Gil Willis demonstrates the beauty and the art of fly-fishing. Fishermen often get a view of the county streams and rivers from a unique perspective.

Tight Lines!

Mary Willis Age: 42 Born: New York, NY Husband: Gil Children: Thurston and Gus Education: Bachelor's in Marine Biology, Texas A&M Occupation: Director of Operations, Elk River Inn and Restaurant Hobbies: Biking, reading, gardening (flowers and herbs, the vegetable garden will come later) Philosophy of Life: Keep it simple, keep it honest and have an open mind. Personality Profile       She's a big city girl in a very small community.       But for Mary Willis, Slaty Fork is now home for lots of reasons. She and husband Gil have forged a hard-to-beat life in the mountains while they work at letting others play and have a good bit of fun themselves. Mary came to Snowshoe with Gil for the first time in 1976 when they were both teenagers. After driving for several miles in a snowstorm, Gil's dad gave up at the foot of the mountain and the two hitchhiked their way to a day of fun.       "It was a full-blown blizzard," she recalled. "Lake-effect snow."       College separated the two for a little while, but once she graduated, she was looking for something. On a trip to Oak Hill to her sister's wedding, she stopped by to see Gil at the property his father had purchased in 1973. He was already operating Elk River Touring in its first year. Whether it was his charm, the brilliant fall colors on the mountains or a feeling of the right time in the right place, she decided to come back for good.       Six years later, Mary and Gil opened the doors of Elk River Restaurant. It's a lovely place with a homey atmosphere and wonderful food, which she supervises carefully. If not a formally trained chef, then at least one with good instinct for what people like, her menus reflect area specialties and international selections. Every Thursday Elk River's International Buffet features food from a different country. Opening night this year featured dishes from Spain, for instance, but Thai is a favorite, as is French.       "I like trying new things," Mary said. "I'm not a country chef and I'm not a classic French chef. I like pleasing other people."       One way she does that is by always using the freshest ingredients she can find and shopping locally for things whenever she can. It's always West Virginia trout and honey, and local lamb.       What she doesn't do, at least much, is go out on tours with mountain bikers on a regular basis; although she's the "third assistant" on several of the women's events.       So here's a once-upon-a-time tourist who has become a full-fledged Pocahontas Countian, with all the blessings and trials that it brings. For Mary, that's an okay trade-off.       "Going other places, you realize how complicated things can get," she said. "People don't have time for nature."       "Here, there's a quality of life, a quality of people that's hard to describe."       "The great thing is, Mary Willis is one of those quality people."

Skis, skis everywhere, and not a flake in sight

Sunny Given
Staff Writer

The first step is to start with clean skis. Larry Morgan removes any wax and debris before the skis are tested. The binding tester checks toe release and torque needed to release the heel. The boot actually pops out of the binding during the test. Skis are extruded and planed. Charles Krout runs a ski through the belt sander.

