Communities

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — In West Virginia, spring doesn’t begin on a single date. It begins with a sound. On mild late-winter evenings, a high, piping chorus rises from ponds, wetlands, and roadside ditches across central Appalachia. These are spring peepers—tiny tree frogs whose mating calls are among the earliest signs that winter is loosening its … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginians like to say, “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.” In the Allegheny Mountains, that old line turns from a joke into a forecasting rule. From Preston and Tucker counties south through Webster and Greenbrier and into the high ridges near Snowshoe Mountain, the Alleghenies acts like the … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia backcountry is having a moment. From high ridgelines and spruce forests to deep river gorges and winter slopes, the Mountain State has become a magnet for travelers who want something wilder than a roadside overlook. These adventurers want long hikes, remote camps, rugged climbs, whitewater runs, and snow days … Read more

HELVETIA, W.Va. — History will tell you the name Helvetia is derived from the Helvetii, a Celtic tribe that once peopled the region now known as Switzerland. But here in the mountains of West Virginia, where fact and folklore mingle, Helvetia simply means “Little Switzerland.” It’s a small hamlet, tucked away in a remote corner … Read more

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — As the calendar passes Midwinter Day on Jan. 15, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say late winter in West Virginia is likely to lean milder than average overall, even as the Mountain State remains vulnerable to periodic cold snaps and snowstorms through the end of February. According to the … Read more