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Great Weekend Ahead for Skiing, Snowboarding and Snow Tubing; ‘Best Season We’ve Had in Last Few Years’

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Hawksnest is expecting a great weekend ahead. Photo by Ken Ketchie

By Paul T. Choate

Feb. 15, 2013. If skiing, snowboarding or snow tubing is your thing, Presidents’ Day weekend is going to be a great weekend to hit the slopes or lanes. With snow and cold weather in the forecast, all the area winter sports resorts are gearing up for the next few days.

Photo by Ken Ketchie
Photo by Ken Ketchie

“The season did start late, but it’s probably the best season we’ve had in the last few years,” said Hawksnest Snow Tubing Resort Owner Lenny Cottom. “I’ve got no complaints.”

Cottom said Hawksnest is planning to have about 16 or 17 of their 20 snow tubing lanes open this weekend. The resort will be making snow again tonight thanks to the cold weather ahead.

He did caution, however, that people would need to layer up because the temperatures are looking to be in the teens to 20s this weekend.

As for the local ski resorts, things are looking up as well after a slow start to the season due to unseasonably warm weather.

Sugar Mountain currently has six of their seven lifts open and there is plenty of snow on the slopes. There is currently a 39-81 inch base on the mountain.

Hawksnest is already getting busy as of noon on Friday. Photo by Ken Ketchie
Hawksnest is already getting busy as of noon on Friday. Photo by Ken Ketchie

At Beech Mountain, five of their seven lifts are open and they currently have a 22-66 inch base.

Appalachian Ski Mountain has all six of their lifts running and have a 37-66 inch base.

Looking forward, the winter sports resorts in the area will probably have at least a couple of weekends of favorable weather ahead, Cottom said.

“It’s not looking like it will warm up any time soon,” Cottom said. “I think there will still be a couple more weekends left after this one.”

For more information on the area winter sports resorts, visit hawksnest-resort.com, skisugar.com, skibeech.com and appskimtn.com