LUXURY REAL ESTATE BLUE RIDGE Mountain Club The Best of North Carolina s High Country T he Appalachian region in western North Carolina is steeped in a sort of textbook American history. The Cherokee used the ancient mountains as hunting grounds before Scottish and Irish immigrants used them as a base for building a better life in the 18th century. Mountain towns like Blowing Rock in Watauga County drew the sickly, who came for the clean alpine air. Top East Coast Luxury Real Estate
Blue Ridge Mountain Club is a retreat where people can come to really enjoy themselves and the company of loved ones in the mountains of western North Carolina and have access to what we here call the unbelievably great outdoors. - Jim Pitts, General Manager 116 THE PROSPERTERE APRIL/MAY 2017
Carpeted in blue-green hemlock, pine and oak trees, the Blue Ridge Mountains are home to the country s most impressive wildlife including cougars, deer, black bears, wild turkeys and great horned owls. The area has become a haven a place of worship almost to both Americans and tourists alike looking for a memorable outdoor adventure and some jaw dropping photos, especially in October, when the leaves of the deciduous trees turn vibrant shades of yellow, gold and red. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and just minutes from the quaint town of Blowing Rock in the picturesque High Country region, is the Blue Ridge Mountain Club, a private 6,000-acre residential community that offers seemingly endless Appalachian views, abundant family-oriented activities and adventures, vast natural and planned amenities, and simply breathtaking homesites. Blue Ridge Mountain Club is a retreat where people can come to really enjoy themselves and the company of loved ones in the mountains of western North Carolina and have access to what we here call the unbelievably great outdoors, says general manager Jim Pitts. Built atop two of the highest, most stunning ridgelines in the Appalachians, the club features a plethora of natural amenities including waterfalls, natural swimming holes and trout-filled streams in addition to hiking trails, a great lawn and a community pavilion. These, and many other features, help make up what Pitts refers to as the four pillars contributing to the club s allure which in his words are the nearby charming town environment, the climate and elevation of the property, the unparalleled views and the unbeatable access to the outdoors. THE PROSPERTERE APRIL/MAY 2017 117
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And when Pitts says unbeatable access to the outdoors he s not kidding around. The club s property boasts eight miles of improved hiking paths, numerous untouched trails, 15 miles of multi-purpose routes for horseback riding, ATV adventures and mountain biking, and the 2.4-mile Nickajack trail which wraps around the ridge-line and offers dramatic views of Dugger Valley and Laurel Creek Valley. Not to mention the property s 64-miles of jurisdictional creeks, streams, pocket wetlands and a variety of waterfalls that has earned them an Outstanding Resource Watershed classification from the State of North Carolina. With over 6,000-acres of pristine National Park-grade mountain land, it s no surprise that Blue Ridge Mountain Club offers an incredibly wide range of property options for those looking to make the splendor of the Appalachian region their home. The development, which already has over 300 land owners and more than a hundred homes built, contains homesites of various acreage ranging from $100,000 up to $2 million. THE PROSPERTERE APRIL/MAY 2017 121
In addition, the club offers 2,000-3,000 squarefoot cottage properties ranging from $500,000 to $800,000 as well as spectacular family homes from $600,000 all the way up to $2 million. We also offer two and three bedroom condominiums in the $400,000 to $600,000 range, Pitts explains. These condo properties are very thoughtfully-designed and feature great views, large outdoor areas and are located right within convenience of the village. As the Blue Ridge Mountain Club rapidly approaches a critical membership mass, they are nearing completion on the new Chetola Sporting Club at Blue Ridge Mountain Club as well as the impressive Watson Gap Village development. The village will include a Clubhouse for informal community events, weddings and concerts; an indoor/outdoor Grill that will offer incredible cuisine and an expansive wine and beer list; a Great Lawn which will feature a dramatic bonfire garden; and a Fitness and Wellness Center that will provide members with a first-class fitness facility complete with massage rooms and a dry sauna. We look at these amenities as part of the core member experience at Blue Ridge Mountain Club, says Pitts. People have been making their way into western North Carolina s High Country for over a hundred years now. They have come seeking both refuge and revelry, both adventure and bliss. At Blue Ridge Mountain Club, it s all within arms reach. There s a lot of construction going on here, Pitts says excitedly. The community has really matured and the next evolution of High Country and the Blue Ridge Mountain Club is upon us. 122 THE PROSPERTERE APRIL/MAY 2017