First Annual Grandfather Campout At Grandfather Mountain
This summer at Grandfather Mountain brings a brand new event, offering participants unique and new opportunities on the Mountain. The First Annual Grandfather Mountain Campout July 27-29, is an all-weekend event hosted by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.
During this campout, guests can spend up to three days and two nights camping in MacRae Meadows between organized events all over the Mountain. Grandfather’s education and interpretive staff will be present in the camp area to assist novice campers, answer questions and even offer campfire treats and activities. The campsite will be safe, cater to all levels of camping experience and welcomes families, couples, and solo adventurers throughout this weekend of wonder.
These opportunities are included in the price of registration: “Night Adventures,” “The Wonders of Bees” children’s program, a climate and weather program, a tree and shrub walk and an orienteering workshop. Also included in the registration price is “A Bug’s World” children’s program, a clouds and weather program, a butterfly program, “Nature Near the Swinging Bridge” and several campfire and evening gatherings. There are also additional, more in-depth activities like “Grandfather’s Attic Hike” and Behind the Scenes habitat tours, available at an additional charge.
Campout participants also get the added bonus of extended hours on Grandfather. Campers receive access to the park’s overlooks, Woods Walk picnic area and walking trail and the Mile High Swinging Bridge in the morning starting 30 minutes prior to sunrise and in the evening from closing time to 30 minutes after sunrise, allowing for incredible and rare scenic photo opportunities.
Registration for the Grandfather Mountain Campout begins May 1 on www.grandfather.com. Registration forms must be printed and mailed in. Those who wish to resister for a guided hike and/or a Behind the Scenes Tour must be sure their registration is received by July 25. Registration for the Campout must be received by July 27.
Campsites are $30 per night for participants or $25 per night for annual pass holders. Admission to the park is not included in the campsite fee. Those who attend multiple days of the campout should keep their admission receipt to receive discount admission into the park the following days of the event. For questions about registration please call 828-733-4326.
The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park sustainably in the public interest, provide an exceptional experience for guests, and inspire them to be good stewards of the earth’s resources. For more information, visit www.grandfather.com or call 800-468-7325.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
It Just Keeps Getting Better And Better At Sugar!
IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER
Sixteen slopes, five lifts, an average snow depth of 20 to 44 inches, three tubing lanes, snowshoeing and ice skating are all available at Sugar Mountain Resort. And it just keeps getting better and better. View the slopes straight from your desktop by accessing Sugar’s live, streaming webcam www.skisugar.com/sugarlive.
Ideal snowmaking temperatures and clear skies throughout this winter season continue to provide the opportunity to expand available terrain and increase the average snow depth, oftentimes leaving snow conditions fluffy, light and forgiving. Couple that with clear, Carolina blue skies, pleasant winter temperatures and things are perfect on Sugar Mountain.
There’s lots of winter left on Sugar Mountain with the bulk of events to come. NASTAR, a public ski and snowboard race, is held at noon every Saturday and Sunday. On February 19th, Sugar hosts the High Country Junior Race Series Championship giant slalom competition. BOSS HAWG, the area’s local, bluegrass band plays every other Saturday. The return of the Spyder Sample sale begins Thursday, February 23rd. Sunday, March 4th is Sugar Bear’s Birthday. Participate in the Dick Trundy Sugar Cup on Sunday, March 4th and support the American Cancer Society. Save money with a Winter Value Package www.skisugar.com/package or when you visit anytime after March 5th. For a complete list of Sugar’s events and specials please browse www.skisugar.com/calendar.
Don’t let this winter season pass you by, enjoy a fantastic winter experience; visit Sugar Mountain Resort. For more information please call 800-SUGAR-MT or view our website www.skisugar.com.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Beech Mtn. to host NC Snowshoe Championship Jan. 7, 2012!
This winter, Beech Mountain will play host to the first USSSA NC State Championship Snowshoe Race on January 7th at 1:00pm. Endurance athletes of all ages and abilities are invited to participate in this unique winter event, to be held the same weekend as Beech Mountain Resort’s Winterfest.
This event will include a recreational and competitive 5k run, a kids snowshoe scramble and a competitive 10k state championship race. The 10k will serve as an opportunity for athletes to qualify for the 2012 U.S. National Snowshoe Championships in Frisco, CO, in Feb. Previous experience is not necessary to participate and free snowshoe loaners will be available for registrants.
The race will start and finish on the highest peak of the mile-high town and is sure to provide a unique experience with gorgeous views, challenging elevation changes and fun for all participants and spectators. For more information, please call the Parks & Rec Department at 828-387-3003
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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SugarFest at Sugar Mountain is December 10th & 11th!
We’ve got winter Olympians, Sugar Bear, the newest ski & snowboard equipment available for demo, fireworks, great camaraderie, authentic Southern bluegrass music, a chance to win a RIDE snowboard, real-live social networking, and a rail jam complete with prizes and giveaways.
