Area Snowsport Resorts Banking on Weekend Snow, Colder Temperatures
Opening Days Could Be This Weekend or Next
Visitors who are coming to the High Country for Thanksgiving expecting to ski will have to trade in their equipment for ice skates or think about riding on a zipline, but that doesn’t mean that tourists and locals won’t get to carve tracks down a snowy mountain by the end of the weekend.
Each of the local snowsport resorts—Appalachian Ski Mountain, Beech Mountain Resort, Hawksnest Resort and Sugar Mountain Resort—have been ready and waiting for weeks for cold enough temperatures to make snow. But Mother Nature has not cooperated as of yet, creating a quite different situation compared to this week last year, when the area received two inches of snow and temperatures were below freezing most every night.
The good news is that snow and cold temperatures are coming this weekend. Local weather guru Dr. Ray Russell said that Thanksgiving Day will be a “change day,” meaning it will mark the time when much colder air and precipitation moves into the High Country, replacing our current, warmer weather pattern.
Russell’s forecast is a welcome sign to local ski resort employees, who are all poised to make snow as soon as temperatures allow.
“The guns are pointed at the mountain ready to go,” said Brad Moretz, general manager of Appalachian Ski Mountain.
Although skiing and snowboarding won’t be offered on Thanksgiving Day, Sugar Mountain Resort plans to open its ice skating rink this Thursday, November 26, for holiday visitors. Also, Appalachian Ski Mountain expects to open its ice skating rink either this Saturday or Sunday, November 28 or 29.
“We are opening the ice skating rink Thursday and we anticipate opening for skiing and snowboarding by this weekend,” said Kim Jochl, marketing and public relations director for Sugar Mountain Resort.
The resorts are all banking on making as much snow as possible when the window of opportunity presents itself.
“There’s a chance we could be open this weekend,” said Moretz. “It looks like we could get in three nights of snowmaking this week and maybe one day. We are tentatively planning for a Sunday [November 29] opening depending on what happens with snowmaking. If not, we’ll probably open next Friday [December 4].”
When Appalachian Ski Mountain does open, the first 100 guests will receive free lift tickets for the day.
“I’d be very surprised if there’s not snowmaking going on up here Friday,” said Gil Adams, marketing director for Ski Beech at Beech Mountain Resort. “I’d say opening this weekend is not very likely, but our hopes are really high for opening the following weekend (December 4, 5 and 6).
“It may be a little early to see that far ahead, though; it’s all dependent on the weather, but we’re ready,” Adams continued. “We probably wouldn’t open mid-week, but we’re ready to open now if it got cold enough.”
Thanksgiving visitors now have the option to zipline at Hawksnest Resort. The largest snow tubing park on the East Coast, Hawksnest, is now also the largest zipline course on the East Coast, and the two activities will be available throughout the winter at the resort. Ziplining at Hawksnest Resort is available seven days a week, as well as snow tubing, once snowmaking conditions materialize.
“With tubing, we’re thinking about cranking up the snow guns like everyone else when this snowstorm hits [this weekend],” said Lenny Cottom, co-owner of Hawksnest Resort. “We could be open as soon as Saturday [November 28], weather permitting of course.”
To keep updated on weather conditions, click to www.raysweather.com.
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