SavageLlama
05-06-2005, 09:40
The NYT highlight a few houses near the AT in today's paper.. looks like it's going to cost you!
Houses Along the Appalachian Trail: Where America Hikes
As told to Amy Gunderson
The New York Times
May 6, 2005
WHO -- Mercer Blankenship, 69, a retired lawyer from Arden, N.C., shown in the barn he is converting for hikers to use as a shelter
WHAT -- 2-bedroom house
WHERE -- Roan Mountain, N.C.
My mother and father visited Roan Mountain in the 1930's and built this little cabin in 1940. Growing up, I spent all my summers here and now I visit once a month.
The house is about two miles from the Appalachian Trail, and I hiked the whole trail in 1996. I started on March 21, came thru Roan in the middle of May and spent the weekend at my house with some friends. It took me six months and five days to reach the end in Maine.
The Roan Valley is a little part of heaven. A lot of people think Roan is one of the prettiest areas along the trail because of the natural balds -- the mountains don't have any trees. The hardest parts of the trail are the beginning in Georgia and the end in Maine. In Springer Mountain, in Georgia, it is just up and down. It's hard on the knees. A lot of people drop out at the beginning. I saw one guy who must have had 80 pounds of equipment -- he didn't last a week. You learn to travel light. To prepare, I would take hikes around my neighborhood with five-pound bags of sugar in my backpack.
Along the trail there are shelters for hikers every five or seven miles. I stayed in a shelter when I could and would like to provide that kind of service using my barn, so when hikers come through Roan they have a place to stay. Most of the through hikers -- the ones attempting the entire trail -- come through the area in May.
I wish I could do the whole thing again, but I have arthritis now, so I can only do some local hiking. But hikers always try to help each other, so I can be a trail angel. As told to Amy Gunderson
ON THE MARKET
Information on properties was provided by the listing companies.
WHERE -- Salisbury, Conn.
WHAT -- 4-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $1,295,000
There are several access points to the Appalachian Trail near this 2,320-square-foot hexagonal house. Built in 1985, it has a living room with a freestanding stone fireplace, a 16-foot ceiling and skylights. There also are skylights in the kitchen and in the master suite, which has a Jacuzzi tub and a five-nozzle steam shower. There are two other full bathrooms and a half bath. A wooden deck overlooks a swimming pool that is surrounded by brick paving. Broker: Elyse Harney, Elyse Harney Real Estate, (860) 435-2200; www.harneyre.com .
WHERE -- Sheffield, Mass.
WHAT -- 4-bedroom house with guesthouse
HOW MUCH -- $2.75 million
Built in 1734, this house sits on 66 acres less than a mile from the Appalachian Trail in Berkshire County. The main house has three fireplaces, a library and three bathrooms. A converted barn has two one-bedroom guest suites, each with a sitting and kitchen area. There are a swimming pool and frontage on a 110-acre pond. Agent: Martha Piper, Stone House Properties, (413) 232-4253; www.stonehouseproperties.com .
WHERE -- Vernon, N.J.
WHAT -- 4-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $1.45 million
The Appalachian Trail runs through High Point State Park, which is a 20-minute drive from this 5,500-square-foot custom-built house. Built in 1990, the house has a wine cellar, two and a half bathrooms, three fireplaces, a three-car attached garage, a finished basement, two decks and a swimming pool with a hot tub. The property is 6.9 acres with a koi pond and views of the High Point monument and nearby ski slopes. Vernon is 50 miles from New York. Agent: Cynthia Bentzen, Century 21 Gross & Jansen Realtors, (973) 764-4545; www.c21gross.com .
WHERE -- Pawling, N.Y
WHAT -- 2-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $349,000
This 1,928-square-foot stone cottage is a five-minute walk from the Appalachian Trail in Dutchess County and a one-minute walk from swimming and fishing at Sky Lake. It has two fireplaces, a spiral staircase, one bathroom, a wine cellar and an eat-in kitchen. There are a covered stone patio, a balcony and a rear deck. The original structure was built in 1900 as an ice house and was converted into a residence in the 1950s. Broker: Gillian Stewart, Gillian Stewart Real Estate, (845) 855-5092; www.gillianstewart.biz .
WHERE -- Hayesville, N.C.
WHAT -- 2-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $274,900
The Appalachian Trail is within four miles of this 1,500-square-foot cedar-sided house in the Blue Ridge Mountains near the Georgia border. It has an open living and dining area, a stacked stone fireplace, exposed beams, hardwood floors, a loft and two bathrooms. There are front and rear covered porches. A creek runs beside the property, which is one acre and has a gravel driveway and a small pond. A small structure for entertaining sits beside the creek. Agent: Shelagh Whitney, Exit Realty Mountain Properties, (706) 896-2140; www.exitng.com .
WHERE -- Damascus, Va.
WHAT -- 5-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $209,000
Built in 1908, this two-story, 2,546-squarefoot house is a five-minute walk from the Appalachian Trail. It has much of its original woodwork; two bathrooms, including one with a clawfoot bathtub; two brick fireplaces; a small dining area off the kitchen; a laundry room; and hardwood floors. Damascus, in southwest Virginia, celebrates Trail Days every May; this year, trail and hiking-related events are planned May 7 to May 16. Agent: Donna Bise, Century 21 Shamrock Realty, (276) 628-1694; www.saysold.biz .
