New River Gorge Archives - Page 4 of 6

Spring Break at Opossum Creek – Why It’s a Great Idea

Need a reason to spend your spring break in West Virginia? Not much we can say that adds to this email from one of our guests (except that we are glad they’re coming back). Read on…

Hi Keith-

I don’t know if you remember us or not, but we rented a cabin from you at Thanksgiving. Our daughter goes to Marshall, and she wanted to stay in WV for Thanksgiving and not come back to Florida. Well, as it turns out, she would rather stay in WV for Spring Break as well! Imagine that- we live 30 minutes from the beach, and she would rather stay in WV 😉 Truth be told, we would rather GO to WV again.

We were thinking of going to Snowshoe, but the snow has been so sketchy. It seems we Floridians aren’t that good at snowboarding on ice, which is what I am afraid we are going to run into. And we have kids ranging from 4-19. I think the cabin would be best for everyone, since the little girls can play in the snow (if there is any) right outside, and the big kids can head to Winter Place to snowboard if they want to. We are split on what we want to do- everyone wants to go to Snowshoe (but the littles are too little to ski/snowboard), AND everyone wants to go back to the relaxing cabin where Mommy was in a good mood, they can eat home cooking, and everyone was entertained.

Steve and Wendi

This is not the first time guests have felt this way about their stay. Will you be spring breaking in West Virginia?

One Family’s Take on A Staycation at Opossum Creek

Recent guest Clinton Curtis wrote this blog post about his recent stay at Opossum Creek with his family.

My wife and I created a ritual this year – coinciding with the Chinese New Year we would escape to a secluded location in the mountains with our two daughters to reflect on our lives and plan for the year ahead. Theoretically, we could have done this at home, but to retreat from our daily routines and familiar surroundings added energy and excitement to the process.

We rented a cabin at Opossum Creek Retreat where the stars pierce the ink black sky at night and the only distractions are the wildlife and the gurgling stream.

To some, it may seem like a lot of effort to pack and drive to an offsite location for such an event, but many fortune 500 companies send their employees great distances for such ‘offsite’ meetings because of the unencumbered creativity that ensues. For us, however, the trip from our home to the woodland sanctuary of OCR is all of seven miles!

To describe this phenomenon we’ve borrowed the term ‘staycation’ from the 1970’s book Your Money or Your Life. Our staycation has been even better than expected. We have welcomed the Year of the Dragon in fine fashion, nestled in the tree branches of the eastern woods we love so much.

Our cabin exemplified simplicity and royalty simultaneously, and dipping into the hot tub in midwinter added an element of the mystical.

Our family found a wonderful harmony at OCR and a quiet ability to fulfill our goals. As I mentioned, we have created a ritual, and we plan to return to Opossum Creek Retreat in 2013 to bring in the Year of the Snake!

The Personal Touch – Meetings at Opossum Creek Retreat

Doug Arbogast is an adjunct faculty member of Bridgemont Community and Technical College and Principal of Travel Green Appalachia. He promotes authentic and sustainable travel experiences in Appalachia on his blog – www.travelgreenappalachia.com.

I was fortunate to be a participant in a working retreat at Opossum Creek Retreat last week. The retreat brought in faculty and staff from Bridgemont Community and Technical College in Montgomery, WV to refine and refocus their Sustainability Awareness Training curriculum.

In order to practice what we preach, we looked for a locally owned and operated venue suitable for a group of 10-20 to do some brainstorming for a few days. Geoff and Keith graciously offered to host our retreat and provide food for the group at a price comparable to the chain hotel options we considered.