      It's spring, and ski season is officially over. What's a ski shop to do? Well, if you're a four-season business, like the Ski Barn, you've got a lot of inventory to shuffle around.
      Switching gears from winter to summer means cleaning boots, skis and snowboards and getting them back to pre-season condition. "When we store this equipment, it's in ready-to-rent condition," said Dave Smithson, man-in-charge of the rental department at the Ski Barn.
      With good help and some pretty expensive equipment, Smithson can completely summerize an average of 200 pairs of skis a day. When you consider that the Ski Barn's Snowshoe location has 1600 pairs of skis and 175 snowboards in stock, even with optimum conditions, it takes some time. Plus, the Ski Barn has stores at Winterplace, Timberline and Wintergreen. While each store's rental inventory varies, no matter how you count them, that's a mess of skis and boards to condition.
      "We do everything we can to keep all our equipment in the best condition," Smithson, a three and a half year veteran to the process, testifies.
      The Ski Barn uses a binding tester, a planer/extruder and a belt sander and stone to handle this massive undertaking. Some of the equipment is shared between locations. But some things still have to be done by hand.
      At the end of the season, all the boots are torn down and cleaned inside and out with an enzymatic cleaner that also kills bacteria. Snowboard boots get the same treatment. While apart, they can be checked for any damage that might make them unsuitable for use. The store's boot dryer handles 12 pairs at a time, and stays busy during ski season and post-season clean up. If you've got 1600 pairs of skis, you've got to have almost as many boots!
      Snowboards are tuned and sharpened before storage.
      Skis take longer. Every pair is tuned, every binding tested, and each ski is evaluated. The Ski Barn uses a Wintersteiger Ski Tester which tests bindings and releases and the amount of torque for the toe and heel to release.
      Next come extrusion and planing. This is done on another Wintersteiger machine, a combination machine which applies a new Petex bottom to the ski, and a planer which removes the excess. Petex is a plastic-like material that is heated in the extruder to 700 degrees before application. Smithson likened the process to retreading a tire - the Petex doesn't stick to the ski, it actually blends with the ski bottom. The planer blade is run over the bottom to give it a uniform depth.
      The ski is then "belted," or run through a large belt sander - a messy job because they're wet-sanded. Water is used for several reasons: it flushes the excess and loose Petex fibers away, and it keeps the skis cool. 100- and 120-grit sandpaper is used to produce a true bottom.
      The last step before waxing is stoning, to give the bottoms a texture before waxing.
      Ideally, when production is completely set up, Smithson and crew like to belt, edge and stone in one process so the skis can be waxed immediately afterwards. Believe it or not, ski bottoms are subject to drying out, and, if left too long, won't hold the wax as well.
      Smithson said when that everything runs according to schedule, they can test and clean about 250 pairs, extrude and scrape 150 pairs, and belt and stone between 150 to 200 pairs of skis in a day.
      Almost all of the work done at the Ski Barn is on their own rental equipment, but Smithson says they do handle some performance skis.
      "We service what we sell," he said. "And performance skis are a different matter entirely." Some skis have a different blend of materials on the bottom which makes them softer, and they can't be run through the extruder. Those skis are "candled," a process which applies the Petex by hand.
      Once all the boots are cleaned, the snowboards and skis tuned and ready for next year, the employees are faced with the herculean task of putting them into storage. Smithson took me to the third floor of the Ski Barn and showed me a door.
      "Behind that door are 800 pairs of boots," he said. "If I open it, I don't know if we could get it shut again." Never mind the 200-odd pair of boots stacked up around the door.
      Skis are clipped together by pair and stacked pallet-like to the ceiling. By the time the whole process is finished, every nook and cranny will be filled with skis, boots and boards, plus much of the winter retail inventory - gloves, goggles, outerwear and more.
      All the tuning, planing and extruding equipment is removed and space formerly occupied by ski-season equipment will become summer retail space. Most of the summer stuff is located ...you guessed it... upstairs, and has to be carried downstairs.
      "Our employees get a great workout without having to buy a Stairmaster," Smithson quipped. "They're in great shape."

The forbidden door: 800 pairs of boots on the other side, and about 700 more pairs waiting to find a resting place for the summer.

A small sample of how the skis are stacked. When all the work is done, skis will be stacked from floor to ceiling all over the third floor.

 

