View the 2008
Faculty.
Click here for a
printable copy of
our Spring Flyer
What is it like to stay at The Mountain?
Click here for information.
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2008 Elderhostel
Programs
at The Mountain
— Return
to The Mountain's Main Elderhostel Page
—
For
more information on Elderhostel programs or to register,
call 1-877-426-8056
(toll free) or visit the
Elderhostel Website. |
Selected programs are
available to commuters at a special rate when space is available! Call The
Mountain's Elderhostel Line to inquire about commuter possibilities
at 828-526-5838, ext. 203.
| April
29 - May 2, 2008 |
Program
# 13216 |
$390 |
Appalachian
Sampler: Appalachian Culture through Music & Stories
with
Sheila Kay Adams, Jim Taylor and Flora MacDonald Gammon
Come to our beautiful
mountaintop for a joyful experience in Appalachian culture. Three
musician-storytellers join together to bring you the best of Appalachia.
Enjoy the old country ballads and hymns, learn about and hear the
traditional instruments used and the different vocal styles of the
region, and join a simple, old-fashioned square dance or play-party.
Explore the history of the music from the early hymns of “Cold
Mountain” to the country and blues of “O, Brother Where
Art Thou.” Laugh and cry at the stories of true Appalachian
Mountain women and enjoy the music written about those times. Appalachia’s
experience of the Civil War is an atypical story, told here through
authentic historical narrative and music of both sides.
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of Page |
| May
4 - 9, 2008 |
Program
# 13792 |
$515 |
Wildflowers
& Natural History
with George Ellison
The mountains and
forests are your classrooms with an abundance of early spring wildflowers.
Learn geologic origins and basic wildflower identification techniques.
Explore natural habitats on short nature walks in this unique mountain
environment.
| |
Program
Note: Bring sturdy shoes and field guides
if you have them. Field excursions up to 1.5 miles will take
place on moderate mountain trails with a maximum elevation change
of 200 feet. Mountain trails are uneven terrain with rocks and
roots. |
Appalachian
Music & Stores: From The Porch to The Holler
with Sheila Kay Adams
Music and a strong
sense of family are inherent in Appalachian culture. Join us to explore
these fascinating and rich traditions that can be best understood
by spending time on a porch with a banjo, a ballad singer, and a master
storyteller.
History
& Culture of Southern Appalachia
with Gary Carden
Appalachia, a huge
area of isolated communities protected by mountains, ignored by industry
and exploited for natural resources, remains a place where things
are largely as they used to be. Explore its literary heritage, history,
and culture.
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of Page |
| May
18 - 23, 2008 |
Program
# 2248 |
$545 |
Nature
Hiking in The Southern Appalachians
Put on your boots,
grab your hiking stick, and explore the trails of the spectacular
Southern Blue Ridge with a hiking naturalist. On your choice of approximately
four to six mile hikes each day, learn about the many wildflowers
and varied habitats of this beautiful area. Hikes are planned to be
leisurely for full enjoyment of the surrounding beauty. On the Appalachian
Trail and Bartram Trail, view grand vistas thousands of feet below.
Within the Nantahala National Forest, wander along mountain streams
and waterfalls and under canopies of rhododendron. Hike during the
day, enjoying lunch on the trail and returning to our lovely mountaintop
for dinner and an evening program. Bring a healthy sense of adventure!
| |
Program
Note: Each
day will offer a choice of two hikes ranging from four to six
miles. On the Appalachian Trail, hostelers will choose between
a leisurely route of four miles and a longer route of six miles.
Elevation gains will be gradual for most hikes. Mountain terrain
entails fluctuations in elevation and trails with rocks and
roots. |
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of Page |
| May
27 - 30, 2008 |
Program
# 14801 |
$395 |
Hiking
Toward Optimal Health
with Diane Williams
Learn about flexibility,
conditioning for injury prevention and nutrition in the classroom.
Hike on moderate mountain trails with a fitness instructor, enhancing
your knowledge of safe exercise while experiencing the beauty of the
mountains.
| |
Program
Note: Hikes will range from two to four miles
on uneven ground. Please bring sturdy walking shoes. |
Wildflowers
of The Southern Appalachians
with George Ellison
As spring erupts,
explore the varied habitats of the Southern Mountains and discover
the wildflowers on short nature walks along moderate mountain trails.
Learn geologic origins and practice your newly acquired wildflower
identification skills.
Appalachian
Folksongs & Stories
with Lee Knight
Explore the music
and tales of Southern Appalachia with a musician who has collected
songs across the mountains. Absorb the sounds of the banjo, guitar,
dulcimer and mouth bow, and engage in Appalachian history through
the beautiful old ballads.
