The High Country Host Blog

The Talk of the Town Social Media Workshop Series conducted once a month at The Broyhill Inn in Boone has made an impact in The High Country.

The Mast General Store, one of the attendees, has grabbed the bull by the horns and has exploded onto the social media scene.

With over 4,500 fans on Facebook and followers growing quickly on Twitter, the store is a great example of how social media is having a profound influence on consumer behavior and how people process information.

Because of the Facebook presence, they now have the ability to have an ongoing relationship with their past and potential customers, making it more likely they will keep coming back.  They are going where the people are: the web, and drawing them into a  two-way give and take.

Check out the Mast General Store on Facebook: CLICK HERE
Follow the Mast General Store on Twitter: CLICK HERE

For more information, visit: http://www.mastgeneralstore.com

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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Blowing Rock’s 12th annual Winterfest is Jan. 28-31. This four-day celebration of everything winter is packed with activities and events for day-trippers and overnight guests alike.

Winterfest begins Thursday evening with “WinterFeast,” hosted by The Manor House Restaurant at Chetola Resort. Culinary delights abound as the area’s fine restaurants come together for this once-a-year dining showcase. There are seatings at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

Friday and Saturday activities include “shop ’till you drop” at downtown shops and the Tanger Outlet Shoppes on the Parkway, a charity wine auction & tasting, afternoon hayrides and a bonfire at dusk. There’s also a silent auction with items ranging from weekend stays at local hotels to clothing, dinners and jewelry.

he highlight of Winterfest is the Polar Plunge on Saturday morning. It features a contest of brave souls who jump into the icy waters of Chetola Lake while dressed in wacky costumes. Contestants vie for the coveted Golden Plunger Award, while spectators marvel at their lack of good sense.www.blowingrockwinterfest.com or call (877) 750-4636.

Other Winterfest activities include: an ice carving competition, chili cookoff, live music, pancake breakfast and a pet show.

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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Late night skiing is available this winter in the High Country. Appalachian Ski Mtn. in Blowing Rock hosts nine Midnight Blast Weekends from now through February 20th.

On Fridays and Saturdays of these special weekends, night skiing begins at its usual 6 p.m. time, but stays open an extra two hours until midnight. Best of all, these extended hours are offered at no additional cost.

“With challenging economic times, people looking for a good value will discover that this is the best ticket value that we offer, at a time that is actually convenient,” said Appalachian Ski Mtn. General Manager Brad Moretz.

Appalachian is the only ski area in the Southeast region offering late-night skiing this winter.

For info, visit www.AppSkiMtn.com or call (828) 295-7828.

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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Winter sports enthusiasts are invited to ring in 2010 on the slopes in the High Country of North Carolina. Each of the three High Country ski resorts offers a fireworks extravaganza this New Year’s Eve.
 
The festivities begin with a 10:30 p.m. fireworks show at Beech Mountain Resort, while Appalachian Ski Mountain and Sugar Mountain Resort light the skies at midnight.
 
Beech Mountain Resort provides night skiing until 10 p.m., followed by ice skating from 10 p.m. to midnight. Folks can watch the 10:30 p.m. fireworks display from the Viewhaus restaurant or anywhere in the Alpine village at the base of the slopes. There will also be live music in the Beech Tree Bar & Grill from Chasing Edison, a Charlotte-based rock band.

Sugar Mountain Resort has skiing, tubing and ice skating until 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. At midnight, the public is invited to a combined torch light parade and fireworks show, while the Terry Batson Band provides live beach music and oldies in the lodge.
 
Appalachian Ski Mountain’s alcohol-free celebration begins with night skiing at 6 p.m., followed by moonlight ice skating at 10 p.m. A torch light parade takes place at 11:45 p.m., with fireworks at the stroke of midnight. Breakfast is also available from 9 p.m. to midnight.
 
“We’ve provided fireworks on New Year’s Eve since 1992. It’s one of our best nights of the year,” said general manager Brad Moretz. “They shoot them off on the slopes and people watch from the deck, or on the base of the slopes or the front porch.”

For info on these three celebrations, call High Country Host at (800) 438-7500, or visit the website for each resort: www.appskimtn.com, www.skisugar.com and www.skibeech.com.

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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With over a foot of snow expected when it’s all said and done up here in The High Country, NC ski resorts are gearing up for what could be the best ski season in years.

The weeks around Christmas and New Year’s are some of the busiest of the whole year and the current winter storm (still pounding us as we type this) is putting the ski slopes in prime condition.

Make your plans and come on up!

Visit our new NC Ski website: http://skithehighcountry.com

Sugar Mountain: http://skisugar.com/conditions

Beech Mountain: http://www.skibeech.com

Appalachian Ski Mountain: http://www.appskimtn.com

Ski Hawksnest: http://www.hawksnest-resort.com

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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BEECH MOUNTAIN, N.C. – Beech Mountain’s youth sledding hill has opened for the winter season. The hill draws families from across the Southeast for sledding on a daily basis.

Conditions are generally very good throughout the winter. Beech Mountain (elevation 5,506 feet) averages more than 80 inches of snowfall per year, and the town has its own gun for blowing snow when Mother Nature isn’t.
 
The Beech sledding hill is located next to the Chamber of Commerce. It is open daily at no charge for kids 12 and under, although parents may ride with smaller children. Plastic sleds are required. Folks are encouraged to bring their own sleds, or they may be purchased at stores on the mountain.
 
“It’s a free and enjoyable place for children to have fun,” says Peggy Coscia of the Beech chamber. “They come from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. We get a lot of folks from Florida who are excited because it’s the first time the children have seen snow.”
 
