Excuse our absence from not posting for the last couple of days. We’ve been busy installing some newer webcams and weather stations around the area. To answer numerous emails at one time, "YES, we did get some snow Thursday night!" It was definately one of those elevation-based snows as areas around Blowing Rock and Boone had little or nothing more than flurries…and Sugar and Beech Mountain had maybe close to 1/2" or more.
Before we dive into "catch-up mode", Cataloochee is OPEN Saturday and Sunday. It may not be pristine…but their base held up enough to prompt them to open with the same two beginner slopes for both days. Like most of the resorts, they WILL make snow as temps allow. That makes it THREE WEEKENDS IN A RO that Cataloochee has opened…and that is remarkable.
Now On to Other News You’ll Want to Know About!
Sugar Mountain made snow Thursday afternoon and night…and then again Friday night. We went over there around 7pm Friday and at the base, there was not much more than just wet grass and mud. However, the temperature was 31° and there was some grassy, icing happening. We then drove up top and the temp was 29° and there was ton of snow on and off the slopes! Sugar had already put down close to 7-10" of base in some areas. The snowfall of Thursday night and Friday AM was also apparent all around Sugar Ski & Country Club and the higher elevations around Sugar Mountain. We even took some video footage and a couple of photos and we’ll post those in just a bit.
Someone couldn’t resist the urge to be the first to ski Sugar as there were numerous trail marks that showed proof that someone had already clicked in and skied from up around the 3/4 station.
We were a little surprised that Beech had not cranked up the snowguns…but the temperatures WERE borderline. Beech received some decent (2") snow Sunday and into Monday…and another 1/2" Thursday night. Gil Adams of Ski Beech commented, "Folks around here are getting excited about ski season coming closer and closer, and we are hopeful that we can celebrate the Thanksgiving weekend with a day on the slopes. The annual lift inspection by the State has been done, upgrading to our snowmaking system over the summer has been done, and our staff is returning making the final preparations for the upcoming season."
We spoke with Drew Stanley at Appalachian and he told us that App was holding off until Saturday night to begin snowmaking and they expect to open for the season this week sometime. Lenny Cottom up at Hawksnest said that they would begin somemaking early in the week and shoot for a Thanksgiving Weekend opening.
The weather is looking great for Snowmaking each of the next several nights as temps will dip into the low to mid 20s and we even have 1-3" of snow in the forecast for Sunday and into Monday for the higher elevations. So expect some resort openings any day but at least by Tuesday/Wednesday of next week in some cases.
Note: Sugar’s not ready just yet. We’ve received several emails this morning alluding to their snowmaking. We’ve seen Sugar open after two days of snowmaking, but again…we were up there Friday night and they are still another good day or so of snowmaking away. Stay tuned…as it won’t be long now!
Snowshoe Mountain Has the MOST Snow Right Now…
Our buddies up at Snowshoe Mountain have been busy as heck! They have been making tons of snow in the last couple of weeks and they cranked ’em up again Friday night and along with 3" of natural snow thus far on the season…they look like they’re almost ready for primetime! Snowshoe has pushed back their opening day one day and now plan to open for the 2006-2007 season on Thursday, Nov 23rd with two lifts and SIX TRAILS!
Andrea Smith of Snowshoe Mountain reports, "Cold temperatures have once again returned to the mountain allowing our snowmakers to get out and fire up the guns. With the forecast in store for the next five days, it looks good for around the clock snowmaking. This means that Snowshoe Mountain will be opening for the winter season on Thursday, November 23. When we open on November 23, it looks like we’ll open with Skidder and Grabhammer lifts along the the following trails: Skidder, Crosscut, Spruce Glades, Powder Monkey, Heisler Way and Whistlepunk."
We have a lot more to share with you guys so just check back later in the weekend!
Until Next Time!
Be sure to check out www.SkiSoutheast.com for more news and stories for all of the Southeast’s ski areas.
Be sure to email photos, snow reports and comments to: [email protected]