County highways and byways offer scenic alternatives to interstate driving The sometimes long and winding road less traveled One of the views to be enjoyed along the Stauton-Parkersburg Turnpike. The SPT was vital to early settlement and development of the region       The roads of Pocahontas County not only offer spectacular views of the natural beauty of the area, they also reveal much of the history of this ancient region which the Indians termed the "Endless Mountains."       The 23-mile-long Highland Scenic Highway (Rt. 150) is the highest major roadway in West Virginia and one of the highest in the East with more than 60 percent of the parkway above 4000 feet. Beginning at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center on Rt. 39/55 in the southern part of the county, this nationally designated scenic highway loops around to the summit of Elk Mountain on US 219 north of Marlinton.       Along the highway, four overlooks with outstanding vistas have been constructed for the enjoyment of travelers and picnic areas with restroom facilities are located along the route. Located in the heart of the Monongahela National Forest, this magnificent byway is convenient to Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, the Falls of Hills Creek, Cranberry Mountain Nature Center and the Cranberry Wilderness with its abundant fishing, camping, hiking and mountain biking.       If highways could talk, the historic Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike (Rt. 250) would speak volumes about the opening up of the Appalachian region to settlers during the mid-1700s and the struggles which led to West Virginia's statehood in the mid-1800s. This 43-mile Byway follows the route of the original Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, one of the first major roadways over the Alleghenies into western Virginia.       Following the old Indian trail through a magnificent mountain pass, two families settled in the Tygart Valley in 1753. As more settlers headed west, the demand for better roads brought the advent of the turnpike system, and in 1838 construction began on the turnpike to link Staunton with the mouth of the Little Kanawha River, which joins the Ohio River at Parkersburg. The turnpike was not only vital to early settlement, but also was strategically important during the Civil War in securing Union control of the area that was to become West Virginia.       The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike is full of sweeping mountain views and natural wonders traveling over high mountains of the Monongahela National Forest, as well as through scenic mountain valleys. Together with its related Backways, which follow the original turnpike alignment, the Byway passes Civil War sites at Camp Allegheny, Camp Bartow, Cheat Summit Fort, Beverly Historic District and Rich Mountain. Historic sites, houses and towns line the Byway, from early log cabins to logging and railroad towns like Durbin and Mill Creek, through the Depression- era Homestead community.       The aptly named and recently designated Mountain Waters Scenic Byway follows Highway 39 from the top of Allegheny Mountain on the Virginia State Line at Rimel west past Knapps Creek, across the Greenbrier River, past the triple Falls of Hills Creek and on toward Richwood and Summit Lake. It intersects with the Highland Scenic Highway at the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center.       The Williams River Scenic Backway is a real back country drive beginning at Edray and following the river past the Handley Wildlife Management Area, across the Highland Scenic Highway and through the Monongahela National Forest toward Webster County.

Get ready to rumble up the track to Whittaker Station! The Railroad opens for the 2002 season on Saturday, May 25.

Here's soot in your eye

Chuga-chug-chuggin' along on the Cass Train

Major magazine labels Snowshoe Mountain one of the top summer mountain resorts

Broker's Corner

 
Enjoy the wide open spaces of off-mountain living
Bet Curtis
Contributing Writer
      If you're looking for land or a second home, you've come to the right place!
      Slaty Fork and the surrounding area has really grown over the past 10 years. Properties have continued to appreciate in value and have proven to be a solid investment. Off-mountain living lends itself to all the outdoor activities that Pocahontas County has to offer, not to mention the most beautiful fall colors, sunrises and sunsets and many scenic vistas.
      Enjoying the four seasons here, you'll find eight rivers and their tributaries for fishing enthusiasts, miles and miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, the best skiing in the Southeast and, of course, the many festivals, concerts and outdoor activities offered by Snowshoe Mountain Resort.
      In the Slaty Fork area, there are many beautiful parcels of land and quality-built homes to choose from and finding the right property is easy! If a view is important or you enjoy the peace and solitude of the surrounding woods, it's all right here.
      Most parcels of land are between two and six or more acres and surveyed with your privacy in mind. Homes in the area range in size from one bedroom to five bedrooms and the prices are well within market value. All developments offer protective covenants and restrictions to protect your investment. Association fees are a big consideration when buying resort property. By owning off-mountain in a resort community, you pay only one annual association fee to cover the cost of road maintenance and the common areas.
      If you purchase a parcel of land and decide to build, there are some top-quality builders in the area to work with you from the initial placement of the home on the property to the finished product. They'll make second-home building fun and easy. Before you know it, you'll be sitting on the front porch of the home of your dreams.
      Making the decision to own a parcel of land is easy. The hardest part is choosing which one, since there are so many nice ones around! Get in touch with the great outdoors and begin to enjoy the wonderful quality of life in the mountains of West Virginia.
      Contact one of the knowledgeable and friendly real estate agents in the Slaty Fork area to show you around.
      Begin enjoying the wide open spaces of off-mountain living. There's no time like the present!

