The NC mountains have been a gift to me from an early age. My first recollections of sleeping in a tent, eating dinner over a campfire, and singing under the stars were from summer camp and later as a camp counselor. From that time until now, I have run to the hills for recreation, restoration and reassurance. 

While at UNC-Greensboro, I grew deep friendships on mountain retreats. Since then, I’ve witnessed the exchange of vows in this breathtaking setting, lounged on cabin vacations, and made memories at the Biltmore Estate with family home for the holidays, and out-of-town guests.

Each of us needs a respite from our weights and worries. That’s why I love a winding road trip to the NC mountains. There, I can reflect and regain a sense of the bigness of the world and all it has to offer while healing under the safe covering of fragrant evergreens and starlit heavens. Each visit to the NC mountains leaves me stronger, which explains so much about the determined, resilient people who call them home.

Catherine Plough, Monroe, a member of Union Power Cooperative