Winter activities in Asheville and surrounding area include: hiking on nearby trails, braving a cold night of camping, going ice skating and breaking away for the occasional ski, snowboard or sled trek down the local slopes.
Black Dome Mountain Sports guides will be taking participants out by appointment to roadside ice cliffs on Highway 215 for a variety of ice-climbing experiences. These demo events are offered either free of charge or with nominal fees to cover the special equipment needed. Call the shop at 251-2001 to get updates on ice-formation conditions and planned outing dates.
On warmer days when there are no icy cliffs, you can join professional coaches at the Asheville Aerial Arts outdoor studio for some airtime. In the backyard of a central Asheville residence (31 Elizabeth St.), you'll find an 18-foot-tall rig fully outfitted with a static trapeze attachment, silks and other implements of the trade. The studio will be open for sessions all winter. So instead of watching a Cirque de Soleil performance from your indoor theater chair, do your own aerial twists, squirms and stretches over a safety mat near home. Group sessions are $10 per hour. Visit http://www.ashevilleaerialarts.com or call 305-5615 for more information.
For those who have seen enough of Asheville's hiking trails and want to veer a little more off the beaten path, catch up with the hiking groups leaving from Beech Mountain, elevation 5,505 feet. Seasoned and knowledgeable volunteer guides will be leading free hikes during the months of December, January, February and March. For more information, visit http://www.HikeBeechMountain.com or call 387-3003.
If you're not into raising your heart rate this winter, but you still want to get outdoors, check out the Astronomy Club of Asheville. Since the night sky appears especially clear in chilly conditions, group members make a point to huddle around the telescope in some dark corner on select nights through the winter. (Suggestion: Dress warmly.) Although new-moon nights on the top of Mount Pisgah have been a favorite viewing time as of late, dates and times do change, so check the Web site for updates before venturing out: http://www.astroasheville.org.