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of Page |
| June
1 - 6, 2008 |
Program
# 16286 |
$525 |
Wildflowers
& Birds
with
George Ellison
During peak season
in the southern mountains, learn non-technical methods for bird and
wildflower identification. Increase your ability to find and identify
a variety of species through lecture, nature walks and field trips
at different elevations.
| |
Program
Note: Bring binoculars. Field instruction
will entail walking up to 2 miles on uneven mountain trails.
|
Nature
Photography
with
Liz Domingue
Learn to capture
the beauty of nature in a land of panoramic views, waterfalls, and
exquisite plant life. Explore the techniques of composition, exposure
and lighting through lecture and field instruction with an accomplished
nature photographer.
| |
Program
Note: Field studies will entail walking up
to 2 miles on uneven mountain trails. Bring your camera (digital
or film) with owner's manual and necessary film or digital memory
devices. Course is appropriate for beginners.. |
Appalachian
Music & Stories
with
Sheila Kay Adams
Music
and oral tradition are inherent in Appalachian culture and essential
components of its history. Join us to explore these fascinating and
rich traditions that can be best understood by listening to and learning
from people who carry them on.
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of Page |
| June
8 - 13, 2008 |
Program
# 2249 |
$565 |
Appalachian
Outdoor Adventure
Experience the
spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains through rivers and trails, nature
studies, hiking on the Appalachian Trail and to waterfalls, and whitewater
rafting. Practice safe paddling on flat water prior to whitewater
rafting on the Nantahala River. Learn hiking basics and leisurely
explore Appalachia's diverse habitats, hiking moderate trails to mountaintops
and along mountain streams. Adventure during the day; return to the
comfort of The Mountain for dinner and evening programs of native
folklore and music. Good physical condition and walking ability needed
for maximum benefit from this program. Bring a healthy sense of adventure
and sturdy walking shoes.
| |
Program
Note: Hiking
days will offer a choice of short (2-4 miles) or longer (4-8
miles) hikes. On the Appalachian Trail, hostelers will choose
between a very leisurely, shortest hike of 4 miles max, or a
longer, more active route (up to 6 miles). We use a professional
whitewater outfitter with an excellent safety record and a trained
guide in every raft. Bring good hiking shoes or boots, and water
shoes for rafting. |
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of Page |
| June
15 - 20 (Youth ages 10-12) |
Prog.
# 4997 |
Adult:
$585 — Youth $495 |
|
June 22 - 27 (Youth ages 8-10) |
Prog. # 4997 |
Adult: $585 — Youth $495 |
Mountain
Adventure for Grandparents & Grandchildren
This special
week is designed for grandparents and grandchildren to spend quality
time together, creating memories through shared activities. Enjoy
a mountain environment and the community of a camp experience with
crafts, music, campfires, hiking, water activities and whitewater
rafting. Explore Appalachia's natural habitats and wildlife through
nature walks and hands-on nature activities. Enjoy an Appalachian
folksinger's folktales and songs. The Mountain staff will teach you
and your grandchildren paddling skills before whitewater rafting with
you on the scenic Nantahala or Tuckaseegee River.
| |
Program
Note: Programs
have a maximum of one child per grandparent or two per couple.
Children share lodging with their grandparents. We use a professional
whitewater outfitter with an excellent safety record and a trained
guide in every raft. Some free time scheduled for grandparents. |
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of Page |
| July
11 - 14, 2008 |
Program
# 16412 |
$440 |
Highlands
Cashiers Chamber Music Festival: Experience Classical Music with an
Appalachian Flair
with
Lee Knight and Richard Prior
For more than
25 years, the Highlands Cashiers Chamber Music Festival has united
performers and audiences in the mountains of Appalachia. Join musical
exemplars and fellow aficionados as you trace the strands of classical
and traditional Appalachian music through lectures and performances.
Learn how the stories that have been told for centuries with banjos,
guitars and dulcimers have influenced Appalachian culture. Lectures
preceding concerts prepare you to hear the intricacies of the music
and to understand some of the musical theory. A private lecture introduces
the life of Beethoven and his music, which you hear in performance.
After attending an evening concert, meet the artists in a reception
and discuss the works performed.
| |
Program
Note: Price
includes tickets to two performances: Part I and II of the Complete
Works for Cello and Piano by Beethoven. Performances by Sara
Sant'Ambrogio of the Eroica Trio and Will Ransom. |
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of Page |
| August
10 - 15, 2008 |
Program
# 9001 |
$625 |
Appalachian
Whitewater & Hiking Adventure
Come
for an adventure in one of the most rugged and picturesque areas of
the Southern Appalachians. Your adventures include whitewater rafting
on two rivers: both the easy, exciting Nantahala River, and the wild
and scenic Chattooga River. Alternating days with the river trips,
you will learn of the diverse plant life of this unique area as you
choose from two leisurely hikes of 4 or 6 miles in the Nantahala National
Forest and on the Appalachian Trail. After exciting days return to
The Mountain for evening programs of folksongs and stories and comfortable
lodging overlooking beautiful Blue Valley, two thousand feet below.
