Boone climbs National Geographic list

By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com


Boone has been noted as one of the most popular travel destinations and among the best towns in which to live, and now it’s receiving national coverage as an outdoor adventure destination.

Boone earned a spot on the list of National Geographic Adventure magazine’s “50 Top Adventure Towns,” a special insert that will appear in the September issue. It’s the third year of the special insert, but the first time that one town or city was selected from each state.

Ethan Fried, communications spokesman for the magazine, said the editors selected the towns based on the scenic offerings, recreational terrain, available activities and general recreation opportunities.

Boone was selected in the “Mountain” category, and other town categories included “Wilderness,” “Small Town,” “Waterfront,” and “City.”

The article copy touts Boone’s climbing and white water rafting. The article copy reads: “Low-key Boone, at 3,333 feet, is higher than any major town east of the Mississippi River. (Downtown views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are spectacular.) Climbers head to the 2,000-foot-deep Linville Gorge for towering multi-pitch walls, while the Nolichucky River, 60 miles southwest, is one of the least traveled white-water stretches in the region. From the 3,000-foot Nolichucky Gorge, it funnels into the legendary ‘Quarter Mile Rapid,’ the longest continuous Class IV in the Southeast.”

Jeff Kattner with High Mountain Expeditions said the local waterways offer not just recreation, but education, as the unique terrain adds to the experience. “The Nolichucky is an incredible river, with 10 miles of Class II and Class IV water,” he said.

Fried said National Geographic Adventure contributing editor Dan Koeppel spent months tracking down and compiling a list of this year’s top adventure towns.

Ryan Beasley, who has led rock-climbing expeditions for nine years and operates Rock Dimensions in Boone, said the area has not only a diversity of climbing spots but a rock culture as well.

The complete list of winning towns from across the country is posted at nationalgeographic.com/adventure. National Geographic Adventure is published 10 times a year and has 2.3 million readers a year.

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