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Sugar Mountain Ski Resort Closed Sunday, Ending ‘Busy’ Winter Season With Two Inches of Fresh Snow

The annual "burning of the snow" happens on the last day that Sugar Mountain Resort is open. Photos by Ken Ketchie
The annual “burning of the snow” happens on the last day that Sugar Mountain Resort is open. Photos by Ken Ketchie

By Jesse Wood

March 31, 2014. Sugar Mountain Resort closed on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. to at least two inches of fresh snow, something that Erich Schmidinger, ski area and resort manager, couldn’t remember ever happening before in his nearly 20 years working at Sugar.

“It’s usually warm and spring like [on closing day],” Schmidinger said.

But with temperatures in the low 60s on Monday and even warmer afternoons forecasted in the following days, Sugar Mountain Resort undoubtedly has no regrets. Sugar Mountain was the last resort to close, benefitting from the eight inches of snow that fell after Beech Mountain Resort, App Ski Mtn and Hawksnest closed the weekend of March 22 and 23.

Sugar Mountain Resort was open 138 days this winter season, which is the third highest total since 1995-96, which is as far back as the records go. The mountain also received 85.5 inches of snow.

“It was a busy, good winter all around – lots of snow and lots of people. We had good crowds this year,” Schmidinger said.

He added that the unusually cold weather aided the resort in not having to make as much snow in the past. He said Sugar Mountain Resort was able to shutdown snowmaking earlier than normal because it was able to build up the base quicker in the season and didn’t have big meltdowns that usually frustrate skiers and operators in the South. 

Now, Sugar Mountain Resort is looking towards a full slate of summer and fall activities that include hiking and biking, weddings, ski lift rides, Oktoberfest and so much more. Check out the upcoming activities here

Plus, Schmidinger said that the big summer project is the new ski slope that is being built

“That’s going to be the highlight for this year,” Schmidinger said. 

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Staff, customers and whoever else hanging around Sugar Mountain Resort on the last day it is open enjoyed hotdogs and hamburgers.

 

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Staff, customers and whoever else hanging around Sugar Mountain Resort on the last day it is open enjoyed hotdogs and hamburgers

 

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While the ski slopes are now closed, Sugar Mountain Resort has a full slate of summer and fall activities before embarking on another wonderful winter season.