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I moved to the NC coast from New England, have enjoyed the ocean for a few years now and am ready to get back to the mountains. I will need to be close to water so that I can go boating frequently so I have looked at the area around Lake James, but am still considering moving to the city of Asheville. I plan on doing a lot of hiking and some rock climbing. Any advice from Western NCers?

Sell the boat and get rock climbing gear!

I have rock climbing gear, but I can't see myself selling the boat! haha

I hate Lake James. Too crowded. It stinks of gasoline fumes constantly during the summer. I'll never take my canoe there again, that's for sure.

That said, you're awfully close to the mountains at Lake James. You can be in the Linville Gorge within minutes if you live around that lake.

Lake James water is very very clear and you are close to Linville gorge. Or you could do somewhere near Lake Keowee in SC just over the border from NC ....water is simply the clearest i've ever seen and still be within 45 min of some good climbing (you will be closer to the NC and Georgia ice climbing also) Anywhere near Asheville and you can't go wrong.

gobriango wrote:Lake James water is very very clear and you are close to Linville gorge. Or you could do somewhere near Lake Keowee in SC just over the border from NC ....water is simply the clearest i've ever seen and still be within 45 min of some good climbing (you will be closer to the NC and Georgia ice climbing also) Anywhere near Asheville and you can't go wrong.

Hmmm...So why did you move to Buffalo?

You would keep yourself busy for a long time trying to hit all the hiking trails within an hours drive of Asheville. Also tremendous mountain biking and paddling if you're into that too.

bird wrote:

gobriango wrote:Lake James water is very very clear and you are close to Linville gorge. Or you could do somewhere near Lake Keowee in SC just over the border from NC ....water is simply the clearest i've ever seen and still be within 45 min of some good climbing (you will be closer to the NC and Georgia ice climbing also) Anywhere near Asheville and you can't go wrong.

Hmmm...So why did you move to Buffalo?

For the Mountains !!!

When you say boating, what kind of boating? What kind of work do you intend to do to pay the bills? There are many places to live that offer easy access to hiking/boating/etc. How big a town?

power boating and flat water kayaking. finding a job is not a problem because i work from a home office. as far as town size goes asheville and black mountain would both be suitable size towns. black mountain is small but close to the city, which could a nice change.

mtnbnd wrote:power boating and flat water kayaking. finding a job is not a problem because i work from a home office. as far as town size goes asheville and black mountain would both be suitable size towns. black mountain is small but close to the city, which could a nice change.

I’m not an too knowledgable on Flatwater. A few ideas follow.

In far SW NC are Lakes Hiawassee, Chatuge, Santeelah and Fontana. Access to Smokies, Big Snowbird Cr, Kilmer, S Nantahalah Wilderness.. Only rock close is Whitesides.
Towns are Murphey, Hayesville, Franklin, Robbinsville NC and Hiawassee Ga.

Not sure how much power boating on French Broad near Ashville

Lakes James mentioned.

Many lakes in Tenn basin. The one that comes to mind is South Holsten Lake, east of Bristol. You have the Va Creeper and AT; also Mt Rogers. There is one lake after another on the N and S forks of Holsten , Clinch, and French Broad. Easy access to AT, but not much rock. Smaller towns are Jonesborough and Greenville Tenn and Abingdon Va.

Up toward Blacksburg is Claytor Lake. Not sure about power boating on the New b/c depth and rapids? AT and caves. Again not much rock

Have you thought about Hendersonville? Smaller than Asheville, minutes from Dupont State Forest and I think like 30 minutes to Lake Lure.

Best location in WNC...Waynesville.

Located halfway between the Smokies and Asheville, less than an hour to Shining Rock Wilderness, the Nantahala River, & Fontana Lake. Cheaper housing also. Lived there for three years and still can't figure out why I ever decided to move away.

jocasse and the finger lakes below fontana are awesome water