One of my favorite things to hear from other Alpine Lake residents is the story of how they discovered this hidden gem. It’s one of the first things I ask when meeting someone new here at Alpine. I plan on showcasing some of them in the future. Let’s start with how our family found our happy place:
In July 2017, My husband and I were parents to a three-year-old and a new baby. We had just returned from an amazing beach vacation that really left us all feeling happier and more connected and we wanted more of that. Since welcoming our second son, we had struggled to enjoy activities that worked in concert with our recent familial changes. Hiking, biking, and being outdoors were all hobbies in which we had always found contentment but the summer months in Morgantown were oppressively hot. Venturing to the cooler mountain areas often involved long day trips on the weekends which were taxing on small children who rely on regular meals, snacks, and naps. It was also exhausting for Arthur and me since our youngest son, Atticus, wasn’t much of a sleeper.
When Arthur first suggested that we buy a vacation home, I was reluctant. How in the world could we afford it? Would we use it often? What were the advantages of such an expenditure? But Arthur made his case: we needed a place to unwind as a family; somewhere that offered the comfort and convenience of home close to the outdoor activities that we so enjoyed. We needed a place near enough that we could drive there for the weekend, but not so close that we felt like we hadn’t left our hectic weekday schedules.
We only had 18 summers with our kids to create and foster the connectivity that we had experienced on our vacation. I warmed to the idea quickly, especially when I considered the prospect of a home near a lake. Is there anything more relaxing than a cool, calm lake shimmering in the sunlight?
We cast a wide net as we set about researching vacation home markets. We looked from the Pocanos, to Seven Springs, to Deep Creek Lake and everywhere in between. Being in the real estate industry, we where able to research and rule out areas fairly quickly. For those of you who don’t know, I’m a REALTOR and my husband, Arthur, is the broker and owner of Bel-Cross Properties in Morgantown, WV.
It was soon apparent that one little community consistently checked all the boxes on our wish list:
-Lake
-Gated community with 24/7 security
-On campus amenities including hiking trials, golf course, beach, pool, and restaurant
-Affordable home prices and cost-of-living
-Private, wooded lots
It was time to have a look.
Alpine Lake Resort was only an hour from our home in Morgantown, but a world away in atmosphere and considerably cooler in the summer months. This mountain resort, peppered a pristine, 150 acre lake had been designed to retain the natural beauty of the Allegheny Mountains. As we made our way around the lake, we were greeted by a lush golf course, a lakeside playground, a boathouse, fishing areas, a lovely sandy beach and swimming area, tennis courts, and a mini golf course. Overlooking it all sat an elegant and unique Alpine-style lodge which contained two restaurants, an indoor pool, and fitness center. There was also a motel on site should we ever need accommodations for more guests than we could comfortably entertain in our vacation home.
Within the heavily-wooded lots around the lake we found hiking and cross country ski trails suitable for all abilities, fitness levels and age groups. Also among the woods rested more than 500 beautiful, hidden homes. Unbeknownst to me at the time, they contained residents equally as beautiful in spirit and as precious as jewels. The words “community” and “village” can scarcely convey the warmth and welcome we would soon receive.
As we drove along West Alpine Drive with our then three-year-old excitedly counting colorful kayaks on the lake and our four-month-old snoring softly in the backseat, I found myself admiring a sailboat gliding over the water with the lodge standing sentry in the background. I was acutely aware that this was a place like none other. The peace and beauty of the mountains overwhelmed me. The first part of our search had ended. We were ready to find our vacation home at Alpne Lake Resort.
That evening ater returning home, we began looking at listings in Alpine and settled on a Chalet overlooking the lake and upon seeing it in person, immediately fell in love. The owners had built the home 30 years before when their sons were small. As Chistine, the owner, told us about the vacations and weekends spent at Alpine Lake with their children, she was describing what we wanted to create at Alpine for ourselves and our boys: A place to learn and enjoy life sports, to be together without distraction, to make childhood friends, spend our holidays, and create our best memories…a “home-place”.
We had already written the offer before viewing the home so that we wouldn’t lose our opportunity to another buyer. We stopped for dinner at Monroe’s Restaurant in Kingwood on the way back to Morgantown and sent it. The offfer was accepted the following day and one month later, our lives at Alpine Lake Resort began.
