Send "A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions." Oliver Wendell Holmes

Our wonderful cook Mary Anders

What a perfect morning for a hike, upper 50's, crisp breeze, and deep blue skies with big, puffy white cumulus, fair weather clouds. The smaller Mountain Laurel blossoms are about gone. Just in time for the larger Rhododendron blossoms to bloom. The trail to Lindy Point is shrouded in Laural and Rhodie thickets the entire length until you pop-out at the canyons edge. After spending nine years in Florida, this view is so awesome and still takes my breath away! I can't imagine this canyon being logged and then million dollar homes dotting the landscape. That would be a travesty to every West Virginian!!!! I've been reading that the state is trying to appropriate the funds to purchase the canyon. I hope we all support that initiative! Anyway, enough of the soapbox. Take Care L.David

GreenGrass Touring Center...EPIC riding up there eh? thanks for lettin' the new kid on the block tag along with the local crew too and the fantastic food. who woulda thought I would be getting to eat tasty whitegrass food in the offseason?! some stuff for your archives...peace, Todd

Yo Chipmeister Rabbit here, Got a great pic og BW Falls and Elakala for your site. Check my flickr: If you want to have some fun: http://rabbitsillusions.com Cheers, Rabbit

Thought I'd share. Cambarus monongalensis high on Flatrock Run Trail July 4th. Love your website,Craig

While in Moab, I saw a happy camper with a "New River" T-Shirt on: Gene, out here in the West with Maura and family. Of course we got into Whitegrass and Chip stories, with mouthwaterings over Laurie's cooking. And tales of your remarkable boyz. Made my week! Wish all the Summer's Ebullient Best for my First-and-Foremost Tele-Teacher. Dein Mark Head, MD

another fun filled weekend! pristine floating, awesome riding with the boys, and good ole Chase hospitality. If you guys are looking to adopt an old kid, im available! Here's a pic of morgan hucking a rock in the high sods. GREAT ride regardless of the wet! Made a little story about the ride on a popular mountainbiking passion blog thingy, since nobody gives any love to the untapped resource of the "real stuff" in WV it seems... i dont get it... Todd

Wow, been forever again. Hope things are going well and our thoughts have many times strayed to Canaan even if we could not. With that said, we are carving out some tine to travel that direction and swing down through W.Va. touching bases as we go with times gone by yet times to come. Would love to see you guys.Peace, Rick and Susan (Peter now lives in Vail Valley)

Thanks for tracking me down for the canoeing thang. Truly a great time. I attached a couple of pic's, including the 6 canoe, 2 kayak, 14 persons, and one snake shuttle. Too crazy!! Best, martin radigan

Good times in the land of the rising sun! (Japan) - Hitch-hikin with the Bob all over this island - best sushi on earth (no doubt) we even climbed up to the top of a volcano! Thanks for your website - its nice to check up on the Tucker County vibe from the other side of the planet. They should crown you WV State Champion homesteaders.Be home soon - see you at clifftop?? Corey B.

I spent a couple days with Zulima, a Voice of America Video Journalist this week. We interviewed quite a few people and visited a lot of places around Dolly Sods and Canaan Valley. This is Brandon being interviewed at Whitegrass. Dave Saville

Lots of catch-up here. First, a few shots from the infamous Black Top, Section III. And the monster of all shuttles – 8 boats and 14 people – making the most of $4 a gallon gas in a rainy paradise. We’ve also finally put up shots of all the beautiful Canaanites at the Lawn Games Extravaganza. Finally, we sloshed through the Northern Sods Sunday and found acres of blooming mountain laurel and ferns bursting with color. Best, Clare and Mark The Black Top, Section III * Lawn Games Extravaganza * Harman Ridge Loop

sent by dave seen in Parsons heading south on 219...

I saw this in Velo News about your girl Sue: I read she was ranked 47 in Womans World Elite Cross Country Tom Conlon

Sorry we missed you when we came up to Highlands Sky. Nothing better than running through the mud and rain with good friends. We'll also miss skiing at Whitegrass this coming winter for the first time in 10 years. We are moving to New Zealand until next year. Not many nords in that part of the world, but maybe we'll learn how to surf instead. The good news is we sold our house so maybe when we get back we can just move to Davis year-round. Check our blog at schepernz.wordpress.com
We'll be back to ski when we return. Eric, Laura, Noah and Sophia Scheper

Here are some awesome pictures of me and some friends boating the Blackwater last Sunday. It was a classic, blue sky, tucker county sunday. The same kind of day that is so special here. Curtis

