Skiing in WNC? With lack of natural snowfall when do area slopes plan to open?
ASHEVILLE - Alongside mild weather, a drought and a series of wildfires, Asheville has yet to see any snow in November — and has yet to see any ski slopes open.
However, Western North Carolina slopes are still gearing up to welcome skiers and shredders — even if snowmaking conditions have not been the best.
For local ski resorts, the big problem has just been weather.
"We have certainly had intermittent periods when snowmaking was possible, however, not to an extent that would have allowed us to provide the positive, quality, and most importantly safe experience that we are committed to for our guests," said Cataloochee Ski Area director of marketing Sarah Worrell.
Cataloochee is one of the closest ski slopes to Asheville, only about an hour drive away. No date is yet set for its opening, Worrell said.
No ski area in WNC has yet to open as of Nov. 22, though many aim to be operating by the Thanksgiving weekend.
If you are bummed about the lack of skiing options, other options will be available shortly — and just in time to enjoy an after Thanksgiving trip to Cataloochee, which opened last year on Nov. 14.
"We are projected to open Tube World this Friday, Nov. 24 — weather permitting, of course. We will make announcements via our website and across social media regarding both openings, and it is always promising to some extent if you check the webcams and see snow, or snowmaking in progress," Worrell said.
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However, slopes are prepping to open their doors within the coming weeks.
In Blowing Rock, Appalachian Ski Mountain is planning to open soon, but has faced similar problems with weather, said Appalachian Ski spokesperson Drew Stanley.
Typically, Appalachian Ski aims to open its slope the Friday before Thanksgiving. They weren't able to make it happen this year, Stanley said.
"It is weather dependent, and the temperatures just have not allowed for any snowmaking to speak of," Stanley said.
Hope, however, is on the horizon.
"We are looking at some colder weather arriving next week, and, as of now, the following weekend looks promising for skiing and snowboarding," he said.
National Weather Service meteorologist Christian Patterson said below freezing temperatures are likely for the region the week after Thanksgiving, but it is unlikely it will come with any snowy weather.
"It does not look like we're going to have any kind of big rain system or big snow system at all in the next seven days," Patterson said to the Citizen Times on Nov. 22. "In fact, it looks generally flat and kind of boring."
Though this winter could bring more snow, as an El Niño is predicted to bring wetter weather into the south eastern region of the United States, currently no large systems are on the horizon, Patterson said.
"Even looking past Wednesday of next week and into the next week, we still don't have any kind of system. So, even though El Niño is in place, we don't have anything major on the horizon," she said.
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Where to ski in WNC?
While many may not yet be open, options for skiing in WNC are plenty, with a variety of slopes closer to Asheville — and some just a few hours away.
Here are some options, along with respective websites, where season or daily passes can be purchased. Remember to check snow, hours and weather prior to planning your trip:
Appalachian Ski Mountain
Where: 940 Ski Mountain Road, Blowing Rock in Watauga County. Around a two-hour drive from Asheville.
Options: Ice skating, skiing and snowboarding. Night skiing available on specific dates.
Website: https://appskimtn.com/
Cataloochee Ski Resort
Where: 1080 Ski Lodge Road, Maggie Valley in Haywood County. Tube World is located at 4721 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. Around a hour-long drive from Asheville.
Options: Tubing, skiing and snowboarding.
Website: https://cataloochee.com/
Beech Mountain Resort
Where: 1007 Beech Mountain Parkway, Beech Mountain in Avery County. Around a two-hour drive from Asheville.
Options: Ice skating, tubing, skiing and snowboarding.
Website: https://www.beechmountainresort.com/
Hatley Pointe Mountain Resort (formerly Wolf Ridge)
Where: 578 Valley View Circle, Mars Hill in Madison County. Around a 45-minute drive from Asheville.
Options: Skiing, tubing and snowboarding.
Website: https://www.hatleypointe.com/
Sugar Mountain Ski Resort
Where: 1009 Sugar Mountain Drive, Sugar Mountain in Avery County. Around a two-hour drive from Asheville.
Options: Ice skating, tubing, snowshoeing, skiing and snowboarding.
Website: https://skisugar.com/
Sapphire Valley Ski Area
Where: 127 Sapphire Valley Road, Sapphire in Jackson County. Around a two-hour drive from Asheville.
Options: Ice skating, tubing, skiing and snowboarding.
Website: https://skisapphirevalley.com/
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Will Hofmann is the Growth and Development Reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Got a tip? Email him at WHofmann@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Skiing in WNC? Slopes planning to open in the coming week. No Snow yet
