Bluebird Days on the Slopes To Continue Through The Weekend in the High Country

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Beech Mountain Resort on Thursday. This weekend looks to be a “bluebird” weekend just like yesterday. Photos by Ken Ketchie

By Jesse Wood

 

The bluebird skiing and snowboarding days continue in the High Country. Yesterday was a gorgeous day for hitting the slopes. Today is a bit chillier, and Saturday and Sunday look a little warmer, to feature just as much sunshine and blue skies.

“It is very cold today, but the snow is still nice. I think we will actually have a bluebird weekend for a change. It looks like nice conditions and plenty of sunshine,” Beech Mountain Resort spokeswoman Talia Freeman said on Friday morning.

Beech Mountain Resort has a base between 26 and 74 inches and all but one of its 15 slopes open. The last trail – the epic Oz Run – should open “tomorrow or anytime in the next couple days,” according to Freeman.

Just recently, Blue Ridge Outdoors announced that the Oz Run was its favorite skiing run in the “Best of the Blue Ridge 2016” feature, beating out the Cupp Run and Lower Shay’s Revenge, both of which are on Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia.

“What makes this intermediate-level run so great? Could it be that it sits on the backside of the resort, with its very own quad chair lift? Could it be the stunning view you get of western North Carolina mountains rolling along the horizon? Could it be that there’s a literal yellow brick road awaiting you on this magical cruise through Oz? The answer is yes. And then some,” Blue Ridge Outdoors published.

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Snowboarders in last year’s Boarders/Skiers Cross at Appalachian Ski Mtn. Photos by Drew Stanley/ASM

The bluebird days, of course, aren’t isolated atop Beech Mountain. Locals and visitors, alike, will experience awesome conditions at Appalachian Ski Mtn., Sugar Mountain Resort and Hawksnest Tubing.

Appalachian Ski Mtn. is hosting the Boarder/Skier Cross on Saturday, Jan. 30, an exciting event that features “lots of rollers, small jumps, big berms” and more, according to Drew Stanley of Appalachian Ski Mtn.

The event, which benefits the Appalachian Snowboard Club and the Appalachian Ski Education Foundation, is open to riders and skiers of all abilities under and over 18 years of age.

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Skiers in last year’s Boarders/Skiers Cross at Appalachian Ski Mtn.

The event for those over 18 begins at noon and the 18 and under event starts at 2:30 p.m. Click here for more information, including registration times.

Appalachian Ski Mtn. features a base of 36 to 64 inches and every slope and terrain park is open. With the Midnight Blast Sessions taking place, the slopes will be open from 9 a.m. until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Across the High County at Sugar Mountain Resort all 21 slopes are open. Sugar Mountain Resort features a base of 42 to 95 inches, and the tubing park and ice skating rink are open for several sessions each day. Tomorrow night on Saturday, the resort features live music from the Linville natives, the Johnson Brothers, who play oldies and classic rock form the ‘70s through today from 4 to 6 p.m.

Click here for more information about Sugar Mountain Resort.

See more photos of Beech Mountain Resort on Thursday below:
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