Fall Life in the Mountains

Porch rail off eating area

Spa and lounge chairs off Master BR

Nice place for breakfast

Nice place for lunch

Rascal Dog in the driveway

Rock porch off walk-out  basement

Shot of the house looking East from the lower terrace

Looking northeast from fire pit

Master BR and spa on far left

"Fall In" to North Carolina!

Some Old Photos of Laurel Hill

This view looking northeast was taken shortly after construction was complete.  The landscaping has grown in considerably since then.

A wintery shot off the deck looking westward at Chimneytop.  You can barely see Whiteside Mountain to the right of Chimneytop.

This is actually a not-too-bad shot of the kitchen looking from the dining room.

This is a terrible photo of the living room as you come in the front door. 

Grampy Knockin' Back a Bloody Mary

Hanging with "the fam" on a beautiful afternoon on the Laurel Hill deck...

The Little Mermaid in the Spa

The grandbaby has been running a fever, and had to start antibiotics for otitis media.  She took a little break from being sick to enjoy the spa with Grampa.

Thank You!

This blog would not be possible without the wonderful photography from Debbie and Yann and the technical expertise of Heather.  Thanks to each of you for your contributions....and no, you're not getting paid for any of them.  Seeing the fruits of your labor on such a wonderful blog is your reward (ha ha ha).

Using the Spa

The temperature on the front panel will be set on 80 degrees on your arrival.  Set this to your desired temperature.

Undo all four corners of the cover, and fold the front half over the back.  Then just lift the folded cover and it will hang on the back of the spa on the black metal bar.  You don't have to take the cover off, just fold it back.

If you don't undo the back straps, you'll either tear them off the cover or tear the brackets out of the spa.

You'll need to open the umbrella over the spa to open the cover.  If you don't want the umbrella, undo the knob near the bottom of the umbrella and swing it out of the way.

You can either use the control panel on the front of the spa or the one in the back right corner to turn on the circulation pumps.  There are two pumps; pump #1 has one position and pump #2 has two positions. 

The lighting is controlled from either control pad.  The secret to adjusting the lighting is to get to the red light.  From there, you can dim the light, or get the lights to alternate colors.  You just have to play with it. 

There are test strips and chemicals next to the spa.  Go easy on the chlorine unless the water is cloudy.

When you leave, please reset the temperature to 80 degrees and make sure the spa light is off.

The Water System

Our mountain water is the best!  We are part of Sapphire Deep Water Association, which is supported by five homeowners.  Four of us are currently drawing water.   We share a 500' deep well drilled through solid granite near the gated entrance of Hidden Falls.  A five HP submersible pump moves the water through a 2.5 inch line to a 1,000 gallon reservoir above Laurel Hill.  Our home is gravity-fed, and the other three have submersible pumps in the reservoir to pump uphill to their homes.  The well provides 20 gallons per minute, which is plenty of water for any need.

The filtration system in the well house is a sight to behold.  It is a commercial design which removes almost all of the iron and dissolved solids from the well water.  On top of that, we have our own filter system in the utility room.  The last step in our filtration system is UV radiation of the water, so it is very clean and safe.

The Achilles' Heel of the water system is lightening and Duke Energy power outages.  If the faucets start sputtering, one of several things has happened.  These are (a) lightening strike (b) Duke Energy outage or (c) malfunction in the control system.  When the Association water system goes down, our home only gets 200 gallons of water  before the faucets start sputtering.

Our auxiliary water system which provides 750 gallons of water if the Association system goes down.  This is sufficient to keep a family going for two days without skimping.   The auxiliary system is powered by an above-ground pump connected to the 750 gallon tank, and it will run off the generator if Duke Energy power is out.

If the main water system goes out in a power outage or after a lightening storm, do the following:

• Turn some lights on and get a flashlight so you can see what you are doing.
• Near the front left corner of the garage is a small electrical box labeled auxiliary water system.  Open this up, and you will see a black plastic thing with a handle up high in the box.  Take this out, turn it right-side up so it says "on" and snap it into place so the circuit is completed.  
• You now have 750 gallons of good water.  This water is filtered just like the main water system and should not look or taste any different.  Also, the above-ground pump runs on generator in case Duke Power is out for awhile.
• The next step is to notify someone that the Association water system is down, and that you are running on auxiliary (see below).
•  Once the main system is fixed, please make sure the little black plastic thing is put back where you originally found it so the auxiliary system will be shut off.  If the breaker is left on, it will burn up the $300 jet pump (not thoretical).

