It's no double rainbow, but still ...

Kudos to recent visitor Steven for capturing (and sharing) this fantastic photo of a rainbow in the valley in Seven Devils. Looks like Heaven to me!

Wanna learn some history about N.C.'s ski slopes?

North Carolina is fortunate to have topography that allows for winter sports. The High Country alone boasts several ski slopes, as well as tubing at Hawksnest. Now a new book celebrates that heritage.

“North Carolina Ski Resorts,” the newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series. The book, by author Donna Gayle Akers, was released just this week.

The book boasts 200 vintage images, many of which have never been published, and chronicles the history of the state’s ski industry.

During the early 1960s, local leaders in western and northwestern North Carolina were dedicated to developing winter recreational opportunities in the mountains. North Carolina’s ski industry dates back to the winter of 1961–1962, when the Cataloochee Resort in Maggie Valley developed the first ski slope in the state.

Once thought impossible to make snow south of the Mason-Dixon Line, technological innovations in snowmaking allowed several other resorts to develop through the 1970s, including Appalachian Ski Mountain, Beech Mountain, Sugar Mountain, Wolf Ridge and Ski Sapphire Valley, all of which still operate today.

Images of smaller ski areas such as Hound Ears, Seven Devils, and Mill Ridge, are featured to honor these now defunct clubs.

Many of the present-day resorts have incorporated snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice-skating and snow tubing, along with mountain biking trails for summer recreation on the slopes.

“North Carolina Ski Resorts” showcases the rich recreational history of western and northwestern North Carolina.

Highlights of North Carolina Ski Resorts include:

• Many of the images date back to the beginning of the ski industry in North Carolina.

• Each ski resort has a unique story of their survival that can be seen through historic photographs.

• Changes in ski technology are evident in the photographs, as safer bindings and boots were developed.

This books is available at area bookstores, independent retailers and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at 888-313-2665 or online.

Hawksnest tubing in the spotlight

Sarah Kendall with the Moms Charlotte recently blogged about her experience snowtubing at Hawksnest. Sounds like she had a blast.

Looking for some good family fun this winter season? Put Seven Devils, North Carolina into your GPS and head to Hawksnest for a day of snow tubing. It is a must-do fun day for the whole family. The drive from Charlotte is a bit over two hours, but the high-action fun is worth the drive.

...

Looking around the crowds, everyone appeared to be in good spirits and having a great time. I overheard two young siblings who got tired after an hour and wanted to sit with their grandmother. My ten and eight-year old daughters didn’t want to stop, but I believe just one session was enough for us.

One of my daughter’s said, it was awesome and the other asked, when can we go again?

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/02/13/4690225/snow-tubing-at-hawksnest.html#storylink=cpy

Oh, and in case you've forgotten, there's always a good place to stay VERY close to Hawksnest! (Blatant shilling over!)


Photo courtesy of Moms Charlotte.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/02/13/4690225/snow-tubing-at-hawksnest.html#storylink=cpy

Good snow business so far

According to the Watauga Democrat, good temperatures have resulted in good, solid, steady business for the High Country's ski and tubing spots.

Temperatures hovered within the ideal range for snowmaking around Christmas and New Year's, two holidays that -- along with Martin Luther King Jr. and President's Day weekends -- can be make-or-break events for the local industry. 

And despite a few bouts of mild temperatures and rain during the past few weeks, resort staff say that equipment upgrades made in the past few years have enabled them to turn slope conditions around in no time at all. 

"We have invested so much in our snowmaking," said Talia Freeman, marketing director at Beech Mountain Resort. "What we did in three days last year we can do in one day this year. Even with mild weather, it takes us no time to recover."

Things seem good over at Hawksnest, which just so happens to be right beside Our Mountain Place. (Cough. Hint. Hint.)

The live webcam at Hawksnest Snow Tubing in Seven Devils on Monday depicted a constant stream of dozens and dozens of visitors queuing up to take a rolling slide down the resort's tubing lanes.

It's ski season, y'all

Sugar Mountain opened up for business last week, meaning we are thick into the ski season up in the High Country. The colder temps will make snowmaking possible, according to the Mountain Times.

