The highs on Friday ranged from 25° atop Beech some ten degrees higher at lower elevations. Saturday will be slightly milder with highs around 32° for most of the higher elevations such as those seen at all of our Western North Carolina ski resorts. Everyone seems to be excited that we’ll see more SNOW entering the forecast for today with flurries in the afternoon, after a mostly sunny day – and then some accummulating snows (1"-3") for tonight. Sunday looks to be a clear day but bitterly cold with highs in the upper 20s and lows in the mid teens. THAT, my snow-loving friends, means great skiing and riding for this – what is TECHNICALLY the 6th weekend of the season. Most ski areas have actually only been operating for a couple of weeks, but Cataloochee opened the season as the first ski area in the Southeast region to crank up the slopes on OCTOBER 28th!
I provide this clarification because I was in a conversation last night with a Meteorologist friend of mine and I shared some inaccurate information with him. Cataloochee was indeed the first to open this season AND they were skiing before HALLOWEEN!!! Crazy, but true.
To the point though – we are off to a crazy-great start AND conditions will be outstanding no matter where you decide to ski or ride this weekend.
Let’s share some details this morning and get you out on the slopes!
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for Avery County and much of the Western NC Mountains with 1-2" of snow expected and isolated areas of slightly higher snow totals through 7am Sunday morning.
Appalachian – 24° this AM after a low of 20° – They added 3" or so of manmade snow overnight and they are 100% open with both terrain parks operating and their Christmas season, inspiring, Ice Rink. (There’s something about watching ice skaters that makes me think Christmas.) They are open for day and night skiing.
Cataloochee – 25° – They have 9 trails open for Saturday for all sessions including day and night skiing. They have some terrain park features available as well. They made snow last night and have great corduroy waiting for you. I also want to give a shout out to Blake Couch. Blake will be interviewing Tammy Brown, Cataloochee Communications and Marketing Sweetheart. He’ll be checking in with her about what’s happening at Cat including Sunday’s "Can U Ski Food and Coat Drive". Show up with at least 10 cans of food or a winter coat and you’ll ski free on Sunday. Look for Blake story and trip report on Sunday AM.
Ski Beech – 24° – They made snow and are offering 5 of 15 trails for today. Their early season focus has been noticible in that they are making snow on additional trails holding to the 5 open right now. That does include Upper Shawneehaw all the way down the mountain. Beech is open for day and night skiing today and Sunday and The Beech Tree Restaurant will be open all weekend and the band Ample Example will play Saturday, December 6th from 9pm till 12am. Ice Skating this weekend and Snowmaking also begins on some new terrain this weekend with more trails opening soon.
Sugar Mountain – 18° – They made snow (still are) and they will probably be open with 10 trails for today (perhaps an additional couple) for day and night skiing. They also have their 10,000 sf ice rink open. (Sugar had not updated their report as yet this morning (as of 7:15am) so we may update this in a bit.
Wolf Ridge – No new information is available this AM as they have not updated their own report in the last 48 hours, nor advised us or the SSAA. We’ll try to get up with them and see what’s happening. Unless they have changed anything, they will have 3 trails open for day and night skiing.
Today looks AWESOME with some nice weather, chances of SNOW, great conditions on the slopes and smiling faces everywhere! What are you waiting for…GO RIDE!
For more ski news for ALL of the Southeast and Mid Atlantic ski resorts click over to www.SkiSoutheast.com (We’re showing an awesome grooming shot from up at Snowshoe.)
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