Local grant allows Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation to make improvements to elk habitats

March 23, 2023 LINVILLE, N.C. – Thanks to the ongoing support of the High Country Charitable Foundation, and most recently a $19,000 grant, Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, was able to make improvements to its elk habitat.
High Country Charitable Foundation, based in nearby Banner Elk, N.C., is a nonprofit organization with a vision to help the Avery County, N.C., community by providing for neighbors and animals in need. This specific funding allowed for two important updates to the behind-the-scenes area of Grandfather Mountain’s elk habitat – a reliable water source in the animals’ shifting paddock and the reinforcement of the fencing in this location.

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Grandfather Mountain kicks off the 2023 hiring season with February 15 job fair

January 27, 2023 LINVILLE, N.C. — Grandfather Mountain is inviting folks to take their careers to new heights — literally. The Linville, N.C.-based nonprofit nature park and preserve, owned and operated by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is hiring across its various departments for the 2023 season and beyond, offering mountains of opportunities for job- and career-seekers. The organization is kicking it all off with a job fair on the mountain on Feb. 15 from 2-5 p.m. The event will take place at Mildred’s Grill, the nature park’s restaurant located in the new Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. Nine departments from across the mountain will be represented at the job fair.

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Experiencing winter wonder at Grandfather Mountain

January 24, 2023 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, provides a unique experience for guests visiting in the winter months. While the rugged mountain is known for its wild weather this time of year, there are many magical moments to be had during what is often a quieter season.

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Grandfather Mountain now hosting Hugh Morton traveling photo exhibition through the spring

January 20, 2023 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the nonprofit nature preserve owned and operated by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is proud to announce that it is hosting the Hugh Morton traveling photo exhibition in its Classroom in the Clouds through the spring. The traveling exhibition, entitled “Photographs by Hugh Morton: An Uncommon Retrospective,” is provided courtesy of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s North Carolina Collection and features a vast collection of signature photography, as well as lesser-known shots, taken by the founder of Grandfather Mountain and one of the most prolific photographers in North Carolina history. 

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Grandfather Mountain’s Eco Watch Expands Across Avery County

December 9, 2022 LINVILLE, N.C. – Fifth-graders in public schools across Avery County are receiving a mountain adventure right in their own classrooms and schoolyards thanks to the Eco Watch educational outreach program offered by Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature preserve run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. The program provides educational enrichment in line with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for fifth-graders. After an initial pilot at Banner Elk Elementary School last academic year, where student knowledge of related science concepts increased from a pre-program assessment average of 72 percent to a post-assessment average of 86 percent, the program has been expanded to four out of the five elementary schools within Avery County’s public school system.

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Grandfather Mountain to kick off the holiday season with arrival of Christmas tree

November 10, 2022 LINVILLE, N.C. – Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is hosting a festive celebration on Friday, Nov. 18 as the Christmas tree that will be on display at the new Wilson Center for Nature Discovery this holiday season is officially delivered. The hourlong event begins at 10:45 a.m. and is included with park admission. The tree is from Mountain Top Fraser Fir farm in Newland, N.C. Owner Larry Smith has previously supplied trees to the White House, North Carolina State Capitol and other prominent government buildings and residences.

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Cranberry Middle School students complete “The Grandfather Challenge” at Grandfather Mountain!

October 24, 2022 Ten students from Cranberry Middle School in Avery County, NC recently completed “The Grandfather Challenge” hiking program at Grandfather Mountain in Linville. “The Grandfather Challenge” program is sponsored by The Jason Project, Inc., which was formed by the parents of Jason Matthew Nipper, who passed away in June of 2014 at age 26. This private foundation was formed to host this unique hiking program, which is designed to build self-confidence in struggling youth, as well as trust and positive rapport with adult mentors.  Although the program includes at-risk kids suffering from mental problems and/or drug addictions, the program also seeks to assist any special kids who are struggling with personal adversities, including family, school, or other personal problems or challenges. Because of Jason’s abiding love of the outdoors and mountain hiking, James & Cheryl have established  “The Grandfather Challenge,” through which students navigate all of the challenging hiking trails at Grandfather Mountain.

