I woke up this morning – a few days before Halloween – to snow flurries only 2,000 feet up the ridge to the continental divide. That’s the earliest snow that wasn’t blow-by from Mitchell we’ve had for 16 years! No, the leaves haven’t quite hit peak here yet, so even if there were accumulation higher up we probably couldn’t see it. But we haven’t had the regular winter coverings we used to get around here, and it hasn’t snowed enough to sled on for at least five years at my house. Global warming, I guess.

We really like to have four real seasons in a year. That’s why we chose to live here in Western North Carolina. So it’s not so strange that a little bit of white stuff makes us giddy. The summer tourist season was mighty slim this year when gas went to $4 and $5 a gallon and hundreds of thousands of people stayed home. Then came hurricane Ike, and we had no gas at all for three full weeks in September. Schools and factories and businesses had to shut down, people took to walking and riding their bikes to the store, even as deliveries stopped and there was no fresh bread or milk to be had. The leaves are a bit late this fall too, by this time they’re usually few and far between. What could save us, in a region where tourism is the #1 economic activity? Why… snow!!!

Thus it was with great delight that I noticed Cataloochee Ski Area’s ski and snowboarding season started today, October 28 with fresh made snow 8 to 12 inches deep. The weather pundits are predicting that yes, our ski season will start early and last long, which is the best news we’ve had all year. Cataloochee’s the only one open now, but others will be up and sliding sometime between the first week of November through the week of Christmas, depending on snow-making conditions.

Hawksnest Resort is aiming for any time after November 1st, looking good for that right now, too. Sugar Mountain is planning to open November 7th, and several other areas may open earlier this year too. If you’ve a favorite, be sure to call and find out if they are planning to move up their opening dates to take advantage of what is shaping up to be a spectacular ski season here in the beautiful NC mountains!

Check out the links below to get contact and ski package information from the resorts themselves, as several are offering great season passes and combo lodging/lift and slope deals this year. Book yourself and your family for a fine getaway early, and wax up the gear!

Links:

Ski North Carolina
Appalachian Ski Mountain
Cataloochee Ski Area
Hawksnest Resort
Ski Beech Resort
Scaly Mountain Outdoor Center
Ski Sapphire
Sugar Mountain Ski Resort
Wolf Ridge Ski Resort

The hectic holidays – and the unusually warm spell that accompanied them this year – are behind us. Temperatures dropped into the teens as New Year’s Day came to its early close and snow fell across the western mountains. Snow making machines have been cranked up and are supplying base for the several great snowtubing runs at various WNC resorts, and the higher elevation slopes did manage to retain enough base to keep the skiers and snowboarders happy during the warm spell. From Cataloochee’s page…

As of 8pm. on Tuesday [Jan. 1], it is a chilly 19 degrees and it has been snowing since 4pm. We have received 2 inches of natural snow and the snow is forecast to continue into Wednesday. Snow making weather is in the forecast for most of the upcoming week and we will begin to make it as quickly as the temperatures allow. In an effort to capture the colder weather and maximize snowmaking to improve conditions and open more terrain, Cataloochie guests should expect snowmaking to be in progress during skiing hours if temperatures permit for this week. Please be prepared for winter conditions with hats and goggles and please dress accordingly.

Cataloochie’s TubeWorld runs in Maggie Valley hopes to open on Thursday, January 3 with new base. In the ski area the new snow will add to the 20-36″ packed powder base already present at the higher elevation. Seven trails are open along with 5 lifts, and the area will host an ‘Everything’s Elvis Day’ on Sunday, January 6 which promises to be a lot of fun.

At Appalachian Ski Mountain near Boone there is a current 18-32″ base of packed powder, snowmaking is ongoing during the night, and they received several inches of natural snow. 4 of 5 lifts are open along with 6 of 10 trails. The ice skating rink is open.

Hawsnest is currently open after a delay due to high winds, and their tubing runs are open as well. Ski Beech has 4 of 15 slopes open on a minimal base depth of 8-18″ mixed packed powder and frozen granular. Their ice rink is open as well.

