After the unusually warm 2011-12 winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina skiing got off to a record-breaking season this year when two of the state’s six ski areas opened on an unprecedented early date: Halloween.
Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, several inches of natural snow fell in the North Carolina High Country and Smoky Mountains in late October, allowing both Sugar Mountain Resort in Sugar Mountain and Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley to open Oct. 31 with both natural and man-made snow.
North Carolina offers six full-service ski areas with 89 slopes for all abilities, from beginner to Black Diamond, as well as freestyle terrain parks, ice skating, tubing and more. January has also been officially designated as National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, so those who want to learn these exhilarating winter sports will find resources to help them. In addition to chair lifts, most North Carolina resorts include conveyor belts and handle pulls to help newbies as they learn to navigate the slopes.
The North Carolina mountains feature the coldest climates and highest elevations in the South, with temperatures that drop three-to-four degrees with every thousand-foot rise in elevation. Even when temperatures at lower elevations are hovering in the 50s, the weather in North Carolina’s ski areas can often still support snowmaking.
Beech Mountain Resort, home of the highest ski area east of the Rockies, is scheduled to open Friday, Nov. 30, with ice skating scheduled to begin the next day. Recent upgrades to the snowmaking system have significantly increased the resort’s snowmaking capacity. Depending on the weather, Appalachian Ski Mtn. hopes to open Nov. 30 or Dec. 1, which is the resort’s 50th Anniversary Weekend. If the resort opens, it will feature the special 1962 lift ticket price of $5 for Dec. 1 and 2.
To help winter sports enthusiasts get a jump on the season, the North Carolina Ski Areas Association rewards early birds with an $800 Gold Card season pass, available to the first 100 takers (see www.goskinc.com). These passes allow the purchaser to ski or snowboard at any of North Carolina’s six ski areas during any session regardless of weekend or holiday rates.
Typically, North Carolina’s ski season lasts until late March, providing a wintertime economic boost to local economies. According to a study on the 2009-2010 season commissioned by the North Carolina Ski Areas Association, the overall economic value of the ski resort industry to the State of North Carolina was $146 million. The average expenditure per person per ski trip within North Carolina is $131.70. Nearly half of the 672,000 ski visitors came from other states.
Here’s a rundown on what awaits this season at North Carolina’s ski areas and other winter sports resorts.
Appalachian Ski Mtn.
Blowing Rock
At a glance: 27 acres of skiable terrain with 12 slopes and trails (three beginner, three intermediate, three advanced, three freestyle terrain areas). Peak elevation: 4,000 feet. Vertical drop: 365 feet. Longest run: 2,640 feet. Lifts includes a double and two quads. Resort also features a Zamboni-maintained ice rink.
New this year:
- Celebrating 51st season this year.
Mark the calendar:
- Rome Pre-Jib, nationwide snowboard competition, Dec. 16.
- Skiing with Santa, Dec. 24
- Red Bull ThingamaJIB, Feb. 2
Connect: www.appskimtn.com, www.appterrainpark.com; 828-295-7828.
Beech Mountain Resort
Beech Mountain
At a glance: 95 acres of skiable terrain with 15 slopes and trails (three beginner, six intermediate, four advanced, two freestyle terrain areas). Peak elevation: 5,506 feet. Vertical drop: 830 feet. Longest run: 1 mile. Lifts include four doubles, a quad and a high-speed quad with a panoramic vista. With a village ice rink and the Beech Mountain Adaptive Snowsports Center for kids and adults with disabilities.
New this year:
- Celebrating 45th season with a $45 learn-to-ski package in January.
- Six new SMI Super PoleCat automated snow guns.
- A new Piston Bully 400 ParkBully pro Series groomer.
Mark the calendar:
- Santa visits Beech Mountain and lighting of the tree, Dec. 15.
- N.C. Snowshoe Championship Race, Jan. 12.
Connect: www.beechmountainresort.com; 800-438-2093.