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Man Dies After Falling Off Grandfather Mountain

October 24, 2022 A man has died after falling off Grandfather Mountain, one of the High Country’s and North Carolina’s top tourist attraction sites, according to the Avery County Sheriff’s Department. On Sunday (October 23) at around 10:00 a.m., reports were made about a person missing at the Grandfather Mountain Park area in Linville. Authorities say the male was last seen alive at one of the park’s overlooks. By Tim Gardner

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Beary Scary Halloween returns to Grandfather Mountain

October 23, 2022 LINVILLE, N.C. – Halloween isn’t just fun at Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation – it’s also “beary” scary! On Saturday, Oct. 29 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the park is inviting families to come and celebrate Halloween during the mountain’s annual Beary Scary Halloween event. Throughout the day, guests will be treated to a spooky selection of fun, including trick-or-treating at locations across the park, nature programs about animals that some consider “creepy and crawly,” fun activities inside the Wilson Center for Nature Discovery and getting to see the resident animals receive some special Halloween-inspired enrichments.

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Grandfather Mountain September 2022 Weather Report

October 20, 2022 LINVILLE, N.C. – September 2022 saw average weather on Grandfather Mountain, according to data recorded at the park’s official weather reporting stations. The average high temperature for September 2022 was 61.1 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low of 49.2 degrees and a mean of 54.5 degrees.

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Grandfather Mountain to Celebrate 70th Anniversary of Mile High Swinging Bridge

August 24, 2022 On Friday, Sept. 2, the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will reach a major milestone. One of the most iconic destinations in North Carolina will be turning 70 years old, and the park is throwing a celebration with a mile-high slate of activities.

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Grandfather Mountain Announces Opening of Wilson Center for Nature Discovery

July 1, 2022 Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, has announced that the new Wilson Center for Nature Discovery is now open to the public. Admission is included with your entrance ticket. The facility nearly doubles the size of public space in the current Nature Museum with 10,000 square feet of education space, including state-of-the-art museum exhibits, three classrooms, an ADA-accessible theater and expanded capacity for hosting conferences and community events (up to 300 people, seated).

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Artist Kent Paulette Paints and Donates Large Bear Painting to Grandfather Mountain

July 1, 2022 Artist Kent Paulette, recently donated a large bear painting to Grandfather Mountain.  It hangs permanently on the wall at Grandfather Mountain above the entrance to the newly redesigned Nature Museum at The Wilson Center for Nature Discovery. This project has been in the works since 2019 when artist Kent Paulette first proposed the idea of making and donating an original painting of a bear for Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. He met with Jesse Pope and Lesley Platek, and they discussed the upcoming large expansion of the Nature Museum and possible spots for the painting to hang.  This would be the biggest painting Paulette had ever done, 10 feet wide and 7.5 feet tall.

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The Remarkable Rhododendron Ramble Returns to Grandfather Mountain in Early June

June 6, 2022. Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is welcoming guests to celebrate the beauty of spring by partaking in the Remarkable Rhododendron Ramble, a series of guided strolls that showcase the park’s blossoming rhododendron and other native species. The rambles take place at 2 p.m. daily and are happening now. These short guided strolls are led by the park’s naturalists and are included with the price of admission. If the rhododendron continue to bloom beyond early June, Grandfather Mountain naturalists will extend the event dates. 

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Grandfather Mountain to Host Birthday Celebration for its Resident Animals on June 8

June 6, 2022. Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature park run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, is throwing its annual birthday bash for all resident animals on June 8 – and you’re invited! The celebration, which will feature games, contests, crafts and surprises, is included with admission. The park’s habitat staff is preparing a fun-filled afternoon for guests with programs to celebrate its furry and feathered inhabitants as they mark another trip around the sun. Millie the Bear, the mountain’s mascot, will also make special appearances throughout the day.

