Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

March 22, 2007 issue


Ski Into Spring: Appalachian and Sugar Mountain Report Substantial Bases

Meltdown Games at Appalachian Ski Mountain March 31 to April 1

Story by Sam Calhoun

Spring is here but the ski slopes aren’t giving up on a winter season that started slowly but is ending up providing some of the best conditions in recent memory.

With last weekend’s temperatures dipping below freezing, Appalachian Ski Mountain and Sugar Mountain Resort took advantage of the late-season freeze to blow snow and rejuvenate their bases.

“And we might not be done yet either,” said Appalachian Ski Mountain General Manager Brad Moretz about blowing snow at his resort. “We could probably ski until Easter if we wanted to.”

Appalachian Ski Mountain blew snow for almost 50 hours over the weekend and has a 26- to 60-inch base—Moretz confirmed 7-foot drifts on some parts of his mountain. Sugar Mountain Resort currently has 17 slopes open and a 19- to 59-inch base.

“We’ve had some of the best skiing of the year over the past few days,” said Moretz. “This is a great time for families to come out to the slopes. They don’t have to deal with the cold weather. It’s also good for those learning to ski. Snowmaking now brings back the best conditions overnight.”

Moretz said that March 24 will be the last day for night skiing and March 29 will be the last day that Appalachian Ski Mountain will blow snow. After March 24, the resort will be open only during the day until April 1.

All ten of Appalachian’s slopes are currently open, as well as both the terrain parks. Appalachian’s terrain parks will have a new setup this weekend because of the copious amounts of snow made over the weekend.

“We had really nice crowds [on Sunday],” said Jim Cottrell, president and founder of the French-Swiss Ski College. “I’m very optimistic about the rest of the season.”

Cottrell explained that warm temperatures during the day matched with Appalachian’s twice-per-day grooming creates a March phenomenon called “spring corn”—meaning that the snow is firm in the morning and soft in the afternoon.

“It’s very similar to skiing powder—it’s just thicker and slower,” said Cottrell. “Spring skiing—it’s one of my favorite things.”

Cottrell added that he loves wearing only light outerwear and sunglasses on the slopes during the spring.

“To me, there’s nothing like skiing when it’s warm. There’s nothing like it. It’s the time to frolic,” said Cottrell.

Sugar Mountain Resort also plans to remain open until April 1. According to a Sugar Mountain press release, “Gunther Jochl, president and general manager of Sugar Mountain Resort, is optimistically confident with the current base and weather outlook and he anticipates Sugar’s season to extend until Sunday, April 1.”

Sugar Mountain is planning events for April 1 to celebrate the end of the season.

On closing day, Sugar Mountain will feature music by Boss Hawg on the deck in the mid-afternoon as well as food and drinks. The annual snow burning ceremony is planned for 4:00 p.m.

Appalachian will celebrate the end of the season with its annual Meltdown Games on March 31 and April 1. The two-day event is free to all ages with the purchase of a lift ticket. Lift tickets at Appalachian for the last weekend of skiing cost $39 for adults and $28 for juniors.

The Meltdown Games feature a ski and snowboard slopestyle competition, a cardboard box derby, a ski and snowboard competition, a trash bag downhill race, a rail jam, a tug of war, a costume contest, a Chinese downhill and the much-anticipated pond skimming contest.

“The fun part of watching the pond skimming contest is not the people who do make it across—it’s the people who don’t make it across,” said Moretz. 

For more information, call Appalachian Ski Mountain at 828-295-7828 or click to www.appskimtn.com, or call Sugar Mountain Resort at 828-898-4521 or click to www.skisugar.com.

Want To Go?

What: Meltdown Games
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, March 31 and April 1
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days
Location: Appalachian Ski Mountain
Cost: No cost with purchase of lift ticket

Appalachian Ski Mountain Meltdown Games Schedule

Saturday, March 31

9:30 a.m.—Ski and snowboard slopestyle competition

11:00 a.m.—Cardboard box derby

1:00 p.m.—Ski and snowboard big air competition

4:00 p.m.—Trash bag downhill race

Sunday, April 1

9:30 a.m.—Rail jam

1:00 p.m.—Pond skim and costume contest

3:00 p.m.—Tug of war

4:00 p.m.—Chinese downhill