Sunny skies are on tap for Saturday. More wet weather is forecasted for Sunday and into the first part of next week. Let’s not worry about that as today is today and it appears to be a gorgeous one! Sunny skies and cooler temps are forecasted after a Friday that brought some cold enough temps to generate some rime ice on the mountaintops around the region. Sugar was gorgeous on Friday evening. The low cloud cover provided the moisture and the colder temps turned everything from the mid station on up a solid white. Highs with sunny skies are forecasted to be in the mid 40s to mid 50s from north to south so wear thin layers so that you can peel off as necessary.
We know of several of our ski peeps who are playing at Cataloochee today. They should have a blast as there’s tons of snow on the slopes and great weather to enjoy it.
With this being the last day of skiing and riding for some resorts, I think that it’s important that we do a quick tour:
Appalachian Ski Mountain – 27° – They are 100% open for day skiing and snowboarding. All 11 trails are open and all three terrain parks. Appalachian also invites you to their Easter celebration next weekend.
Celebrate Easter at Appalachian Ski Mtn.
On Saturday April 3, Appalachian Ski Mtn. will celebrate Easter weekend on the slopes for the third time in the last 6 years. The celebration will take place on Saturday to leave Easter Sunday open for families.
Bring your camera and come join the Easter Bunny for pictures on the slopes, two children’s Easter Egg Hunts with lots of hidden prizes including a 2010-11 Junior Season Membership. More than 1000 Easter Eggs, with candy and hidden prizes, will be spread around Appalachian’s Intermediate slope Strudel beginning at 9:30 am, for skiers and riders ages 6-12. After the on-slope Easter Egg Hunt at 11:30 am, children ages 5 and under can find Easter Eggs on the grassy knoll beside the Appalachian Ice Arena. A raw egg toss contest will begin at 2:00 pm, for participants 12 and older (prizes for longest toss and biggest splash). Appalachian’s Restaurant will also offer a special a la carte Easter Brunch on Saturday with several delicious options.
The fun won’t stop Easter Weekend. The Meltdown Games on April 10 and 11 will provide one last weekend of zany fun and excitement, and will wrap up on our latest last day of skiing ever, Sunday, April 11.
Cataloochee Ski Area – 29° – 100% for day sessions only on Saturday from 8:30am-4:30am. They’ll do it again on Sunday and then close for the week and reopen for one more weekend of skiing and riding Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4.
I spoke with Tammy Brown, Cataloochee’s Miss Everything, and I could tell that she was very happy that Cataloochee enjoyed such a great season. You could also tell that she was looking forward to some 9-5, Mon-Fri work days after she, Chris Bates and crew cranked out some loooonnnngggg hours this season. Thanks Tammy for providing me an "assist" on Friday. Andrea on our crew and some friends will be over at Cat today and I’m sure they’ll have a great time.
Sugar Mountain Resort – 24° – If you want to do some night skiing or snowboarding in North Carolina you’ll have to do it at Sugar and you’ll have to do it tonight as they will offer 100% of their mountain (all 20 trails) for playing on Saturday and then day sessions only on Sunday before closing for the season tomorrow at 4:30pm. By all accounts Sugar had a record season this season and they will close out its 40th season at 4:30 pm on Sunday, March 28th.
Live bluegrass by BOSS HAWG plays at Sugar Mountain Resort between 4-6 pm on closing day.
Massanutten Resort – 24° – They are 100% open with all 14 trails and tubing. Massanutten Ski Area and Tubing Park will be open the weekend of March 27th – 28th (9am-4:30 pm ski, tube 9am-5pm) for their final ski weekend.
Wintergreen Resort – 26° – They are open for their last day of the season TODAY for day sessions only on 6 trails. Anne Marie writesm7, "TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY FOR SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING! YOUR NEXT CHANCE TO SLIDE WILL BE DECEMBER! THE SKI AREA WILL REOPEN AT 9AM, SKIING AND RIDING UNTIL 5PM. SWEET DEALS FOR OUR LAST DAY OF FUN: $25 ADULT TICKET, $20 YOUTH TICKET AND $15 RENTALS. COME JOIN US FOR ONE LAST DAY ON THE SNOW.
