Mountain Times ~ Supplement to the Pocahontas Times ~ SnowShoe, Slatyfork, Green Bank, Cass, WV

Focusing on the resort and tourist
community of Slaty Fork, Snowshoe Mountain, Cass and
Green Bank

Vol. 2 No. 5
May 6, 2003

Serving SnowShoe Mountain, Slaty Fork, Green Bank and Cass
"News you can resort to"

Second Section of
The Pocahontas Times
Post Office No. 436-640
ISSN No. 07388373

Upcoming Events Around the Mountain Resort

On The Mountain: May
Raven Golf Club Located in the beautiful mountains of Pocahontas County, the Raven Golf Club is a mountain golf experience unlike any other. Ranked by many top golf publications as one of the best courses that you can play, the Raven stands apart from all other mountain courses in the state.
5/24 to 5/26 Memorial Day Weekend - Snowshoe Mountain Kick off the summer with a fun-filled weekend in the mountains of Pocahontas County. Enjoy great outdoor adventures, cookouts, live entertainment and more.

Off The Mountain

5/9 to 5/11 - Greenbrier Outdoor Adventure Weekend / Slaty Fork Women's Weekend Elk River Touring Center, Rt. 219 Slaty Fork. (304) 572-3771 or 866-572-3771.
5/15 to 5/18 - Greenbrier Trail Bike Trek Greenbrier River Trail The Greenbrier Trail Bike Trek is an exciting three-day, 100-mile mountain bike excursion that combines unforgettable mountain scenery with the unique sights and experiences of the Greenbrier River Trail in Pocahontas and Greenbrier Counties. Cyclists with varying levels of experience are invited to participate. The Trek is a fundraising event for the American Lung Association of West Virginia. The registration deadline is May 1. For further information, call 1-800-LUNG-USA (in WV) or (304) 342-6600 (outside WV), or visit www.alawv.org. Registration forms are available at the Pocahontas County CVB office in the Marlinton Depot.
5/16 to 5/17 - Pocahontas Playhouse Production of "The Cemetery Club" Marlinton Opera House. Hilarious yet poignant story of three widows trying to cope with life after they lose their spouses.
5/17 to 5/18 - Rail Fan Weekend, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park Railroad buffs enjoy a weekend of train excursions. Reservations required. Call (304) 456-4300 or 1-800-CALLWVA and ask to be connected to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.
5/18 to 5/21 - Greenbrier Inn to Inn Tour Elk River Touring Center, Rt. 219 Slaty Fork. (304) 572-3771 or 866-572-3771.
5/23 to 5/26 - Memorial Day Weekend 3 Day Forks of Gauley Tour Elk River Touring Center, Rt. 219 Slaty Fork. (304) 572-3771 or 866-572-3771.
5/24 - Library Dedication Ceremonies, Green Bank
5/24 - Cass Scenic Railroad State Park, Cass The season opens for the Cass Scenic Railroad train excursions. Come enjoy the history of the old logging town, visit the country store and take a walking tour. For more information call (304) 456-4300 or 1-800-CALL-WVA.
5/24 to 5/25 - Rail & Trail Festival, Durbin Second Annual Rail and Trail Festival weekend and the 101st birthday of the first steam engine to Durbin on May 25. Entertainment will be provided. Crafts and food will be sold.
5/26 to 5/29 - Greenbrier Inn to Inn Tour Elk River Touring Center, Rt. 219 Slaty Fork. (304) 572-3771 or 866-572-3771.
5/30 to 6/1 - Slaty Fork Singletrack Camp Elk River Touring Center, Rt. 219 Slaty Fork. (304) 572-3771 or 866-572-3771.

Big wheels keep on turning
Cass Scenic Railroad is ready to roll
Heidi Zemach
Contributing Writer

The big engines that can - No. 2, No. 5 and No. 6. No. 5 was built in 1905 and has remained in Cass the entire time. #6 was the last Shay constructed, in 1945 for the Western-Maryland Railway.
Photo courtesy of Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

     The loud, foggy hoot of venerable old steam-train whistles are once again echoing through the hills and hollows of Pocahontas County. It's a welcome sound to many of the local residents of Cass, reminding them that their once bustling logging town is soon to wake up from its quiet winter doldrums and start putting on a show for the visiting tourists.
     The massive steam engines are being maintained, brought out onto the tracks and test driven along the steep mountain tracks in order to be ready to receive tourists.
     "This year we'll be starting the season out with Shay Locomotives Number 2, 5 and 11," said Artie Barkley, Cass Scenic Railroad State Park's shop foreman, who has worked on the steam trains for 38 years.
     A crew of 14 workers has kept busy throughout the long winter and early spring, readying the engines for the new season, which officially opens to general tourist traffic May 24, Barkley said. They have checked out the bearings and replaced some, fitted some of the engines and passenger cars with new wheels, painted some cars and re-roofed others, and much more. They even found time to work on a spare engine and a new boiler, in case they're needed.

