Leaf Peeper’s Delight

 

October is all about color this week as the region hits about 30-50% tree foliage change, due to the chilly nights and many bright, sunny days. This is almost perfect for leaf peepers, as The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for Pennsylvania is predicting Peak Week to enter a week sooner than last year in the Laurel Highlands, from October 7 – 12, 2014. Pennsylvania’s location supports 134 species of trees and many more shrubs and vines that contribute to the display of autumn color. Almost half of those species have changed already and are creating a spectacular view at Nemacolin. Have you seen the gorgeous changes around the resort?

Ash, birch, poplar and walnut are varying shades of brilliant yellow and gold; virginia creeper, sumac, dogwood and blackgum are glowing in scarlet, maroon and brick red; while sassafras is clocking in with the brightest colors in hot orange and yellow. The higher elevation of the Laurel Highlands cause color change to happen a bit sooner than the surrounding counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania, so if you look out your window and the trees are not as bright, it’s time to take a trip down our way and get a full taste of the bright and beautiful colors Nemacolin is showcasing.

The best time to experience fall foliage is by getting outside as often as you can, as even a day or two can spark new color in each tree. Check in next week, as Peak Week reveals itself for leaf peepers in the Laurel Highlands! And don’t forget to sit back, relax and enjoy the view…

Leaf-Peeping on The First Day of Fall

Change is in the air! It certainly is the beginning of fall here at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, a time in the Laurel Highlands where you can view some of the most beautiful scenery in Western Pennsylvania. Our team was hard at work this morning, building our pumpkin and squash display in front of the Lodge.

You may have already noticed a few changing colors earlier in the month due to a spell of cold nights and hot days. As our days get shorter and cold nights get longer, the temperature and waning sunlight stimulates the change, and eventually prompts the “fall” of the leaf.  But not to worry, Pennsylvania has the longest and most unique fall foliage season than any other state, and only about 10% of the trees have changed in the Laurel Highlands Region.

Our best autumn colors will be showcased over the peak week of October 7 – 12, during our fall festival, RocktoberFest, on Saturday, October 11. The leaves are already popping color, so you won’t want to miss the beautiful views on the back side of the Sundial Lodge, listening to live music and sipping on craft beer.

Nemacolin will certainly bring some beautiful sights in the upcoming weeks, whether you want to golf, hike, horseback ride or just sit on a Lodge balcony. Where are your favorite spots to leaf-peep at Nemacolin? 

Conclusion of Peak Week at Nemacolin

I went out Monday to take some snapshots of the waning tree branches before the rain (and possible snow, but we won’t think about that) hit Farmington. It was a beautiful day and the leaves almost seemed to sparkle in the warmth of the sunlight.  It then that I realized... Peak Week is nearing an end. It was harder to find the types of shots I wanted, with full bright branches reaching overhead. The foliage is darkening into maroon, burnt sienna and dark gold instead of the bright reds and pinks and oranges that I was capturing before. It’s almost as if the leaves are settling into their places; first, young and excited that their time was here, now, seasoned professionals that have calmed into the true colors of fall. Many have already retired to their resting places, littering the ground.

As you tour the resort, you will still be able to spot a few green, full oak and hickory trees. The warmer temperatures over the past week or so have kept the late bloomers at bay, but after this week’s cold front, they may quickly burst into color in order to catch up with their counterparts. The fall changes and color, however, are far from over in Pennsylvania. A drive to or from Nemacolin Woodlands Resort will display many different levels of foliage depending on the destination. The higher elevation of the Laurel Highlands cause color change a week or so before the surrounding lower elevation counties in Southwest and Southeast Pennsylvania. Right now, the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia regions are just beginning to enter into their Peak Week. If your drive is to or from Northern Pennsylvania, the area is already far past full color and prepping for the winter months ahead.

The colors are beautiful here, right now, and there is no better time to come visit us.

Christina Petrilli
Assistant Marketing Manager
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Top 10 Places to Leaf-Peep at Nemacolin

Mid-October means we are in peak Fall Foliage season here in the Laurel Highlands. The colors are most vibrant now and tree branches are beginning to look bare as the temperature drops. So, I’ve searched the property for the best places to take in some of the most beautiful views around Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Whether you are vacationing with us or visiting for the day, be sure to check out these fantastic spots over the next week.


Top 10 Places to Leaf-Peep at Nemacolin:

10. Out a Chateau Window
A perfect place to enjoy your morning cup of coffee is looking out a Chateau window onto the Laurel Highlands mountains. The pops of fall color will surely enlighten you and assist in your morning wake-up fix.

9. The Walking Trails
Catch a nice day and enjoy the scenery on foot with one of our various walking trails.

8. Off-Road in a Jeep
Drive into the woodlands for a view of the foliage deep within grounds.  Our Off-Road Driving Academy's 20-miles of terrain welcome you to a rugged, muddy adventure.

 

7. On Horseback
You can’t get any closer to nature than this! Duck under the Fall leaves that hang low on branches, as you take mount and guide through two-miles of trails with our Backwoods Trail Rides.

6. The Nemacolin Field Club
Whether you end up at the Shooting Academy or on a Guided Fishing Trip, you are bound to be enjoying the views of the great outdoors.

5. Animal Enclosures
Trade in the Savannah for Pennsylvania foliage when you take your family on a Safari Ride, right here at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.

4. 40’ Ropes Course
See a bird's eye view of the best colors of fall as you balance your way through our Ropes Course 40 feet in the air.

3. Apex
Sit back, relax and enjoy a casual meal paired with a great view at our restaurant, Apex.

 

2. One of our Two Golf Courses
You have just two weeks left to play your best golf on either one of our championship courses, Mystic Rock or The Links.

