News Briefing

To Our Orchard Friends & Family

We would like to thank each and every one of you that visited us this year and continue to inquire and care about the Orchard and our staff after Hurricane Helene. We didn’t get to send our October newsletter due to service outages, but wanted to take a moment to reach out to provide everyone with some updates.

First, and most importantly, all of our staff are accounted for and safe. We’ve had many inquiries about Bill Carson and are happy to report that he is also safe and well. There is some damage to the Orchard and property, but we recognize how fortunate we are when we see the devastation in our surrounding communities. The Orchard staff has begun the process of damage assessment and repair, all the while planning for a great and successful season next year.

Due to ongoing road conditions, lack of water and power in many areas, and the fact that Helene was hungry for all of our apples, we will remain closed to the public for the remainder of the season.

We know many of you are concerned and anxious to hear more information about the damage to the Orchard. Below is a message from our board with further details and some ways you can help as we begin the restoration process. We will continue to communicate with you all through our monthly newsletter, website, and social media throughout the winter as things progress.

We miss you all, we love our Orchard friends and family, and we hope each of you are safe and well. The Orchard was bruised and beaten by Hurricane Helene, but we will recover and be stronger than ever.

We look forward to welcoming you, with open arms, in May of 2025.

Beth Hilton

Executive Director
The Orchard at Altapass

A Message from the Board of Directors 

Support our Recovery Now

Hi, I’m Kristen, Vice Chair of the Board of the Orchard, and Kit Carson Trubey’s daughter. Thirty years ago, my mom made an impulsive choice to buy the Orchard land to protect it from being developed. Her vision was the ecological preservation of the land – to maintain the beautiful scenery along this stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. My Uncle Bill and Aunt Judy joined her, and brought more to the project – Bill brought a passion for uncovering the history of the place and sharing its stories, Judy layered in a deep knowledge of the Monarch butterflies that depend on this land in their migration, and an appreciation for the work of local artisans. They all fell in love with the music and musicians of the area, and Bill discovered an untapped passion for dancing. 

Together they established the non-profit Altapass Foundation, recognizing that this “impulse buy” and labor of love was worth protecting forever. They found others who shared the love for this place, and gathered support – as volunteers, as Board members, as donors, and as regular visitors. Two years ago, when my mom had to move away from her beloved mountains, she asked me to take her seat on the Orchard’s Board of Directors, to continue to watch over this land. She and Bill are confident this Board is ready to carry on their amazing work – they will continue to be physically present when possible, but are no longer part of the day to day.

I hope they are right that we are ready. We are certainly facing the biggest challenge the Orchard has ever seen – our cherished community resource has been ravaged by the recent hurricane, and now, more than ever, we need your support to help us recover. 

I hope they are right that we are ready. We are certainly facing the biggest challenge the Orchard has ever seen – our cherished community resource has been ravaged by the recent hurricane, and now, more than ever, we need your support to help us recover. 

We are relieved to report that all our staff are safe. We feel so lucky compared to many in our community, yet the damage to our facilities and surrounding roads is extensive. Our losses include damaged equipment and infrastructure, damage to the music pavilion and the barn roof, several areas of significant erosion, and the loss of over 200 of our precious apple trees – including many of the original trees planted more than 80 years ago.

Despite these challenges, Beth and the Orchard team immediately began to offer what support we could to others in the community – distributing perishable food items and water, and what apples we were able to salvage.

However, our resources are dwindling, and we are asking for your help to rebuild for the future. In addition to the physical losses, being closed for the month of October deprives us of half of our annual revenue – money critical to keeping our non-profit afloat and able to rebuild. The total financial impact of the storm will easily exceed $500,000. If you are able, please consider making a direct donation to support the Orchard and our recovery efforts. And if you are inclined, we invite you to share our donation link or GoFundMe page with others. As always, because we are a non-profit, any donation to the Orchard is tax deductible.

Thank you for your continued support and compassion. We will keep you updated as we navigate this recovery process and look forward to brighter days ahead when everyone can once again gather at the Orchard, celebrating community and renewal together.

With appreciation,

Kristen Trubey

Vice Chair, Orchard Board of Directors

P.S. If you’re unable to contribute financially, sharing our message with friends and family can make a huge difference too—thank you for spreading the word.

Mailing Address Change

Our new mailing address is:

The Orchard at Altapass

P.O. Box 357

Spruce Pine, NC 28777

We look forward to hearing from you!