Asheville, North Carolina, is a unique place to gather with friends and family for a weekend of skiing. The ski season runs from late November to early March in the Blue Ridge Mountains. After a day of skiing, you can relax and admire the stunning blue color that gives the mountains their name.
Wolf Ridge
According to its website, Wolf Ridge had at least 100 inches of snow in the 2009 to 2010 season. Only 30 miles from Asheville, it has 12 slopes that can accommodate skiers at any level of expertise. Private or group lessons are available. Children over 5 can take private lessons, and youngsters ages 5 to 7 can go to the Wolf Cub Day Watch Program, which gives kids a chance to play in the snow while their parents ski.
Sugar Mountain
Sugar Mountain has a vertical drop of 1,200 feet, the most in North Carolina. Its 115 acres provide skiers with 20 ski slopes. Consider traveling to Sugar Mountain during Sugarfest, held at the start of the season in December. Previous Sugarfest highlights have included workshops with Olympic medalist Diann Roffe and two-time Olympian Krista Schmidinger. There are games for the kids and the young at heart, such as the Snowball Eating Contest. And everyone can enjoy cake, ice cream and fireworks after a long day of skiing.
Sapphire Valley
Sapphire Valley is a family-oriented, four-season resort on 5,700 acres. It has three slopes, including a beginner run and an intermediate run, both 1,600 feet long. The vertical drop is 200 feet, and the slopes are at an average elevation of 4,300 feet.
Appalachian Ski Mountain
Appalachian Ski Mountain had its longest ski season ever in 2009-2010, staying open until April 11. It has night skiing seven days a week, making it popular with college students at nearby Appalachian State and University of North Carolina at Asheville who want to stop by after their classes. On special Midnight Blast Weekends, the slopes stay open until midnight, offering the only late-night skiing in the southeast. There are 10 slopes, with runs for beginner, intermediate, freestyle and expert skiers.
Hawksnest
Hawksnest claims to have the largest Snow Tubing Park on the East Coast and the longest Zip Line Tour, which carries people on cables above the slopes. There are slopes for skiers of all levels, as well as professional instruction. There also is a nearby Carolina Bar-B-Q restaurant and coffee bar for skiers to relax and rejuvenate.
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