Show 2 @ 9:10 Rock Climbing

Show 3@ 11:46 Inclusion on Ice

Show 4 (upcoming)….

By: Lauren O’Brien April 29, 2022

GRANT COUNTY W.V- Among the Appalachian Mountains, unique and breath-taking activities beyond hiking and climbing are offered to guests of any age to experience. The thrilling adventure is Gliding, within the small town of Petersburg, a small bird-like aircraft hovers over the town. 

Located at the Grant County Airport, Eastern Soaring Center takes trips with the small airplane that can fit exactly two people inside for cruise rides or flying lessons. However, Gliding takes a different approach to getting into the sky. 

Gliding uses the winch method, which involves help outside of the aircraft to fly. A person on a four-wheeler pulls a rope attached to the glider at a high-speed of 50 mph, while someone- normally a guest- holds the wing evening it to the other wing, this is called “running the wing”. 

Guests within a blink of the eye will have the rollercoaster feeling as the Glider shoots up into the sky within 45 seconds. However, once elevated above the mountains, the thrilling sense of Gliding becomes peaceful and at ease. 

Gliding offers a much different experience than a commerical flight or climbing to the top of a mountain for many different reasons. Being inside of such a small aircraft, guests can feel the wind at 2,000 feet elevation, and circle around free air peacefully without any sense of free-falling. 

Throughout Grant County, some of the Appalachian’s most important landmarks reside. While elevated Gliding, the sight of South Branch Potomac River, Charley’s Knob, and North Fork Mountain can be seen below and through every side of the glider. 

The experience goes beyond Gliding but gaining a community feeling around the small town of Petersburg and Grant County. Gliders can view the whole town while in the air, and capture historical moments through the Pilot and Instructor at Eastern Soaring Center. 

SENECA ROCKS, W.V.- The Beautiful state of West Virginia takes the breath of tourists everyday by the views that are too beautiful to be true. The many ways to capture the scenery all depend on the activity, but no view is ever the same. 

North Fork Mountain is a total of 24.7 miles long, with many different options of trails and paths to hike along to get to certain points and views. With a total elevation of 2,650 feet, the excitement and risk of hiking remains active. 

A certain path that is able to be done in one day is the Blue path, which is marked on trees to navigate adventurers throughout their journey. This hike is 3-miles long upwards and provides different levels of difficulty to get to the peak. However, there are options to get a sneak-peek of what the final peak view may look like by overlooks located at different elevation points of the mountain. 

People can have opportunities to see wonderful views at many different peaks of the mountain, with the highest peak at above 2,000 feet being the most intense view to see. However, no matter where in the mountain, the elevation is noticeablely high and a little frightening. 

The Blue-path hike takes around 1.5 hours and involves flat surface walking, uphill, and steep hill of climbing right before reaching the peak, which reminds people to be happy that the worst part and all of it is over, and the view is to the left. The breathtaking view overlooks almost all of Grant County and reminds how elevated the hiker truly is. 

The 3-mile climb up is not the only option as most of time, passer-byers will be people backpacking throughout the full 24.7 miles, and spending some time camping the nights in North Fork Mountain. To hike the whole mountain, Tourists bring everything that would be needed for 2+ stay, including water, food, sleeping material, and camping items. 

To truly understand West Virginia, hiking North Fork Mountain reminds people why the state is called Almost Heaven with its beautiful view that makes an extrenuous hike more than worth it for adventurers, hikers, or people that would like to experience a beautiful hike. 

MORGANTOWN W.V- As the beautiful state of West Virginia has gained popularity through their hiking trails, luxurious views, and helping evolve adventurous sports- there are some outdoor hobbies and sports that require travel to ensure the best. 

Skateboarding, still a fairly new sport, was invented in the 1950’s in california and spread among the states through video games. It is still growing today as many towns still do not own skate parks, as well as no plans to do so anytime in the future. 

West Virginia has not taken much connection to Skate boarding and the skate parks within, are meant for beginners, and people still learning new skills. Marilla Park, located right in Morgantown and open daylight to dusk, has been known for its big, however beginner ramp that all ages come to ride their boards and practice their skills everyday. 

Marilla Park has always been limited in its skills and was filled more with bikers than skaters, however a change is finally occurring to officially make the park known as a skatepark. Still in its beginning phases, Marilla Park plans for a pump track- the user rides without pedaling, as well as featuring ramps for both beginner and intermediate riders. 

This change is huge for skaters as many were gravitating towards the city for a refresher on advanced ramps. Marilla Park is one of the first in the state to make changes and listen to the skaters of Morgantown.

“Mostly a bike park for kids” A Skater describes how Marilla Park was to them, as well as how the park will change how skaters look at the local park to practice their skills. Not only the changes, but how the changes will not disrupt any natural scenery. 

West Virginia adapts everyday to its adventurous and sports-filled state. Skateboarding is one of the sports to take over the state and will continue to grow with ramps, parks, and passion for the sport. 

Lauren O’Brien
Intermediate Mountain Biking at White Park- Sunday, February 27.

WEST VIRGINIA- West Virginia is known for its mountains covering almost all 24,000 miles of the beautiful state. Due to its natural steep hills and paths from historical moments in US History, Adventure sports has risen in popularity over the years, especially in Almost Heaven. The Mountains of WV provide a breathtaking- and thrill seeking- adventure, with variety of options on what to choose: such as the skills Mountain Biking provides. From world-class difficulties Snowshoe gives, to the intermediate bumpy White Park.

