
A skier navigating the woods in Cataloochee Ski Area. (Visit Haywood)
This guide to six ski resorts will help you choose where to go skiing in North Carolina before the season ends.
Kyle Haghshenas, the store manager at the Alpine Ski Center in Charlotte, has been skiing for more than two decades. His job is to make sure all levels of skiers and snowboarders are ready to get on the slopes with the right equipment, but he’s also full of advice for beginners.
“If you’re new to skiing or snowboarding,” Haghshenas says, “don’t get frustrated if you’re not as good as the people around you. There’s a decent learning curve with both of these sports. If you fall, it’s OK, everyone is falling.”
Haghshenas recommends suiting up with the right gear: gloves, goggles, helmet, jacket, pants, wool socks, and possibly a face mask and thermal underwear. And be ready to shed layers when the temperature warms. For equipment, the standard ski rental includes skis, boots, and poles, and the standard snowboard rental includes a snowboard, boots, and bindings.
When you choose a North Carolina resort to visit, Haghshenas says to consider how far you’re willing to drive for the powdery stuff and take a peek at the webcams most ski resorts have on the websites.
1. Appalachian Ski Mtn.
Location: Blowing Rock
Last day to ski: March 16
Why ski here? The resort’s French Swiss Ski College has taught over one million people to ski and snowboard. They use a timeslot reservation system, where guests select an arrival time to ensure an even and efficient flow of traffic.
Services
- Lessons: Sign up online for ski and snowboard lessons when reserving tickets and rental equipment.
- Rentals: Skis, skiboards, snowboards, and rental clothing.
- Night skiing and snowboarding: Until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Friday, Saturday, and holiday nights.
- Ice skating: Sign up for a two-hour session in the rink.
Runs: 13 slopes open for all ability levels. Hard Core is the most difficult traditional run.
Amenities: The Bavarian-style ski lodge with a stone fireplace offers a view of the slopes from the dining rooms and the 200-foot observation deck. The slopeside restaurants feature daily specials such as prime rib served with horseradish cream, fried flounder, and whiskey-battered onion rings.
Special events: Kick off President’s Day Family Weekend with Midnight Blast with skiing from 8:30 p.m. until midnight. The weekend includes Moonlight Ice Skating Sessions and an AppalTop Progression Session for all levels.
The Annual Winter Meltdown Games—including cardboard box derbies, terrain park events, and signature Pond Skim and costume contest—are March 15 and 16.
Overnight accommodations: Chetola Resort, Rhodes Motor Lodge, Slopeside Lodging
Pro Tip: Reserve your ticket online and get an extra hour of skiing or riding for free. The resort uses a radio frequency identification card (RFID) which contains slope access and rental information.

Skiers heading down the mountain. (Appalachian Ski Mtn)
2. Beech Mountain Resort
Location: Beech Mountain
Last day to ski: March 22
Why ski here? At 5,506 feet, Beech Mountain receives an average of 64 inches of annual snowfall a year.
Services
- Lessons: Individual and group ski and snowboarding lessons are available for beginners, beginning at 4 years old. Hourly lessons are first come, first served, and fill quickly. Group and private lessons must be booked in person at the Ski & Ride School upon arrival.
- Rentals: Skis, snowboards, and accessories.
- Night skiing: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
- Snowboarding: Two terrain parks—For Pete’s Sake Terrain Park and Powder Bowl Terrain Park—are available for snowboarding. The Powder Bowl attracts more experienced snowboarders and includes natural and man-made terrain, including half-pipes, grind rails, and jumps with landing areas.
- Tubing: Sessions are available throughout the day with an additional 8 p.m. session on weekends.
Runs: 17 slopes are open as of January, but early in the season, only 12 to 14 runs may be open. White Lightning is the resort’s most difficult run.
Amenities: The Resort Village is home to cafes, restaurants, and shops including First Chair, Brewing Co. Taproom & Grill, The Lodge, and Beech Mountain Brewing Co. For spectacular views and a cocktail, head to the newly remodeled 5506’ Skybar.
Special events: The Winter Music Series at Beech Mountain Brewing Co. brings live music all season long. Shows kick off at 8 p.m. and admission is free.
Overnight accommodations: Great Escape Lodge, Perry House Bed and Breakfast, Four Seasons at Beech Mountain
Pro Tip: Consider visiting mid-week for discounted tickets and a smaller crowd. If you must visit on a weekend, pick up your slope tickets and rentals the night before to avoid the lines and head straight for the slopes.

