Campus Facilities
The Landmark Learning base facility is located on 30 acres of recovering southeast hardwood forested mountainside, with 3 clear springs, 800' of creek frontage, and a plethora of wildlife.
The Base:
Located up a "holler" Landmark is not far from the towns of Sylva and Cullowhee, so students can get away after class to clear their heads, grab some food in town, and hit the Rec Center or the university pool. Trail running, mountain biking, and nature walking can occur right from our doorstep. The Tuckasegee River, the Slab, the Nantahala River, Whitesides Mountain, and Panthertown Valley are all easily accessible after class or during course breaks on our longer programs.
Landmark Learning was built from the ground up with the outdoor professional in mind, and its rustic foundation is complimented with modern amenities. Landmark’s 1200 square foot classroom is the first building you encounter as you walk onto the property. It houses an open floor, two bathrooms, showers, and rudimentary kitchen access (refrigerator, microwave, toaster oven) for student use. The classroom is open 24 hours a day while your course is going on. A pavilion is available for outdoor cooking – most students bring camp stoves to cook on and crates in which to store their dry goods. Around back, by the gear room, is an outdoor clean-up and recycle station.
Next to the classroom is the Cane Creek House, a 1920’s cabin which has recently been renovated to host Landmark’s main office. Check in and any final tuition or paperwork due is handled here in the morning on the first day of your class. Any administrative needs are handled by our office staff within regular business hours.
The Nook:
Lodging is available at our base if you choose to stay on our property for an additional per night fee. Camping space is located near the classroom and parking area – you will need to bring all your own camping gear. The Nook (our bunkhouses) is a 10 minute walk up the mountain, is unheated and has no running water, but a port-a-john is available and it is lighted to help you study at night – you should pack a light backpack with your clothes, pillow, sleeping bag, and a cover sheet for the twin mattress. A maximum of 16 spaces are available in the Nook, 2 bunkbeds in each of 4 rooms, and we assign housing based on gender.
Wireless access is available at and near the classroom if you bring your own laptop. Generally, cell phone reception is spotty but Verizon seems to work consistently well and we can point out the hotspots on the deck and lawn where other providers seem to connect well.
The Land:
The property that Landmark Learning occupies has been designated with a Steward Forest plan in efforts to enhance its land health and promote ecological studies in our area. Naturalists agree that the rich biological diversity makes this one of the best regions in the world for outdoor research. Current trail-building programs and partnerships with conservation groups are in full swing, and we are able to swap programs for service with volunteer and service groups.
In the summer of 2000 as an internship for a student from Penn State, the newly purchased property was explored, the boundary line rediscovered and marked, and the study for its Forest designation begun. A number of Foresters were consulted to evaluate the health of the land and its potential future uses. When we met one who said "not good for timbering" we asked him to elaborate and design a 20-year plan for our land management, and forest habitat and health enhancement. The Landmark Steward Forest was designated in 2001.
Each year the plan is reevaluated and an additional year is tacked onto the end. To date we have surpassed our land management expectations and are ahead of schedule. Landmark now has the beginnings of an extensive trail system in place. The recent devastation of the southern pine beetle (2004) and our subsequent tree felling has enhanced the ground cover and soil. Brush piles built from the piney boughs are protection for our wild birds and ground animals.
