicals (Lindsay Dicker)
· Bluebird Knits (Jill Maynard)
· Brookdell (Constance Dellinger-Brooks)
· By Meleah (Meleah Printz)
· Caffaknitted Designs (Katie Boyette)
· Caravan Botanicals (Jaimee Smith)
· Cathey Purvey (Cathey Purvey)
· Catwalk Pottery (Loretta Link)
· Celtic Dolphin Studios (Darla Sargeant)
· Cloister Honey (Sarah Young)
· Creations b y Sheila (Sheila Eckard)
· Critter Crafts – Spay-Neuter Committee Watauga Humane Society (Amy Carson)
· Dandy Dots (Catharine Milner)
· DogsKin Studio (John Peters)
· Elkland Art Center (Lexie Danner)
· Fatlighter Woodworks & MillerMark Pens (Gary Michael Barker)
· Fig and Honey/Hoopla Hoops (Anna Johnson)
· Finders Keepers (Brittne L. Cope)
· Fireflies (Jordan Stokes)
· FireWorx Pottery (Mark Murrey)
· Full Harbor and Fallow Fleet (Austin Saylor)
· Glendora’s Box (Glenda Stewart)
· Ineke’s Textural Expressions (Ineke Thomas)
· Jacob Ford Ceramics (Jacob Ford)
· JL Merrill Metalworks (Julie Louise Merrill)
· KAL Asymmetry Glassworks and Knitworks (Kelly Loughlin)
· Lauragami (Laura Miller)
· Layne Quilts A Little (Mareva Layne McDaniel)
· Leather & Copper (Chelsea Brendle)
· lovely Crafts (Doreen Cox)
· Luna Fae Designs (Brenda Jackson)
· Meg Parker (Meg Parker)
· Mountain Knit Wit and Candles (Mary Ferrell)
· National Art Education Association Student Chapter (Elizabeth Lauer)
· One+Tutu (Pamela D Allen)
· Outcasts & Exiles (Thomas Andrew Edmonds)
· Owl Handmade (Lindsey Sutphin)
· Payton-Alexis (Payton Brown)
· Pika Mountain (Torrey Tye)
· Poco Piu Mosso (Lindsay Scarborough)
· RagBags (Pam Washer)
· ReflectSpirit: Healing Art for Sustainable Wellness (Maloo Murrey)
· Salt Designs (Leanne Salt)
· Salvage Garden (Rebekah Epling)
· Shed Studios (Jonathan Smith)
· Sign Language (Sherry Markovitch)
· Silver & Stones (Judy Goodwin)
· Simple Bright Moon (Abby White)
· Southern Charms Jewelry (Laura Beth Surber)
· Tea and Leaf (William Mitro)
· The Quilting Biddys (BR Hoffman & Barb Elyea)
· Thompson Pottery (Brandon Thompson)
· Traveling Troubadour (Cody Maddox)
· Tyler Deal Artwork (Tyler Deal)
· Wild Creation (Anna Casebere)
· Windwalker Mountain Handcrafts (Dana Cox)
· Yellowfin Jewelry (Marta Toran)
· Alexandra Bradley
· Amber C. Brown
· Amber M. Dillingham
· Beck Long
· Courtney Evers
· Don Haywood
· Elizabeth Skinner
· Emily Meisner
· Emily Vanderlinden
· Gail Pillars
· Janes Richard Foley
· Joseph Duffer
· Justin Leitner
· Kathryn Copley
· Kelley Wolcott & Marty McCormick
· Laura Arbogast
· Lauren Bennett
· Marybeth R. Whalen
· Meagan O’Connor
· Megan Goble
· Samantha Jeanne McCalip
· Shelly Crandall
· Tiffany Christian
AMOs Mission
The Arts Management Organization seeks to promote professionalism and networking within arts fields by increasing the awareness of the arts on Appalachian State Universitys campus and in the community. This organization is open to Appalachian State University students and community members inspired by the arts and other expressive forms. Members seek to enrich the knowledge and appreciation of the arts for all who are involved. The objectives of AMO are: to create an environment in which to learn and shareprofessional practices; to enhance the lives of artists and students by promoting all forms of art within Appalachian State University and surrounding community by providing opportunities; to provide educational opportunities for participating students; and to create lasting partnerships with other campus organizations.
