It’s either foggy, cloudy or drizzly and temps are in the 50s across the entire region and I’m bored so I’m changing things up this morning. You’ll note a distinctly different order to the updates this morning.
<Hawksnest this morning
The first stop is Hawksnest Resort in Seven Devils, NC.
Hawksnest is already showing some wear with thin coverage and bare spots. They still have plenty of skiable terrain on the 6 trails that they have open and they are offering snow tubing as well.
It was 44° this morning and as of 9pm last night when they updated their snow report, they were planning to offer 3 greens and 3 blues for today…and their tubing hill.
Justin Grimes wanted us to inform you guys, "Our Season Specials begin this week! Specials good through out January and February begin this week. Starting Wednesday, Ladies receive free lift tickets for the day or night sessions and beginning Thursday, patrons renting equipment from Hawknest receive free beginning lessons from the Topgun Snowsports School staff."
Next stop is Appalachian Ski Mountain in quaint Blowing Rock, North Carolina. They reported a low of 41° this morning. It is now already 46° at 9am and they offer groomed conditions on 8 slopes, which include their 2 terrain parks. App is offering 2 greens, 5 blues (which also include the Appal Jam and Appaljack Terrain parks) and Upper Big Appal (their lone black open).
<Ski Beech this morning
For no reason other than the fact that I am bored, we’ll drive right past Sugar Mountain and head up to Ski Beech next.
Ski Beech is reporting 44° this morning and they had to close down 2 trails that were open yesterday. They now have 5 trails open with plenty of skiable terrain but numerous thin coverage areas and bare spots. They have 2 greens and 3 blues open til 10pm.
Sugar Mountain is next. They are reporting 41° this morning and the most terrain open in the state with 12 slopes and trails open. They are reporting variable conditions. It is foggy this morning but one look at the live web cams show that conditions look pretty decent there this morning.
We got a couple of emails detailing what were the beginnings of some thin coverage along trail merges yesterday. Sugar is offering 4 greens, 7 blues and 1 black (Tom Terrific)…as well as tubing and ice skating.
Wolf Ridge Resort is showing 53° this morning and 6 trails open…and all open trails are greens (beginner terrain). Wolf is reporting "natural and manmade powder" on their website this morning and "Yes" under their snowmaking report…with the qualifier of "as temps and conditions permit".
The bottom line is Wolf looks darn nice this morning…but their conditions are more toward groomed and variable surface conditions and no snowmaking since January 4th (4 days ago).
We’ll now drive slightly south to the gorgeous community of Maggie Valley, North Carolina and Cataloochee Ski Area.
The Cat has 7 trails open for day and night skiing. They offer 5 greens (beginners), and 2 blues (intermediates) open.
Sapphire Valley’s marketing guys need to go to work in politics because yesterday morning they posted the first updated ski conditions to their website in days. They reported "POWDER" and "FROZEN POWDER" surface conditions and they reported that they made snow.
Ummm…no. We love the little ski resort…but they did not make snow yesterday and the closest Powder would be from the storm out west. Oh well, at least they posted an update to their website, right?!?!
I’m STILL BORED!…but that ends the tour for today. Get the heck off my bus and go ski or ride somewhere!
Until Next Time…Send your comments, photos and videos to: [email protected]
For resort news, photos and videos from ALL of the Southeast and Mid Atlantic ski areas, visit www.SkiSoutheast.com
See You On The Slopes!