1. Fatbird Flyer Zip Line
Cameras are not recommended on this trip, but it’s a sight you’ll never forget as you zip down 1,060 feet of line, catching a bird’s eye view of the surrounding foliage.

Christina Petrilli
Assistant Marketing Manager
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Fall Foliage Is Nearing Peak

The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for Pennsylvania is predicting October 11 - 17 as the Peak Fall Foliage week in the Laurel Highlands. Which couldn't be any better timing with our Annual RocktoberFest event scheduled for Saturday, October 12, 2013.

If you have driven throughout property lately you will notice the fullness of color along the horizon.  These splashes of  beautiful warm colors are not accidental nor sporadic, but attributed to the tree species and their characteristic colors.

• Oaks - Reds and Browns
• Hickories - Golden Yellow or Orange
• Maples (differ by species)
• Red Maple - Scarlet Red
• Sugar Maple - Orange
• Black Maple - Yellow

Try to identify the species as we highlight some of our favorite Fall Foliage images from this Week! 

 

 

And, if you have yet to make time for Fall Leaf-Peeping in the Laurel Highlands, please plan a road trip soon.  As quick as the colors presented themselves, the season will fade, and we all know what season is just around the corner!

Fall Foliage Update at Nemacolin

My, oh my, has the fall foliage palette burst through the greenery like a firework on the fourth of July. It seems like almost yesterday the "dog days of summer" had us panting by the pool, with long branches of green leaves offering us shade from the heat. That is not the case anymore! The surrounding trees have stolen the show. Take a look:

There are three major pigments that play a role in creating the leaves’ jewel like tones. Of course, we’ve all heard of Chlorophyll in high school science class, which is the green photosynthetic pigment found in plants.  It brings out the green we all know and love in the summer. There are two others; however, that play a major role during the fall. Carotenoids, which reflect orange, yellow and brown colors while Anthocyanin does the same for red, blue and purple. As night falls sooner and for a longer period of time, chlorophyll fades away while carotenoids and anthocyanin take over.

The best views are yet to come, during the week of October 12th through 18th, and we can’t wait to see the views that it brings us.

 

Be sure to kick-off peak “leaf-peeping” week Saturday, October 12th at our Annual Rocktoberfest event, a day filled with craft brew tastings, live music, adventure activities and of course, the colors of autumn.



Christina Petrilli
Assistant Marketing Manager
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

We Welcome Fall at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

Welcome to the third day of fall. They days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder, but that means leaves are beginning to showcase the brilliant colors of the season. As you’re driving, I’m sure you’ve taken notice that the tips of most trees are no longer green; most of us know this change all too well. If you live on the east coast, this side of the country is where leaves display the reds, yellows, and oranges of fall. Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is surrounded by the burst of color that fall brings, and I’m on the search to find the best.

Just like winter snowflakes, no two years bring the same foliage sights. Dependent on temperature and sunlight, each year factors in a different array of colors, patterns and leaf-fall. Certain trees carry specific colors in their leaves once the nights begin to grow longer toward the end of the year.

Oak – Red, Brown, Russet

Hickory – Golden Bronze

Aspen – Golden Yellow

Dogwood – Purplish Red

Beech – Light Tan

Sourwood – Crimson

Red Maple – Scarlet

Sugar Maple – Orange-Red

Black Maple – Yellow

When you arrive for your Nemacolin stay, take some time to look around the resort and see if you can name what tree species are growing on property. In the meantime, check out the bursts of color we are already beginning to see around the resort:

 

If you haven’t booked your fall vacation and these pictures aren’t convincing enough, be sure to take a look at one of the best packages we have to offer right now, our Simply the Best Package, and make sure you book your stay to see some of the best sights in the Laurel Highlands!

Congratulations to our Associates of the Month!

Henry Ford once said, “Take my building, all my money, my land, but leave me my people and within one year I will be back on top again.” 

We found this quote quite fitting as we put together our Associates of the Month announcement.  At Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, we are honored with the many awards and recognitions we have received from various industry leading organizations over the years.  We are proud of the new Sundial Lodge and other infrastructure improvements and additions we have built for our guests' enjoyment.  We are proud of the endless list of amenities that come with striving to be the best within our industry for the past 26 years.  Most of all, we are proud of our people, our family.  Our Associates are the foundation of our culture.

Join us in celebrating and congratulating our Associates of the Month!


Front of the House:
Sarah "Liz" Berlovich - Woodlands Spa
"Sarah does superb work and is very professional with all of her guests. Sarah goes out of her way to make sure her guests are happy and enjoying not only the service she is providing them but also their entire stay.  Sarah is a great asset to our team and I feel she should be recognized for it!"

Rising Star: 

Lauren "Shorty" Pavlicko - Tavern / Apex
"Lauren goes above and beyond service standards to ensure all guests and co-workers are treated with the greatest satisfaction in mind."

Leader of the Month:
Allan Treacher - Engineering
"Immediately after Alan was promoted to Assistant Director of Engineering, improvements were noticed. He jumped in head first and tackled tasks with confidence and much ambition. He is hands on and results oriented. He seems relentless and has the knowledge to back up his mission"

Team of the Quarter:
Activities
A HUGE thank you to our Activities team for their long hours and hard work during the planning, building and launch of our new Sundial Lodge!














Not Pictured.  Back Of The House:Jim Fernico - Housekeeping
"Jim has stepped up and started training our new associates in housekeeping. He is a loyal and dedicated employee and always goes above and beyond his job duties. He truly cares for the condition of our property and is constantly striving to make improvements."