| As the holiday season approaches, people from | | | | dipping far into the south east Appalachians |
| all around the south are tuning up their skis | | | | - a phenomenon that happens far too seldom to |
| and pulling out their snowboards in | | | | run a profitable ski resort throughout the |
| anticipation of a week long ritual of winter | | | | season.Undaunted by Mother Nature, the fine |
| fun - going to ski North Carolina. This year | | | | folks of this northwestern |
| promises to be a good one, as temperatures | | | | |
| remain consistently cold,and Mother Nature is | | | | chunk of North Carolina saw these huge |
| being generous with the real stuff!Some of | | | | mountain slopes with their lack of natural |
| the highest peaks in the Blue ridge Mountains | | | | snow, and decided to do something about it! |
| are located in the northwest corner of North | | | | Sugar Mountain, Beech Mountain, and even |
| Carolina, standing guard over the quaint | | | | Hawksnest ski resort in Seven Devils became |
| little resort town of Banner Elk in Avery | | | | early pioneers in snowmaking technologies. |
| county. Just east of the continental divide | | | | Today, man made snow supplements ski resorts |
| is Grandfather Mountain, the highest peak in | | | | even in regions of the heaviest natural |
| the Blue Ridge, and to the north west of | | | | snowfalls. |
| Banner Elk looms Beech Mountain, which boasts | | | | |
| of being the highest ski area in eastern | | | | In North Carolina, the roar of the snow guns |
| North America. Sure Mount Mitchell is higher, | | | | can be heard throughout the valley any time |
| but its in the Black Mountains, a sub range | | | | the temperature dips below freezing. Thanks |
| of the | | | | to modern day snow making capabilities, our |
| | | | North Carolina ski resorts are able to remain |
| Blue Ridge.Although the elevation is high, | | | | open pretty much all through the winter - as |
| and our slopes are vast and challenging, | | | | long as it freezes of course!The best |
| North Carolina skiing does have its ups and | | | | conditions for skiers and snowboarders exist |
| downs. This is still the south, and annual | | | | when there |
| snowfall comes nowhere near to that of New | | | | |
| England, where lake effect snows keep the ski | | | | is a healthy combination of natural snow and |
| slopes blanketed pretty much all through the | | | | the man made stuff. When this happens, skiing |
| winter. Our best scenario for natural snow | | | | and snowboarding on our vast mountain trails |
| is when moisture from an Atlantic storm | | | | is an experience that rivals any of the east |
| system collides with the polar jet stream | | | | coast ski resorts. |