Down and dirty, a Cass engineer crawls inside the front of the train engine, vacuuming the coal dust out.
photo by Heidi Zemach

     Despite heavy rain and snowfall this past winter, no major washouts or other damage occurred, and the track required few repairs, Barkley said. Many tree limbs, covered with spring ice, did have to be cleared from the track, however.
     Cass Scenic Railroad State Park promises trips that will "transport you back in time and let you relive an era when steam-driven locomotives were an essential part of everyday life," according to its website.
     "Trips to Cass are filled with rich historiess, unparalleled views of a vast wilderness area, and close-up encounters with the sights and sounds of original steam-drive locomotives," it states.
     The Cass Scenic Railroad is the same line built in 1901 to haul logs to the mill in Cass. The Shay locomotives on today's Cass Railroad were previously used either on the logging railroads at Cass and other location, including the rain forests of British Columbia. The passenger cars are old logging flatcars refurbished and made into passenger cars.

On a clear day, you can see forever - or at least to the Green Bank Telescope from Bald Knob.
photo courtesy Cass Scenic Railroad State Park.

     For passengers, the excitement starts right after boarding the train. The huge pistons of the finely-restored locomotive will start pulsing, driven by hundreds of pounds of steam pressure. The shaft begins turning, the wheels find traction, and the train begins to move. With thick, black smoke belching from its stack, the train pulls away from the station, passing the old water tower from which the locomotive tanks are later filled. As the train rounds the curve up Leatherbark Creek, visitors will pass the Cass Shop, where the locomotives are serviced and repaired. As the pressure builds, the locomotive is driven at full steam, and begins its precarious journey up the mountain toward the two switchbacks. The loud huff of the stack, the clanking of gears and pistons, the furious scream of the whistle at crossings, and the clackety-clack of the rails are authentic noises, the same sounds as have always been heard.
     Soon, the locomotive passes through the first switchback, reverses up a steep grade, and ascends to the second switchback where the process is repeated. Finally, it passes into the open fields at Whittaker Station. The switchback process allows the train to gain quick altitude. At this point, the train is travelling on a grade of up to 11-percent, or about 11 feet in altitude for each 100 feet of track. A 2-percent grade on conventional railroads is generally considered steep!
     Passengers can stand, walk, or move around the train carriage, taking pictures, or looking out of either side of the open train. Travelers are warned to bring jackets, and to hang on to their young children, who may be running or jumping around with excitement.
     At Whittaker Station, travelers can disembark, buy a snack and visit a logging camp of the 1940's-era, recreated by the Mountain State Railroad and Logging Historical Association. The centerpiece is a Lidgerwood tower skidder, one of only two examples left in the world. These huge railcar-mounted machines carried logs out of the woods on aerial cables high in the air and for distances up to 3000 feet.

Cass engineer Brad Hoover, working on Shay Number 2 engine parts in the Train Shop.
photo by Heidi Zemach

     People who take the full four and one-half hour trip to Bald Knob leave Whittaker Station and proceed to Oats Run for the engines to take on additional water at a spring. The train will then climb up the mountain, finally reaching Bald Knob, the second highest point in West Virginia. The overlook at Bald Knob provides a spectacular view at an altitude of 4,842 feet. The Bald Knob area has a climate similar to Canada and is abundant in plants typical to the Canadian wilderness!
     The busiest time of year is during the first two weeks of October, when the colorful fall foliage is in full spectacle. But throughout the summer, beginning Memorial Day Weekend, visitors can enjoy the trains and a variety of other things, such as trips to the interesting old-time Cass General Store, Restaurant, and the nearby Greenbrier River.
     An increasingly popular train ride are the Saturday Evening Dinner Trains. They include late afternoon or early evening rides up the mountain; dinners served at Whittaker Station, including dessert; and local musical entertainment. After all that, there's the thrilling ride back down the mountain, with the Dinner Train arriving at the Cass depot around dusk. Make reservations by calling 1-800-CALLWVA, or for more information, visit the Cass Website at www.cassrailroad.com
     (The Mountain Times thanks the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park Website for information provided in this article.)