About the Turchin Center
The Turchin Center is located at 423 West King St., in Boone, NC. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, and Noon 8 p.m., Friday. The Turchin Center is closed Sunday and Monday and observes all university holidays. There is no admission charge, although donations are gratefully accepted. For additional details about the Turchin Center or the upcoming exhibition program, please call 828-262-3017 or visit www.tcva.org.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Sugar Mountain Ski Resort Opens For The Season!
SUGAR MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT, NORTH CAROLINA Sugar Mountain Ski Resort in North Carolina opens tomorrow; Saturday, November 12, 2011 for skiing, snowboarding and ice skating. Snowmaking began Thursday, November 10th and continues. A manmade powder surface covers the Upper and Lower Flying Mile slopes. The Summit #1 Lift will be in operation to the 3/4′s station. Weekend lift/slope ticket prices will be $25 for a full-day session and $20 for a half-day session. For a real time look at the slopes through the live, streaming web cam please log on towww.skisugar.com/sugarlive.
Sugar’s 10,000 square foot outdoor ice rink also opens tomorrow. www.skisugar.com/skating Sessions are one hour and thirty minutes long and run from 10 am until 10 pm on Saturday. Sunday’s sessions will begin at 10 am and end after the 6 pm session. Ice skating tickets are $15 per session and include skate rental.
Sugar Mountain Sports Shop, located in the Base Lodge will open tomorrow for the season. It features the finest in winter apparel and footwear, quality gift items, and souvenirs.
For more information please call 800-SUGAR-MT or view our website www.skisugar.com for the latest slope and weather conditions. Historical opening and closing dates as well as recorded annual natural snowfall measurements can be found at www.skisugar.com/press/stats.
Also, visit www.skithehighcountry.com for more info on snow skiing in The NC High Country!
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Blowing Rock’s Christmas in the Park & Lighting of the Town!
November 25th, 2011, Memorial Park, 828-295-5222
In the Gazebo
Hayrides through Blowing Rock ….. 4-9pm
Memorial Park
Airwalks …..2-7pm
Memorial Park
Free Hot Cider and Hot Chocolate ….. 5-9pm
Memorial Park
Caroling in the Park ….. 5-6:30pm
with the “Vagabonds”
Lighting of the Town….. 5:30pm
with Mayor JB Lawrence
Bluegrass Christmas….. 7-9pm
with Diana & Sarvis Ridge
***DON’T FORGET! The Christmas Parade will be held the following day on Saturday, November 26 at 2pm. ***
For more, visit: http://www.blowingrock.com
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Offers Lectures on Current Exhibitions in November
Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts is holding special lectures for two exhibitions that are currently on display through January 2012.
The first lecture on November 3 at 7 p.m. will discuss the artist and the exhibition, Living in the Light: A Retrospective, displaying a compilation of beloved photographer and former chair of the photography program at Appalachian State University, the late John Scarlata’s work.
On November 9, artist Val Lyle will hold a lecture on her current exhibition, Sanctuary, which emphasizes the aspects of life in the Appalachian mountains. Both lectures are free and open to the public. Call 828-262-3017 or visit www.tcva.org for more information.
Living in the Light: A Retrospective- John Scarlata
November 3, 2011
7-9 p.m.
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Lecture Hall
*Reception to follow in the galleries
Guest lecturers Jay Phyfer (Professor of photography and digital imaging, Virginia Intermont College), Gil Leebrick (Professor Emeritus and former Director of the Wellington B. Gray Gallery, East Carolina University) and Pac McLaurin (Photography Department, Appalachian State University) joined by close friends of John Scarlata will gather for an in-depth conversation about the artists life and his work. Other special guests will include Joe Champagne (Professor of Photography & Digital Imaging Virginia Intermont College), Jackie Leebrick, Ben Garfinkle (Oakland California) and Tom Braswell (Photographer and Interim Gallery Director from Wellington B. Gray Gallery, East Carolina University). A reception will be held in the galleries immediately following the lecture.
Sanctuary- Val Lyle
November 9, 2011
7-8 p.m.
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts Lecture Hall
Join artist, Val Lyle as she discusses her latest work, Sanctuary located in the Mayer Gallery. This exhibition and installation continues the artist’s exploration about what it means to be a human being in Appalachia which is in its eighth incarnation of the exhibition.