A skier doing tricks at Beech Mountain Resort. (Sam Dean)
3. Cataloochee Ski Area
Location: Maggie Valley
Last day to ski: Most likely March 23, but it depends on the weather and slope conditions, and it could go beyond this date if the conditions are favorable.
Why ski here? The resort provides a family-friendly, fun, and safe environment for skiers and snowboarders.
Services
- Lessons: Sign up online for private and group lessons for skiing and snowboarding.
- Rentals: Ski, snowboard, and clothing rentals are available.
- Night skiing and snowboarding: During peak season, the resort stays open every day until 10 p.m. After March 9, the resort closes daily at 4:30 p.m.
- Tubing: At Tube World, even the littlest kids get to slide down the hill in a separate area, the Wee Bowl.
Runs: 18 runs are currently open, but when the season first starts it may be 12 to 14. Two expert runs are Upper Omigosh and Alley Cat. The longest run is Upper and Lower Snowbird at 3,500 feet.
Amenities: The cafeteria serves burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, french fries, hot soups, hot and cold drinks, salads, sandwiches, and daily specials. The full bar is open from 11:00 a.m. until close each day.
Special events: The resort offers special pricing for homeschoolers on Wednesdays, families on Thursdays, and has Military Appreciation Days on February 27 and 28.
Overnight accommodations: Maggie Valley cabins and cottages, Maggie Valley hotels and motels
Pro Tip: Pre-purchase your tickets, because sell-out days do happen. Skip the line and use the kiosks on the lower level of the lodge to redeem pre-purchases, print your ticket, and follow the rental process. Consider picking up rentals the night before a visit after 7:00 pm.

Visitors high-fiving in Cataloochee Ski Area. (Visit Haywood)
4. Hatley Pointe
Location: Mars Hill
Last day to ski: March 8, but depending on the weather, the resort may stay open through mid to late March.
Why ski here? Hatley Pointe is a boutique mountain resort with uncrowded slopes. The resort features regraded and widened slopes, diverse terrain, and a terrain park designed by snow sports enthusiasts.
Services
- Lessons: Sign up for ski and snowboarding lessons on the reservation site or ask inside the lodge. However, availability may be limited without a reservation.
- Rentals: Ski and snowboard rentals are available at the HTLY Fleet Store.
- Night skiing: Get an After Hours pass for night skiing from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Runs: 13, and Upper Streak is the most difficult run.
Amenities: Steeps Coffee & Juicery, Peaks & Pies, Terrace Bistro and Lounge, Smoke & Timber, and The Jewel Bar provide plenty of options throughout the day and week for guests.
Special events: Look for pop-up events and exclusive offers of Men’s Night on Tuesdays, Women’s Night on Wednesdays, and College Nights on Thursdays.
Overnight accommodations: Mars Hill Lodging, The Views at Wolf Ridge
Pro Tip: Upgrade your lift pass to The Sanctuary Pass which gives you access to exclusive amenities like the private lounge area, one free drink voucher of choice, private changing rooms and restrooms, 70-inch lockers, personal showers, tailor-made robes, and heated boot dryers.

Three snowboarders and one skier ride a ski lift. (Hatley Pointe)
5. Ski Sapphire Valley Resort
Location: Sapphire
Last day to ski: Open through the first weekend in March, weather permitting.
Why ski here? Ski Sapphire Valley is a kid-friendly resort with shorter lift lines, giving guests more time to enjoy the slopes. The certified instructors also teach beginners the fundamentals.
Services:
- Lessons: Once guests arrive and pay for a lift ticket, they must get in another line to sign up for private or group lessons, which are first come, first served.
- Rentals: Skis, snowboards, and accessories.
- Tubing: Frozen Falls Tube Park offers tubing sessions for 1.75 hours.
Runs: 1
Amenities: Slopeside Tavern overlooks the slope, with indoor and outdoor seating. Mica’s is across the street, inside Sapphire Valley Resort. The FIX Restaurant serves dinner in a fine dining atmosphere.
Special events: On February 15, Sapphire Valley Resort hosts the annual Outhouse Races. Participants push homemade outhouses down a snow-covered racecourse while a third team member sits inside the outhouse.
Overnight accommodations: Hampton Inn & Suites Cashiers-Sapphire Valley, Hotel Cashiers, The Wells Hotel
Pro Tip: Arrive early, because Ski Sapphire Valley doesn’t take reservations.

Visitors tubing down three lanes at Ski Sapphire Valley. (Jackson County Tourism Development Authority)
6. Sugar Mountain Resort
Location: Sugar Mountain
Last day to ski: Mid to late March, determined by the weather.
Why ski here? There are lots of options for the entire family and lodging within walking distance.
Services
- Lessons: Group and private lessons are available through the Ski and Snowboard School.
- Rentals: Ski, snowboard, and clothing rentals are available.
- Night skiing: 6-10 p.m.
- Ice skating: Sign up for a 90-minute session, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 8 p.m.
- Snowshoeing: Take a one-hour guided tour on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Snowshoe rental is included.
- Tubing: 95-minute sessions on a 700-foot tubing lane begin at 10 a.m. and end at 8 p.m.
Runs: 20
Amenities: Hit up one of the cafeterias, the Annex snack bar, or the Last Run Lounge Restaurant to refuel. The outdoor grill on the deck opens if the weather is cooperating.
Special events: Live music on Saturdays from 4-6 p.m. An Easter Egg Hunt on March 9 beginning at 8:45 a.m.
Overnight accommodations: Best Western Banner Elk, Ski & Sugar Mountain
Pro Tip: Slope tickets and rental equipment are included in the Sugar Bear and Polar Bear programs for children, so there’s no need to get these beforehand. Head straight to the Ski and Snowboard School to register.

Exterior of Sugar Mountain’s lodge. (Vanessa Infanzon)
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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