Maybe I should start praying for snow now - Drew Shaumber

just in case you miss the snow here a few pics from a quick trip up mt hood last week . . . BOY HOWDY….It was just another Monday until I stopped at the post office and found the note that I had a package. Funny I thought, I am not expecting anything let alone a care package of the best kind . . . Thanks for thinking of us! Nils will be here this week too so I am sure we will have a chance to have a proper taste test. Your ears must have been burning as I recently attended a wedding here in HR and met a couple folks who went to school in Morgantown, WV. Of course they had crossed paths with you Chip. Not sure of his name right now but the guy told a story about a rather tragic event at a party years ago where someone fell off a rock ledge or something. His point to telling the story was without Chipper, the event would have been even worse. He said you anchored everyone and rallied everyone to take care of things. We raised our glasses to you and had a full table cheers to Chipper! Cheers Dave OFF PISTE

.All proceeds from this September's Elkhenge will be shared between the Rich Mt Battlefield to preserve the Civil War site and the Highlands Trial Foundation, a group dedicated to the development of local recreational rail trails. Bret Rosenblum (ol’ hillbilly graham)

I have no idea what you do in the non-ski season but if you're killing any time surfing the web you might find this of interest. I just finished my web pages for the Blackwater Canyon Trail. Check it out.http://www.wvbike.org/bct/virtual.html See ya' when the snow flies.Dave

Your boy Morgan done good! Do we need to send these to your agent? Have a good summer. Mark and Sarah/...Blog

It was good to see you and talk at the Refuge dedication the other day.Tell Laurie that I still have a warm spot in my tummy from the food! I just noticed something on your website about the recent designation of National Recreation Trail assigned to CVI’s N740 trails.We are understandably jazzed about this as an organization, but also want the word to get out that the community has a large part in planning, constructing, and maintaining the trails on CVI property. May I suggest either one of the following links to help us spread the word? CVI Webpage link . National Recreation Trails webpage link Thanks, Cindy

It was great to get your call and email a few weeks ago - of course I still think of Whitegrass after all these years. There's phenomenal skiing out here, enough lines and mountains and adventures for several lifetimes. But I miss the Whitegrass attitude - let's have fun, let's learn as much as we can from each other, let's break some silly rules and have some silly fun and learn some more. Who in their right mind could ever leave that behind? Blase

Paddlers Retreat FS - 15 min from Cheat Canyon takeout! We are selling our 9 year old, 1464 sq ft log cabin which sits on an acre in Preston County WV (Masontown) for $150,000. It is roughly 15 minutes from Jenkinsburg, takeout for the Cheat Canyon and Lower Big Sandy and less than an hour from numerous other great runs including the Tygart, Upper and Lower Yough and too many creek runs to count. Its also about 25 minutes from downtown Morgantown. The place is in fantastic shape and has been well cared for. 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths. Its been our primary residence (moving to Colorado) but would make a great paddler's get away/vacation property as well. We are selling through Old Colony Realtors, check out the listing here: You'll find contact info for the realtor there. Matt Keller

Dancin' in the streets....martinradigan.com Hope everything is going well with you all. We're having a beautiful spring here at 1300 ft. Whats nice is that when it's over here I can see it again in Canaan Valley. Bob

I was reading a history of skiing in the Adirondacks last night and found a description of a skier, Herman Smith “Jackrabbit” Johannsen (1875-1987) that reminded me of how you ski. A skiing partner wrote in 1922 that, “Mr. Johannsen is believer in his skis…. When there is snow, he skis on that, but he has no unreasonable prejudices against rocks, stumps or roots, provided they are white in parts at least.” That reminded me soooooo much of you that I had to pass it on. Jess

I love snow. I love cross country skiing. Especially when its with my friends over at White Grass. I hit the Thursday(Thirsty) Staff Ski at 4:30 and we skied into the night. It was some interesting conditions...what I would call variable. It was a mix of powder, manky, mashed potatoes, and mirco crust. I was very happy to have had my Snowfields and S Bounds on for a change. Sue Haywood

White Grass Cafe - Cross Country Cooking. Thank you! My Mom bought the book a few years ago and I've LOVED everything she's made from the cookbook. She recently made the chocolate chip cookie recipe, which put me over the edge to buy the book myself. I can't wait to start cooking from it! Thanks, Courtney Capstack

Thanks for all the educational opportunities you provide through White Grass, your operation is a benefit for the refuge and it's outreach opportunities! Ken Sturm Wildlife Biologist CVNWR

I just gotta tell you, in the thin years, the upbeat spirit of your website keeps us (me) going.. We've been trying to eke out a living doing the mountain guiding thing in the Blue Ridge for 16 years now... work we love.. but makes life thin on the edges at times.. just wanted to let you know I appreciate the boost... that you didn't even know you gave..!! Andy Nichols Teamlink / Shenandoah Mountain Guides

For Chip....enjoy and have a good summer...hate to see you go. cheers, gg

Under overcast skies, Ski Train passengers unload at Curry .Excursion: Ski Train: The annual Ski Train, hosted by the Nordic Skiing Association, is part outdoor adventure, part celebration. Hundreds aboard the sold out Alaska Railroad trip north to Curry had an 11-hour opportunity to let loose. Join the polka party in the latest in our Excursions series.