Notification When Association Water Goes Out

1. Tony Brooks at (828) 553-1549
2. Jo Brooks at (828) 553-1548
3. Steve Newman at (941) 951-8929

You can text or call any of the three of us.  Tony is the water guru; if the control system goes, he can walk you through the process of manually pumping to the house and topping off the auxiliary system.

Bears and Trash Contol

Yup, Laurel Hill is home to bears.  You don't really want to see them prowling around the house, and the key to that is trash control. 

Don't leave anything outside on the deck after barbeque or picnics.  Also keep food out of your vehicles.  Place trash in the barrels in the garage and close the overhead doors at night.

I recommend pushing the BBQ so the backside is up tight against the porch rail behind it.  Otherwise, the bears and raccoons will pull out the waste tray under the BBQ and make a racket in the night.

The only place to get rid of trash and recycling is the  "staffed recycling center" operated by the Jackson County.  It is located on Hwy 107 South about three or four miles south of the Crossroads.  Head south from the Crossroads, pass Silver Slip Falls (on your left) and watch for the small sign on your right.

There is one bin for all recycling (glass, aluminum and plastic) and a trash compactor for everything else.  The people who staff the SRCs are a very interesting bunch if you care to strike up a conversation!

It's easy to miss.  If you hit Bull Pen Road, you went way too far.  There are other SRCs, but they are all farther away.  The hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 7a-7p.

If you run out of time and cannot take the trash to the SRC, you can always give Jo Brooks a call and she will handle it.

Internet Access

Our home is equipped with wireless DSL by Frontier.

The wireless modem is located in the computer cabinet in the loft.  What you should do on arrival is pull the cabinet away from the wall a little and plug in ALL FOUR POWER CORDS.  You should now have wireless internet throughout the house.

The name of the network and password are printed on labels on the modem itself and are in the green guest binder.

The DSL connection is slower than cable.

To print, walk your laptop up to the loft and USB into the printer.  You cannot print wirelessly.

Please unplug all four plugs behind the loft cabinet before you leave.

First Things First

On arrival:

Enter through the front door and shut the alarm off using the alarm code (if it has not already been disarmed).

Go down to the garage and:

• Turn the water on using the valve just inside the northern-most overhead garage door.
• Plug grey cord to the water pressurizer in the utility room.
• The only thing you need to plug/unplug in the utility room is the pressurizer.
• Open the circuit breaker box near workshop and turn water heater (WH) breakers on.

Go out on deck outside master bedroom and set spa temperature.

Open up the shades in the living room.

Plug in all four power cords behind the loft computer cabinet.

Pull down the bale in the ice maker so you will have ice.

Take your watch off.....you're on vacation!

Pour a cold one and enjoy....

Hikes Close to Laurel Hill

The best way to figure out what hikes you want to take is to pay a visit to Highland Hiker, which is at the southeast corner of the Cashiers Crossroads behind the Farmers Market.  They will sell you a map of Panthertown Valley and help you with whatever hikes you want to go on. This is a 6,300 acre primitive area very close to us, which can be accessed either off Cedar Creek road off of Hwy 63 East or in Toxaway. The classic hike is to Schoolhouse Falls, easiest from the Toxaway entrance.  Panthertown is mostly unmarked, so take a map and compass.  You can borrow one from my backpack hanging in the front hall closet.

A beautiful makeover of Gorges State Park was just completed.  Three great waterfalls, and a very nice day.  To enjoy the falls on the river, you have to hike down quite a ways.  The flip side is that you will have to hike up to get out.  So, these are vigorous hikes, and you should be prepared with food and water.  To access it, head east on Hwy 64 to Hwy 281 in Sapphire, then turn right.  The park entrance is on your left.

An easy hike with a great view is Whiteside Mountain, which is on the way to Highlands on Hwy 64 west.  It’s easy to miss the turnoff, which will be on your left.  Continue up the hill until you reach the parking lot.  Here, you will need to make a $2 donation to the Forest Service.  You walk up the trail (really an old logging road) to the cliff, then work clockwise along the cliff top, and then take the trail down.  This clockwise loop will lead you back to the parking lot.  This is a nice easy hike on the way to Highlands for lunch.