Here’s why you too should consider Opossum Creek Retreat for your next corporate retreat:

First Class Service
Warm cookies awaiting us on arrival, attention to every detail, logo mugs and stickers, and a guided tour of the property show that they truly care about and appreciate each guest.
Craftsmanship
Hand crafted cabins from locally milled timber where each piece of wood, from the trim to the tables, has a story.
Ownership
I doubt you’d find the owners of any chain hotel awake before you are making your breakfast.
Buy Local
Leakage occurs when the dollars you spend leak out of the community. OCR is locally owned and operated. At OCR the dollars you spend trickle down to other community businesses they support like West Virginia Fruit and Berry Sparkling Cider, Happy Trails Café, Red Roof Farm Jam, and Blue Smoke Salsa.
Farm to Table
Get to know the chickens that laid the eggs you ate for breakfast.
One of Your Personal Chefs

According to the 350 Project:

*When you spend $100 in a national chain only $43 stays in the community. The rest leaks out to the national headquarters or suppliers which are located elsewhere.

*When you spend the same $100 in a locally owned, independent business $68 returns to the community through taxes, payroll, and other expenditures.

We ventured into downtown Fayetteville, WV and put more of our money into the community by enjoying some handcrafted pizza and local brews at Pies and Pints.

If you consider the impact of your business (or leisure) trips and not only the ability to accomplish the goals of your retreat but also the quality of the experience then I encourage you to seek out venues like OCR for your next retreat.

Check out the OCR Facebook page for testimonials from some of the retreat participants.

Oh, and did I mention what its like to sit in a hot tub in the cool winter air, under a clear night sky, filled with stars and void of light pollution after a full day of meetings?

Why 250,000 Boy Scouts are Coming to The New River Gorge And You Should Too (Just Not at the Same Time!)

The beauty of this area is all it takes to understand why the Boy Scouts of America chose to locate their newest camp here in the New River Gorge. Access to so many awesome outdoor activities is what makes it even more special.

The Summit Bechtel Reserve is the 4th High Adventure Base Camp for the Boy Scouts in the United States. The enormity ($400,000,000) of the project is incredible. The 10,000 acre camp is going to thrust the scouts into the future in a magnificent way.

And the reasons that the Scouts chose the New River Gorge as their camp location are the very same reasons this area is great for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities.

The New River Gorge National Park offers truly world class activities in a big way:

Whitewater
Rock climbing
Mountain Biking
Small Mouth Bass Fishing

Darn close to world class (you know I am going to get in trouble for this distinction):

Hiking
Camping
Hunting
Bridge Walk
ATV Trails
Zip Lines
Driving tours
Coal History
Waterfalls

Why not at the same time?

The Boy Scouts report that 50,000 scouts will visit every year in all seasons in small groups. We hope these scouts families will stick around after they drop the kids at High Adventure Camp.

But the big scout event here is the 2013 National Jamboree, which will draw 250,000 people to our area July 15-24 2013. Trust us, it will be crazy. We are excited and a little afraid of the unknown. This area does not play host to that many people all summer let alone in a two week period.

So what we’re trying to say is if you are not coming specifically for the Jamboree then you will want to pick another time to visit.

The Boy Scouts trust us enough to spend four hundred million dollars here.

Come see what the scouts already know.

It’s Valentine’s Day Which Makes it Couples Season

It’s couples season. For everyone. Which, naturally, means spring is near.

Bear with me, this will seem a bit of a stretch. Frankly, it is.

You see, the critters know that spring is near. Some of them, like the red shouldered hawk and the grey fox in my back yard are busy playing “the game”. The woods are teaming with amorous animals squawking, yelping, howling. You get the idea.

The sounds are music to my ears as it signals spring is not far.

Ever hear a foxes love song? It’s not really very pretty. In fact, it sounds a bit like James Brown is in my backyard. The foxes feel good. I knew that they would.

The Bald Eagles that now live along the New River are sitting on eggs as you read this. Brrr. That’s devotion.

When you look closely at nature, there are many signs (and sounds) which let us know that love is in the air. If you dig deep into the history of Valentine’s Day you’ll find a direct connection to the cycle of nature.

Consciously or not we humans follow the signs and seasons of nature. After all, we are animals too, right?

It’s Couples Season
It’s the perfect time for you and your mate to focus on each other. No distractions.

We can make this easy for you. We can help you decide if you need things to do like hiking or a massage. Maybe all you need is a do not disturb sign on the door.