Snowmaking began Sunday evening, Nov. 10, and continued until mid-morning Nov. 11. A brief warm-up shut snowmaking down for the day. However, the snow machines came back to life early Tuesday morning, as temperatures steadily dropped throughout the day. Overnight temperatures settled in the single digits at the summit and mid-teens at the base, creating an ideal snowmaking environment. Snow flurries also left a dusting of natural snow on Sugar Mountain.

But with the drop in temps come potential dangers. Be careful on the roads, folks, says the Watauga Democrat.

[I]f we can learn anything from the slick roads we encountered last week -- and the half-dozen or so documented accidents, roll-overs and delays those conditions contributed to -- it's the knowledge that we're not as prepared as we might be for black ice and winter driving. 

Much of that lack of preparation stems from not allotting enough time to arrive at our scheduled destinations when cold and wet road conditions come upon us unexpectedly. As a rule, it takes longer to get from Point A to Point B in January than it does in September.  

That's a rule we'll likely live by in a month or two, but for today, it's important to temper our more seasonal outlook with the remembrance that we've already shaken hands once with winter driving conditions.

A berry good time of the year

We will be heading up the mountain to 7D pretty soon, and perhaps the one thing my kids are most excited about is blueberry picking. We had a blast doing it last summer, and we will have with us this time someone with a plethora of blueberry-themed recipes. I fully expect our lips to be blue by the time we leave.

Naturalist Amy Renfranz recently wrote something for the Mountain Times about blueberries. You can read it in its entirety here. But it certainly got me (even more) jazzed about doing some pickin.'

The truth is berries are a plant’s way of taking advantage of an animal’s sweet tooth.  

The fleshy berry is a cover-up for the seeds inside. These seeds, hidden in the berry, are consumed whole by the fruit-eaters as incidental parts of the meal. ... 

Color as an indicator of ripeness is an interesting adaptation of the berry. Without it, berries might be eaten before the seeds inside are fully developed.  

Of course, even a slightly green berry can taste good if sweetened in a pie or cobbler.  

Have you had your fingers pricked by a blackberry bush this summer? Have you laughed with your friends while showing off your blue smile? Did you “ruin” your favorite shirt with a big purple stain? Good for you. 

Yes, indeedy: a new park in the works

(Image from Town of Seven Devils)

The quality of life in Seven Devils is about to get even better -- if you can imagine it.

Week before last, the town received notice that it has been awarded a $135,000 grant to purchase pristine property for a new town park, which we mentioned a couple of months ago.


The land is a "wooded area with a stream and waterfall, known locally as Otter Falls Park, according to Town Manager Ed Evans."

The grant is for $135,800 and is contingent upon a 50/50 match with local government funds. The total cost of the acquisition is expected to cost $271,600 – that includes $265,000 for the purchase of the 9.78-acre tract and several thousand for due diligence such as an appraisal, survey and title search.

Clyde David Little is the seller of the property, which, according to a resolution adopted by the Seven Devils Town Council, has historical significance for its usage by Native Americans and for being a track bed for the original Tweetsie Railroad. 

Evans said that portions of the funds for the purchase of the property could come from a lender, general fund balance and/or donations. Before applying for the grant, Evans said citizens were asked how they felt about the project.

“Actually every comment, email and letter we received was positive,” Evans said. “That doesn’t mean there wasn’t opposition, but if anyone was opposed, they didn’t voice their opposition.

Residents were also asked if they were willing to donate funds and the majority of people expressed a willingness to contribute financially to Seven Devils first potential natural park area.

“We are hoping a portion of it can be funded through donations,” Evans said.Currently, the village has two tennis courts with a small playground nearby. That is the extent of the public land in Seven Devils. 

“That is one reason this is important to so many of our folks … This 9.78-acre parcel is the midway point in town. It’s all wooded, natural, has a small stream, a small water fall. It’s a very pretty piece of property,” Evans said. “In my opinion, it’s an ideal parcel to keep natural [with] trails.”