The story below is an excerpt from our January/February 2018 issue. For the rest of this story and more like it subscribe today, log in to read our digital edition or download our FREE iOS app. Thank you!
Plus a sneak peek at new content in this and the rest of our 2018 issues.
Kurt Rheinheimer
The big rocks atop Virginia's Mt. Pleasant make for great viewing.
It’s a Saturday morning ritual at my house . . .
“Where do we hike today?” either Gail or I begins, followed by questions about whether or not to take the dog (she’s big and black and aging, and wilts quickly under temperatures above 70); about how much time we have and thus how far we can go; about the projected crowdedness of the trail/section.
But more often than not, the decision comes down to which big ol’ rock at which high-elevation point might be best for the mid-hike lunch that day.
And are we ever blessed with such here in the Virginia mountains. From the 4,000-footers to the north of us—the Priest, Apple Orchard, Elliott Knob, Mt. Pleasant, Flat Top and others—to even higher peaks to the south, including the 5,000-footers in the Grayson Highlands, we can pick our poison from among nearly countless choices.
And why climb anywhere from 1,000 to nearly 3,000 feet to a moutain top just to eat lunch?
Well, the first reason is, of course, because it’s there.
And the second is, because we can.
And the third is perhaps most important: While up-close things like wildflowers, trees and birds are great lures into the woods, it is the geography and the geology that makes us drive out of town, up a forest road and onto, as often as not, a muddy spot to park.
You look out over a piece of your home state after you just did the 21 switchbacks up to Fullers Rocks, say, and you feel good. And lunch tastes great. And you can look down on the James and think about its flow on to Lynchburg and then Richmond, and then on to the sea.
And speaking of water: Its flows and falls are probably number two on our list of entities that draw us into the woods. Our mountains’ cascades—falls like Apple Orchard and the Cascades, for example—also make for great lunch destinations. Along with gentler-flowing water spots. Brown Mountain Creek, not far from the climb up to Fullers Rocks, is another favorite lunch place, along with the shoreline of Carvins Cove reservoir and the banks of Cornelius Creek.
Speaking of such, writer Nan Chase has been out and about in not only the Virginia mountains, but also those of the six other states in our coverage area, and has come back with a collection of not just rocks and rivers, but also caves and coal spots, parks and preserves and much more. Her piece, beginning on page 38, provides a full year of destinations in our seven-state mountain region.
There’s another focal point to this issue as well: As we enter 2018, we also walk into the magazine’s 30th anniversary year. In that context, we hope you’ll notice a few subtle changes to our content mix. Yes, our photoessay remains a centerpiece, and our columnists and other departments are intact (well, food writer extraordinaire Fred Sauceman, who we’ve kept on the road relentlessly over recent years, returns to the Flavors department).
But in the features, we hope you’ll look forward to two staples in this and the rest of our 2018 issues: A 30th anniversary look-back piece (Joan Vannorsdall returns to Cumberland Gap 22 years after her first visit for the magazine). And much more in the way of people—people who embody the spirit, hopes and accomplishments of the region. Georganna and Logan Seamon (page 48), and Anna George (page 52) are our first two of such.
As always, we welcome your thoughts, comments and suggestions on our content.