Sugar Mountain resort has 12-38″ of mixed powder and frozen granular. 5 lifts servicing 9 slopes are open, as is their ice rink. Tubing is still closed. On Saturday, January 12, they’ll be hosting the National Winter Trails Day event, offering both snowshoes and guided snowshoe tours free to all comers.

Wolf Ridge Ski Resort has 12-28″ of natural and manmade powder, 5 slopes open and 3 lifts operating. Snowmaking is ongoing and they’ve received 4 inches of new snow in the last 24 hours. Their terrain park is closed, but the tubing park is open. Sapphire Valley ski area is not yet open, though its Frozen Falls Tube Park is open day to day. Now that the weather’s turned cold, they should be opening very soon.

The ski reports are updated regularly at Weather Underground, so do bookmark that page! And for a full roster of direct links to the on-site web cams, resort schedules, directions and trail maps, check out the NC Ski report and snow condition Guide. We’ll see you on the slopes!

Links:

Weather Underground

NC Ski report and snow condition Guide

North Carolina gets a lot of tourists, making tourism one of the largest industries in the state. Western NC gets 3 million visitors at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and even more along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Between NASCAR, the Outer Banks, and other attractions all over the state, tourism supplies ~$15.5 billion and nearly 200,000 jobs to the North Carolina economy, along with about $2.5 billion in tax revenues.

But not all of North Carolina’s tourism happens in the beautiful spring, summer or fall. Our mountainous western region hosts many excellent – even world class – ski resorts who do a brisk business at high elevations all winter long!

Ski North Carolina keeps a constantly updated skiing news and conditions report going, along with links to the area resorts and lots of information and advertisements for condos, chalets and other lodging options at or near all the best slopes.

Sunday’s New York Times carried a special travel section on skiing this past week, with some interesting information about what’s happening to the big ski resorts in Europe, where global warming has closed down much of the Alps, most of Germany’s lower elevation resorts, and is threatening the entire industry. In the article Resorts Prepare for a Future Without Skis talks about what the Swiss alpine resorts are doing to keep themselves awash in visitors despite the lack of snow. Installation of posh spas, glassed-in swimming pools and non-snow sports choices (golf, anyone?) is happening all over the Alps.

So far, North Carolina’s resorts have mostly escaped the most dreadful effects of global warming through the combination of artificial snow-making, good siting and elevation. While opening dates have occasionally been pushed back closer to Christmas and closing dates vary radically, It is generally cold enough above 4,000 feet in NC’s mountains to keep ski-able snow on the north slopes for at least three months of the year.

Appalachian Ski Mountain near Boone already has 3 of 10 slopes open with 8-16 inches of snow and a groomed surface. 2 of their 5 lifts are open. They’ve installed new permanent snow machines and doubled its pumping capacity – providing the capability of 1 millions pounds of snow per hour! Appalachian has some of the best snowboarding terrain in North Carolina and hosts a large ice skating rink.

Cataloochie Ski Area is open in beautiful Maggie Valley just 35 miles west of Asheville and bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hawksnest Ski Resort near Banner Elk will open this Friday, December 7. With 12 slopes and 4 lifts plus special snowboard runs, there’s plenty to do.

Sapphire Valley Ski Area and family tubing favorite Scaly Mountain will also be opening this week or next. Ski Beech Resort will also be opening soon. At an elevation of 5,506 feet, it’s the highest ski resort in North Carolina and usually brags a fine natural base from its ~80″ of snowfall every winter.

Sugar Mountain Ski Resort is open for both day and night skiing on 2 of 20 slopes (1 of 9 lifts) atom made granular snow. They’ve added a new 10,000 square foot ice rink and also offers a tubing park. Wolf Ridge Ski Resort near Wolf Laurel will be opening soon for the season, with a new terrain park for snowboarders and a new quad lift.

So get together with your family and friends and come on out to the high country for some bitchin’ boarding, skiing, ice skating, mallow-roasting and chalet fun! Check the links for contact and reservation information, deals on accommodations and equipment, and live weather updates on your favorite ski areas!

Links:

Ski North Carolina

Appalachian Ski Mountain

Cataloochie Ski Area

Hawksnest Ski Resort

Sapphire Valley Ski Area

Scaly Mountain

Ski Beech Resort

Sugar Mountain Ski Resort

Wolf Ridge Ski Resort