Good morning for SkiSoutheast! You don’t know how good it feels to say that! Where will YOU be when Winter OFFICIALLY starts today? W-h-e-r-e-v-e-r you are at 1:35pm EST, take note that something might feel a little different. If so, you’re a kook and don’t let on to anyone else. All kidding aside, while Winter may not officially begin until 1:35pm today, it kicked in across the Southeast right around Thanksgiving and ski areas all across the region have all enjoyed record beginnings to the delight of skier and snowboarders.
Old Man Winter must have figured that he’s given us plenty of regular Winter weather thus far…so he’d throw in a strange one for today, because as we checked the temperature readings across the region, here’s some interesting numbers:
Snowshoe – 6°
Beech Mountain – 22°
Banner Elk – 8°
Sugar Mountain – 28°
Linville – 17°
Maggie Valley – 13°
Valle Crucis – 11°
Boone – 17°
Blowing Rock – 19°
Those numbers are obviously all over the place but they were taken at the same time from stations all across the region. Radiational cooling in effect…and the colder temps are hovering down low.
There’s no sense breaking down individual resort conditions today. Why? Because frankly the conditions are sooooooo good, that it’s silly critiquing surface conditions. Expect Groomed, Packed Manmade Powder EVERYWHERE…and literally (NO MARKETING RAP HERE!) THE BEST CONDITIONS that you can hope for hitting the slopes today and through the Holidays. If you’ve had a trip planned for this Holiday Season, you nailed it! You are going to be blessed with fabulous snow, great weather and one heck of a getaway!
If you haven’t made plans yet, what the heck are you waiting for?
Here’s a couple of notes from around the region and we’ll add more within the hour:
Base depths have been skyrocketing each day like a thermometer over a flame! Conditions HAVE been optimal for snowmaking that is for certain! We’ll have to get our buddy, Joe Stevens to rant or rave about that another time.
Snowshoe is saying that Conditions look to be partly cloudy in the morning and clearing throughout the day today. With today’s new trail additions of Flying Eagle and Bear Claw at the Silver Creek area, Snowshoe Mountain is now 98% open! Snowmakers are working hard to get Upper and Lower Shays Revenge open for skiing and riding before the weekend. Only Knot Bumper, Widowmaker and Choker were not groomed overnight. Bear Claw may be slightly delayed in opening today.
Appalachian is FULLY open – 100% Plus Terrain Park and Ice Skating.
It was 13° in beautiful Maggie Valley this morning. Cataloochee is now got 9 of 10 slopes operating and they are only missing Cat Cage and the Terrain Park from being 100%. Cat invites you to get in a little skiing with Santa for Christmas. Hey, the guy has to ski somewhere? We caught him over at Sugar over the weekend. That fat little elf really gets around!
Hawksnest was planning on getting the terrain park open today, but it appears they have delayed that a day. Expect some of the best snow conditions in years at Hawksnest. THAT is the buzz. Hawksnest has 9 trails open today.
As we mentioned late yesterday evening, Sapphire Valley has gotten off to it’s earliest and best start in years…maybe a decade or more. Sapphire has two slopes open with great snow and they also have their Frozen Falls Tubing Park open as well.
Ski Beech – Early bird Gil Adams, the popular Marketing Director of Ski Beech, ski patrol, Beech Mountain councilman and genuinely nice guy, was up with the chickens this morning when Beech was showing 15°. If you are a Ski Beech fan as we are, you may be witnessing the most base depth that Beech has recorded in December (or any OTHER time for that matter) in years! 28-40" of snow on 11 of 15 trails! Word has it that Oz and others will be opening VERY soon.
Sugar Mountain – Thrill seekers take note that Whoopdedoo is open today! It should go without saying that Sugar’s got phenomenal conditions and now they have 18 of 20 trails offered up for your enjoyment. Santa is skiing – wait a m-i-n-u-t-e – wasn’t Santa at Cataloochee? I guess if he can pull off delivering toys all over the world in one night, he can ski more than one place in the same day. Join him at Sugar today as well.
Some have asked us about special plans for New Year’s Eve. Sugar is talking theirs up today, so Information IN is Information OUT. If you’re skiing or riding at Sugar during the Holidays, you won’t want to miss their New Years Eve Celebration. They always do it up big with Fireworks at Midnight, Live Music with the Too Much Band and watch for the Torchlight Parade.
So what are you waiting for….go play…and we Wish You All a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS… Can everyone tell I’m feeling so much better today!? (That was for YOU mom!)
Until Next Time!
Be sure to email photos, snow reports and comments to: [email protected]