If you feel ambitious (and mischievous), you can hike to the summit of Chimney Top, which is the funny-looking peak due west that you can see off our deck.  If you do this, take water lunch, and plan on 2.5 hours up, an hour at the top, and 1.5 hours down.  Park your car at High Hampton next to the tennis courts, act like you are a guest there, and head south between the cabins and find a little path that crosses the lake on a bridge.  Turn left in front of the honeymoon shack and follow the signs to Chimney Top.  The trail gradually climbs to a “T”, where you turn right to go to Chimney Top. 

You will have to scramble on some rocks at the top, and will have some fantastic views from the peak as you work your way along the ridge peak eastward. Stay away from the edges, as it is very vertical. Be especially careful with dogs and children.  You will see signs everywhere saying these trails are for guests of High Hampton only, but we have been hiking these trails for years and nobody has bothered us.  This hike is a workout.

Also, a daytrip over to the Pisgah National Forest is a good thing, driving time about an hour through Brevard by following Hwy 64 East.  Stop and the Visitor Center and ask for a hike recommendation. There is a Pisgah map in the top of my backpack in the closet. 

Hidden Falls

Hidden Falls is the sixteen-acre parcel of land that is easily accessed from Laurel Hill by either car or foot.  Proceed to the bottom of the driveway, turn left, and bear right down the steep concrete portion of roadway.  Follow the gravel road at the bottom as far as it takes you.

You will come to two stone pillars with iron gates.  The well house you see on the right just before going through gates is where our water comes from.  Proceed down the drive and cross the bridge over Hogback Creek, continuing to the campsite at the end of the road.  You can make a three-point turn here with your car to head back out.

From the fire pit, you will see the gun range.  Walking through the gun range is one of the two routes to the waterfalls.  Follow the signs.  Once you reach a clearing, you will see signs for Eric Falls to the left and Heather Falls to the right.  The trails are easy to follow to both waterfalls.

We would so appreciate it if our guests would stay on the trails while enjoying Hidden Falls.  This land is sacred to us, and we want to keep it pristine.  For your safety and to prevent erosion, please stay off the falls themselves and the forest floor surrounding them.

Because of the topography, Hidden Falls is most enjoyable on a sunny day between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM.  The sun lights up the property during these hours.  Before and after, it can be a little dank and oppressive.

Driving Directions

For security, this blog will not have driving directions, addresses, telephone or fax numbers, home security system or any information related to Internet connections.

We will furnish this to you along with the key if you need it.

Using the BBQ on Deck

The cover is to keep the rain water out of the drippings tray.  You can just take it off and pitch it in the garage for the duration of your stay.

If you follow the gas hose to the deck surface, you will see a little red valve.  Turn it on.

The burners are supposed to be self-lighting, but they sometimes need a little help with a long lighter.

You can BBQ in the rain by pulling the BBQ under the covered porch.

When you are done, shut off the gas valve, as there is no automatic shut off.

Push the BBQ up against the log railing so critters cannot get into the drippings tray at night.

Around the House

There is a hammock folded in a beige bag in the closet next to the basement bath (chains on the rock porch outside the Man Cave are for the hammock).

There are folding chairs in the garage workshop if you want to have a campfire either on the lower terrace of the home or the Hidden Falls campsite.

There are all sorts of games (horseshoes, croquet, badminton, gold mining pans, etc) in the closet just before exiting the basement from the garage.

Use the wax logs in the garage for starting campfires.  There is seasoned wood down by the fire ring.  If you are going to Hidden Falls for a camp fire, take some dry wood from the wood shed with you.

The two green cushions in the master BR are for the chaise lounges by the spa.  Please bring them in at night, as a local raccoon likes to use them as a commode if you leave them out.

To use the spa tubs in the master and loft bathrooms, you need to turn the wall switch “on”.

To use the steam shower in the master bath, push the “steam” button outside the shower and be patient…the steam will eventually come. In the meantime, close the upper shower door vent.

There is extra hummingbird food you can mix if you need it in the pantry.

The kitchen garbage bags are in the pantry.

When the switch by the front door is lit, the driveways lights are "off".  Please check this before bed.

Sapphire Valley Amenities

 

As our guests at Laurel Hill, you are entitled to all of the amenities offered by Sapphire Valley (Wyndham) Resort. You should pick up your amenity cards at the front desk of the Sapphire Valley Community Center. The website is:

http://www.sapphirevalleyresort.com/

You are now able to use the fitness center, pools, spa and all other Sapphire Valley amenities. You will be asked to show your card if you visit Fairfield Lake, so carry it with you.

