NOVEMBER 20, 2008 issue
Grab Your Gear! All Area Ski Slopes Open By This Weekend
Story by Sam Calhoun
Not once, but twice before Thanksgiving the High Country has woken up to a blanket of fresh snow on the ground, including this week when Sugar Mountain Resort took the cue from Old Man Winter and opened for the season on Monday, November 17. For all the people who are in denial about the start of winter, there’s no weather report left to dispute—it’s cold, it has been snowing, and if the opening of all four of the High Country’s ski slopes tells us anything, winter is definitely here.
Sugar Mountain Resort: OPEN
Sugar Mountain Resort is currently boasting a base that resembles what you’ll normally find in the middle of the season. Ten to 35 inches of manmade and natural powder coated five ski slopes at Sugar as of press time, and Sugar Mountain Marketing Director Kim Jochl said Sugar will have seven slopes and three lifts open by this weekend.
Sugar Mountain Resort opened on Monday and is beginning night skiing this Thursday, November 20. Ice skating begins Saturday, November 22, when Jochl also expects the Brown Lift and the Magic Carpet and the Easy Street ski slopes to open. Currently, the five open slopes are Northridge, Switchback, Load Off and the Upper and Lower Flying Mile.
For more information on Sugar Mountain Resort, click to www.skisugar.com or call 828-898-4521.
Beech Mountain Municipal Sledding Hill: OPEN
Thanks to the plentiful amount of snowfall this week at higher elevations, the municipal sledding hill is now open atop Beech Mountain.
The sledding hill is free and located beside Beech Mountain Town Hall. Children 12 years and under are invited to use the hill between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. seven days a week, and parental supervision is recommended. For children who are too young to sled down the hill without an adult, a side lane on the hill is set aside for just that purpose.
Snow guns provide manmade snow for the hill all winter. Only plastic sleds are allowed.
For more information, call the Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce at 828-387-9283.
Appalachian Ski Mountain: OPENING FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
According to Appalachian Terrain Park Manager Drew Stanley, Appalachian Ski Mountain is opening this Friday, November 21, at 9:00 a.m. As an added incentive to head to Appalachian on opening day, the first 100 people to arrive receive free lift tickets.
Stanley said two inches of natural snow fell on Appalachian on Monday night, and on Tuesday crews pushed more than 2,000 gallons of water up the mountain for snowmaking.
“We’re going to have great coverage all over the mountain,” said Stanley. “This will be the most snow and best conditions we’ve had on opening day in a long time.”
For more information on Appalachian Ski Mountain, click to www.appskimtn.com or call 828-295-7828.
Hawksnest Resort: OPENING FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
The biggest news of the upcoming season is that Hawksnest is no longer offering skiing and snowboarding. Instead, the resort is expanding its snow tubing operation, making it the largest on the East Coast.
According to Hawksnest Resort Co-Owner Lenny Cottom, Hawksnest will open its tubing operation this Friday, November 21, starting with a tubing session at 12:00 p.m. Cottom hopes to have at least 20 tubing lanes open.
For more information on Hawksnest Resort, click to www.hawksnest-resort.com or call 828-963-6561.
Beech Mountain: OPENING SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22
According to Ski Beech Marketing Director Gil Adams, Ski Beech will open this Saturday, November 22. The resort will only offer day skiing until probably mid-December, Adams said.
Weekday rates will be in effect this weekend at Ski Beech, and next week Beech’s famous discount lift ticket specials start, so Thanksgiving is Ladies Day and all women ski free. Beech’s specials also include half-price lift tickets for Adult Day and Adult Twilight on Tuesdays, and $25 Adult Day and Adult Twilight lift tickets on Wednesday.
For more information on Ski Beech, click to www.skibeech.com or call 828-387-2011.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
