Coast

Looking for new adventure in 2015? Check out the Cold Stroke Classic Saturday in Wrightsville Beach.

Now in its seventh year, the classic is a stand-up paddlboard competition that appeals both to the experienced SUPer with a 7-mile race and the beginner, with a course half as long. Cash awards in the elite category, $5,000 in prizes for the beginners. Don’t have a board? No problem; check out the used gear swap on Friday. Don’t have a wetsuit? That’s a problem.

Logistics: Saturday, Jan. 17, 10 a.m., registration fee ranges from $25 to $75, depending upon age and race category. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 52.

Piedmont

Looking for a new place to explore in 2015? Our guess is that Medoc Mountain State Park may have a spot on your “new adventures for a new year” list.

Medoc Mountain sits off the beaten path about an hour and a half northeast of the Triangle. Ten miles of trail explore the park, which, despite sitting on the cusp of the Piedmont and coastal plain, has more of a rolling hills feel. A nice escape, especially since few people seem to know about the park, and an escape you can learn more about Saturday, when a park ranger hosts “Discover Medoc Mountain State Park” at 2 p.m. Learn about the park, take a short hike with the ranger, then explore on your own.

Logistics: Saturday, Jan. 17, 2 p.m., Medoc Mountain State Park, Hollister. The program is free, but preregistration is requested, by calling 252.586.6588.

Saturday forecast: Sunny with a high of 47.

Mountains

Looking to learn something? In 2016, the USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross National Championships come to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. This weekend, you can preview the course the country’s top racers will ride at the North Carolina Cyclo-Cross Series Finale.

Tickets to the two-day event are $11, which will not only let you see the series’ top riders in action, it will, for the uninitiated, be a chance to check out the sport in person. More than 300 riders are expected to participate.

If you are among the uninitiated, cyclo-cross is a European import that marries road racing with mountain biking. Cross bikes more resemble road bikes, albeit with knobby tires. There’s a steeplechase element to the sport, with riders dismounting to navigate the gnarliest obstacles.

Logistics: Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 17-18, Biltmore Estate, Asheville. Tickets are $11. More info here.

Weekend forecast: Saturday is sunny with a high of 49, Sunday could be interesting for spectating with snow in the forecast.

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Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below.

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Two reasons to get out this weekend: Saturday is National Get Outdoors Day, Sunday is Father’s Day. And lots of options for observing both!

Coast

You’re 4 years old and a little short on cash. Still, you want to show dad a good time on his day, Sunday, Father’s Day. What to do, what to do … .

If you live in the vicinity of Wrightsville Beach, you can take dad to the Blockade Runner, where from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday all board rentals are free to certified dads (“father” to a Lab or Golden does not count). You’ve heard dad pining about wanting to ride the waves like Hawaiian royalty? Now’s the time to give him his shot. And if you can scrounge $3 in change, you can buy him a discount taco, too.

Logistics: Sunday, June 15, noon-3 p.m., Blockade Runner Beach Resort, Wrightsville Beach. More info here.

Sunday forecast: High of 82, change of thunderstorms.

Piedmont

Psst! Looking for a good paddle that not many folks know about? Saturday, the Piedmont Land Conservancy is sponsoring paddle suitable for beginners on the upper Haw River. The paddle begins at the Grove Winery and meanders about five miles downstream. A two- to three-hour trip, depending upon water levels and how many questions are asked about this intimate stretch of the Haw. Return to the winery put-in for a wine tasting.

Don’t have a boat? Don’t have a problem: call the PLC (see below) and they can hook you up.

Logistics: Saturday, June 14, 10 a.m. Grove Winery on the Haw River (here for directions). Call the Piedmont Land Conservancy to sign up: 336.691.0088

Saturday forecast: High of 85, mostly sunny.

Mountains

Not that you need one, but if you’re looking for a fun reason to visit Mount Mitchell, at 6,684 feet the highest peak east of South Dakota’s Black Hills, how about a scavenger hunt?

Saturday, Mount Mitchell State Park celebrates National Get Outdoors Day with a scavenger hunt. Stop by the mountain-top concession stand between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and pick up your list of things to find. When you’ve found them, return to the concession stand for verification and a Moon Pie (you’ll need to pony up for the MP). What you win is part of the mystery. A good way to explore a terrain unlike any other in the region.

Logistics: Saturday, June 14, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mount Mitchell State Park. More info on the park here.

Sunday forecast: High of 78, mostly sunny.

* * *

Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below.

The post This weekend: National Get Outdoors with Fathers Day appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

You can test-drive a car before you buy it, so why not a boat?

