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Ski Conditions Remain Terrific Heading into Christmas Holiday Week

By Nathan Ham

This prolonged streak of cool daytime weather and cold nights for snowmaking have left the area ski resorts with plenty of snow for what should be a busy next couple of weeks with Christmas and New Year’s ride around the corner. 

Appalachian Ski Mtn. will be continuing their new tradition of offering 50 percent off ski tickets on Christmas Day. According to Drew Stanley, the Marketing Director at Appalachian Ski Mountain, this is the third year that they have offered the discount that is used as a fundraiser for the Appalachian Ski Patrol. The Appalachian Ski Patrol will be volunteering their time to help staff the ski area in order to raise funds for a new First Aid and Ski Patrol facility. The ski area will be donating ski ticket and rental receipts for that day towards this project.

Tickets must be purchased online by noon on Christmas Day to take advantage of the skiing discount from 1-10 p.m.

The conditions at App Ski Mtn. are great according to Stanley. 

“We capitalized on the cold weather the last few days. We have a majority of slopes open and a substantial base. We are looking forward to calm, clear, Christmas weather,” he said. “Conditions are great and we have quite a bit of snow.”

At Sugar Mountain, their snow machines have been hard at work providing a lot of good snow cover for the slopes. 

“Conditions are fantastic, we still have the snow machines going. Temperatures will be in the 30s and 40s so it really is perfect ski conditions,” said Kim Jochl, the Vice-President and Marketing Director of Sugar Mountain Resort. “The base is deep and the coverage is wide, we’re going from treeline to treeline

Jochl said they also have two lanes of snow tubing open right now and ice skating is open and in great shape. 

Beech Mountain just opened snow tubing and ice skating on Friday to prepare for some of their busiest days of the ski season. 

“We have had a long window of snowmaking this week and natural snow. Conditions are prime for a great holiday week of skiing,” said Talia Freeman, the Director of Marketing for Beech Mountain Resort. 

Friday Ski Report

Appalachian Ski Mtn. – 9 trails, 4 lifts open with a 36-52 inch base. Open trails are Appaltizer, Avery’s Appal, Candied Appal, Strudel, Orchard Run, Lower Big Appal, Upper Big Appal, Appaljack and Appal Jam. 

Beech Mountain – 10 trails, 7 lifts open with a 20-38 inch base. Open trails are Upper Shawneehaw, Lower Shawneehaw, Upper Robbin’s Run, Lower Robbin’s Run, Crossover, Upper Powder Bowl, Lower Powder Bowl, Freestyle, Play Yard and The Park. 

Sugar Mountain – 9 trails, 4 lifts open with a 27-60 inch base. Open trails are Gunther’s Way, Northridge, Switchback, Upper Flying Mile, Big Birch, Lower Flying Mile, Easy Street, Tiny Tim and Magic Carpet Area.