Unexpected Discoveries

We naturally enter situations and experiences with preconceived notions and ideas about what it might be like. It’s natural to assume or ponder how we think things will go, but there are, of course, endless ways the world can surprise us. Hear from some of the Blackberry Mountain team about the most unexpected thing they’ve discovered in their time on the Mountain.

“My biggest discovery at Blackberry Mountain has been my return to nature. While I was raising my daughter, we spent a lot of time hiking and exploring the Great Smoky Mountains. As she grew up, life changed, and we spent less time outdoors. While I was at Blackberry Farm, I enjoyed foraging and getting back out into nature, but when I started at Blackberry Mountain, I was amazed by how much more rugged and immersed in nature we are here. I love the challenge of finding new and unexpected things in natural world to bring inside and am always surprised to stumble upon new wildlife and plants. I knew coming to the Mountain would be a new challenge, but I underestimated the adventure I would find in returning to nature and helping our guests experience the same joy.”
– Elizabeth Daniels, Floral Supervisor at Blackberry Mountain

“So many unexpected joys have come from my time here on the Mountain. Before we opened, there was an intense and nervous excitement inside me. I couldn’t wait to share the extraordinary experiences that this land could offer with our guests. I thrive on movement, mindfulness and connecting with nature and with others. Here, I was able to do this every day! At that time, I would have said that my favorite thing about my job would be the ‘doing.’ I thought I would most love to share the elevated experiences of a sunrise meditation or aerial yoga among the trees. Don’t get me wrong; these are immensely moving experiences that you cannot find elsewhere. I did, though, find my perspective shifting once we were finally able to welcome others to property. Our guests began not only speaking of their many adventures but of the beautiful energy they felt when they arrived. The Mountain makes settling so easy, almost effortless. It immediately feels like home. Once settled in, I was able to revisit and immerse myself in the profound ‘feeling’ this place holds. I am lucky enough to witness the magic this mountain holds each and every time I come to work. I would say that my favorite discovery here is the ever-changing magic of the Mountain.”
– Meghan Henley, Wellness Manager at Blackberry Mountain

“Us adventure guides are "out in it" every day here at the Mountain, and I am often further out in it than most! On one such day I took along an accomplice, fellow adventure guide Hall Mebane. The date was December 22, 2018. We hiked a big gnarly loop here on the Mountain that day, slogging through several inches of heavy, wet snow. The waterfalls were rocking, and it was a Winter wonderland. At one point during our ramble, we were on a steep boulder-strewn slope on the north side of the Mountain when I looked up and saw a very inviting looking "rock house." Not an actual cave in the truest sense of the word, but a good facsimile – a great chunk of stone held aloft by the massive roots of an old chestnut oak, which created a roof under which was a cozy alcove of underlying rock. Well naturally, I had to check it out! Without a moment of hesitation, I scrambled up the steep slope and dove in head first, up to the waist. It went back into the hillside about 14 feet, and seeing as I was blocking the entrance, it was inky black inside. I shifted my position just enough to admit some ambient light from the outside, and low and behold, from a place in there that was blacker than black, two bright glowing embers appeared. It took just a matter of seconds for my mind to register that what I saw was not water droplets reflecting the light. Nor were the bright objects quartz crystals or shiny ice. No, what I was seeing was seeing me in return. It was a great she bear, and I was in her den! Let me tell you, it did not take me long to vacate her Winter quarters. Hall, an avid and exceptional climber, was on the lookout for climbing destinations on this hike and had opted to wait below while I looked at holes in the ground. He now congratulated himself for his good decision! I found out about two months later when I revisited the den with Blackberry Mountain Adventure Manager Adam Grigsby (accomplice #2), that she had been an expectant mother and in a very relaxed state of torpor. She was most likely holding her breath and praying that I hadn't noticed her. On the second visit to the den, her cubs could be heard nursing from some distance away from the den entrance. We kept a respectful distance. She raised four cubs that year. I recently returned to check the den again. No one was home, but I saw her tracks in the snow nearby, accompanied by the footprints of a new set of cubs. Holes in the ground, bends in the trail, impenetrable tangles of Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel where the streams run noisily unseen – one never knows where the next great adventure will find you, but one thing you can know for certain: there are countless adventures "out there" to be had, so get out there and have them!”
– Boyd Hopkins, Head Naturalist at Blackberry Mountain

“One thing that I didn’t expect was how close I’d get to work with some talented local farmers. When I left Blackberry Farm, I immediately missed having the amazing garden so close to the restaurant. I had grown to rely on the garden at the Farm not just for ingredients, but also inspiration. After coming to the Mountain, I contacted as many local farmers as I could get a hold of. About four responded that were willing to grow stuff directly for Three Sisters. This was an important resource for me at the time and has developed into an important part of the food we serve at Three Sisters.”
– Joey Edwards, Executive Chef of Three Sisters Lodge