Bring a healthy sense of adventure and good hiking boots. Good physical
condition is necessary.
| |
Program
Note: We use a professional whitewater outfitter
with an excellent safety record and a trained guide in every
raft. Mountain hikes entail trails with roots, rocks, and fluction
in elevation.. |
Return to Top
of Page |
| August
17 - 22, 2008 |
Program
# 2248 |
$545 |
Nature
Hiking in The Southern Appalachians
Put
on your boots, grab your hiking stick, and explore the trails of the
spectacular Southern Blue Ridge with a hiking naturalist. On your
choice of approximately four to six mile hikes each day, learn about
the many wildflowers and varied habitats of this beautiful area. Hikes
are planned to be leisurely for full enjoyment of the surrounding
beauty. On the Appalachian Trail and Bartram Trail, view grand vistas
thousands of feet below. Within the Nantahala National Forest, wander
along mountain streams and waterfalls and under canopies of rhododendron.
Hike during the day, enjoying lunch on the trail and returning to
our lovely mountaintop for dinner and an evening program. Bring a
healthy sense of adventure!
| |
Program
Note: Each day will offer a choice of two
hikes ranging from four to six miles. On the Appalachian Trail,
hostelers will choose between a leisurely route of four miles
and a longer route of six miles. Elevation gains will be gradual
for most hikes. Mountain terrain entails fluctuations in elevation
and trails with rocks and roots. |
Return to Top
of Page |
| August
24 - 29, 2008 |
Program
# 4891 |
$545 |
Hiking
Adventures in The Southern Appalachian Mountains
Summer and Fall
are some of the best times for hiking the lush and diverse trails
of the Southern Blue Ridge. On daily hikes, explore the mountains
and valleys of this unique area with a hiking naturalist. For spectacular
vistas thousands of feet below, hike the Appalachian Trail and Bartram
Trail. Within the beautiful woods of the Nantahala National Forest,
wander along mountain streams and waterfalls and under canopies of
rhododendron. Some elevation changes of up to 1000 feet occur; uneven
trails. Enjoy lunch on the trail and then return to our lovely mountaintop
for dinner and an evening program. Hikes offered rain or shine: participants
must be in good physical condition.
| |
Program
Note: A choice of a short (6 miles or less)
or longer (6 to 8 miles) hike will be offered each day. Elevation
gains will be gradual for most hikes. Good, broken-in hiking
boots strongly encouraged. |
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of Page |
| September
1 - 4, 2008 |
Program
# 15174 |
$390 |
Appalachian
Culture through Character Portrayal
with
Pat Hammond Greenwald
A dynamic performer
shares stories of real and fictional people through character portrayals.
Rich in cultural insights, humor and poignancy, performances center
on lifestyles laced with humor, social repression, courage and determination.
Songs
of The People: The American Labor Movement
with Lee Knight
Using powerful songs of American working people as a guide, learn
about the influence of Joe Hill, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the Wobblies,
the United Mine Workers, and others in an examination of labor movements
from pre-colonial times into the 1900s.
Voices
in The Plough: The Work Songs of Scotland
with Flora MacDonald Gammon
Music in the Scottish tradition was meant to accompany work. Our
ancestors — the sailors, weavers, distillers, soldiers, miners
and ministers — have a story to tell. Follow Scotland’s
social history through the occupational songs of her people.
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| September
14 - 17, 2008 |
Program
# 15175 |
$390 |
The
Sounds of Appalachia
with
Lee Knight
Let the voices
of the banjo, guitar, dulcimer and mouth bow introduce you to the
people of Southern Appalachia. Travel through history with a song
collector who shares Native American chants, European ballads, and
African-American shouts.
We’ll
Sing The Songs of Scotland
with Flora MacDonald Gammon
It’s a fun history lesson! We sing old favorites and learn new
songs of patriotism, love, tartans, and, of course, the pub. From
Robert Burns to the music hall days of Harry Lauder, we sing our way
into Scotland’s heart, the songs of her people.
Natural
History in The Southern Mountains
with George Ellison
Enjoy spectacular views and the natural beauty of the southern mountains.
Learn of the geologic uniqueness of these mountains, and practice
hands-on plant identification on short nature walks along moderate
mountain trails with a naturalist.
| |
Program
Note: Nature
walks will involve a one-mile hike down an uneven mountain trail
with elevation change of 200 feet. |
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of Page
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