Snow skiing in the Southeastern United States can be a joy or a pain -- it's all left up to the weather.

If you happen to hit a Southern slope during a good weather period (within a day or two after a nice snowfall or several days of temperatures in the 20s or 30s) you likely can find some worthwhile skiing.

But often temperatures tend to rise into the 40s, 50s and 60s on Southeastern slopes during the winter, providing skiiers with slush, very soft snow or sections of "corn rows" (soft snow piled up in rows from skiiers making turns).

Ski slopes operate each winter in North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee and Alabama.

But the Western North Carolina slopes generally offer the best skiing with some of the highest mountains in the Eastern half of the United States.

All the regional ski areas have modern snowmaking equipment and can fill a valley with deep snow in 24 hours. But to do so they have to have cold temperatures and proper humidity levels.


Practically all the Southern ski resorts have facilities that include rental lockers, snack bars or restaurants, first-aid stations and equipment rentals. All have an abundant number of hotels/motels in their areas, so finding a place to stay is not usually a problem (Christmas-New
Year's the exception). Some resorts also operate their own lodging facilities, with the quality running from very poor to very good.

Further north, into West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Delaware, conditions generally are often better than in the Southeast, though even there you still oftentimes face a hit-or-miss with the weather.

Several North Carolina ski resorts in recent years have added
additional winter sports activities such as tubing, ice skating, snowshoeing,
snowmobiling, etc.


Here is a couple of High Country web sites offering tourist info and
thumbnail sketches of each of the North Carolina ski resorts (including web sites
and phone numbers): _www.skithehighcountry.com_
(http://www.skithehighcountry.com/) - Central location for skiing info, conditions, web cams, links to ski
resorts, accomodations, etc. _www.MountainsofNC.com_
(http://www.mountainsofnc.com/) - Good over-all info source.


Sugar Mountain Resort

Sugar Mountain is in Avery County near Banner Elk and is the largest ski
area in North Carolina. It also has one of the south's biggest vertical drops
at 1,200 feet, and some of the High Country's steepest terrain in Whoop Dee
Doo and Boulder Dash. Sugar has one of the best facilities for racing and race
training in the area. Sugar's annual Sugarfest is a 'must-do'. Sugarfest
features fireworks, free ski equipment demos, live music, ice sculpting, and
more fun activities. Sugar Mountain features 20 slopes and 8 lifts on 115
skiable acres, snow tubing, and ice skating. _www.skisugar.com_
(http://www.skisugar.com/) 1-800-SUGARMT

Ski Beech

At 5,506 feet above sea level, Ski Beech is the highest ski resort in
eastern North America. Tucked away in the town of Beech Mountain, Ski Beech is
celebrating its 40th anniversary this ski season. With its 15 slopes and 10
lifts in its 100 acres of land, Ski Beech features terrain for the beginner all
the way to the seasoned expert. Ski Beech's 10 lifts give the resort the
ability to move as many as 9,300 people per hour. Beech also has an outdoor ice
skating rink and an exciting freestyle terrain area. _www.skibeech.com_
(http://www.skibeech.com/) (828) 387-2011.

Appalachian Ski Mountain

Skiing since 1962, Appalachian, near Banner Elk, is one of North Carolina's
first ski areas and is very family-oriented. With 8 slopes, two terrain
parks on 25 skiable acres, snowboarding, and ice skating there is a little
something for everyone. New this year is "Fresh Friday" where every other Friday
Appalachian will reveal a new feature in the terrain park. Appalachian's
terrain parks were voted number one in the Southeast by a SkiSoutheast.com
visitor poll. _www.appskimtn.com_ (http://www.appskimtn.com/) (828) 295-7828

Hawksnest Ski Resort

Along with skiing and snowboarding, Hawksnest at Seven Devils is home to the
area's largest snow tubing park. With 8 lanes, each 1,000 feet long.
Hawksnest features 12 slopes on 25 skiable acres. Top Gun is the resort's
centerpiece run and is said to be some of the finest fall-line skiing in the South.
Hawksnest also has special ski program called NightHawk, allowing guests to
ski until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The resort has a new and
improved beginning area. The resorts Topgun Snowsports School is dedicated to
small group classes insuring that beginners learn to ski and snowboard
correctly. _www.hawksnest-resort.com_ (http://www.hawksnest-resort.com/) (828)
963-6561 or 800-438-2093.

Cataloochee Ski Area

This family friendly ski area is located in North Carolina's Great Smoky
Mountains at Maggie Valley. North Carolina's first ski area provides great
skiing, riding and tubing with 14 lighted slopes. Cataloochee is on 25 acres and
is at an elevation of 5,400 feet above sea level. Cataloochee is also
committed to be one of the best in "Sustainable Slopes" practices in North
Carolina. Cataloochee is North Carolina's only member of the National Ski Areas
Association's Sustainable slopes program, dedicating them to lightening the
footprint on the earth by protecting and conserving natural resources.
_www.cataloochee.com_ (http://www.cataloochee.com/) (828) 926-0285

Sapphire Ski Valley Resort

Sapphire Ski Resort is a four-season resort located at Sapphire, N. C., in
the Blue Ridge Mountains, about five miles from the Georgia/South Carolina
border. Sapphire is a small ski area with two runs, but prides itself on it
being a learning and group-friendly facility. Sapphire is also a family
friendly resort for those who are looking to spend quality time with their loved
ones. Sapphire Ski Resort features skiing, snowboarding and a tube park.
_http://81x.com/SapphireValley/SkiArea/_
(http://81x.com/SapphireValley/SkiArea/) (828) 743-1169

Wolf Ridge Ski Resort

Wolf Ridge, near Mars Hill, offers 20 slopes on 82 acres of ski terrain with
100 percent snow making capability, 3 lifts, snow tubing, sledding, night
skiing, and ski school. There is something for everyone from beginner to
expert at this family-oriented resort. New this year, there are three parking
areas, purchase lift tickets/area passes and pick up rentals. Wolf Ridge Ski
Resort is one of North Carolina's most accessible ski slope; just 5 miles from
I-26 at Exit 3 and just 30 minutes from Asheville, N.C.
_www.skiwolfridgenc.com_ (http://www.skiwolfridgenc.com/) (828) 689-4111.

This story was published on 22 Jan 2008.