SugarFest is sponsored by the Village of Sugar Mountain Tourism Development Authority and hosted by Sugar Mountain Resort. SugarFest is scheduled for Saturday, December 10th and Sunday, 11th, 2011.
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The ninth annual, two-day festival is packed with a long list of winter activities and coincides with Sugar’s 18th Annual Adult Preseason Ski Clinic. Olympic Gold & Silver medalist Diann Roffe and US National Sugar G Champion, Keely Kelleher top the list of the ski clinic’s coaching staff.
Both Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am until 3:30pm, 2012 ski & snowboard equipment will be available for demo. Salomon, Volkl, Nordica, Burton, Head, Never Summer, K2, Atomic, Dynastar, Rossignol, Ride, Line, Fisher and Forum will all be represented. You must have a valid lift/slope ticket as well as a valid driver’s license or credit card in order to demo the equipment. The Sugarfest demo is brought to you by Ski Country Sports.
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 at 3:00pm. No fee is required to watch Paul’s inspiring on-ice performance. However, if you would like to skate, a valid skate session ticket is required. Sugar’s ice rink is located next to the Dave Nixon Pro Shop adjacent to parking lot D and is open for one hour and thirty minutes sessions from 10:00am until 10:00pm.
With Mother Nature’s cooperation and the newly installed snowmaking machines designated solely for the tubing area, Sugar’s Tubing Park will be open for six sessions each day beginning at 10:00am and ending a 10:00pm.
The entire family will be wowed by the thunderous and spectacular fireworks display at the base of Sugar Mountain Resort, Saturday evening at 5:45pm. Après ski isn’t a thing of the past. Kick off your ski boots, pull up a chair; indulge in some good food and warm drinks while enjoying live bluegrass music by Boss Hawg from 4:00pm until 7:00pm.
Come out and watch or throw down with some the area’s best riders in the RIDE Rail Jam Expression Session at 12:00 noon on Sunday. The winner receives a RIDE snowboard. Additional prizes and giveaways provided by Alpine Ski Center and RIDE Snowboards.
Text “RIDEBOB” to 35350 or visit www.sugarfestnc.com to enter online for your chance to win one of six RIDE snowboards to be given away SugarFest weekend.
And while you’re here why not stay for a night or two! Lodging agencies within the Village of Sugar Mountain offer discounted rates for slope-side and on-mountain accommodations during SugarFest. Winter Value Packages are available too.
For more information please contact Sugar Mountain Resort at 800-SUGARMT.
Plan your High Country Ski Trip! Visit: SkiTheHighCountry.com!
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Sugar Mountain Ski Resort Opens For The Season!
SUGAR MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT, NORTH CAROLINA Sugar Mountain Ski Resort in North Carolina opens tomorrow; Saturday, November 12, 2011 for skiing, snowboarding and ice skating. Snowmaking began Thursday, November 10th and continues. A manmade powder surface covers the Upper and Lower Flying Mile slopes. The Summit #1 Lift will be in operation to the 3/4′s station. Weekend lift/slope ticket prices will be $25 for a full-day session and $20 for a half-day session. For a real time look at the slopes through the live, streaming web cam please log on towww.skisugar.com/sugarlive.
Sugar’s 10,000 square foot outdoor ice rink also opens tomorrow. www.skisugar.com/skating Sessions are one hour and thirty minutes long and run from 10 am until 10 pm on Saturday. Sunday’s sessions will begin at 10 am and end after the 6 pm session. Ice skating tickets are $15 per session and include skate rental.
Sugar Mountain Sports Shop, located in the Base Lodge will open tomorrow for the season. It features the finest in winter apparel and footwear, quality gift items, and souvenirs.
For more information please call 800-SUGAR-MT or view our website www.skisugar.com for the latest slope and weather conditions. Historical opening and closing dates as well as recorded annual natural snowfall measurements can be found at www.skisugar.com/press/stats.
Also, visit www.skithehighcountry.com for more info on snow skiing in The NC High Country!
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Festivals Offer Opportunities To Experience Fall In The NC High Country
The slopes of the North Carolina High Country are turning vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow this month and area festivals offer great ways to enjoy the season. The range of elevations in the area make it a premiere location to watch the leaf change and the mix of small towns provides an eclectic offering of autumnal events.
The Boone Heritage Festival October 8 celebrates Appalachian and Daniel Boone heritage with 18th century living history demonstrations, craft vendors, music jam sessions and storytelling. Located at Hickory Ridge Homestead, the event will feature make-and-take crafts including dipped candles, cornhusk dolls and scarecrows.
The weekend of October 8-9 brings the cry of “yodel lay he ho” to the High Country during the 21st Annual Sugar Mountain Oktoberfest. The event, at Sugar Mountain Resort, mixes Bavarian and Appalachian culture and is a great experience for the whole family.
The Valle Country Fair, October 15 in Valle Crucis, is an overgrown church bazaar set in the center of one of the most picturesque valleys in North Carolina.
That same weekend is when one of the High Country’s most well-known events takes place. The 34th Annual Woolly Worm Festival will be held in Banner Elk October 15-16. Crafts, festival foods and the Woolly Worm caterpillar races predicting the coming winter’s weather make this a must-see event!