# # #
Houses Along the Appalachian Trail: Where America Hikes
As told to Amy Gunderson
The New York Times
May 6, 2005
WHO -- Mercer Blankenship, 69, a retired lawyer from Arden, N.C., shown in the barn he is converting for hikers to use as a shelter
WHAT -- 2-bedroom house
WHERE -- Roan Mountain, N.C.
My mother and father visited Roan Mountain in the 1930's and built this little cabin in 1940. Growing up, I spent all my summers here and now I visit once a month.
The house is about two miles from the Appalachian Trail, and I hiked the whole trail in 1996. I started on March 21, came thru Roan in the middle of May and spent the weekend at my house with some friends. It took me six months and five days to reach the end in Maine.
The Roan Valley is a little part of heaven. A lot of people think Roan is one of the prettiest areas along the trail because of the natural balds -- the mountains don't have any trees. The hardest parts of the trail are the beginning in Georgia and the end in Maine. In Springer Mountain, in Georgia, it is just up and down. It's hard on the knees. A lot of people drop out at the beginning. I saw one guy who must have had 80 pounds of equipment -- he didn't last a week. You learn to travel light. To prepare, I would take hikes around my neighborhood with five-pound bags of sugar in my backpack.
Along the trail there are shelters for hikers every five or seven miles. I stayed in a shelter when I could and would like to provide that kind of service using my barn, so when hikers come through Roan they have a place to stay. Most of the through hikers -- the ones attempting the entire trail -- come through the area in May.
I wish I could do the whole thing again, but I have arthritis now, so I can only do some local hiking. But hikers always try to help each other, so I can be a trail angel. As told to Amy Gunderson
ON THE MARKET
Information on properties was provided by the listing companies.
WHERE -- Salisbury, Conn.
WHAT -- 4-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $1,295,000
There are several access points to the Appalachian Trail near this 2,320-square-foot hexagonal house. Built in 1985, it has a living room with a freestanding stone fireplace, a 16-foot ceiling and skylights. There also are skylights in the kitchen and in the master suite, which has a Jacuzzi tub and a five-nozzle steam shower. There are two other full bathrooms and a half bath. A wooden deck overlooks a swimming pool that is surrounded by brick paving. Broker: Elyse Harney, Elyse Harney Real Estate, (860) 435-2200; www.harneyre.com .
WHERE -- Sheffield, Mass.
WHAT -- 4-bedroom house with guesthouse
HOW MUCH -- $2.75 million
Built in 1734, this house sits on 66 acres less than a mile from the Appalachian Trail in Berkshire County. The main house has three fireplaces, a library and three bathrooms. A converted barn has two one-bedroom guest suites, each with a sitting and kitchen area. There are a swimming pool and frontage on a 110-acre pond. Agent: Martha Piper, Stone House Properties, (413) 232-4253; www.stonehouseproperties.com .
WHERE -- Vernon, N.J.
WHAT -- 4-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $1.45 million
The Appalachian Trail runs through High Point State Park, which is a 20-minute drive from this 5,500-square-foot custom-built house. Built in 1990, the house has a wine cellar, two and a half bathrooms, three fireplaces, a three-car attached garage, a finished basement, two decks and a swimming pool with a hot tub. The property is 6.9 acres with a koi pond and views of the High Point monument and nearby ski slopes. Vernon is 50 miles from New York. Agent: Cynthia Bentzen, Century 21 Gross & Jansen Realtors, (973) 764-4545; www.c21gross.com .
WHERE -- Pawling, N.Y
WHAT -- 2-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $349,000
This 1,928-square-foot stone cottage is a five-minute walk from the Appalachian Trail in Dutchess County and a one-minute walk from swimming and fishing at Sky Lake. It has two fireplaces, a spiral staircase, one bathroom, a wine cellar and an eat-in kitchen. There are a covered stone patio, a balcony and a rear deck. The original structure was built in 1900 as an ice house and was converted into a residence in the 1950s. Broker: Gillian Stewart, Gillian Stewart Real Estate, (845) 855-5092; www.gillianstewart.biz .
WHERE -- Hayesville, N.C.
WHAT -- 2-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $274,900
The Appalachian Trail is within four miles of this 1,500-square-foot cedar-sided house in the Blue Ridge Mountains near the Georgia border. It has an open living and dining area, a stacked stone fireplace, exposed beams, hardwood floors, a loft and two bathrooms. There are front and rear covered porches. A creek runs beside the property, which is one acre and has a gravel driveway and a small pond. A small structure for entertaining sits beside the creek. Agent: Shelagh Whitney, Exit Realty Mountain Properties, (706) 896-2140; www.exitng.com .
WHERE -- Damascus, Va.
WHAT -- 5-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $209,000
Built in 1908, this two-story, 2,546-squarefoot house is a five-minute walk from the Appalachian Trail. It has much of its original woodwork; two bathrooms, including one with a clawfoot bathtub; two brick fireplaces; a small dining area off the kitchen; a laundry room; and hardwood floors. Damascus, in southwest Virginia, celebrates Trail Days every May; this year, trail and hiking-related events are planned May 7 to May 16. Agent: Donna Bise, Century 21 Shamrock Realty, (276) 628-1694; www.saysold.biz .
# # #