Snowshoe Mountain received 6" of snow last week, and the resort opens TODAY, November 21.
Laura Parquette reports that Opening Day Slopes will be Heisler Way, Whistlepunk, Skidder, Crosscut, Spruce Glades, Tailtree and Powdermonkey. Opening day lifts: Skidder, Powdermonkey and Grabhammer. Expect 4 terrain park features as well. Snowmaking will continue as temperature allows.
Silver Creek is projected to open on Dec. 15.
This is Snowshoe’s 34th Winter Season and skiers around the Southeast and Mid Atlantic always look for Opening Day at the region’s largest winter resort. Snowshoe Mountain will host its 34th annual rope drop tomorrow morning at 9a.m., signaling the start of another wild and wonderful ski season.
Over a foot of snow covers the slopes at Snowshoe, and conditions were enhanced by the 6” of natural snow that fell on the mountain late last week. With a season total of 10” of natural snow, the resort is well ahead of its snowfall this time last year. Cold temperatures had the snowmaking crew at Snowshoe busy early and often leading up to Opening Day. Crews turned on the guns for the first time on November 2nd, and have made snow on almost 30 acres of skiable terrain, allowing a tremendous base to coat the slopes. Mother Nature is expected to once again cooperate Thursday evening, as temperatures are projected to drop below the freezing mark. Mountain operations hopes to make snow for up to 60 hours between Thanksgiving night and the beginning of next week.
Tomorrow morning will include the annual rope drop ceremony atop Heisler Way. Skiers and snowboarders will anxiously await the moment when the rope is removed and they can make their first turns of the season. The Skiing Turkey will also make his annual appearance, bringing a little holiday flare to a great day on the slopes. The Village at Snowshoe has been decorated for the season and will be bustling with energy. There are plenty of family activities planned throughout the weekend, including the first annual Turkey Olympics on Thursday, followed by the tree lighting in the Village Plaza and Santa’s arrival on Friday.
For more information on Snowshoe’s 34th winter season, please visit http://www.snowshotmtn.com .
FREE SKIING HIGHLIGHTS THE DAY IN NORTH CAROLINA…
Appalachian Ski Mountain opens for the 2007-2008 ski season today and if you can make it over to the popular Blowing Rock resort today you get to ski and ride for FREE. They will have two slopes open today (Lower Big Appal and Appaltizer. Drew Stanley wrote, "This year makes 10 out of the last 13 years that Appalachian has been open during the week prior to Thanksgiving. We have made lots of snow on Upper Big Appal, and expect that it will be open after one more night of snowmaking. With good snowmaking weather forecast for Thursday night, we hope to have additional terrain open by Friday or Saturday."
Park features will be setup in several areas from our opening day on. Ice skating should open Saturday, November 24 on a regular schedule with sessions beginning at 12 noon, 2:30, and 7pm. Our restaurant will be offering a traditional homemade Thanksgiving lunch complete with roast turkey & dressing, sweet potato souffle, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie. The Alpine Ski Shop and Appalachian Gift Shop are now open for all your Christmas and skiing needs on a regular schedule with the ski area hours from 8-4:30. Gift certificates are also available online or at the Appalachian Ski Mtn. Main Office.
Skiing, riding and Turkey Day feasts…AND FREE SKIING TODAY! What are you waiting for?
GET US SOME IMAGES AND VIDEO!
CATALOOCHEE RIDES ON!
On Wednesday they will be skiing on three slopes, Intermediate Lower Omigosh, serviced by the Omigosh Double Chairlift, and Beginners Easy Way and Beginners Rabbit Hill serviced by the Easy Way Triple Chairlift on a base of 8"-14" and a loose granular surface and some thin spots.
On Wednesday they offer two sessions of skiing only, twilight skiing from 1pm – 10:00pm and night skiing from 6pm until 10pm with an afternoon half day rate also available. Weekday and student rates will be in effect.
Cat will be closed on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day and will open for holiday skiing on Friday and Saturday from 8:30am until 10pm and on Sunday from 8:30 am until 4:30pm. Holiday rates will be in effect from November 23 through November 25. And please note that midweek season passes will not be valid from Friday, November 23 through Sunday, November 25.
SUGAR MOUNTAIN OPEN TO THE 3/4TH STATION
Sugar will be open from the 3/4 station today. The Yellow Lift is in operation servicing Upper and Lower Flying Mile. Sugar Mountain reports, "Please note that there are some thin areas of snow coverage."
They will be open for the night session tonight from 6-10pm.
SKI BEECH
A lot of you guys have been asking about Beech and when they plan on pulling the trigger on their snowmaking equipment. The management up there has just simply been eyeing what they feel is more consistent cold temps that would allow them to make snow and open with good conditions.
They report, "The ski season is drawing closer every day. We have yet to begin our snowmaking for the year; however, our snowmaking crews have been placing snowmaking equipment on the slopes. We are watching the forecasts with plans of firing-up our snowmaking when we see a serious cold spell that will last for several days and that will be followed by seasonably cold temperatures so that we can begin to establish a good base and be able to expand our slope coverage. We are anxious to get the season underway, and we want to open with good consistent conditions. Many of us up here are eager to get out to enjoy the excitement of making our first runs of the season."
‘Nuff Said…
So there’s THREE North Carolina SKI AREAS playing today and we’d suggest you pack your gear and get off your rear and hit the snow!
WE DEBUTED ONE OF OUR EARLY SEASON VACATION GIVEAWAYS…Visit the contest page!
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