Home Care In Gerton, NC

The bitter cold conditions that have gripped Western North Carolina since the start of the year have some folks longing for a blanket and a warm fire. But for some of the region's more adventurous souls, icy conditions mean contemplating ways to cut out from work early and scout the best slabs of ice to slam a pick into.

Ice climbing may not be the first adventure sport that comes to mind when thinking of Western North Carolina, but there are some unique opportunities for exhilirating and memorable climbs that only Appalachia can offer.

Stuart Cowles, owner and guide at Climbmax Climbing and Smoky Mountain Adventure Center in Asheville, says when conditions are right, the area can offer some absolutely spectacular ice climbing opportunities. He moved to the area to start his climbing gym 25 years ago, after living and ice climbing in New Hapmshire and Colorado.

Monday, Cowles, along with wife Rose Cowles and friend and camp director Jason McDougald, took to a newly dedicated ice climbing area in Gerton, the Little Bearwallow Rock and Ice Climbing Area. The propoerty was dedicated by Conserving Carolina to noted climber and outdoor advocate John Myers.

Making the most of the frozen conditions, Cowles and McDougald were headed for a late try at Linville Falls after a couple of laps on the 200-plus-foot Little Bearwallow climb.

The Asheville area offers some ice climbing opportunities other places don't, Cowles said, thanks to its high mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Even when closed for ice, the Parkway is often accessible on foot, providing access to ice climbing locales like Graveyard Fields.

Climbers in the area are also fortunate, thanks to the North Carolina weather, to sometimes be able to go for an ice climb in the morning and go for a run in a T-shirt in the afternoon.

This most recent cold snap has also opened up climbing opportunities outside the norm, freezing over high-volume waterfalls that don't freeze regularly, such as Linville Falls and Catawba Falls, which McDougald climbed recently.

Overall, the season in North Carolina is unpredictable. Cowles said he's had climbs as early as Thanksgiving and as late as March.

After hiking up to Little Bearwallow on the newly minted Wildcat Rock Trail from Gerton Highway, Cowles said the first things ice climbers will look at when considering a climb is whether the ice is contiguous across the rock.

They will also consider whether it's thick enough to take a screw (a specially designed screw to be used as an ice climbing anchor), if there's water running behind it — an indication that the rock is warmer than the ice and there could be a separation — and more, like how it behaves when struck with a pick.

Both Cowles and McDougald were highly satisfied with the ice at Little Bearwallow Monday, striking picks into it with one swing and a satisfying crunch.

Cowles started the climb off, following the thickest section up from the bottom of the falls to the top, installing screws as he went. He occasionally gave a warning shout of "ice!" when the pick broke free chunks that fell and slid down to the bottom before Rose Cowles and McDougald followed up after him, making steady progress with picks in each hand and digging crampons into the ice with quick kicks.

It was a pleasant surprise to find no one else climbing there, he said. Little Bearwallow is one of the fairly popular spots to climb in the area, alongside others such as Highway 215, Graveyard Fields and more. But seeking out new icy places to climb is also a favorite, via hard work that Cowles calls "Appalachianeering."

There are a plethora of other climbs, he said, though to reach them, climbers may have to make their way under thick rhododnendrons or bushwhack their way through briar patches. It's a real treat to emerge at the foot of a 60-foot flow that may or may not ever have been climbed, however.

That backcountry slog is half the fun, Cowles added. And the sport is gaining in popularity, contributing its share to the area's outdoor recreation economy. Cowles cautions that it's an expensive and dangerous sport to jump into, and recommends that first-timers start with a guided trip.

For Cowles and McDougald, it's still the rareity of ice climbing in Southern Appalachia that holds the draw.

"I can go for a run any day of the year. I can get on the river most any day of the year," says Cowles. "I can go hike in the woods, but to be able to ice climb, it's such a rare treat that I'm willing to make the sacrifice."

At 52, he said the cold gets to him a little more than it used to, but the reward is definitely still there.

"On a day like today, when there's nobody else around and you're in a beautiful spot, it isn't about how hard it is or anything," he said. "It's just about being in the woods and doing something enjoyable with a buddy."

McDougald, 43, and with 30 years of climbing under his belt, has much the same feeling.

"It's just special," he said. "It's a special thing around here. You don't get it very often, and when you do, it's just exciting to go."

At just 10 minutes from home, McDougald can't believe he can ice climb in the morning and get back home to work on the computer in the afternoon. And that's without mentioning the gorgeous views.

With the recent celebration of Mother’s Day a few weeks ago, I took the time to think about my children, now 50 and 47 and living on the other side of the country. I remember who they were as children, what mattered to them, seeing who they have become: What work they do, how they see their place in the world. And I think about what in their childhood days predicted who they would become. I will start here with my daughter.

On a random day in the late 1990s, I received a call from my daughter, just a few years out of college. “Mom,” she said, “remember how I have always wanted to go to Africa?”

To which I said, “No, I do not. I am pretty sure you have never mentioned wanting to go to Africa to me ever!”

