North Carolina Ski Resorts

Ski a local favorite that is not only fun but one of the first ski resorts to open in the Appalachian mountains. Cataloochee is located in Maggie Valley and has been pleasing visitors from all over. Why?

• It’s one of the highest resorts in the region, which means.. MORE natural snow!
• Cataloochee has lights on many of its slopes for night skiing
• Snow making and maintenance are Cataloochee’s top priorities.With approximately 90 hydrants on the slopes they use two types of snow guns, fan guns and air/water guns.
• Top Elevation: 5,400′; Base Elevation 4,600′; Vertical Drop 740′
• 5 lifts total: 1 quad, 1 triple, 1 double chair, 2 moving carpet surface lifts. 1 handle tow

Find out more about what this local favorite has to offer: www.cataloochee.com

Hungry at the mountain? Check out Arf’s Restaurant for some of the best eating. Enjoy the creekside setting with steaks and seafood. Find out more at: www.arfsrestaurant.com

Need a place to stay? Try Smokey Shadow Lodge. This historic lodge and cabins are built out of stones and logs near Cataloochee. Check out what they have to offer at: www.smokeyshadows.com

Sapphire Valley Ski Resort is a big part of a 5,700 acre four season resort. Nestled in a pristine mountain valley high in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, the resort offers:

• Average elevation of 4,300 feet.
• A ski hill consists of two runs, one each for intermediate and beginner skiers
• Runs up to 1600 feet in length and a vertical drop of 200 feet
• Affordable rates, including special discounts for groups, organizations, students and first time skiers needing instruction.
• Lodging/ski packages are available and include complimentary use of the Recreation Center, which offers indoor pool, hot tubs, saunas, fitness center, mini golf, movie rental and arcade.
• Two on-site Lounge/restaurant facilities provide superb food, beverages and entertainment after an exhilarating day on the slopes.

  

Want more information? Visit their site at: www.skisapphire.com. For lodging and ski packages, please phone: 1-800-722-3956 or 1-800-533-8268

Enjoy unmatched views and well-groomed slopes at Wolf Ridge Ski Resort. Want some new places to explore? Find what you are looking for at Western North Carolina’s top-rated ski slope. Formerly Wolf Laurel Slopes, Wolf Ridge Ski Resort has expanded and offers:

• 82 acres of ski terrain with 15 acres of additional ski slopes
• New quad lift
• New terrain park and much more!
• Find terrain from beginner to expert at this family-oriented resort
  
• There are two places to park, purchase lift tickets/area passes and pick up rentals – Lower Wolf Ridge Lodge and Upper Wolf Ridge Lodge.
  
• Cabin rentals are also available
  

Ride hard at one of North Carolina’s most accessible ski slopes. You won’t find miles and miles of two-lane switchbacks – Wolf Ridge Ski Resort is just 5 miles from I-26 at Exit 3 in Mars Hill, NC (just 30 minutes from Asheville, NC).  For rental and lift ticket information visit www.wolfridgenc.com.

The Sugar Mountain ski resort has been open for 40 years and is an absolute favorite of locals and visitors alike.  Sugar Mountain offers 20 slopes and trails spread out over 115 skiable acres with a 12,000 ft. vertical with varying degree of difficulty broken out by 40% novice, 40% intermediate, and 20% expert.  The longest run is 1.5 miles long.

In addition to skiing and snowboarding at Sugar Mountain, you can spend some of your day ice skating or snow tubing.  There is a 10,000 sq. ft refrigerated outdoor ice skating rink with perfect conditions all winter long.  The snow tubing course is located on the Sugar Mountain golf course (open in the summer season), and includes a 700ft long run with their own dedicated lifts, lights for night tubing, and snowmaking/grooming.

Other ammentities of Sugar Mountain include ski and snowbaord rentals, shops, lodging, fine dining, and cafeterias.  As a former student at Appalachian State, Sugar Mountain was always a favorite of mine over any of the other nearby mountains.  The mountain is big enough to support large crowds without feeling overcrowded or suffering through long lift lines, and offers a good degree of difficulty for people of all ages and skill levels.  For information on lift ticket and/or rental rates, as well as accomodations for your mountain ski vacation, head over to the Sugar Mountain website.

Hawksnest, located between Boone and Banner Elk in Seven Devils, was formally a low key ski and snowboard mountain that offered an inexpensive alternative to some of the bigger mountains like Sugar and Beech Mtn.  Now, do to its smaller size and inability to compete, Hawksnest has changed its offering to be an entire mountain of family fun snow tubing in the winter, and zip line course in the summer.

Snow tubing sessions at Hawksnest last 1 hour and 45 minutes running 7 days a week.  Rates for snow tubing range from $22 – $31 depending on the day and time you choose to go.  Due to having snowmaking machines and snow plows they used during ski and snowbaord season, you can be assured that the conditions for tubing will be perfect all winter long.  In addition to snowtubing, Hawksnest has also transformed its mountain into an exhilerating zip line course.  Their zipline course is in fact the longest on the eastcoast with 1.5 miles of cables across 10 different courses that take you though trees, over creeks, and even the snow tubers course.  With Hawksnest location, the zipline course offers amazing views of the high country as you ride down the lines.  The tour of all 10 cables cost $65, and lasts 1 and a half to 2 hours.  Discounts of $15 are available for Wautaga, Avery & Ashe county residents.

Visit the Hawksnest website for more information on snowtubing or zip lining at Hawkesnest in Seven Devils North Carolina.

Beech Mountain, located just out side of Banner Elk, North Carolina, is by far one of the most popular and favorite ski destinations in the High Country.  Beech Mountain has an 830 ft verticle rise, a base elevation of 4,675 ft and offers 95 skiable acres.  With 15 total trails, including four black diamonds and two freestyle terrain parks,  Beech Mountain offers a fun-filled day for skiers and snowboards of all skill levels.

On top of great skiing and snowboarding conditions, Beech Mountain offers ice skating and snow tubing, as well as summer time activities like mountain boarding and biking.  With the many mountain houses and lodgings available right on the mountain, a winter vacation at Beech Mountain wont dissapoint.  With all of the winter and summer activities available on the mountain, the two sport shops, four restaurants, full rental equipment and professionally led lessons, skiing or snowboarding at Beech Mountain is second to none.

For ticket pricing and rental information, head over to SkiBeech.com and begin planning a trip your sure to remember.

Appalachian Ski Mountain is located close to the ASU campus in Blowing Rock, North Carolina.  App Ski Mtn. offers a convienient location for you to enjoy the slopes for a reasonable price.  Although the ski resort is close for students, it is also a much smaller mountain than some of the other mountains in the a rea and is also used for Appalachian State University’s ski and snowboard classes.  This can sometimes lead to large crowds and long lift lines.  Going during the day in the middle of the week, or late at night is often your best bet at fully enjoying what the resort has to offer.

App Ski Mountain also offers slope side lodging for your family vacation get-away in the town of Blowing Rock.  The available chalets for rent are less than a 2 minute walk from the lodge and allows you to ski out your backdoor.  For more information on lift tickets and ski rentals, visit their rates page.  For information on vacation lodging at Appalachian Ski Mtn, visit their lodging page to begin planning your trip.