Just pick your days and give us a call, 1.888.488.4836. It’s that easy.

Why Fall Is My Favorite Time In The New River Gorge

For as long as I can remember, the end of summer has been bitter-sweet.

On one hand, it meant the end of long days, vacations, sleeping-in and staying up late. That was the life!

On the other, it signaled the beginning of frosty mornings, turning leaves, blue-bird skies and my favorite pastime of all. Hunting.

There is something magical about the woods in the fall. The intense coloring of leaves brought on by shorter days and cool nights. The smells. It all keeps me returning to the woods time and time again.

Since I was a boy, I have tagged along on my Dad’s hunting and fishing trips. Every trip to the woods serves as a reminder of the things he has taught me and time spent together exploring. Dad doesn’t get to the woods anymore, but he’s always there with me in spirit.

For the past 18 years I have made the New River Gorge area my home. I have been exploring its woods from day one. In that time, I’ve barely scratched the surface of all there is to see. While it would take another lifetime to see all she has to offer, I intend to keep trying to see all I can.

Whether hunting & fishing, hiking a historic trail or biking along an old rail-grade, fall is my favorite time to play in the New River Gorge.

4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Choose Us for Your Corporate Meeting (And 5 Why You Should!)

Corporate meetings. Everyone has them from time to time. Not many actually enjoy them. Lots of time sitting in a chair, plenty of artificial light and often terrible catered-in food. Face it, the thought of another corporate meeting is painful.

Know what’s even more painful? Planning them. The logistics, the meeting space, the food, activities. Just another side of corporate meetings that most folks don’t like.

Are you in charge of planning your next corporate meeting? If so, we like to think we can help (and psstttt….make you look like a star!). Before we tell you about why you should consider us for your next meeting, I’d like to save us both some time and tell you why you shouldn’t choose us. Simply put, we aren’t for everyone.

Why You Shouldn’t Choose Us for Your Corporate Meeting

No valet parking
No cabs
We don’t have much of a club-scene or “night life”
Our Meeting Room isn’t art deco, euro or feng shui

Why Opossum Creek is Perfect for Your Next Corporate Meeting

NO Suite NO Shoes No Problem!
Personalized Service

We provide personalized service with attention to detail (Yes, we can do that for you!)

The Only “Traffic” is at the Deer Crossing

You can park your car at the door of your cabin rental and you won’t need it again until you decide to go home. A stroll through the woods to your meeting? Yes.

A Better Kind of Night Life

We have very little light pollution which makes for great star-gazing around the campfire (Ever finished a day of meetings with a S’more?)
Insert pic / link to facebook post.

Natural Surroundings

We do have a beautiful Timber Frame Great room with big windows that actually open! Sunlight and fresh air…at a meeting?

Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting a corporate meeting with a group of folks that wanted to truly “step outside of the box”.

“This is not the hotel setting we are used to working in and just the setting will require us to think differently.”

We think they did just that. Take a look at their itinerary and decide for yourself.

Day 1
Arrive as flights permit. Dinner is on your own. Simply choose from any of the great local restaurants in Fayetteville. We will provide list and directions.

Day 2

7 to 8 AM fresh homemade Breakfast
8 to Noon meeting
Noon to 1 break-outs over fresh homemade lunch
1 to 5 Zip line Canopy Tour
5-7 happy hour with fresh homemade snacks
Dinner. You get the idea every meal is fresh-made with seasonal local ingredients
Campfire

Day 3
Same plan different adventure:

7 to 8 AM fresh homemade Breakfast
8 to Noon meeting
Noon to 1 break outs over fresh homemade Lunch
1 to 5 River trip in The New River Gorge National Park. Everyone can do this section of the river.
5-7 happy hour with Fresh homemade snacks
Dinner, fresh-made with seasonal local ingredients
Campfire

Day 4
Departure day

7 to 8 AM fresh homemade Breakfast
8 to Noon meeting
Noon to 1 break-out sessions, fresh homemade Lunch
Depart or not. Insert a team building program add another adventure and a night out on the town. Or have your family join you for a mini vacation after your successful Corporate off site meeting.

