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If it’s true, as they say, that seeing is believing, then we at Mast Store would like to propose another entry to your quip collection: Doing is moving. “Doing” not only requires movement - “doing” moves you both physically and emotionally. ...read more
Local Flavor | Mast Family Favorites | Travel
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What is a library? It’s a big building with lots of books in it. But wait, it’s so much more. The library is a gateway to your wildest dreams, a place to learn, a place to imagine, a place to make friends. Today’s libraries are repositories of books, but they also are places to get help to learn to read or improve your reading, to improve your math skills, to listen to a performance by a string quartet, to watch a movie, to refine your crafting skills, and to gather with fellow writers. Yes, libraries are SO much more. ...read more
Adventure | Inspiration | Mast Family Favorites
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What “spells” success on any outdoor adventure? R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
Leave No Trace is a set of seven principles that guide and remind all outdoor lovers to leave nature as they found it. These tips help explorers of all skill levels to plan ahead for their trip, be considerate of wildlife as well as other hikers and campers, and enjoy their excursion safely and responsibly all with the goal of minimizing their impact on the environment. Basically, it boils down to respecting the outdoors so that others – including future generations – can enjoy it, too!
...read more
Adventure | Inspiration
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... Our favorite foods! Food is universal because everybody’s got ta eat! And the last two months of the year are filled with more than their fair share of family meals, work gatherings, special outings to favorite restaurants, tins filled with homemade cookies and fudge, and the anticipation of food traditions handed down from generation to generation ...read more
At Home | Recipes
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Even before we bought the Mast General Store, we were taken by the beauty of Valle Crucis. We’ve heard people describe the drive out Broadstone Road as traveling through a time portal. In the 1970s, fields in the river bottoms would be filled with tobacco, cabbage, or high with hay to feed cattle that were grazing in the summer pasture. ...read more
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The lucky few who have seen the Earth from a different perspective – astronauts - all echo the same viewpoint upon their return. Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut and the first human to go to space, commented, “Orbiting Earth in the spaceship, I saw how beautiful our planet is. People, let us preserve and increase this beauty, not destroy it.”
Behind the Scenes | Inspiration
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While our thoughts are with our neighbors to the south who received the brunt of this past week’s storms, folks in the Blue Ridge Mountains are drying out and hitting the trails in search of brilliant fall colors. Some leaves fell with the wind and rain, but the good news is that premature color change and bare trees appear to be a minor issue in Western North Carolina. If you find yourself in the Asheville area in the coming weeks, check out a local’s favorite along the Mountains-to-Sea trail just a hop, skip, and a jump from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Portions of the Blue Ridge Parkway were closed this weekend due to the inclement weather, and Parkway staff members are still in the process of clearing downed trees and rocks in some areas. Use the Real Time Road Map HERE as a guide to help you plan your route.
A portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway north of Bull Gap is temporarily closed, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the beautiful, dense forest in that area. The Rattlesnake Lodge Trail is a family favorite, and you can still access this trail from an open portion of the Parkway, as well as from North Asheville.
The Rattlesnake Lodge Trail begins by ascending the rounded end of Bull Mountain through a series of about a dozen switchbacks, climbing so gradually that you'll go through most of them before you even begin to break a sweat. The trail is so well-built and maintained that parents feel secure taking smaller children in a hiking carrier on their backs. Also, bigger kids can safely hike the trail with very little assistance. There are quite a few rock outcroppings along the way where you can stop and view the Blue Ridge Parkway below and gorgeous mountain peaks in the distance. You’ll gain about 550 feet in elevation over a 2.6 mile stretch.
The trail is canopied by gorgeous hardwoods and carpeted by a stunning variety of wildflowers and leathery lichens. A Rattlesnake Lodge favorite is the many beautiful Sassafras trees. If you spot a fresh Sassafras leaf on the ground, pick it up and chew on the stem. They’re refreshing, delicious, and taste just like root beer. It’s no surprise that root beer used to be made from the Sassafras tree!
The hike ends at the ruins of the Rattlesnake Lodge, which was built in the early 1900s and burned in 1926. You’ll be entranced by the “remains of an early 20th century retreat, built by one of WNC's historically affluent and conservation-minded citizens.” Read more about the fascinating history of the home by clicking HERE.
There are two ways to access the trailhead: From Downtown Asheville, take Town Mountain Road to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Head north by turning left on the Parkway. In about 1.4 miles, you’ll see a sign for Weaverville. Take a left here onto Ox Creek Road, where you’ll drive up a steep climb for about 0.5 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway. The parking area is marked by boulders on your right.
From Weaverville, NC (14 miles north of Downtown Asheville), drive up Ox Creek Road and the parking area will be on your left. For an interactive GPS map and more helpful information, click HERE.
Much like in winter, shortened daylight, lower temperatures, wet fallen leaves, and quickly changing conditions may present obstacles, but they’re all easy to safely navigate with proper planning. Take a look at THESE Nine Essential Hiking Tips from one our resident hiking experts, Outdoor Area Manager Dan, at the Mast Store Asheville.
Also, be sure to check out the Fall Foliage Primer HERE. It includes lots of good information about other hikes, drives, and fall events to enjoy in Western North Carolina, Upstate South Carolina, and Eastern Tennessee. We’re looking forward to seeing you on the trail!