Cataloochee Ski Area
Maggie Valley
At a glance: 50 acres of skiable terrain with 17 slopes and trails (eight beginner, six intermediate, three advanced) and one freestyle terrain park. Peak elevation: 5,400 feet. Vertical drop: 740 feet. Longest run: 3,500 feet (Upper and Lower Snowbird). Lifts include a double, a triple and a quad. Area offers interscholastic and NASTAR recreational race programs. Nearby Tube World features a six-run tubing park and a Wee Bowl Snowplay Area.
New this year:
- Monarch Pass exchange featuring three free days of skiing at Monarch Mountain in Colorado for season pass holders.
Mark the calendar: Ski and Ride with Santa, Dec. 25.
Connect: www.cataloochee.com; 828-926-0285.
Sapphire Ski Valley Ski Area
Sapphire
At a glance: 8 acres of skiable terrain with two trails (one beginner, one intermediate). Peak elevation: 3,780 feet. Vertical drop: 200 feet. Longest run: 1,600 feet. Quad lift for the main run. Also features the Frozen Falls Tube Park with a 500-foot run and a 60-foot vertical drop.
Mark the calendar: Great Sapphire Outhouse Races, Feb. 16.
Connect: www.skisapphire.com, 828-743-7663.
Sugar Mountain Resort
Sugar Mountain
At a glance: 115 acres of skiable area with 20 slopes and trails (seven beginner, nine intermediate, three advanced, one freestyle terrain area). Peak elevation: 5,300 feet. Vertical drop: 1,200 feet. Longest run: 1.5 miles. Lifts include four doubles and one triple. With a 700-foot, multilane tube run; ice skating; guided snowshoe tour; and public racing program.
New this year:
- Eight fully-automated, high-tech, SMI and Techno Alpin snow machines have been added to the current snow-making system.
Mark the calendar:
- Santa at Sugar, on the slopes Dec. 8-24.
- SugarFest 2012, with Olympic Figure Skating Silver Medalist Paul Wylie and friends, Dec. 7-9.
Connect: www.skisugar.com; 828- 898-4521.
Wolf Ridge Ski Resort
Mars Hill
At a glance: 72 acres of skiable terrain with 23 slopes and trails (12 beginner, eight intermediate, three advanced). Peak elevation: 4,700 feet. Vertical drop: 700 feet. Longest run: 3,700 feet. Lifts include two quads and two doubles. With two tube runs and a zipline just outside the resort.
Connect: www.skiwolfridgenc.com, 828-689-4111.
MORE WINTER PLAY:
Hawksnest Snow Tubing and Zipline Course
Seven Devils
Hawksnest Resort is a family-friendly winter area that’s home to the largest snow tubing park on the East Coast as well as the longest zipline tour in the nation. The tubing park is comprised of four areas and more than 20 lit lanes ranging from 400 to 1,000 feet in length. The zipline course features 19 cables covering four miles and is open year-round. www.hawksnesttubing.com, 828-963-6561, 800-822-4295.
Jonas Ridge Snow Tubing Park
Jonas Ridge
Take your tube to the top of the hill and hold on for an exhilarating ride down one of the six lanes at Jonas Ridge Snow Tubing Park. After tubing, warm up inside by the fireplace or watch from an observation deck. The park also offers night tubing. www.jonasridgesnowtube.com, 828-733-4155.
Moonshine Mountain Snow Tubing Park
Hendersonville
Moonshine Mountain features 500 feet of fun and allows trains of up to eight people, which other places forbid. moonshinemountain.com, 828-696-0333.
Scaly Mountain Outdoor Center
Scaly Mountain
Scaly Mountain offers year-round tubing with snow in the winter and artificial turf in the summer. The resort offers a separate slope for young tubers and also has a skating rink and bungee trampolines. www.scalymountain.com, 828-526-3737.
Beech Mountain Sledding Hill, Snowshoe Adventures
Beech Mountain
The town of Beech Mountain maintains a free sledding hill for children 12 and younger (parents can ride with smaller children), next to Town Hall. A combination of natural and man-made snow keeps the conditions right. Plastic sleds are required. www.beechmtn.com, 828-387-9283 Beech Mountain’s Buckeye Recreation Center offers private snowshoe excursions and occasional group outings as well as equipment rentals. beechrecreation.org, 828-387-3003.