THE SLOPES OPEN TODAY INCLUDE: UPPER AND LOWER DOBIE, EAGLES SWOOP, BOTH CROSS TRAILS AND ALL OF SUNRISE. BOTH THE BIG ACORN AND BLUE RIDGE EXPRESS LIFTS WILL BE RUNNING. AVERAGE BASE DEPTH 15-40 INCHES."
Snowshoe Mountain Resort – 23° – They are open for day skiing and riding on the most trails in the region – hands down. 37 trails are still open. Snowshoe has some nice Spring skiing conditions and some nice deals as well! Between March 28th and April 5th stay any two nights and you’ll ski for FREE! Can’t stay for two nights? Bring your season pass from any other mountain and you’ll ski for $20 a day. Plus, Snowshoe Season Passes for the 2010-11 season are now on sale. By purchasing before April 30th you’ll save up to 25% and ski for free for the last 10 days of this season! Enjoy it out there today and remember; this time last season Snowshoe was closed, so anything from here on out is just a bonus chance to get on snow and do something you love, hopefully with people you love!
Timberline Resort – Timberline will offer 35 trails today for day skiings and snowboarding. They do it all for one more day on Sunday before closing for the season. The Saddle Tramps Musical Group will appear at Timberline Four Seasons Lodge This Weekend.
The Saddle Tramps musical group is part of the Saddle Tramps Musical Heritage Club which has members in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The club is dedicated to recognition and preservation of the frontier era and the pioneer’s lifestyle.
Timberline is a great little ski resort and they did some very nice stuff this season. One thing on our wish list is that they get rid of the worst website in the region – hands down – and find someone who can get their website running with something other than gerbils powering it. Most all season we had to wait for minutes for their snow report page or front page to come up…only to find that it had not been updated. Thanks to Kim Falls for keeping us updated with emails all season.
Winterplace Resort – 27° – They are open for one more day – today – with 26 of 28 trails open for day sessions. Winterplace if offering a Pond Skimming Championship * Saturday, March 27th at 2pm! Missy posted, "Come join us for the Grand Finale Day ~ Wrapping up another season of Pure Fun! The Winterplace Pond Skimming Championship will bring Wild & Wonderful Skiers & Boarders in costume together .. with a dream of crossing the slushy pond, successfully and with awesome style! The Pond Skimming Championship will take place at the bottom of Drop Off right in front of the MountainHouse Deck."
Wisp Resort – 38° – They are offering 16 of 32 trails open for day and night skiing and snowboarding! They also have their tubing hill open, ice skating and terrain parks open. The Mountain Coaster is open as well. You’d almost think it was mid-February! Wisp plans on being open weekends only for another weekend or two.
Ober Gatlinburg – 30° – They are open with 6 of 8 trails, snow tubing and ice skating all open! Ober will be open for day and night sessions as well and this is their last weekend of skiing. Kathy Doyle and the Ober crew invite all of you guys to join them Sunday. She posted, "Join us Sunday for 100 DAYS OF SNOW – receive free lift ticket with $5 donation to benefit Friends of the Smokies & coolearth.org ~ plus you’re entered to win a Head snowboard or skis!"
The following resorts and ski areas are closed for the season:
Sapphire Valley, Ski Beech, Wolf Resort, Bryce Resort, The Homestead, and Canaan Valley.
That’s it for today…enjoy your weekend ahead.
We’re on day 121 and there are 16 more days of opportunities to enjoy the snow for the 2009-2010 ski and snowboarding season!
Go enjoy the snow! Check out the Snow Report at https://www.skisoutheast.com/skireports.php and please send us your favorite ski photos, ski videos, trip reports and comments to [email protected]