Put on your water shoes and bathing suits, and join us for a creek exploration – hiking up one of our favorite creeks! Embrace summer by cooling off and going on an aquatic adventure together. Highlights include gem mining along the way in the creek and an Earthshine sliding rock experience. A fun summer outing for families! All participants must be comfortable in water, and be able to bend over and crawl up moving water on their hands and feet. Ages 5 and up welcome, must be able to walk in the rough terrain of the creek – children CANNOT be carried at any point (Children must be accompanied by an adult). You will be hiking IN the creek so it is very slick – there will be times your guide will ask you to walk on all fours. Guests must be able to navigate the slick, rough terrain and not be at a rick of falling. Be sure to wear closed-toed water shoes – remember, you are walking and playing in the... Read More
Put on your water shoes and bathing suits, and join us for a creek exploration – hiking up one of our favorite creeks! Embrace summer by cooling off and going on an aquatic adventure together. Highlights include gem mining along the way in the creek and an Earthshine sliding rock experience. A fun summer outing for families! All participants must be comfortable in water, and be able to bend over and crawl up moving water on their hands and feet. Ages 5 and up welcome, must be able to walk in the rough terrain of the creek – children CANNOT be carried at any point (Children must be accompanied by an adult). You will be hiking IN the creek so it is very slick – there will be times your guide will ask you to walk on all fours. Guests must be able to navigate the slick, rough terrain and not be at a rick of falling. Be sure to wear closed-toed water shoes – remember, you are walking and playing in the... Read More
Ask a Ranger Kevin Bischof, Gorges State Park This month, the Adventurist had a chance to sit down with Kevin Bischof, superintendent of Gorges State Park. Located in the southwest corner of Transylvania County, Gorges is considered by many to be one of the crown jewels of North Carolina’s state park system. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Kevin earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Cincinnati before receiving a Master of Science in Outdoor Education (with a focus on environmental education) at Indiana University. We caught up with Kevin on an early spring day at the park’s beautiful Visitor Center. Q&A Q&A: Tell us a little about your background, Kevin, and how you came to North Carolina. “After I finished grad school I applied for every federal job and every park job in states where I had visited and wanted to live. I had a seasonal job in Oregon lined up, but I got a call from Jordan Lake State Recreation Area (near Raleigh), and they offered me a permanent job.” “After that, I went to Goose Creek State Park which is out on the coast for a couple of years, then came here to Gorges as a ranger for two years, from 2011-13. Then I went to Lake James State Park for 5 ½ years. I took my first superintendent’s job at Mt. Mitchell State Park in 2018 and was there for 2 ½ years. Then I transferred over to Grandfather before becoming the... Read More
Love hiking and coffee? You’ve found the right place. Nero Coffee Hikes offers unique guided hiking experiences where you can enjoy local coffee brewed fresh at a waterfalls. Join us this Sunday for a beginner-friendly guided group hike to Moore Cove Falls. More info at the link!... Read More
This workshop will introduce a risk assessment and safety management model. Then that model will be applied as we investigate the most common dangers and hazards in the backcountry and explore steps to mitigate those risks. Topics will include: encounters with wildlife (snakes, bears, insects, etc.), lightning and weather related hazards, toxic plants, water crossings, sketchy humans, hazards in camp, sound decision-making, and more. Class sizes are intentionally small to offer participants guided hands-on practice. Visit our website to... Read More
“Survival” skills have captured the imagination of many armchair adventurers, but do you know the actual skills needed not just to survive but to THRIVE in the outdoors? In this half day hands-on workshop we will focus on what you REALLY need to know. Topics will include the 10 Essentials, creating a shelter, finding and purifying water, fire building, signaling, navigating, and more. Don’t become a search and rescue statistic. Join us and become more responsible and self-sufficient in the outdoors. Class sizes are intentionally small to offer participants guided hands-on practice. Visit our website to... Read More
Cove Creek Canyon is beginner canyoneering and waterfall rappelling experience. Participants should be in moderate to good physical shape and be comfortable hiking on rocks at a leisurely pace and hiking up hills at a leisurely pace. Participants of this program need no prior climbing or rappelling experience. This program includes a 75 ft waterfall rappel and a 30-foot rappel. Some of the travel takes place in the waterways negotiating boulders, while other parts of it take place on trails that parallel the waterway. This trip also includes traveling through water that is... Read More
This program includes proper rappelling technique, basic knots and their application for canyoneering, ascending techniques, basic haul systems, canyoneering movement, and an adventure canyoneering trip. . Includes both Big Bradley and other canyoneering Trips. In addition, it includes an additional day of practicing canyoneering skills along cliffsides at a dry... Read More
Take the next step in your navigation journey. Build on the skills presented in our Basic Map and Compass Navigation workshop. We will travel into the Pisgah National Forest for hands-on practice learning to navigate off-trail. Topics include: determining your location, route finding, navigating around an obstacle, taking and following a bearing from the map, and using the map and compass to find the quickest way out in case of an emergency. This workshop is for those who already have the basics mastered. Join our Basic Navigation Workshop on March 21st if you are looking for a class for... Read More
Canyoneering Course This beginner program includes proper rappelling technique, basic knots and their application for canyoneering, ascending techniques, basic haul systems, canyoneering movement and an adventure canyoneering trip. Includes both Cove Creek and another canyoneering trip. No prior knowledge is necessary for this course. This canyoneering course is for beginners interested in learning more about canyoneering and the basic techniques... Read More
Canyoneering North Carolina Brevard! This program includes proper rappelling technique, basic knots and their application for canyoneering, ascending techniques, basic haul systems, canyoneering movement and an adventure canyoneering trip. No experience necessary, but it is beneficial to have experience and knowledge with rappelling, as well as knowledge of some basic climbing knots. Includes both Big Bradley and other canyoneering trips. Also includes an additional day of practicing canyoneering skills along cliffsides at a dry... Read More
This canyon rescue and waterfall rappelling course is for participants with some level of canyoneering knowledge. Participants should be competent in canyon anchor building, canyon rigging, and self rescue skills on vertical rope. This program includes haul systems, conversion of static block system to releasable system and haul systems, vertical rescue techniques, knot passing on lowers and hauls, advanced anchor building, and other advanced anchor building skills. Includes both Big Bradley and another canyoneering Trips. In addition it includes an additional day of practicing canyoneering skills along cliff sides at a dry... Read More
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