“Well,” she continued as though it were clear to her that she had mentioned it many times, “I just read about a trip to Mombasa, Kenya, on the Indian Ocean, a village near there that needs help setting up a library.” So, she says the one word that will get me every time. A library — well how could she not just go immediately and help in such a worthwhile project. Time passes. She goes and comes home.

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And then she returns, maybe six or seven times over the next few years. She takes study-abroad groups for short stays during interterm of the college from which she graduated in the Pacific Northwest. She starts a school, raises money, helps build the initial building. (And over 20 years later, the school still exists.) I still have a picture of the school in its early days — the kids, Consolata, and my daughter stand in front of the green building with a thatched roof. Consolata, her new African friend, in my daughter’s shirt, still teaches in the school today.

On one of her trips, she decided perhaps it would be a good idea to travel to Uganda and go on a gorilla safari. So, by herself, she boards a bus from Mombasa to Nairobi, about eight-10 hours, then a bus from Nairobi to Kampala, Uganda, about 12 hours. As she climbs off the bus after a wearying 22 hours, she thinks about how safe she feels — almost simultaneously with the realization she has just had her bag snatched, which contained her wallet, money and credit cards. No money for the safari. Alas. She went around the block and found a youth hostel, operated by Steve, to whom she spilled her story. He provided the phone she used to call her dad back in the states to find out what to do.

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Details understood, she boarded a return bus within 24 hours for a trip back to Kenya. She never got the chance to take the safari. Soon she was back in the states, but eight months later she returned, this time with the man that would become her husband. First, she had to show him her little village near Mombasa, the school, then they boarded that same 22-hour bus trip that took them back again to Uganda — this time to complete the trip as she had intended.

Upon arriving, she led him to the youth hostel, where she was greeted once again by Steve, who took one look at her, while reaching for something, and said, “Here, Wintry, is your bag — your credit cards, but no money. I figured you would come back some day.”

When Wintry told me this story, I found it unbelievable. Why did a strange man in Kampala hold onto the stolen purse assuming that one day she might return? When she told me the story, I have every confidence that the surprise element was greater for me than for her.

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This story happened over 20 years ago, but I remember it clearly because I still find it rather remarkable. A chance encounter with a hostel proprietor, the lending of a phone, a short talk, the passing of eight months, then another encounter, and the return of the stolen bag. I am not sure where my daughter learned to look at the world this way — to assume the best from people you don’t know. Wherever the trusting nature came from, the willingness to embrace a world so different from her own, I only wish I had many of her fine qualities. Makes me want to celebrate Daughter’s Day.

Margaret Earley Whitt is a retired college professor and lives in Gerton.

A local director wrapped up shooting a short film Saturday that highlights the beauty of Gerton and the mountains in an epic love story.

"I am still in awe how wonderfully everything went," said first-time director Melanie Star Scot, 49, who lives in Gerton and is a native of Western North Carolina.

"The Box" centers around the love between two teenagers whose lives become torn apart and their dreams shattered during the Civil War. More than 100 years later, a teenage girl finds a box containing items that tie her to the lovers from the past.

The story was mostly filmed in Gerton, where rolling hills and mountain peaks adorn the landscape.

"The mountains are an essential character in this film," Scot said.

Cast and crew filmed scenes at Peaceful Quest Retreat, Bearwallow Baptist Church and Grand Highlands at Bearwallow Mountain, and also in parts of Buncombe County.

Scot said the director of photography, Joe Stauffer, captured the essence of the area.

"He got my vision," she added. "It (the film) is going to be absolutely gorgeous."

About 25 cast and crew were involved in the making of "The Box" last week, and Scot said she was thoroughly impressed how well everyone worked together during the difficult 16-hour days.

"They went above and beyond," she said. "I could not ask for a better cast and crew."

Tim Davis, a Burke County school principal, joined the team as a historical consultant, and John Capone and Chris Roberts with the 26th North Carolina Regiment reenacting unit brought uniforms to add authenticity to the project. Capone's family also joined the cast as extras, Scot said.

Duane A. Sikes executive produced "The Box," and the story and screenplay were written by Kimberly B. Davis.

In addition, Scot's 19-year-old son, David Topp of Gerton, plays the lead male role. His female counterpart in the film, Taylor-Grace Davis, 16, is from Rutherford County.

The film is now in post-production and will be completed by Sept. 17, when Scot enters it in the Sundance Film Festival. Once finished with the festival entry process, Scot hopes to sell copies of the movie online.

Scot has a larger vision for "The Box," which is expected to be 15 to 18 minutes long.

"My ultimate goal is to do well with the short film so we can get financial backing for a feature film," she said. "There is plenty more material."

Scot, who wanted to be in films at a very young age, returned to the field about five years ago, beginning by merely holding a boom mike.

"It took about 45 years to come full circle," she said.

Day-to-day life may have taken over that dream years ago, but now, with a short film under her belt, Scot and her son are taking their production company, Topp Scot Productions LLC, to Los Angeles in August. While there, Scot wants to pursue her filmmaking career as her son follows his dreams as an actor.

Scot said she is saddened to leave Western North Carolina, but is grateful "The Box" will be completed soon.

"We can now take a little piece of the mountains with us," she said.

Reach Schulman at 828-694-7890 or mark.schulman@blueridgenow.com.