The sledding hill is operated by the Beech Mountain Parks and Recreation Department. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (weather permitting) with safety personnel on duty. A loud speaker plays music and hot chocolate is available at nearby restaurants.
 
Parking and restrooms are provided by the chamber. People are encouraged to call the chamber at (800) 468-5506 to receive live updates on sledding conditions.
 
“All I have to do is look out the window,” says Coscia. “We’re that close.” 
 
Additional info on the Beech Mountain sledding hill is available at: www.beechmtn.com.

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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Complete information on skiing and winter sports in the North Carolina High Country is just a mouse click away thanks to the re-launch of SkiTheHighCountry.com.

The redesigned and upgraded website now features everything skiers need to know about the High Country’s three ski resorts – Appalachian Ski Mountain, Beech Mountain Resort and Sugar Mountain Resort – as well as key info on the snow tubing park at Hawksnest Resort.

Visitors to SkiTheHighCountry.com can access live webcams for real-time conditions, view trail maps, check rates and hours of operations, receive details on ice skating, and browse accommodations. There’s also a dining guide and an overview of activities away from the slopes.

Photo galleries of each resort, featuring the work of award-winning photographer Todd Bush of Banner Elk, are included.

The site was created by Big Boom Design of Asheville and is produced and maintained by North Carolina High Country Host.

High Country Host is a tourism marketing organization that promotes travel to North Carolina’s High Country, a five-county region anchored by the popular towns of: Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, Blowing Rock, Boone, Linville, Sparta, West Jefferson and Wilkesboro.

To view the new site, go online to www.SkiTheHighCountry.com.

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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A Weekend of Winter Fun at
Sugar Mountain Ski Resort!

SugarFest kick starts the winter season with a weekend of pure winter fun! Sponsored by the Village of Sugar Mountain Tourism Development Authority (TDA) and hosted by Sugar Mountain Resort, SugarFest will be held December 12h and 13th, 2009. 

The seventh annual two-day festival is packed with a long list of winter activities and coincides with Sugar’s 16th Annual Adult Preseason Ski Clinic which 1994 Olympic Gold & 1992 Olympic Silver medalist Diann Roffe and two-time (1992 & 1994) Olympian, Krista Schmidinger will both be special guest coaches.

Both Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am until 3:30 pm 2009 ski & snowboard equipment will be available for demo from Salomon, Volkl, Nordica, Burton, Head, Never Summer, K2, Atomic, Dynastar, Rossignol, Ride, Line, Fisher and Forum. You must have a valid driver’s license or credit card in order to demo the equipment.

Watch 1992 Olympic Figure Skating Silver Medalist, Paul Wylie dazzle us with his amazing talent followed by an on ice skating clinic and a meet and greet session Saturday 10 am and 1 pm on Sugar’s ice rink located next to the Dave Nixon Pro Shop adjacent to parking lot D.

With Mother Nature’s cooperation Sugar’s Tubing Park will be open. Both ice skating and tubing activities will be open for two-hour sessions beginning at 10 am and ending a 10 pm.

For more information, please visit: http://www.seesugar.com/tourism/sugarfest

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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A holiday tradition in Blowing Rock, Chetola’s Festival of Lights features over 50,000 illuminations attracting thousands of visitors each year.

Drive around Chetola Lake and view glittering ice skaters, a nativity scene, Rudolph catching a “big fish” and much more. Over Friday and Saturday over Thanksgiving week-end , horse and carriage rides are offered around Chetola Lake from 5 pm to 9 pm.

The price is $15 per adult and $8 for children 12 and under. Cookie decorating will also be offered from 5 pm to 7 pm (free) and Santa will be visiting the Manor House Restaurant from 5 pm to 9 pm (free).

Festival of Lights runs through Blowing Rock Winterfest which ends on January 31, 2010.

For more information, contact 800-CHETOLA or visit www.chetola.com.

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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Source: http://www.vallecrucis.com/fireside/index.html

The historic community of Valle Crucis invites you to warm up by their firesides on Sunday, December 6th, 2009 from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. This tour meanders along country lanes to gift shops, galleries, bed and breakfast inns, restaurants, cabins, and churches where hosts will provide you with refreshments and hospitality throughout the afternoon.

   This year’s stops include several bed and breakfast inns, churches, and other businesses in the Valle Crucis community.

   Tickets are $10 each and are available from the Mast General Store beginning in early Fall. A limited number are available this year and ticket sales end at 4 p.m. on December 6th. All proceeds benefit the Valle Crucis Community Park. Those wishing to purchase tickets in advance may send a check made out to Valle Crucis Park in care of Sheri Moretz, Mast General Store, Highway 194, Valle Crucis, NC 28691. Please include 50¢ extra over the cost of the tickets for mailing.

Make a weekend of it…

   There are many holiday and seasonal activities to participate in. You can choose and cut your own Christmas tree at many local farms – some offer hot chocolate and other treats for an added experience. They will be happy to bale your tree and help you tie it to your car or SUV.

   Take in a Christmas concert. Mountain Home Music presents a plethora of popular performers coming together for a holiday tradition on December 5 at 8 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Boone. For tickets and more information, visit www.mountainhomemusic.com.

   The Original Mast General Store will have live bluegrass and Appalachian music most weekends during December. Saturdays music is scheduled for 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and on Sundays from noon until 2 p.m. You can also visit with Santa Paws at the Little Red School House on Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th to have your pet’s picture taken with the jolly ol’ elf from the North Pole.

   Take a trip down the hill at Appalachian Ski Mtn. as they turn back time to 1962! That’s right, lift tickets will be priced at 1962 prices. For more information, visit www.appskimtn.com.

    This event is co-sponsored by ExploreBooneArea.com and the Watauga County TDA.

For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.

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