The Loch Ness Monster. Yeti. A North Carolina powder day. These were all things I had heard about before, but never actually saw with my own two eyes.
Until now, because I can confirm, yesterday was a powder day in North Carolina.
@joshsullivan36 Views from a North Carolina powder day #ski #snowboard #northcarolinalife
When I rode Sugar Mountain Resort on Friday it was 62 degrees, sunny, and I rode in a t-shirt. Two days later, when I hit Beech, the temperatures were cut in half, and it was snowing like crazy.
What a wild 72 hours in North Carolina’s High Country.
There’s fresh snowfall at a few resorts in the southeast this morning. Beech and Sugar are among them, with Appalachian Ski Mountain getting about an inch of snow as well. Timberline and Canaan Valley Resort each got over an inch of fresh stuff, and so did Snowshoe.
I got to Beech a little after 10 a.m. yesterday, and was shocked to see more cars driving away from the resort than toward it, especially while it was snowing. I was fine with that though. That meant the lift lines were at a minimum.
The rapid drop in temperature definitely led to some icing over on the slopes, and there was a little bit of a dust-on-crust situation, particularly at the summit. But there was plenty of stuff to play around in at the lower portions of the mountain.
Girls Go Shred was out at Beech yesterday, hosting a clinic for women new to the sport. It started off with some yoga, and ended on the slopes. There was ski racing and a youth freestyle competition. Really just a ton of stuff going on at the mountain on a Sunday.
I broke out the Skeleton Key yet again, and ironically, though it’s a board best suited for powder, it was not quite powdery enough to hold up to the chunder that was at the top of the mountain. I do think that it’s going to be the only board I pack for my trip to Powder Mountain in Utah in a few weeks.
Alright. Let’s get into what you need to know about the southeast today:
Cataloochee
The Cat was hit with about two inches of fresh snow, and is looking really playful.
There are 17 trails open today and 5 lifts spinning.
Snowshoe
There was a short warming period – though Snowshoe didn’t get it nearly as bad as the other resorts in our region – but we’re back to business as usual.
“Our snowy friend has returned with nothing but cool temps on the horizon. So, bundle up and hit the slopes,” the snow report said. “Always ride in control and give way to those carving the path ahead. Find your chill spots safely, easily visible to the sides of the slopes. Peek before you leap, take a glance uphill before merging or crossing trails. Heed the wisdom of signs, closed trails are off limits for your safety.”
Timberline
Still 100% open. There’s a little over an inch of fresh snowfall to play around in this morning, and more could be on the way.
Appalachian Ski Mountain
Even despite the warm-up, App Ski still has all 13 of its trails open.
App Terrain Park, Roxy, Alpine Ski Shop, and Girls Go Shred are teaming up for a special session Saturday, February 3.
There will be a custom terrain park area with features that are designed to allow learning and progression. The event is for women and girls only, and coaches will be there to help offer advice if needed.
The best part? The event is free with the purchase of a lift ticket. Skiers and snowboarders are both welcome.
There will be raffle prizes at the end of the session as well.
Then Sunday, the Shred for the Cup Series is back with the slopestyle finals. Branson Winkler is in the leed for the men’s advanced snowboard division, and Zachary Kowalzyk leads the men’s advanced ski. Taylor Lambeth leads women snowboard, while Caroline Edwards leads the women’s ski division. And Josh Cockerham is atop the standings for intermediate ski, with Sofia Maruszak at the top of intermediate snowboard.
Massanutten
It’s a Monday, and it’s time for some cheap lift tickets.
Monday night madness means that lift tickets are just $35, and rentals are $25 for the night session.
There’s a 30-inch base, and 22 trails open this morning.
“No Hessitation will start the day closed and open at patrols discretion today as the snow softens,” the snow report said.
Sugar
It’s a snow day. Get on over to Sugar if you’re a student in Ashe and Avery counties in North Carolina, and Johnson county Tennessee.
X Games
Another day, another piece of history made at the X Games.
Kokomo Murase, a 19-year-old snowboarder form Japan, landed the first-ever frontside 1440 by a woman in the Big Air competition, on her way to a gold medal yesterday. She also is now the first woman with three medals at the same X Games since 1997.
And yes, if you’re wondering. That was before she was even born.
With the first frontside 1440 ever landed by a woman, Kokomo Murase stormed to Pacifico Snowboard Big Air gold. She’s the first woman with 3 medals at the same X Games since 1997, 7 years before Kokomo was born.@pacificobeer #XGamesAspen pic.twitter.com/yKthCr9xnG
— X Games (@XGames) January 29, 2024
And Eileen Gu won women’s ski superpie gold just days after a big bail in a training run left her nearly unable to walk, and skiing in “an unprecedented level of pain.”
Eileen Gu took a slam earlier in the week, but she still pushed through for gold in Chipotle Ski SuperPipe at #XGamesAspen pic.twitter.com/n8CznIPky0
— X Games (@XGames) January 28, 2024
Meanwhile in men’s snowboard slopestyle, Red Gerard took gold, and Mark McMorris took silver. Norweigan Mons Røisland took the bronze medal in that competition, and he also won bronze in the big air contest as well.
The Rest
Don’t forget: Clear your calendar from February 9-11. That’s when Massanutten and SkiSoutheast will host team up to host our summit. It’s a great way to meet like-minded, snow-loving people, and possibly make some lifelong friends in the process.
Thanks to everyone that has already joined us on Discord.
Think snow!
Think cold!
Click here to join us on our new SkiSoutheast Discord channel. It is a great way to meet new snow loving friends and shares experiences, ask questions, and more!
And as always, email me at [email protected] with your thoughts and photos.