Hello & Welcome Back!

the October issue

VOLUME 08 / ISSUE 10/ OCT 2026
10/1/2026
Welcome to our October issue, full of everything you love about fall!
Welcome to our October issue, full of everything you love about fall!
–

The Elk’s Garden features one of fall’s favorite crops – apples! And what do you do when you have a lot of apples? Laura Shafer has the answer! You make homemade applebutter. Check out her friend Lucy’s quick and easy recipe for those of us who just want to make a few pints to enjoy! Gabi Strickland Walker, from Walker Mountain Eats Facebook group, shared a perfect recipe to put you in the mood for fall. She made Pumpkin Dump Cake for her husband, Gar, and he is already saying she needs to make it one or even two times before Thanksgiving… when he’ll need her to make it again! Sounds like it is husband-approved, and Gabi says it is super easy, so it sounds like a win-win recipe. The Chili’N on the Elk Chili Cook-off...

Cyndi's signature
FEATURE STORY
10/1/2026
Clayton Childress Loves All Things Pokémon
Clayton Childress Loves All Things Pokémon
–

Elkview's Clayton Childress went from his first-ever tournament to the 2026 Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco in just one year!

On the Cover
10/1/2026
Jus' a Chili’N on the Elk
Jus' a Chili’N on the Elk
–

Another successful Chili’N on the Elk Chili Cook-off & Beer and Wine Festival is in the books! It was a perfect day to bring the Elk River community together with LOTS of chili.

The Elk's Garden
10/1/2026
Apples: The Perfect Fall Harvest for Delicious Apple Butter
Apples: The Perfect Fall Harvest for Delicious Apple Butter
–

Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of applesauce, made by long, slow cooking until the natural sugars caramelize and turn it a deep, rich brown. Once it reaches that color, sugar and spices are stirred in.

The Elk's Journal
10/1/2026
Kathleen Jacobs
Kathleen Jacobs
–

THE ROAD OF A WRITER’S LIFE: Before the Cock Crows: A Spiritual Memoir by Kathleen M. Jacobs

Reader Submission
10/1/2026
Austin Statts Photography
Austin Statts Photography
–

ERL loved this awesome photo by Austin Statts Photography. Austin said, “I told him to smile…I guess he did!” Austin Statts is a Braxton County native who has a passion for wildlife photography. Follow him on Facebook to see his amazing snapshots.

The Elk's Cookbook
10/1/2026
END OF 3-PART SERIES!
From the Ground Up!
Pumpkin Dump Cake
Pumpkin Dump Cake
–

My husband Gar loves pumpkin desserts, and even though I don’t get all the craziness over pumpkin spice season, I make them for him. This recipe checks all the boxes for me: easy and according to Gar, we’ll be needing one or two more of these between now and Thanksgiving. Try this incredibly delicious pumpkin dessert and let me know what you think!

Advertise with ERL and help support the community.

The Elk Reflects
10/1/2026
The Elk Reflects
The Elk Reflects
–

Elk River has always been so proud of their athletes! Shared by Kim Johnson, You Know You’re From Clendenin WV When, here is a photo of Bill Karr of Clendenin in 1938 when he was a receiver for the Chicago Bears.

Trail Mix
10/1/2026
Trail Mix
Trail Mix
–

"When people think about the Elk River Trail and Elk River Water Trail, they often picture a beautiful place to walk,run, bike, kayak, fish, or spend time outdoors. They imagine peaceful stretches of trail, scenic river views, and the opportunity to enjoy nature." - Madison Stone

Elk River Living is a local and independently- owned magazine devoted to the wonderful people, businesses, and events in the communities on the Elk River, WV.

OUR COMMUNITIES

From Charleston to Sutton, Elk River Living holds a mirror up to the places that line the Elk River and reflect them to you. There are so many rich traditions that make celebrating easy, and we bring them to you in our recurring segments each month: The Elk's Cookbook; The Elk's Journal; The Elk Reflects; The Healthy Elk; The Elk's Students; Trail Mix; Around the Elk; At the Library; and more!

Map of the Elk River valley, Charleston upstream to Sutton.

OUR BUSINESSES

We celebrate our local businesses, and the hard-working people behind them. They are an integral part of the fabric of the places we call home. The Elk River economy is continually expanding, with existing and exciting new developments surrounding the Elk River Trails, and Elk River Living is here to promote and bring their stories to you.  If you have an opportunity, please consider our sponsors for your needs!  They care a great deal about you and the community.

ERL is free of charge at these local businesses in limited supplies

At the beginning of each month a limited number of copies of Elk River Living is printed and dropped off at the following businesses in the Elk River area. This list is subject to change and we encourage you to contact the business beforehand to confirm they have remaining copies.🖤

ERL offers subscriptions that are sent directly to your mailbox

To ensure our readers get Elk River Living, we offer an annual subscription for a fee and each issue will be mailed to you at the beginning of each month..🖤

For more information:

info@elkriverliving.com

304.546.9243

Elk River Living + Google Earth Studio =  a fun ride up the Elk River, WV.

Elk River Living used Google Earth Studio to create an aerial tour of the communities that line the Elk River, from Charleston to Sutton, West Virginia. Enjoy the ride!

🖤

We love to hear from you!

Let’s get in touch!

Thank you

Thanks for reaching out. We will get back to you soon
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

we do this together

If you're reading this, then you know and care about the communities that we call home. That also means your input really matters! If you know of any people, businesses, and events  in your neck of the woods that should be featured in ERL, let us know.