Other Upcoming Events at the Turchin Center
First Friday Reception
November 4
Free and Open to the Public
7-9 p.m.
Presented in conjunction with Downtown Boone’s First Friday Art Crawl, the Turchin Center will be open for all visitors to come and celebrate the current exhibitions as well as welcome a new exhibition by painter, Gabriel Lehman celebrating the opening of his solo exhibition My World opening on November 4. Painter and installation artist, Val Lyle, will also be in the gallery to talk to guests about her exhibition Sanctuary.
Healing Arts: Yoga in theMayer Gallery
Saturdays, October 15, November 5 & 19
Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
10:30 a.m.- 11:30 a.m.
$10 per participant
Inside Exhibitions
Free guided tours by one of Turchins volunteer docents one Saturday a month on the exhibition of their choice.
Visit www.tcva.org for more information.
Fall Workshops
Turchin Center offers a variety of arts workshops for kids, older teens and adults throughout the year. Visit www.tcva.org for more information on how you can register.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Grandfather Mountain Celebrates A “Beary Scary Halloween”!
Celebrate Halloween with the creatures of the Grandfather Mountain Animal Habitats Saturday October 29th. Join in the first ever “Beary Scary Halloween” festivities and help the Mountain raise funds for renovations on Grandfather’s eagle habitat.
“We wanted to create a fun event that would give kids a chance to be more involved in the animals’ day and provide us with the opportunity to raise awareness about the improvements that we hope to make to our eagle habitat,” said Christie Tipton, habitat manager.
Halloween activities take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are included with regular admission. Kids in costume will get in at half price.
The day begins at 10 a.m. with Halloween-themed crafts in the Nature Museum. At 10:30 a.m. kids can go trick or treating in the animal habitats, which will be decorated in mummy, werewolf, ghost and graveyard themes.
At 11 a.m. Naturalists will meet by the Mildred the Bear statue in the Nature Museum to lead an interactive program titled “Going Batty for Bats.” Participants will learn all about bats and their importance to the environment.
Prepare to be captivated by ghost stories at 11:30 a.m. in the Nature Museum Auditorium. Local storytellers Maggie Christenbury and Owen Gray will lead scary tales to thrill the whole family.
At 12:30 p.m. kids get a chance to compete in a costume contest and vote on their favorite costume worn by the animal habitat staff. Voting takes place in the Nature Museum lobby.
Immediately following the costume contest, guests have a unique opportunity to participate in the animal enrichments by decorating pumpkins and other treats that will later be given to the animals. An enrichment is anything different that can help to break up the animals’ day such as a scent, a new toy or a treat.
Join the Mountain’s Naturalists in the Nature Museum at 1 p.m. for the “Creepy, Crawly Critters!” program. Participants will learn about creatures of the night, creatures that bite and other spooky animals.
At 2 p.m. the Habitat Staff will begin the animal enrichments. Meet at the deer overlook to watch the animals enjoy their decorated treats.
The last of the day’s programming will take place in front of the fudge shop at 2:45 p.m. An “Owl Encounter” allows guests to meet and learn about the spooky night prowlers that can be found in the High Country.
Throughout the day guests can learn more about the eagle habitat, special programs offered by habitat staff and additional opportunities to get involved on the Mountain. For more information, contact the habitat staff at 828-733-8715.
Grandfather Mountain is a globally recognized nature preserve famous for its 360-degree vistas, native wildlife habitats and Mile High Swinging Bridge. The attraction is located on US Highway 221, two miles north of Linville, NC, and one mile south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 305.
The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park in the public interest and participate in educational research activities.
For more information phone 800-468-7325 or plan a trip at www.grandfather.com.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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6th Annual Valle Crucis Punkin Festival Slated for October 22nd
The Valle Crucis Punkin Festival marks its sixth year in 2011. It was founded in 2006 as a kid-friendly event tied to the harvest season. Although it is a small festival, it is big on fun – starting with the name. The organizers chose the name “simply because it’s a lot more fun than pumpkin.”
Kids are invited to participate in all kinds of old-fashioned games like Apple Bob (bobbing for apples hanging from a string), Hoop-La (can you hook the ring?), Punkin Sack Races (try to do that without laughing), and Dog Bowl In (get the ball to stay in one of the dog bowls). Everyone can get their face painted and enjoy food, of course. In addition, kids and their parents have an artistic outlet to carve their Jack ‘o Lanterns with no muss and no fuss. Festival volunteers “cut and gut” the pumpkins for you! Proceeds from the day go to the Western Youth Network (WYN), a non-profit group serving youth and families in Ashe, Avery, and Watauga Counties and the Valle Crucis Elementary School Parent Teacher Student Association. That leads right into one of the event’s theme: Carving for a Cause.