Actually, you can. This Thursday (May 2), folks in the Charlotte area can pre-purchase paddle a boat on Mountain Island Lake, next Thursday (May 9), Trianglites can see what’s under the hood at Lake Crabtree , and on May 16 (yep, another Thursday), those of you in the Triad can evaluate a range of paddle craft for the purpose of purchase at Lake XXXXX.

The events are all courtesy of Great Outdoor Provision Co. If there’s a specific boat or two that you’re interested in, call your local GOPC store in advance and they’ll do their best to make sure it’s included in the demo fleet. A great way to determine the boat of your dreams, even if you didn’t know you were dreaming of a boat.

Also on hand: stand-up paddleboards. Check one out, you may be surprised at how easy they are to paddle. To give you a sense of their user-friendliness, here’s a clip from one of last year’s GOPC boat demos at Lake Crabtree.

* * *

Details

Although the demos are free, registration is requested in advance, at the numbers listed.

Charlotte
Thursday, May 2, 4-7 p.m.
Gar Creek Canoe Launch, Latta Plantation Nature Preserve, Mountain Island Lake, Huntersville
More info here, to request a boat call 704.523.1089.

Triangle
Thursday, May 9, 4-7 p.m.
Lake Crabtree County Park, Morrisville
More info here, to request a boat call 919.833.1741 (Raleigh store) or 919.933.6148 (Chapel Hill).

Triad
Thursday, May 16, 4-7 p.m.
Oak Hollow Lake, High Point
More info here, to request a boat call 336.727.0906 (Winston Salem store) or 336.851.1331 (Greensboro).

* * *

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It’s the 5th Annual Cold Stroke Classic in Wrightsville Beach on Saturday, an aptly-named stand up paddlleboarding race for the third weekend in January. Meanwhile, in the Piedmont you can whistle while you work, on the trails at Morrow Mountain State Park, or retreat to Montreat for a climb up mile-high Graybeard Mountain with the Carolina Mountain Club.

Coast

Looking to up your stand up paddleboarding game? Check out Saturday’s 5th Annual Cold Stroke Classic commencing from near the Blockade Runner in Wrightsville Beach. There’s a 7-mile elite race consisting of two laps in the protected waters behind Wrightsville, a 3.5-mile recreational affair of one lap.  Prizes in both categories, plus the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and SeaTow will be on hand to provide assistance in the event you need some.

Logistics: Saturday, Jan. 19, racer meeting at 9:30 a.m., racing begins at 10 a.m. $45 for rec race, $65 elite race, tack on $15 for race day registration. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny and a high of 60.

Piedmont

Was one of your New Year’s resolutions to give more back to the outdoor world you take so much from? If not, it should be, and you should waste no time in acting on this altruistic goal you have so selflessly set. In fact, you can act as soon as Saturday, on a Volunteer Trail Workday at Morrow Mountain State Park. You’ll get to use fun rangerlike tools — shovels, rakes, lopping shears, mattocks, to name a few — and work up a good winter sweat helping to maintain the park’s hiking and equestrian trails.

Logistics: Workday starts at noon at Morrow Mountain State Park near Albemarle. Wear hard-toed boots (if you have ‘em) and bring sturdy gloves (again). Come ready to work. Questions handled in advance by calling the park at 704.982.4402.

Saturday forecast: Partly cloudy, high of 54.

Mountains

Sunday, the Carolina Mountain Club does one of our favorite hikes not-far-off-of-an-interstate-highway. That would be the 11-mile loop hike up to Graybeard Mountain from Montreat. Good views from Walker Knob and Pot Cove Gap, some steep sections, a cozy summit and a fairly mellow, overall, 2,800 feet of total climbing.

Logistics: Sunday, Jan. 20, 9 a.m. carpool departure from Asheville. Contact hike leader Les Love at 828.658.1489 or lesrlove55@gmail.com for more information.

Sunday forecast: Sunny and a high of 50.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

U.S. National Wildlife Refuges
Rundown, by month, of regular activities at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service refuges in North Carolina.

* * *
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The post This weekend: A cold stroke of outdoor fun appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

You’ll need a wet suit to participate in Saturday’s second annual North Carolina Surf to Sound Challenge, you won’t need a firearm to go on Saturday’s gunless deer hunt at Lake Crabtree, and you will need skis or a board but not a lot of money to go skiing in the mountains.