Mountain Biking originated in California in the 1970’s, and has only grown tremendously since; with 9 million people today participating in the muddy sport. Growing day by day, mountain bikes have evolved in terms of the bike, growing thicker inches in tires (26 in-29in), shorter chainstrays and heavier in pound, changing the way the sport goes forever.
The biking obstacles were not always set out for intense drops and quick turns but there were deer trails and walking paths that became essentially what riders would use as their obstacles today. The reason for the bike change was due to the paths becoming more embedded into a sport.

West Virginia trails are known for being past beginner level and aimed towards experienced bikers, one of the many reasons why Mountain Bikers love to, as junior national champion Ben Richter likes to call it; “shred the gnar” in the lovely state. With the point of risk, WV provides specific mountain biking paths to test the skill levels of the adventurous bikers.
“North/Central West Virginia is rocky, rooty, muddy, plateau. It’s not as friendly to beginners. It’s more hardcore and rocky” the famous Matt Marcus devoted to bike almost all mountains, gives WV a thumbs up on the mountain difficulty in his interview about Eastern Mountain Biking.

World-Class Mountain Biking Resort, Snowshoe, West Virginia. Holds tournaments all four seasons of the year for mountain biking, recently being National Championships. Holding 40 trails during the off-ski season, snowshoe provides 1,500 vertical feet of descent for those feeling comfortable enough to hold on tight, speed up, and prepare for drops.

National Champ Richter won his tournament in Snowshoe and felt every moment of his ride; “It was pretty rowdy actually, you know, slamming into corners, those ruts. Flaring a bunch of rocks up, you know, shredding the gnar,” going back in time when he was in the moment at snowshoe, Richter shows the experience.

Changing direction of West Virginia and skills, the mountains for beginners bring a nice bike cruise while jumping over mounts and taking sharp turns. White Park, West Virginia Located right outside of West Virginia University, has off path trails lasting 3.5 miles, meant for beginner-intermediate level bikers, specified as Blue Diamond. The trails to each end side of the main path give mountain bikers a chance to go through a domino effect jump and drop, or take a fast skidding, bank-turn, all while feeling comfortable, with a hint of risk.

Important to notice, beginner mountain bike trails are not only meant for beginners, but for adventurers that need a break from extreme thrill. White Park gives opportunities to bikers to explore all different sides of the park and trails, from the waterfall, to jumping logs, cutting banks, or connecting trails of other parks to bring long distance biking and Morgantown together.

The sport itself had recently caught up with technology, such as making the bike more durable for harder skills, changing how the paths were to make it more difficult, or the promotion of the sport to gather more people.

However the future may hold for Mountain Biking, athletes are ready to take on new technology; “I don’t know where the future is going. All I know is the bicycle is one of the greatest inventions that man has ever made and it’s not going away.” Marcus has been biking before technology caught up, as he explains the bikes value and meaning in an interview.

As it is not just a sport to many participants, Mountain Biking is closer to the beginning of the sport and is preparing to continue to evolve as athletes and mountains change for the better. Through advanced and professional snowshoe, to intermediate and skilled White Park, the past and future of Mountain Biking brings value and love to the sport throughout the states.

Hyperlinks

https://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/biking/road-legends-conversation-eastern-mountain-bike-legend-matt-marcus/
https://www.snowshoemtn.com/things-to-do/activities/snowshoe-bike-park
https://www.flobikes.com/articles/5968006-14-year-old-mountain-bike-champ-ben-richters-scale-of-one-to-gnar
https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/4559221/white-park

MORGANTOWN W.V- In the rocky and steep mountains of West Virginia, adventure sports thrive the most, with thrill-seekers putting turns and drops to the limit with Mountain Biking. Almost Heaven provides paths for experienced trail riders, such as Blue Diamond level in areas right outside Morgantown. For those that have a passion for this muddy sport and want to cruise through paths, look no further than White Park.

The path opening to the gorgeous waterfall offers tricky-skilled trails lasting 3.5 miles on either side of the main gravel. White Park offers the chance for bikers to speed up and prepare for skidding turns or a beating drop, all while feeling comfortable to the skill level. As it is one of the only mountain paths in the state to offer intermediate skill levels, due to the nature of the state being rocky, muddy, and rooty beginner skill levels are hard to come by in West Virginia.

A different form of thrill comes from Snowshoe, WV, a world class mountain biking pathway. Every year Snowshoe hosts the Worldcup for Mountain Biking, showing how popular the sport has gotten since its creation in the 1970’s, with now over 9 million participants. Holding 40 trails to decide what skill for riders is best, the 1,500 vertical feet of descent will bring a sense of thrill no matter the skill of the trails.

West Virginia holds 24,000 miles to make up the state of Almost Heaven, and its mountain biking paths prove that Country roads, is indeed almost heaven. The uniqueness in difficulty level that is similar to all trails in West Virginia provides the passion and value of mountain biking as a sport for the appalachia. Through intermediate White Park and thrilling Snowshoe, hold on tight for either, and the right turn and drop will remind the love of biking.