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? 

Thank You, Associates!

It is that time... when we come together as a Resort and thank our Associates for their hard work and dedication.  At Nemacolin Woodlands Resort we pride ourselves in delivering the very best in customer service.  While not every position at Nemacolin is considered a front-of-the-line position, meaning that an associate interacts face-to-face with our guests, it is still our philosophy that every associate's #1 job is our guests.  No matter the weight of their interactions, an associate's work each and every day does have an impact on the guest's experience. Please join us in congratulating our Associates of the Month and take a moment to learn more on why they were recognized.

RISING STAR:
Amber Kassouf - Retail
"Amber has taken on more responsibilities regarding our resort inventory and our receiving areas. She has implemented new procedures on transferring product and processing of damages that have been really effective"

FRONT OF THE HOUSE:
Jamon Lehman - Woodlands Spa, Salon
"Jamon is a very hard worker and is always up for whatever challenge is thrown his way. He owns every moment and creates lasting memories for his guests."














BACK OF THE HOUSE:
Josh Gray - Food & Beverage, Autumn Culinary
"Josh has stepped up and knocked it out of the park the past three months.  We were down a team member and Josh has done a tremendous job from working extra days and hours."












LEADER OF THE MONTH:
Kanya Knox - Banquets
"Kanya goes above and beyond what she is expected to do.  She always is ready to jump in and assist whatever department needs help, while also managing one of the biggest departments on property."

The Holidays are Upon Us at Nemacolin

As you drive through the entryway and on to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort property, you can begin to see signs of the holiday season.  In fact, our Engineering team has been hard at work outlining the main drive with our Christmas lights display.

The holiday prep work is not limited to just outside.  Our crew is hard at work decorating for the holiday season, and you can see them scattered about the property, turning Nemacolin into a winter wonderland. Inside the Chateau Lafayette, a tall tree already stands in the lobby, beautifully decorated.

The Chateau Lobby will soon be full of decorations, including our famous annual gingerbread house display. Yum! This year’s theme, a large sized train, should be baked, iced and ready to view (no eating!) by Tuesday, November 26th - just in time for Thanksgiving.

Walk through the hotel and into the Lodge and you can see the beginnings of the grand décor that will soon encompass the hallways and lobbies.

You can even catch a few more trees popping up throughout the way. Some will have a theme within their ornaments and garland. This tree stands with a particular, hand painted character:



Located in the Library, a Santa Mr. Hardy wishes you Happy Holidays!

We have approximately 20 trees that will be located around the resort, including a Poinsettia Tree, the flowers of which we grow here in our greenhouse. We have other themed trees as well, including our Animal Tree, representing the wildlife that lives on Nemacolin's property.

The holiday cheer is beginning to show here at Nemacolin, and we officially kick-off the celebration with our Annual Light Up Night on Friday, November 30th, where you can view all the décor in grand fashion as we mark the season with hot chocolate, carols, and of course, the lighting of our tree in front of our Lodge.

We don’t stop there. Learn more about all of the events we have planned this holiday season:

Click Here to view the Thanksgiving Weekend events listing.
Click Here to view the Christmas Week events listing.
Click Here to view the New Year’s Eve parties and events.

We hope that you can visit Nemacolin Woodlands Resort with family and friends at this time of year to enjoy all we have to offer, from the lighting to the dining. We look forward to having you.

Scarecrow Contest Winners Have Been Decided!

It is that time of year, when spooky traditions are shared...

We test our nerves and assess our bravery by entering historical locations that have been declared "haunted."  We don our best or worst attire for the chance at the coveted title of "Most Creative" or "Scariest" costume. Once a tradition that dates back to Medieval times, where the poor would visit homes of the wealthier in order to receive pastries and gifts in exchange for promised prayers for the deceased, is now known as trick-or-treat and a competition for young to survey the quantity and quality of candies that fill their baskets. It is a time when the artist in us all, strategizes just how intricate we can go when pumpkin carving and then realizes before you can begin, someone must be willing to remove the stinky, gooey, guts and seeds that fill the inside. We huddle together under a blanket, with hands over our eyes, peeking through our fingers at the scary movie we wish we never turned on, and then sleep that night with the lights on.

And, at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort we get competitive and collect flannels and props, all for the chance to be declared the winner of our Annual Scarecrow Contest.  Scarecrow Contest?  Yes!  And it is a tradition that is hopefully an obvious sign of the spooky holiday we celebrate, as these creatures take over a space and greet our guests.  We even make the contest interactive, as we welcome our guests to join in on the fun, and leave the voting up to them!  Sometimes the "scariest" wins and other years the winner is the team that successfully was able to add some humor.

This year five departments competed:  Activities, Conference & Catering, Engineering, Laundry and Turfgrass.  They all brought their "A" game with well thought out creations, complete with a yellow brick road (see below).  Some made guests jump and others provided a nice chuckle, but when the voting ended we had new winners to announce.

1st Place - "Zombie" by Laundry

2nd Place - "Save The Pumpkins" by Engineering

3rd Place - "Dorothy" by Conference & Catering

Activities Department

Turfgrass Department

A special thank you to all of our recent guests that were able to join in on our Halloween tradition and fun.  We appreciate your votes!  Also, a big thank you to our departments for participating this year.

For our winners... bragging rights only last one year and like all traditions, they only get better with time, so we look forward to the surprises that are in store for next year.

Do you have a favorite Halloween tradition? If so, share below!

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 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