'Rather small festival' heaps on the fun

Climax Engine
photo courtesy D&GVRR

by Pamela Pritt
Managing Editor
      Memorial Day Weekend is a great time to be in Durbin for the now annual Rail and Trail Festival.
      The festival's genesis was last year's Centennial Celebration that commemorated the anniversary of the first train to arrive in Durbin. The event was such a success the townspeople decided to hold it annually.
     Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad, and the West Fork and Allegheny Trails will be the focus of the weekend. Trains are scheduled to leave the depot at various times during the day. From Cheat Mountain, visitors may choose a three hour round trip to High Falls or a three-hour round trip to Spruce, as well as a six hour trip to both destinations.

Passengers ride the train back into Durbin after a trip along the Greenbrier River.
photo by Lars Byrne

     Restroom facilities are located along the route and picnic tables are available at each stop. Box lunches are available, although arrangements must be made before the departure. Hike the trails at your leisure.
     On Sunday, the BFD Fire Department will serve barbecued chicken with all the trimmings and the Charleston-based Black Diamond Bluegrass Boys will perform.
     Although last year's event lined up several speakers, this year will be speech-free. Five hundred people are expected to attend the festival. "It's a rather small festival to draw attention to the Durbin area," said John Smith, D&GVRR owner.
     Crafters will also be around the town Saturday and Sunday with quilts, homemade decorations and kitchen accessories, birdhouses, shiitake mushrooms and more!

The West Fork Rail Trail. This converted Western Maryland Railroad bed offers access to a remote section of the Greenbrier watershed. It's a 26 mile stretch providing an excellent backcountry experience. The trail parallels the West Fork of the Greenbrier River almost its entire length. You can watch the river grow from a small trickle at the Lynn Divide, fish in cool summer shadows, swim in sunny pools, tube the crisp clear rapids and see the confluence with the East Fork to form the Greenbrier River.
photo by Lars Byrne/

Photos courtesy D&GVRR and Lars Byrne/The Barbour Democrat

     The Rocket at the ready, idling at the station in Durbin.
     Train rides are only part of the festivities at the Rail and Trail Festival.
     Don't miss the Rail and Trail Festival in Durbin Memorial Day Weekend, it's bound to be a heap of fun.

Katie Gibson seems engrossed with the fish as they mill about, hoping for a forbidden handout.
Photo by Julie Gibson

Down in the meadow in an itty bitty pool...
Fingerlings of today are catch of tomorrow
by Pamela Pritt
Managing Editor
     The fish you catch tomorrow may have had its start at the Edray Fish Hatchery, where tens of thousands of fish grow to near maturity before becoming the stock of streams from Knapps Creek to Kanawha County.
     Edray Fish Hatchery was built in 1932 and the raceways and circular pools were built in the 1940s. After World War II, the state bought the upper hatchery property and began development of the ponds and raceways there.
     The state-run hatchery nurtures brown and brook trout "fry"�the little guys�from eggs, while rainbow and golden trout are brought from other hatcheries.
     The largest fish are kept in a small stream called Dry Creek and those hefty exhibits of fine fish flesh are the delight of many visitors to the hatchery. And although feeding the fish bread or fish food used to be a pastime for lots of kids, that was prohibited when some visitor to the area fed indigestible raisins to the fish and some died.

Swim little fishies as fast as you can - thousands of golden trout fry swim in one of the pools at Edray.
Photo by Julie Gibson

     Fish swim between the pools and connecting raceways and occasionally jump out onto the concrete walkways. Those aren't called raceways for nothing. The fish fairly sail along the passages from pool to pool.
     By the way, golden trout are mutations, developed at the Petersburg Hatchery for West Virginia's Centennial in 1963.
     Catch an entertaining afternoon at the Edray Fish Hatchery and see fish from fry to fantastic. They're open 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

One of several "kid-friendly" rooms at Pleasant Valley Farms
photo by Heidi Zemach

A pleasant time at the farm:
This B&B is child- and pet-friendly
Heidi Zemach
Contributing Writer
      Families with children, couples, or folks travelling with their pets, looking for an easy-going rural country getaway in a secluded and spectacular mountain setting, may want to check out the Pleasant Valley Farms Bed and Breakfast, in Slaty Fork.
      The entrance is on Rt. 219, about a stone throw from the Elk River Touring Center, a short drive from Snowshoe Mountain, and 12 mountain miles north of Marlinton. April, a large yellow Labrador , and Orlando, a large black poodle may greet you like an old friend upon your arrival at the B&B. Shamu, the small black and white cat, won't be far behind-unless you bring your dog along. When they hear the friendly barking pet patrol, hosts Gayle Boyette and Sam Gibson, perhaps with infant son Alan in arms, will soon appear to welcome you and show you around.