One firefighter injured; resident outside at time

A fire destroyed a Gerton family's home Thursday night.

It started about 9 p.m. and quickly spread through the three-story wood frame structure on Little Pisgah Road. No one was in the house at the time.

One firefighter from the Fairview Fire Department in Buncombe County was transported to Mission St. Joseph's Hospital in Asheville after he complained of cramps, said Gerton Fire Chief Jay Alley. The firefighter's name was not released and his condition was unknown.

The owner of the home, who declined to give her name, said she was outside feeding her horses when the fire started. She said she left a candle burning in the house because the power had gone out. She said she did not know what might have caused the fire -- the candle or possibly a power surge if the power came back on.

Alley said the cause of the fire was unknown and still under investigation.

About a dozen emergency agencies from Henderson and Buncombe counties responded to the fire because the house was fully involved. Even the N.C. Forest Service was requested, and an agent went to the scene. The house is about half a mile down Little Pisgah Road, which is a narrow gravel road in the wooded Hickory Nut Gorge area. Though trees encircled the house, none of them caught fire.

Alley said firefighters were able to arrive at the scene in time to contain the fire. He also credited recent rains with helping to keep flames from spreading.

Alley said the narrow road leading to the home and a miscommunication about the fire's location delayed emergency response.

Fairview Assistant Fire Chief Kelvin Kuykendall said the first 911 call reported the fire was on Little Pisgah Road in Buncombe County off Garren Creek Road, but the fire really was in Gerton.

Kuykendall and another Fairview firefighter live near where the fire occurred and told firefighters the actual location.

Still, Fairview was first on the scene and arrived in less than five minutes after the initial call.

Kuykendall said that when firefighters arrived, the house was fully involved but that the frame was still standing. The fire destroyed the frame in less than an hour, he said. Firefighters were expected to be at the scene putting out flames through the night.

Several friends and neighbors arrived to comfort the owner.

Responding in addition to Fairview and Gerton were Henderson County fire departments from Bat Cave, Dana, Edneyville and Fletcher and Buncombe County departments from Broad River, Garren Creek, Reynolds and Skyland. The N.C. Forest Service and Henderson County Rescue Squad and Emergency Medical Services also responded.

Alley said all the departments were working together well to put out the fire.

"We've got a pretty good communication going on," he said. "Everything's going real well."

Henderson County, N.C. (WLOS) — A venue was destroyed by fire Sunday morning in an upscale Henderson County neighborhood.

RELATED LINK |PHOTOS, VIDEO: Henderson County lodge a total loss after Sunday morning fire

The 12,000 square foot Grand Lodge in the Grand Highlands on Bearwallow Mountain neighborhood became fully engulfed in flames shortly after midnight.

Chief Jay Alley with Gerton Fire and Rescue said when they arrived, the attic and first floor were engulfed in flames.

He said more than 100 firefighters from 20 departments across Buncombe and Henderson counties fought the fire throughout the early morning hours, but the location of the fire brought it's own set of challenges.

"It was very difficult to start with because first of all, it's a long ways for all of our mutual aid companies to come, so we had to get everybody here. It took a while to get all of our ladder trucks and trucks here," said Alley.

While the rain helped with containing the hot spots, the large fire brought another challenge for the firefighters.

"We actually ended up draining the water tank that feeds the hydrants here, so we ran out of water and had to go to a water shuttle system, so that hurt," Alley said.

There were initial reports that the fire may have been caused by an explosion, but Alley could not confirm that. He says it's still under investigation.

Alley said the last people left the building about 30 minutes before the fire erupted, but didn't report seeing anything.

Firefighters were able to save an American flag.

"It was on the front porch and we got it off before the fire got to it," said Alley.

No injuries or deaths have been reported, but the fire has already put two local families in a terrible situation.

Kelsey Warner, a 29-year-old English teacher at North Henderson High School, was set to marry Ian Clark, 32, this Saturday, December 10, at the Grand Lodge.

A family friend said the couple got engaged at Bearwallow Mountain, and Clark, a painter, had done work in Grand Highlands before.

Warner said she was planning to take Sunday to figure out what to do next now that their reception location had burned down.

Corinna Lewis of Candler called News 13 around 9 am Sunday morning after her brother-in-law saw the reports of the fire on News 13 This Morning and called to tell her.

Lewis's son planned to get married and celebrate his wedding reception at the Grand Lodge on December 17.

Timothy Anderson, 26, and his bride-to-be, 23-year-old Haley Howard of Arden, are at a lakehouse in Tennessee this weekend, taking a break from wedding planning before the big day.

"Oh no, it's true," Lewis said. "They're on vacation and don't get home until this evening." Lewis was audibly choked up when she described her phone call with Howard.

"She's hysterical," Lewis said after breaking the news to the bride-to-be.

A video of the Grand Lodge shows the beauty of the clubhouse, which the Grand Highlands website says "provides a central gathering place for Grand Highlands property owners, designed in the style of a traditional mountain lodge with rustic stonework and heavy timber construction, dining and lounge areas, a full catering kitchen, a library game and billiards rooms, and spacious verandas with expansive Blue Ridge Mountain views."