Hi Chip! I missed you in Vermont! I was just out there for about five days ( no Hansi ) and I heard you were on the prowl. Sorry I missed you as skiing was fun but I heard you had headed to the Whites. Anyhow, we just had a perfect Whitegrass Weekend. Saturday....morning of Whitegrass Waffles, fresh strawberries from last summers picking, Vermont Maple Syrup and homemade whipped cream. Skate skied in the AM, skied backcountry sort of White Grass Style in the State Park out our door, sauned in our newly finished sauna for about three hours, and the topping on the cake was the Whitegrass Chilli with Whitegrass Cornbread, dessert of homemade Strawberry Cake (last summers strawberries again). Sunday....complete dumpage ( hasn't snowed since December I think), slept til 11, haven't done that since college, same breakfast as yesterday. Backcountry skied again, sauned again, longer this time, dinner of Whitegrass Thai Fish Cakes with Whitegrass Oriental Dipping Sauce.Go Whitegrass Cafe! Best food ever. Thanks for the recipes Laurie and Chip! Margaret Harstad, Duluth,Mn/ Hansi's Blog

"Nordic skiing, long portrayed as serene and classical, is cast in a new light as exciting and dynamic through the lens of punk/blues rock and fast-action photography." XC Skiing with the Snakes trailer

Take a walk down memory lane with ski writer Randy Johnson’s look at the history of cross country skiing in the Boone, NC area. Also check out his Web site for a video cross country ski lesson in Blowing Rock and a video look at Roan Mountain Nordic in the 1980s.

lightningboards.com woodenskis.com* Work in progress. Check it out Colleen* Early ski days in Davis Wendel Allen

My gallery is Dolly Sods Views. Mary Ann * Chase Kids Couloir Article.pdf * Zanny Nordic Website xczone.

Davis National Highlights USA Today * Amazing Snow From Mr. Dave * Pocahontas County has average mean elevation of 3219'

"...cross-country skiing through that utterly magical snow encrusted pine forest this past winter was enough to make a grown person weep with awe." Susan Moundsville, WV Wild and Wonderful Walks Company

Ullr is the Norse god of skiers, and Skade is his wife. According to mythology, Skade was a mortal granted the right to marry a god, and being partial to the mountains, she chose Ullr.

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Canaan Valley National Refuge

July 26: Heart of Summer Bird Walk,7 am, meet at the Refuge Visitor Center, bird walk led by Volunteer Casey Rucker. July 26: Fourth Saturday Trail Hike, 8:30 am, meet at the Refuge Visitor Center. Led by master naturalists. Bring lunch and water. July 28: Summer Eco Film Fest, "Whitetails at the Crossroads" and "Dangerous Travelers" 2 pm, Refuge Visitor Center.

All events are free. Co-sponsored by the Friends of the 500th and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. For walks: Please wear comfortable walking shoes or boots and dress for the weather. Binoculars may be borrowed during Refuge sponsored events. Bring drinking water and enthusiasm! Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge HC 70, Box 200 Davis, WV 26260 304-866-3858

Local Wild Weather Facts ****our best local weather site
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Davis 3SE, West Virginia (Canaan Valley 3N) 39-05-52N 79-25-53W Elev 3698 ft. Dave Lesher ** Check daily obs for this and other WV co-op stations at http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/pit/PITRVAPIT

Allegheny Highlands New Weather Forecast Zone * Canaan Snow Data * Winter 06-07 by Dave Lesher Our WeatherMan

Local snowfall table enclosed : Need you to do your famous snow dance in full regalia on the roof as soon as you find time.

don't miss the amazingly comfy and friendly local vibe @ Mtn State Brew

Our Community Living Room The Purple Fiddle

DO NOT MISSES AT THE FIDDLE : July 10 Paul Geremia Fri July 18 Steppin In It Sat July 19 Robinella Sat July 26 Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum

Davis River Front

Our senior Senator, Robert C. Byrd, is fond of noting that: “West Virginia is one of the most beautiful and unique places. It is the most southern of the northern and the most northern of the southern; the most eastern of the western and the most western of the eastern. It is where the East says good morning to the West, and where Yankee Doodle and Dixie kiss each other good night!” Indeed, West Virginia is a most beautiful and unique place. And with the introduction of our legislation, “Wild Monongahela: A National Legacy for West Virginia’s Special Places, we are striving to keep it that way” Hon. Nick Joe Rahall introducing the new WV Wilderness Bill