- SUMMER IS ALSO A GREAT TIME TO VISIT ONE OF OUR STATE'S
GREAT WINTER DESTINATIONS, BEECH MOUNTAIN.
THE LIFTS ARE STILL IN SERVICE FOR THOSE WHO LOVE
TO GO DOWNHILL FAST,
BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SKIERS,
AND GETTING AROUND BY ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE
IS JUST AS MUCH FUN IN JUNE,
AS IT IS A NECESSITY IN JANUARY.
HERE'S RICK SULLIVAN WITH A LONG LIST OF THINGS
TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE.
[SLOW MELODIC MUSIC]
- [RICK] WELCOME TO AN AREA
AT THE TOP OF BEECH MOUNTAIN
CALLED THE EMERALD OUTBACK.
IT'S NOT EASY TO REACH, BUT FOR SOME
- A LOT OF PEOPLE COME UP HERE AND THEY WANNA KNOW
WHERE'S THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN?
HOW DO WE GET THERE?
THIS IS HOW YA GET THERE.
EITHER RIDE THE SKI LIFT,
YOU CAN GET EDDIE AND THE BEECH MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE TOURS
TO TAKE YA UP HERE,
OR IF YOU CAN FIND YOUR WAY UP,
YOU CAN DRIVE YOUR CAR UP THERE.
I CONSIDER THIS A HIDDEN GEM UP HERE.
- [RICK] THE EMERALD OUTBACK WAS BUILT BY THE
TOWN OF BEECH MOUNTAIN.
HERE YOU CAN FIND MORE THAN EIGHT MILES
OF HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS.
NO FEES INVOLVED, BUT YOU'LL USE PLENTY OF ENERGY
GETTING THERE,
OR YOU CAN USE BEECH MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE TOURS.
- MOST OF THE TOURS ARE ABOUT AN HOUR,
HOUR AND TEN MINUTES, 15 MINUTES LONG,
DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PHOTO OPS WE STOP TO DO.
- [RICK] THE UTILITY VEHICLE RIDE ITSELF
CAN RIVAL THE VIEW YOU GET AT THE TOP.
HIKING FROM THE NORTH PINNACLE RIDGE PARKING LOT
IS ALSO AN OPTION,
ONE THAT JIM BROOKS CHOOSES REGULARLY.
THAT'S BECAUSE, ON A DAY LIKE THIS,
WHEN IT'S PUSHING 100 DEGREES IN RALEIGH AND CHARLOTTE,
THE TOP OF BEECH MOUNTAIN IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.
- WELL, YOU'RE SEEIN', YA KNOW, THE EXPECTED HIGH TODAY
IS 77 AND I WAS WATCHIN' VARIOUS TV WEATHER PEOPLE
THIS MORNING, AND THEY WERE SAYING
THAT IF YOU WANNA ESCAPE THE HEAT,
YOU COULD GO TO THE MOUNTAINS 'CUZ IT WASN'T GONNA
GET ABOVE 86.
I'M GOIN', GOSH, IF THEY ONLY KNEW ABOUT MY TOWN, 77.
- [RICK] IN FACT, BEECH MOUNTAIN'S CLUB HAS A GOLF PACKAGE
CALLED THE SUMMER OF '79.
BOOK AN OVERNIGHT AND A TEE TIME,
AND IF THE TEMPERATURE GETS HIGHER THAN 79 DEGREES,
YOU'LL GET ANOTHER ROUND OF GOLF ON THE HOUSE.
THE CLUB ALSO HAS AN IMPRESSIVE TENNIS COMPLEX
THAT OVERNIGHTERS CAN ACCESS.
AND NEARBY, MORE PUBLIC HIKING TRAILS THAT REQUIRE
FAR LESS EFFORT THAN THE EMERALD OUTBACK.
BUT SOME FOLKS PREFER THE EFFORT, LOTS OF IT.
YEARS AGO, A CERTAIN PRO CYCLIST WON A COUPLE OF RACES
CLIMBING THE BEECH MOUNTAIN PARKWAY.
I CHOSE A CATEGORY ONE CLIMB, CALLED PINNACLE RIDGE ROAD.
A NEARLY FOUR MILE CLIMB UP TO THE OUTBACK
WITH AN 8% GRADE.
BUT IT WAS THIS STRETCH OF MORE THAN 20%
THAT BROUGHT ME TO A HALT.
AT OVER 5500 FEET, BEECH MOUNTAIN IS THE HIGHEST
INCORPORATED TOWN EAST OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
THAT MAKES DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDING
THE SIGNATURE ACTIVITY IN SUMMER.
UNIQUE BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE IN NORTH CAROLINA
YOU CAN GET YOUR BIKE TO THE TOP VIA CHAIRLIFT.
ONCE YOU'RE DROPPED OFF, AT NEARLY A MILE HIGH,
THE RIDE DOWN CAN BE AS THRILLING OR SAFE
AS YOU WANT TO MAKE IT.
- THE TRAILS ORIGINALLY WERE BUILT PRETTY MUCH
STRAIGHT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN
AND WERE DESIGNED TO BE
DIFFICULT TO RIDE.
AND WE'RE NOW ALTERING SOME SEGMENTS
OF SOME OF THE EXISTING TRAILS
TO MAKE THEM TRAVERSE THE SLOPES
MORE EXTENSIVELY AND THEN,
IN TURN, IT SLOWS THE RIDERS DOWN.
YOU'RE NOT ON YOUR BRAKES THE WHOLE WAY,
AND WE BUILT UP DIRT BERMS AND ROLLERS TO ALSO HELP
PROVIDE A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR THE NEW RIDERS.
- [RICK] FROM DARING DESCENTS TO EASY PEASY ACTIVITIES
WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
DARE WE SAY THAT BEECH MOUNTAIN IN SUMMER
RIVALS THE BEACH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STATE?
- WE'RE DEFINITELY A YEAR-ROUND DESTINATION
OR WE'RE STARTING TO EVOLVE INTO THAT.
WE ALSO HAVE AN 18 HOLE DISC GOLF COURSE.
WE DO YOGA ON SATURDAY MORNINGS,
LIVE MUSIC, WE HAVE 2 RESTAURANTS,
AND A BREWERY.
- [RICK] A FABULOUS WAY TO WIND DOWN FROM A BIG DAY
OF BEECH MOUNTAIN SUMMER MADNESS.
I'M RICK SULLIVAN FOR NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND.
- FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THINGS BEECH MOUNTAIN,
GO TO THE TOWN'S WEBSITE AT BEECHMTN.COM,
OR CALL THE BEECH MOUNTAIN VISITOR'S CENTER
AT 800-468-5506.