      If you're looking for a dining experience rich with atmosphere and taste, Elk River Restaurant is for you.
      It's a comfy little dining room with soft lighting and a folksy feel. A stone fireplace complements the room with a multitude of lit candles. It's a lovely place to unwind while you wait for a meal.
      Not that you'll wait long. The menu is full of cooked on-the-spot delights, but the turn-around time from order to eating is incredibly quick. Plus, you'll get a basket with a variety of crackers and herbed butter beforehand, just in case you've come in starving from a day on the trails.
      The wine and beer selection is pretty extensive, so you can sip until your supper is ready, as well.
      On several eating adventures at Elk River, I've sampled the steak, the southwestern cornmeal encrusted flounder stuffed with crab and avocado sauce and, of course, the trout.
      Don't be afraid of food that looks back at you.
      Elk River's expert staff can filet that fish before your very eyes and you'll find nary a bone in a bite.
      The trout is accompanied by excellent vegetables - crisp, tender and scrumptious. If I didn't know better, I'd think Mary Willis has a garden of fresh vegetables all year round. The yellow squash, broccoli, red peppers and onions combined for such a treat for the tastebuds, I wanted seconds. The wild rice rounds off the dinner and is a flavorful addition to the plate.
      Plus, the homemade bread, again with that herbed butter, is soft and fresh.
      If it's dessert you want, dessert you'll get and in mega-portions.
      Anything chocolate is wonderful, but the bread pudding -did I say I'd never liked bread pudding before? -with Jack Daniels caramel sauce was great. It was the caramel sauce that made me take the chance and I was glad I did.
      The presentation of color and texture in every dish is so inviting, but it made me think it was much too pretty to eat. I did it anyway.
      If you're here for a long weekend, the International Buffet on Thursday evening is a good choice, too. The food may be foreign, but the entertainment is purely local with area musicians playing oldtime tunes while you eat.
      Elk River Restaurant doesn't disappoint on any occasion.
      Stop by and sample Mary Willis's menu. You'll be glad you did.

Elk River Inn is located 5 miles south of WV 66 on US 219. Call for reservations at 572-3771.

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Wild and Wonderful:

May in Beautiful Big Mountain Country

Gail Lowry
Executive Director, Pocahontas
County Convention and Visitors Bureau
      May is one of the most magical months of the year in Big Mountain Country, as mild temperatures, lush landscapes and rushing waters entice you to the rivers and trails that criss-cross Big Mountain Country.
      Whether you explore on foot or by bicycle, from the comfort of your car, or floating along in a canoe, take time to notice the spectacular display of native wildflowers that have already begun to overtake our hillsides and stream beds. Their names are often as colorful as the flowers themselves. One of the "signatures of spring" in Pocahontas County is the Trillium, a three-petaled white flower that becomes a rosy pink as it matures. Another sure sign of spring is the May Apple, a white flower that gradually evolves into a large green fruit (which accounts for its nickname). Other "regulars" include Columbine, Ladyslipper, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Morning Glories, and Bee Balm.

You'll find wildflowers everywhere you go in Pocahontas County, from shady glades to warm sunny meadows.

      You'll also want to look skyward and listen! The diverse landscape of the Monongahela National Forest provides habitat for 70 species of resident birds, 89 breeding neotropical migrants and 71 nonbreeding migratory bird species. The National Forest Service has developed a birding checklist to catalog the many species to be found in our area. You can pick one up at the Visitor's Center at the Marlinton Depot.
      A great place to learn about the natural history of Pocahontas County is the Cranberry Mountain Nature Center, located near the entrance to the Cranberry Glades on Highway 39. There you'll find a knowledgeable staff, interesting exhibits and a wealth of resource materials to help you discover the wonderful wild side of Big Mountain Country.
      With the approach of Memorial Day, Pocahontas County is gearing up for a summer packed with fun-filled days of outdoor recreation, festivals, concerts, races and rallies. Kicking things off will be the big 100th anniversary celebration of the arrival of the C&O Railroad in Durbin on Sunday, May 26. Sen. Jay Rockefeller will be the keynote speaker, and Gov. Bob Wise is expected to attend as the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad's new Climax Steam engine pulls into the Durbin Depot at noon. Food, crafts, music and train memorabilia will add to the fun.
      You can always find out what's coming up in the county by checking out the Calendar of Events on the Pocahontas County Convention & Visitor's Center web site, www.pocahontascountywv.com.
      Enjoy the spring! It’s one of the 4 best seasons of the year.
      For more information or to request a Travel Guide, contact the Pocahontas County CVB at 1-800-336-7009.