Sam Gibson, Pleasant Valley owner, with a day-old addition to the farm's working herd.
Photo by Heidi Zemach

      Guests who visit Pleasant Valley close to calving season often get the chance to bottle-feed an orphaned calf outside the inn. But few guests, thus far, have shown much interest in baling hay or shoveling manure, Gibson joked.
      As adult guests relax and rock or swing on the porch, their children can keep themselves busy on the extensive outdoor play equipment in the back yard lawn. There are also a few baby swings.
      Many city folks who visit during berry-picking season, especially the children, get a real kick out of simply picking blueberries from one of their nearby berry bushes. They also enjoy eating the fresh blueberry pancakes for breakfast the next day.

Gibson, Boyette and son Alan enjoy the swing set.
photo by Heidi Zemach

      "We kid-proofed it and built it with families in mind," Boyette said. "I think families need a place to get out and enjoy," she added. Outdoor dog kennels are available for guests' pets.
      Pleasant Valley Farm, located on 900 acres of fields, offers numerous mountain vistas, streams, a waterfall and interesting rock formations. The more vast Monongahela National Forest surrounds the land, so guests can simply walk or ride down the path, and keep on going for hours, exploring the wildlife and natural beauty of Pocahontas County.
      "The views are larger here," Boyette said. "It feels like we're in the middle of the wilderness." Some guests never leave the immediate area (known as "Bob Holler") their entire visit, Boyette added.
      The hosts try to do their very best to accommodate the desires of their guests in all respects, and to make them feel comfortable, she said. Early risers can request a home-cooked country breakfast at 7 a.m., for instance. Or guests can sleep until noon, and be served breakfast when they get up.
      Although only breakfast is included in the original price, the Gibsons sometimes will also cook and serve barbecue on the porch, if guests desire, or they will allow the guests use of the kitchen to fix their own meals, if they prefer. Some of the increasingly popular family reunions are catered affairs, that also can be arranged.

A short walk up behind the house.
Photo by Mike Condon

      Pleasant Valley's hosts recently purchased a van and acquired a Limousine license, (the only one in Pocahontas County). So now, they can provide transportation service to any local area attractions, such as Snowshoe Mountain Resort, Cass Scenic Railroad, the National Radio Astronomy Center in Green Bank, or to and from an airport.
      Gibson, a private contractor, built the B&B on farmland belonging to his late grandmother, Cora Mae McClure Gibson. In tribute to his Grandma McClure, who farmed the land alone for many years, much of Pleasant Valley Farms' interior reflects her indomitable spirit. A pincushion she sewed, a checkered bonnet, and an antique battery-operated wall telephone, are among the things she left behind that now decorate the rooms.
      Boyette, an administrative assistant at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, painstakingly designed the building's interior with the Asian design philosophy of Feng Shui in mind. Each room has its own unique mood, view, a private bathroom, separate sink-area and antique, recycled or hand-made furniture.
      The predominant color at Pleasant Valley Farms- green- is thought to be emotionally calming, Boyette said. Various combinations of blue, red, yellow or mint-green colors, used in each guestroom are intended to have a calming, romantic, inspiring, or refreshing influence on the guests.
      There is a patriotic-themed room, with twin beds, an old-time flag adorning a wall, and an old-style rocking chair. Another guestroom designed especially for the woodsy or hunter-types, features a wooden queen-size bed Gibson built, and an old enlarged family photograph of a hunting party with a deer. Boyette points out their crude homemade clothing and the customary whisky flask protruding from a hunter's pocket.

Incredible views and good times can be found at Pleasant Valley Farms.
photo by Mike Condon

      The Grandma Gibson room has an antique brass bed, private French doors to the porch, and at night, a view of the rising moon. The Appalachian Room, with a mountain view, has a queen four-poster bed, French country fabrics and mahogany furnishings-including rich floral linen curtains. The McClure room is a bright cottage-style room, with a queen bed and a twin trundle, and a comfortable sofa. The window showcases the outdoor "Friendship Garden."
      The living room has a large woodburning fireplace, television with a video library, a piano, plenty of books, and a corner bar, opening to the sitting room or porch. While the inn usually is booked solid during ski season at Snowshoe, there are often plenty of rooms available during the spring or summer seasons.
      For more information, the Website is www.pleasantvalleyfarms.net or phone the Gibsons at (304) 572-2319, or 1 866-350-2319.
(return to top)
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Outfitters
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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, � mile from
Snowshoe Entrance

Glades Hardware

Marlinton WV
304 799-4912

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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	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