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Avery County High School to Hold 2022 Graduation Ceremonies on May 26 at Grandfather Mountain’s McRae Meadows

May 25, 2022 Avery High’s 2022 graduation ceremonies will be held the evening of Thursday, May 26 at picturesque McRae Meadows near Grandfather Mountain in Linville.  Graduation will commence at 5:00 p.m.  Seniors are requested to arrive at McRae Meadows no later than 3:30 p.m. on May 26. Gates will open for families of those graduating at 4:00 p.m.  Families and other guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs to sit in during graduation ceremonies, although there will a limited supply of chairs available at McRae Meadows.  By Tim Gardner

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Grandfather Mountain to Hold First-Ever Public Viewings of Synchronous Fireflies

May 2, 2022. For the first time in the park’s history, Grandfather Mountain, the Linville, N.C., nature preserve operated by the nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, will be welcoming the public to witness first-hand the miraculous spectacle of its synchronous fireflies this summer. Tickets for the viewing events, known as “Grandfather Glows: Bioluminescent Evenings on Grandfather Mountain,” go on sale May 23, with the viewing nights taking place June 26, 29 and July 1. Tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-serve basis, and only 200 tickets will be available for each nighttime viewing event.

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Todd Bush Photographs the Beaver Moon Lunar Eclipse While Battling High Winds at Grandfather Mountain

November 21, 2021. The Beaver Moon partial lunar eclipse began early Friday morning, which meant the moon passed into the shadow of the Earth, resulting in a red-brown hue covering the moon. Local photographer Todd Bush took this occurrence as an opportunity to leave in the early hours to attempt to capture the event at his favorite mountain — Grandfather Mountain. Running on only a couple of hours of sleep, he arrived at the parking lot for the Mile High Swinging Bridge around 3 a.m. Friday and found “crazy high winds with car-rocking, knock-stuff-over gusts.”

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Grandfather Mountain Fall Color Update Oct. 21

October 21, 2021. Grandfather Mountain spans the horizon with accompanying fall color, as seen from nearby Beacon Heights (milepost 305.2) on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Meanwhile, fall color works its way down Lost Cove Cliffs, as seen from the eponymous parkway overlook (milepost 310). Experts anticipate color to continue developing at lower elevations this week. “By (this) weekend, there should be excellent color along the Parkway in most places,” said Dr. Howie Neufeld, professor of biology at Appalachian State University and the WNC High Country’s official Fall Color Guy. “However, even if higher elevation sites are past peak, lower elevation sites will be coming into their best color over the next two weeks.” And lofty locations like Grandfather Mountain offer spectators a perfect point from which to see them! For more fall color photos, visit www.grandfather.com/fallcolor. Photos by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

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Grandfather Mountain Fall Color Update Oct. 19

October 19, 2021. Grandfather Mountain’s color-dappled peaks rise beyond MacRae Meadows, site of the annual Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Although fall color is peaking at the area’s higher elevations, many trees in lower elevations have yet to turn, making Grandfather Mountain the ideal location from which to watch the season unfold. For more fall color photos, visit www.grandfather.com/fallcolor. Photos by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

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Grandfather Mountain Fall Color Update Oct. 18

October 18, 2021. The Linn Cove Viaduct area on the Blue Ridge Parkway is beaming with brilliant fall color. Experts anticipate this particular area and others nearby to reach peak color any day now. “The Blue Ridge Parkway around Grandfather Mountain is peaking this week, including Rough Ridge and the Linn Cove Viaduct,” said Dr. Howie Neufeld, professor of biology at Appalachian State University and the WNC High Country’s official Fall Color Guy. “However, even if higher elevation sites are past peak, lower elevation sites will be coming into their best color over the next two weeks.” For more fall color photos, visit www.grandfather.com/fallcolor. Photo by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

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