Where was you last meeting? Was it memorable?

How To Catch A New River Gorge Firefly

I grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Bucks County to be specific. Far, far away (or so I thought) from a vacation cabin in the New River Gorge region of West Virginia.

I was definitely not the city streets, but not nearly as rural as here in New River Country, either. When I was just a young tot (hard to imagine, I know), one of favorites was when dad would build a fire in the fire pit in the back yard. That usually happened on a warm summers evening and it meant friends and family would be joining us.

Roasting marshmallows, making s’mores and catching fireflies were the top activities of the youngsters. Roasting the mallows and creating the perfect s’more was always supervised by an adult or at least one of the teens in the group. Then, when the sun was long gone and the fireflies began emerging from the grass making their ascent to the tree tops, we were free to go get’ em.

The hunt was on. We gathered jars with carefully crafted foil lids with holes so the tiny that captives would have plenty of air, but no hope of escape. I wasn’t the most compassionate kid.

The idea was to get enough fireflies into the jar to simulate a lantern. Once we had collected a jar full of the all natural illuminating creature,s it was off to explore the caverns and search for Injun Joe, or something just like him. Our childhood treasures were usually found under the huge Lilac bush that resided in the back yard. It was mom’s voice calling for us that snapped us out of our fantasy adventures, I can still hear her to this day. That’s when the foil lids were torn off the jars and the fireflies were set free.

See? I wasn’t all bad.

I thought we had a lot of fireflies back then, but the number of fireflies here in the New River Gorge area is amazing. Sometimes there are so many that the trees look as if they have lights strung over them. If you’re here, you should let your kids in on this great tradition. Heck, you may want to try it yourself. Get yourself a Mason jar and some foil and get out there with your kids and show them how.

And if you’ve never tried catching fireflies yourself, do yourself a favor and get going. Summer’s almost gone. And so is the season for catching firefleis.

Are You Prejudiced Against Trees?

The New River Gorge (our backyard) is filled with trees. So what’s one more?

What follows is the story of our Royal Paulownia Tree, AKA the Princess Tree, and its life at Opossum Creek Retreat…

It’s weird to think that, if you packed your china in some seed pods to protect them (the original packing peanuts) on the long journey to your new job, that hundreds of years later your packing peanuts’ offspring might attack someone’s building foundation!

Science fiction its not.

Immigrants from the Far East used the seed pods from the Royal Paulownia Tree or Empress Tree as packing peanuts for a long time. Trains rattling up and down the New River Gorge brought in goods from all over the world to the people who lived in the great river valley (mostly the mine managers and owners). When the recipients opened their boxes, the seeds fell out on the ground.

Those seeds love disturbed soil like along train tracks or all around new towns like the ones being built during the coal mining days. Or, you know, next to the foundation of The Meadows Cabin. We found the damage the tree had caused when we excavated and put in a new drain system in preparation for the timber frame great room addition.

Now, the tree in question was a favorite, and anyone who’s been to Opossum Creek Retreat knows that we go a long way to blend the cabins into the rest of the environment. I mean, some of the trees are ridiculously close to where we built, but what can I say? I’m a tree hugger.

The Paulonwia is “an invasive plant species”, and to some that means it should be eradicated. The likelihood of that happening is about as high as getting rid of Starlings (I like them too). While it is not native, it’s been here for a long, long time. I wonder how long something has to be in a place to be from there?

It is doing very well here, and lots of people (including me) like the tree. It’s beautiful. I’m sure that way back when, even before us humans, things got moved around and took up residence wherever that volcano or hurricane blew them. Did that make them invasive? Just sayin’.

If a plant or animal happens to have ended up someplace new, with or without human help, is it really invasive? Or is it just part of evolution, in the long run? I’m sure some people will always look at newcomers to an area as invasive. But I guess that’s a rant for another blog.

I’m not saying invasive species don’t exist. They do. But I sure did hate to cut down our Princess Tree.