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The sky's not quite the limit at NRAO this summer
By Andrew Lacasse
Contributing Writer

NRAO at a glance: The observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. The observatory site was purchased in 1956 and contains about 2700 acres in the Deer Creek Valley. The remoteness of the area and surrounding mountains protect the sensitive telescope receivers from man-made radio interference. The first telescope became operational in 1958 and was first used in SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) research in 1960. The 300 foot telescope was completed in 1960 and collapsed in 1988. The 140 foot telescope was completed in 1965 and was NRAO's primary research telescope until 1999. The GBT is now the primary research telescope. The observatory provides state-of-the-art facilities for use by the worldwide scientific community. Scientists can study virtually all types of astronomical objects, from planets and comets to quasars and galaxies.

      The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), located in Green Bank, has filled its summer schedule with interesting and educational tours and events.
      The highlight of the tours this summer will be the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, the largest fully-steerable radio in the world.
      Guided tours of the observatory are offered free to the general public every day from Memorial Day through Labor Day. If that doesn't fit your schedule, free tours are also given on weekends during September and October at the top of each hour from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
      But for the more technically advanced tourist, the NRAO offers tours that are usually off-limits to visitors. Some of the high-tech sights will include various lab areas where sensitive receivers are designed and built. These tours are available June 5 and 26, July 3 and 24 and August 14. All tours begin at 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
      After completing all of NRAO's tours, you can get a close-up of our solar system and universe first-hand through various events the observatory has scheduled.
      If you want to safely view the sun at no charge, the tour center will have an optical telescope set up Monday through Friday from 11:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Or, if you want to gaze at the night sky, NRAO hosts "star parties" scheduled for June 19, July 31, September 28 and October 26. Star parties begin at dusk on the airstrip and will include NRAO staff members to educate guests on the star-filled sky.
      Can't make it to a star party? An indoor star lab where guests can gather inside a planetarium balloon for an intriguing look at the "sky" might be for you. Star labs are scheduled for June 12, July 10 and 17 and August 7 at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. There is a $3 charge per person for this lab.
      So whether you want to learn about telescopes and engineering or about the stars and galaxies around our planet, the NRAO has tours and events to answer your high-tech and universal questions.
      Is anyone out there? That's what the NRAO telescpoes are trying to find out, with their "ears" pointed skyward.

      (Left) The 140-foot telescope at night, a view most visitors don't get to enjoy.

      Each year more than 200 scientists from around the world are allowed access to the telescopes at Green Bank to study virtually all types of astronomical objects.

 

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Easy Ridin'

Rails and Trails attract thousands to Pocahontas County

Workers reconstruct the boardwalk and underpinning of the Durbin Depot using 2- and 1-inch white oak.