Wyndham recently began charging a nominal fee for amenity cards to guests.  It is $2 per day, with a three day minimum and I don't think you have to use the cards on consecutive days.

You will definitely get carded at the Fitness Center and Lake Fairfield.  If you want to play golf or tennis, you will get a small discount with an amenity card.

Enjoy! 

Area Restaurant Information

What you need to know is there are some excellent restaurants in the Cashiers area. Not all of them are mentioned here, but the best are. Just remember: 

1. Always a good idea to call for reservations.

2. Skip Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company unless you are dying of malnutrition. 

3. Watch drinking and driving, as both Hwy 64 and Hwy 107 are patrolled. 


The Orchard 
I would put this as the number one destination if you eat out in Cashiers. It’s shabby chic in an old house in an orchard. Chad is the owner, and his brother is the chef. Everything there is excellent.  By now, they should have a full bar and a nice wine selection.  Reservations always required.
http://www.theorchardcashiers.com/ 

The Brown Trout 
This is a little longer drive, but a nice restaurant. It’s on the shore of Lake Toxaway. You turn NORTH on Hwy 281 and it’s a mile or two on your right. Full bar. 
http://www.browntroutgrille.com/ 

The Carolina Smokehouse 
This is your basic Western North Carolina BBQ, complete with serve-yourself cornbread and soup. It’s a family place (no alcohol).  The BBQ at Cashiers Farmers Market is way better quality, but if you want to sit down and eat, this is the only other choice for BBQ in Cashiers. www.thecarolinasmokehouse.com 

The Gamekeeper’s Tavern 
This is probably the nicest upscale family restaurant in our neck of the woods.  Not quite as fancy as The Orchard, but good menu and full bar.  They also have a deli in the front for sandwiches, etc. during the day.  It's halfway between us and Cashiers on Highway 64 (3646 Hwy 64 East, Cashiers, NC). They also have game-type meat such as venison, buffalo, etc. Call 828-743-GAME for reservations. 

Happ’s Place 
This is the most unlikely place you can imagine. It looks like a roadside diner, but really the food is terrific and the people very nice. It’s located on Hwy 107 North heading toward Sylva. Use your GPS (1270 Hwy 107, Cashiers, NC).  Call 828-743-2266 for reservations. 

Cashiers Farmers Market BBQ 
This is absolutely awesome BBQ, but it’s all take-out. It’s on the southeast corner of the Cashiers Crossroads. This is what you want if you are out hiking or fishing and are too tired to cook.  http://www.cashiersfarmersmarket.com/ 


The Cork and Barrel Lounge
Located between the Hampton Inn and Sapphire Valley Public Safety on Hwy 64 East, this is the best shot for late night drinks and tapas-style dining.  They have a restaurant also, but it closes earlier.  The Lounge is open daily 4-12 midnight and the restaurant Monday-Saturday 5-10 pm.  (828) 743-7477.

The Rendevu Restaurant
Our newest area restaurant, this is a really nice breakfast-lunch-dinner place.  Beer and wine only.  The chef was formerly at The Cornucopia and he does a wonderful job.  We did lunch, and saw a lot of take-out activity.  The breakfast is supposed to be great.   Breakfast is 7-11 am, then lunch starts at 11 am.  Dinner is served every night except Sunday.  Located in Foursquare Plaza, just east of the Cashiers Crossroads on Hwy 64 East.  Parking is tight, but they are working   on that.  (828) 743-0190.  Reservations for dinner recommended.

The Cornucopia Restaurant
This is an old Cashiers standby, but with a new chef.  Can't comment on it, as have not been here lately.  It's open from 11 am - 9 pm and the phone number is (828) 743-3750.  You should call regarding hours of service, reservations and alcohol service.

Mica's Restaurant
Another old Cashiers standby.  I would have given it an unqualified "thumbs down" but understand it is under new management and has gotten better lately.  The turn-in comes up quickly on your left directly across from Jennings Builders Supply on Hwy 64 East.  The phone is (828) 743-5740 and you should call for hours of operation.  

Welcome to Laurel Hill Chronicles...

A view of Chimney Top looking west from the deck

Debbie & Steve wish you peace and tranquility as you explore Laurel Hill.  Please make yourselves at home and enjoy your stay.  Check back for more articles and photographs.  We hope that you will leave a post on the blog or write something in the guestbook on the coffee table.  Travel safely!