Coast

If you’ve become caught up in stand-up paddleboard fever, then head to Wrightsville Beach Saturday for the North Carolina Surf to Sound Challenge. More experienced paddleboarders will paddle south from the Blockade Runner in the Atlantic, hang a right through Masonboro Inlet, then paddle through the channel. Not-so-experienced paddleboarders will test themselves on the more placid waters around Harbor Island.

Logistics: Starts at 9 a.m., $60 to compete. For more info call 910.256.2251, to register (registration closes at 10 p.m. Friday), go here.

Saturday forecast: High of 57 (wet suit weather), overcast.

Piedmont

Like the concept of hunting — quietly stalking wildlife in the woods — but a little cool to the whole end-game aspect of it? Saturday, at Lake Crabtree County Park you can tag along with a park ranger on a two-hour deer “hunt” — a hunt minus the guns. Says the program description: “Learn how to track deer by looking for signs they leave behind, as well as deer behavior and habitat.” Cameras are permissible.

Logistics: Saturday, 4-6 p.m., Lake Crabtree County Park in Morrisville. $3 per person or $5 per family. Pre-register by calling (919) 460-3390. Check out the park here.

Saturday forecast: High of 54, partly cloudy.

Mountains

This weekend, Cataloochee, Sugar Mountain and Appalachian ski areas are all expected to be open (Cataloochee and Sugar reopened Wednesday). Conditions aren’t the best and fewer than a handful of slopes will be open at the three areas. But lift ticket prices are reduced and this could be the last time you get to ski without the crowds until the holidays have passed. Our recommendation: Check out the ski report on Friday (see “logistics,” below), then act accordingly.

Logistics: SkiSoutheast.com has up-to-the-minute reports on conditions at the Southeast’s ski areas. Check mid-morning to see what conditions look like for the weekend.

Weekend forecast: Overnight temperatures should accommodate snowmaking while daytime highs in the upper 40s with mostly clear skies should make for decent conditions.

* * *

Those are GGNC’s thoughts for an active weekend. Find out other ways you can get out this weekend by browsing our super calendar, a collection of events calendars from throughout the state, below.

Coast

CapeFearCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar for the Cape Fear/Wilmington/southern N.C. coast searchable by date and event name.

Coastal Guide
Comprehensive calendar including nature programs from a variety of costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs. Covers the entire coast.

Crystal Cost Tourism Authority
Comprehensive calendar focusing on the Crystal Coast. Good source for programs offered by N.C. Coastal Federation, Cape Lookout National Park, N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve and other costal conservation and research agencies that offer nature programs.

NCCoast.com
Comprehensive calendar including programs for the Outer Banks and Crystal Coast.

North Carolina Coast Host
Comprehensive calendar for the entire coast that lets you search for events by day, by region, by county, by city or by event (based on key word).

This Week Magazine
Primary focus is the Crystal Coast (North Carolina’s coastal midsection).

Mountains

Asheville Citizen-Times
From the main page, click on “Outdoors,” then WNC Outdoors calendar.

Blue Ridge Outdoors
Searchable calendar lets you extend your reach to events throughout the mid-Atlantic and Southeast (or you can just limit it to North Carolina). Also lets you search a boatload of categories, ranging from Hiking, Mountain Biking and Climbing to Trail Running, Triathlon and Road Walking.

The Mountain Times
From the main page, click on “Calendars,” then Main Events.

Todd’s Calendar

Piedmont

Charlotte

Charlotte Observer events calendar
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including Nature, Recreation, Recreation & Wellness, Running

Charlotte Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triad

GoTriad.com
Comprehensive calendar includes a Sports & Recreation category.

Piedmont Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Triangle

Triangle.com
Comprehensive calendar searchable by category, including: Birding, Boating, Cycling, Nature, Rec & Wellness, Recreation, Running, Swimming, Tennis, Yoga.

Carolina Parent
Comprehensive calendar concentrating on things the family can do together.

Statewide

Office of Environmental Education
One calendar for the numerous Environmental Education Centers statewide.

North Carolina State Parks
Lets you search for programs at the state’s parks, recreation areas and natural areas by location, by month, by topic. To reach the calendar from the home page, click on “Education,” then “Fun & Free Programs at Parks.”

National Forests in North Carolina
From the home page, click on Carolina Connections for news updates on the state’s four national forests as well as hints on recreational opportunities and a detailed rundown of recreation areas and the amenities at each.

* * *
Like us on Facebook and get health, fitness and outdoors news throughout the day.

GetGoingNC.com

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The post This weekend: A stand-up event, a gunless hunt, an early season schuss appeared first on GetGoing NC!.