Cataloochee Ski Area News
The beginners experience . . . kind of
Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I rented skis. Over the years at various jobs, I’ve tuned and waxed rental equipment, drilled holes in them (to install bindings), and…
Wonderland of Winter
The fall out from Winter Storm Izzy was fantastic . . . a hearty W.O.W. ‘Wonderland of Winter’ nearly enveloped the entire region. Even Jim Cantore made an appearance in…
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Winter’s Bone
Winter’s Bone: An old Appalachian expression . . . “like a dog digging after a winter’s bone” – indicating someone who is on a search or quest for something and…
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“The Cat Is Out of the Bag”
Story and Photos by Brian Dix Happy Holidays to all of you skiers and riders of the southeast. This time of year is always special, but given the current setting…
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Opening Day at Cataloochee 2020!
Let’s rewind a bit . . . I was at Cat for closing day of 2019-2020. The mood was somber. There weren’t any High-Five goodbyes. It felt like the rug…
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From First Chair to Last Chair
It seems like a week ago was a world away. Since last Thursday, our region has been hit with some northwest flow COLD weather. It feels like winter has finally…
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Great Skiing in the Great Smokies
Photos and Story by Brian Dix Hello once again skiers and riders of the southeast. Happy Holidays and welcome to winter (almost). Skiing mid-week is a hidden gem for a…
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‘RIKING’ to the Top of Hemphill Bald!
As legend has it, one of my ole ski-mountaineering college buddies, from CU-Boulder, invented the word . . . Riking: (verb) A combination of Running and Hiking. Usually done when…
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A STORYBOOK Week for the Southeast
Well, what a great start to the season, and it’s technically not even (astronomical) winter yet! Although, “the nerd in the room” might argue with you on that, since meteorological…
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Southeast Ski Map Art: A Look at James Niehues and Rad Smith
At the beginning of every season, it seems like I find a crumpled-up ‘ole ski map, in my jacket pocket, from the year before. Usually, a little wave of nostalgia…
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In the Groomer with Chris Bates
Yesterday, I got a chance to ride along with Chris Bates (owner of Cataloochee), in the groomer. To this day, Bates grooms the mountain every morning, and has a tireless…
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