Kids will need a parental permission form completed in order to participate. Click HERE to download a PDF version and fill it out before the festival so you can join in the fun right away.
The festival is staffed by volunteers from WYN, Appalachian State University, Valle Crucis Elementary School, and the Mast General Store.
For more info, visit: http://www.punkinfestival.com/
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Fall Color Report From ASU!
Howie Neufeld, Ph.D.
Professor of Plant Physiology
Appalachian State University
This has been an interesting week in the mountains. Beginning on Friday, the temperatures dropped, and the winds picked up.
Jesse Pope, chief naturalist up on Grandfather Mountain, reports that on Saturday winds reached 60 mph with gusts up to 74 mph.
Luckily, for most trees, they were still holding on to their leaves quite tightly, so even though some were blown off, most are still there, and if we don’t get more wind storms like that one, they should turn color quite nicely in the next two weeks.
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Mount Jefferson State Natural Area October Programs
Underground Railroad Hike
Saturday, October 8th
Time 2:00 pm, meet at picnic area
Traverse the history of Mount Jefferson with a ranger as he travels back in time to the days of the Underground Railroad. Participants will experience the folklore and history surrounding Mount Jefferson as you hike along the mountain ridge
Vista Viewing
Sunday October 9th
Time 2: 00 pm, meet at the 2nd Overlook
Enjoy a view of three states while learning the oral tradition associated with Mount Jefferson and its surrounding mountains. This program is weather dependent. Participants are encouraged to wear winter attire.
Fairies & Gnomes Houses Building
Saturday October 15th
Time 2:00 pm, meet at picnic area
Come up on the mountain and use your imagination and natural materials to build woodland creature house. Each person or family will build a small house for an imaginary small creature.
Night Hike
Saturday Night 15th
Time 7:30 pm, meet at park Office
Are you looking for an adventure after dark? Come on up to Mt. Jefferson for a breathtaking night hike. Meet the park ranger for a 1mile hike along the ridgeline out to Luther Rock. Bring a small flashlight and wear sturdy shoes. Parts of this hike are considered strenuous and hiking at night can be physically challenging.
Children must be closely supervised. Park Office (336) 246-9653
Fall Colors Hike
Sunday, October 16th Time 2:00 pm, meet at picnic shelter
Take some time this fall and enjoy the spectacular change of season. Come up to the picnic area and meet a park ranger for a hike into the autumn season. Bring your cameras and questions as we will be looking at the spectacular fall color. Meet at picnic area. Bring appropriate shoes or boots
The Legend of Tom Dooley
Saturday, October 22rd
Time 2:00 pm, meet at picnic shelter
Join a Western North Carolina native as he relives the last days of the North Carolina legend, Tom Dooley. Did Tom Dooley murder Laura Foster in the Shadows of the Blue Ridge? The infamous story will be accompanied by songs to include the “Ballad of Tom Dooley.” Participants should meet at the Park Picnic Shelter
Vista Viewing
Sunday, October 23rd
Time 2:00 pm, meet at the 2nd Overlook
Enjoy a view of three states while learning the oral tradition associated with Mount Jefferson and its surrounding mountains. This program is weather dependent. Participants are encouraged to wear winter attire.
Fall Colors Hike
Saturday, October 29th
Time 2:00 pm, meet at picnic area
Take some time this fall and enjoy the spectacular change of season. Come up to the picnic area and meet a park ranger for a hike into the autumn season. Bring your cameras and questions as we will be looking at the spectacular fall color. Meet at picnic area. Bring appropriate shoes or boots.
Mt. Jefferson Geology
Sunday October 30th
Time 2:00 pm, meet at picnic shelter
We will seek out a treasure of knowledge. Several types of geological formations will be seen on this mountain hike. Metamorphic formations and intrusive quartz are located on the trail. We will also dig into the connections that exist between the soil and plants. Join us on this fall season Geo hike. Bring appropriate shoes or boots.
For more information or directions, Call (336) 246-9653
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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