This November, we’ll post a guide to each of the area’s snow resorts. No B.S. or promotion, just an honest appraisal of each hill’s strengths and weaknesses.
Until then, you can find ski and snowboard news — even in the summer and fall — at SkiNC.
It’s no secret, the popularity of adventure racing is growing. For those of you who don’t know, adventure races combine two or more disciplines, such as running, bicycling, paddling, or navigating. They usually take place in wilderness settings, although urban adventure races are also gaining popularity.
Black Dome’s general manager, Jay Curwen, is an avid and accomplished adventure racer. But you don’t have to be a champion triathlete like Jay to participate. An increasing number of adventure racers offer shorter options for beginners and less intense competitors.
Here are two great Web sites dedicated to adventure racing:
If you have ever hated stretching as much as I do, but you know it’s good for you, then maybe you should try yoga. A yoga class: where you are on your own mat, in your own mind, and competing with no one, save for the “I can zen out way more than you” factor, which every now and zen is OK. There’s music, insight, quiet, and it feels so good, and you get all blissed out at the end of your practice. It can be a workout, or not – it’s whatever you choose, and there are so many styles of yoga to choose from. Also, you wear your most relaxing, easy and comfortable clothes. If you don’t have any yet, you might want to stop into the Dome, and don some new yoga bling + bliss.
Check out the local schedules at the sites listed below.
Also, check out my classes at the Asheville Yoga Center.
Peace and blissings,
Monica Curwen
Sliding Rock is not a waterfall so much as a waterslide, and that’s why kids love it. They’ll never forget the 60-foot slide into a deep pool of cool mountain water. It’s a harmless ride, though their bottoms may be a little sore the next day.
Something this fun can’t be kept secret, however. The waterfall sits right next to a parking lot, and there’s even a guardrail on the path to the top. Expect large crowds just about any day in the summer, or whenever the weather is nice.
Admission costs $1 per person from Memorial Day through Labor Day each year. The fee provides a lifeguard on duty and open changing rooms, but only during the peak season.
From Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway to U.S. Highway 276, just past milemarker 411. Take a left on the parkway and head south for 7 miles. Turn right into the Sliding Rock Recreation Area.
Like a large, white curtain, this waterfall measures 30-feet wide by 60-feet tall. A cool, misty canyon with some swimming holes beckons visitors down the short trail to the bottom. The falls can be seen from the road, so traffic often backs up in the area and parking can be difficult.
The name “Looking Glass” comes from the nearby Looking Glass Rock, one of the most popular rock climbing destinations in the area. Water draining off the face of Looking Glass Rock often freezes in the winter, then sparkles in the evening sun.
There’s a great hike to the top of Looking Glass Rock.
From Asheville, take the Blue Ridge Parkway to U.S. Highway 276, just past milemarker 411. Take a left on the parkway and head south for 9 miles. Look for parking off the side of the road.
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