North Carolina is a magnificent state, but few people know of the diversity of its geography. There are three regions in the state, the coastal region, the mid-state plateau, and the western mountains that are part of the Appalachian Mt. Range. It stretches over into eastern Tennessee and Kentucky and reaches up into Virginia and West Virginia. The Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee are known as the “Great Smokey Mountains” because of the haze that lies over it. Western North Carolina is actually one of the best ski regions in the entire southern tier of states and for good reason! The mountains are exquisite and very accessible for southerners wanting a great outing venue in the snow. The rivers here are incredible too and rafting is one of the most popular summer sports. There are many excellent ski resorts which have been popular for years for their great packages, family-friendly accommodations and the availability of different levels of challenges from the area. I’ll list three or four with some added links to special lodging or restaurants. Just browse and click. All have phone numbers and are able to offer the most complete service and accommodations. Happy snow season!
http://www.skibeech.com/
This resort has tons to offer in the way of family packages and accommodations. It is being predicted that the Appalachians should see some very good snows this winter, but almost all of the developed resorts have snow machines. Skibeech’s equipment is “airless” which is supposed to be state of the art.
They welcome groups and with 15 or more people, the 16th lift ticket is always free. There are also special package rates available with lift, rental equipment and lessons included.
If you click on the special discounts link you’ll be absolutely amazed at how many deals they have going for every sort of group and every day of the week. These discounts are nothing to sneeze at, either. They can make a wonderful ski vacation affordable to a family for a fantastic long weekend of skiing and snow play!
http://www.townofbeech.com/ is a good place to start for accommodations for your ski trip, or simply click on the accommodations link in the skibeech.com site! By the way, did you know that Beech Mountain is Eastern America’s highest town at 5,506 ft?
http://www.hawksnest-resort.com/ride.htm
Hawkesnest is an extremely popular area for skiing. This venue offers all sorts of packages and the season passes would really be super for people nearby wanting to save a bit of money by purchasing this package to skill all season long.
Hawksnest is off of Highway 105 South, between Boone and Banner Elk up on the high Seven Devils area It is just a short way south of Beech Mt. They offer tubing, ski lessons, telemarking and snowboarding, so there is plenty to do and, like Skibeech, this is a super family-friendly place. There are all sorts of lodging choices from that link on their site but I was particularly impressed with the High Country Inn http://www.highcountryinn.com/ Carved into the side of a mountain, this Inn offers comfort and luxury as well as true southern Appalachian charm. There are Jacuzzis, large rooms with fireplaces, pools both indoors and out. Just take your pick. On the site you can take a virtual tour of the rooms to get a better idea of just what type of lodging you like best.
Cataloochee claims to be the first ski resort to open and the last to close in the region, which means more skiing for you! Cataloochee Ski Area is easily accessed from Interstate-40, which runs from Knoxville. It is a short four miles off U.S. 19 in the Maggie Valley area. They really take their snowmaking seriously and have fine-tuned theirs to achieve maximum dependable conditions throughout the entire season. Of course they offer snowboarding and tubing. After a vigorous day in the cold you can warm up in front of the double-sided fireplace and enjoy some of the delicious Lodge food and after ski drinks.
Be sure to click on the lodging link and then on the Kids ski Free area. This is a very good deal and can save you some money. It’s limited to just two children and the adult must pay full price. You just click on any of the lodging venues you want and make the contact from there.
http://www.tubemaggievalley.com/ is nearby in Maggie Valley also and offers some really fun tubing packages with lifts. They’ve installed a moving carpet lift to make getting to the top much easier for tubers. They also have a snowplay area for the little ones who don’t meet the height requirements. It’s $5.00 per session. This would be a great outing for those who have young children you want to introduce to skiing and snow activities while they’re little and it’s easy for them to learn!
The last resort I’ll list is Wolf Ridge. It is very accessible and just 5 miles off I-26.
http://www.skiwolfridgenc.com/. Wolf Ridge has the highest rated slopes in Western North Carolina. There are three parking areas and each of these has food service. There are two huge rustic ski lodges as well.
http://www.mountainflavor.com/food.html The Lodge Steak and Ribs will make you hungry just looking at their online menu. They offer barbecue, baby backs and hand-cut, aged in-house steaks. The ribs are served either wet or dry. And the menu offers children’s features too, so bring the whole family after a chilly day on the slopes. They even offer a lift ride to the top of the mountain before your dinner. You don’t need to be ravenous to enjoy food like this, but if you are, they’re ready!