      Rails and trails are at the heart of the growing popularity of Pocahontas County, as a family vacation destination. On May 26, the county will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first train in the northern Pocahontas hamlet of Durbin, where the popular excursion trains of the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad (DGVRR) are headquartered.
      The centennial celebration will feature the inaugural run of the DGVRR's new 50-ton #3 Climax steam locomotive, which will pull into the newly restored Durbin Depot at 12 noon, the precise hour at which the first train arrived there a century ago. The festivities also will feature a speech by West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller, a member of the United States Senate Commerce Committee; railroad songs and stories; an exhibit of historic photos and railroad artifacts; crafts and food. The celebration is sponsored by the DGVRR, the Town of Durbin, the Pocahontas County Historical Society and the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
      A number of train excursions are available within the county. The DGVRR will use the new Climax locomotive to run its 10.5 mile round-trip excursions down the Greenbrier River. DGVRR also operates the Cheat Mountain Salamander railbus, which takes passengers on an 80-mile excursion odyssey across the top of the Cheat Mountain Range. These trains converge from opposite directions for a stop at the secluded "High Falls of Cheat," allowing visitors time to experience the cherished scenic area.
      Scenic train excursions have been associated with Pocahontas County since the early 1960s when the State of West Virginia converted the logging town of Cass into a state park and began operating the Cass Scenic Railroad.
      The entire town of Cass is now a state park and offers visitors the unique opportunity to stay in original company town housing dating from the timber boom days. There is also a small museum featuring artifacts from the community's heyday as a logging boom town in the early part of the 20th Century.
      Two sections of rail bed have been successfully converted into hiking and biking trails that offer spectacular scenery and gentle grades. The longest is the Greenbrier River Trail, West Virginia's Millennium Legacy Trail, which begins in Cass and winds 78 miles along the Greenbrier River to the Greenbrier County community of North Caldwell. The second is the West Fork Rail-Trail, which follows a remote and pristine wilderness route along the West Fork of the Greenbrier from a southern trailhead in Durbin over 20 miles north to Glady.

 

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is sponsored by the advertisers you see on our pages. Please take time to patronize their businesses!

Outfitters Restaurants Realestate

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Burton ~ Salomon ~ Nitro ~ New and Used Demos

Come talk to the resort's most experienced snowboard outfitters. Store Sale 20 - 50% OFF Ski and Snowboard Rentals and Sales 1 mike south of WV 66 ~ 304 572-4173

 

Open Daily 7:30 am - 11 pm, Later on Friday Largest Ski and Snowboard Rental Co. in the Southeast

304 572-1234 Located at the corner of Rt. 219 and Rt. 66 LOWER RATES ~ FRIENDLY SERVICE All Ski & Snowboard Clothing and Equipment ON SALE!!! Entire 2nd Floor DISCOUNTED

 

SNOWBOARD & SKI RENTALS Great Quality, Great Prices Daily 7:30 am - 11 pm Friday 7:30 am - 2 am    304 572-1200 route66@neumedia.net

 

Restaurant at the Inn at SnowShoe

~ EVERY WEEKEND ~ SHOW COOKERY & BUFFET STATION Room service available 6:30 am- 1 am Lounge hours Mon. - Fri. 4:30 pm - 1 am Sat. amd Sun. 1 pm to 1 am Menu Items available daily 'til 1 am ~ 304 572-1000 ~

 

Open 7 AM until 9 PM Home of the $4 breakfast! Located on the corner of Rt. 219 and Rt. 66

 

An intimate off-mountain dining experience Featuring an International Buffet with live local music each Thursday nite. 5 miles south of WV 66 on US 219 Open Thursday thru Monday evenings For reservations call:     304 572-3771 Privately owned and operated Since 1982

 

	Douglass S. Keith, Broker Beverly Figg, GRI ~ Matt Matthews Raymond Godwin     304 572-5687 P.O. Box 364 Snowshoe, WV 26209
Visit our Office in Shaver's Centre, Snowshoe Mountain

 

Presenting the Height of Luxury Allegheny Springs at Snowshoe Mountain Yours to own 1-800-489-1943

 

Mountain Country Properties 304 572-4663      mcpinfo@neumedia.net David Curtis, Broker ~ Christine Butler, Associate Broker Sales Associates: Debbie Goodwin, Cathy McGee, Bet Curtis

P.O. Box 7 Slaty Fork, WV 26291 Rt. 66, ¼ mile from Snowshoe Entrance

         

Calhoun & Kipp Unique Items from around the world. Mon. thru Sat. 10 am 'til 9 pm Sunday 9 am 'til 8 pm 304 572-5250

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