The 6th Annual Valle Crucis Punkin Festival will be October 22. The Punkin Festival benefits local organizations and offers Punkin Sack Races, Punkin Bowling, crafts and music.
The Ghost Train Halloween Festival at Tweetsie Railroad is safe, scary fun for the whole family. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday evening in October. Visit the Haunted House, Freaky Forest, 3-D Maze and take a journey on the Ghost Train – if you dare!
Many other events occur throughout the month of October including the Todd New River Festival, art crawls in Boone and West Jefferson, Halloween festivals in Blowing Rock and at Grandfather Mountain, special programming at area state parks and natural areas and opportunities to enjoy bluegrass and mountain music at Crouse Park in Sparta.
For ticket information, times and more information on all High Country events please visit the High Country Host website, www.mountainsofnc.com.
North Carolina’s High Country provides the best vacation experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The area includes 100 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway and many popular tourist destinations including Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, Linville, Sparta, West Jefferson and Wilkesboro.
The High Country Host is a regional travel promotion organization. For more information on accommodations, attractions, dining or shopping in the area please visit www.mountainsofnc.com or call 800-438-7500.
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Banner Elk 100th Anniversary Celebration Arts & Crafts Show!
July 23rd-24th: Banner Elk, NC
This celebratory arts and crafts show will be held near the Banner Elk Town Hall on Culver Street in beautiful downtown Banner Elk, NC.
This event will be patroned by seasonal residents, locals, and tourists visiting the high country of North Carolina to celebrate Banner Elk’s 100th anniversary of incorporation.
Banner Elk is situated within the High Country of North Carolina, which is home to numerous country clubs, resort communities, and seasonal tourist attractions.
This event is being promoted through the Town Hall and should have a great turnout. Get Directions
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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Three Nights on Beech in February/March Earn Two Lift Tickets
Skiers and snowboarders who stay three nights on Beech Mountain this February or March can earn two free lift tickets thanks to a special promotion.
The promotion, offered by the Town of Beech Mountain, allows snow sports enthusiasts to book a three-night stay in qualified lodging and receive two weekday lift tickets to Beech Mountain Resort. At 5,506 feet in elevation, Beech is the highest ski resort in Eastern America.
The offer is valid through March 31, excluding holiday weekends.
In addition to skiing, snowboarding and tubing, Beech Mountain offers a nice mix of fine dining, shopping, hiking and other recreational activities.
For information on this special, call (800) 468-5506, or visit: 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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The High Country is the “Ski Capital of the South”!
North Carolina’s High Country, known as the Ski Capital of the South, is home to three premier resorts - Appalachian Ski Mtn, Beech Mtn Resort and Sugar Mtn Resort.
All are located within a 30-mile radius, making the High Country a favorite destination of families, couples and adventure-seekers. North Carolina has the highest mountains east of the Rockies and caters to skiers of all abilities.
Away from the slopes, there’s plenty to see and do in Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk.
Not a skier? We are home to the largest snow tubing park on the east coast. Hawksnest features more than 20 lanes of tubing fun. Also, each ski resort offers other winter activities, including ice skating, snow shoeing and tubing.
Another favorite option is the youth sledding hill in the Town of Beech Mountain. This free sledding hill is open all winter for children 12 and under.
For more information,visit http://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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Beech Mtn. Pumps Up Snowmaking System and Revitalizes Village
A new system of automated snow guns will have a major impact on snowmaking capacity this winter at Beech Mountain Resort.
The resort, which is the highest ski area in eastern North America, has added six SMI Super PoleCat guns for 2010-2011. General manager Ryan Costin is excited about the new guns based on the performance of two installed last year.
“The automated PoleCat system is able to produce copious amounts of snow. The guns added last year were the highlights of our snowmaking,” Costin said. “Now we’ve upped that 300% by installing six more. The nice thing is this system is self-monitoring and constantly controls the output. It really increases our snowmaking capability.”
Last season’s snowmaking upgrades paid big dividends on the Robbins Run and Upper Shawneehaw trails. This year, the resort set its sights on the long, black diamond White Lightning run, along with the Lower Shawneehaw trail, Powder Bowl and Freestyle trail.
“We’re almost 100% better than three or four years ago because of the new automated system, plus we still have PoleCats that operate on carriages,” said Costin. “In addition, we’ve added 40 JCI tower guns the past couple years, and dozens of Ratnik guns. Significant money has been invested in snowmaking over the last 36 months. It’s paying off in the finished product.”
Also receiving attention was the alpine village at the base of the slopes. Three outside businesses moved in to lease a trio of storefronts. Skiers can now take advantage of a new equipment rental operation, coffee café and souvenir photo shop.
Meanwhile, new lockers were installed in the locker rooms, a third lane was built on the snow-tubing run and a shipment of ski/snowboard equipment was added to the rental fleet.
“We’ve really focused on bringing our offerings to a higher level,” Costin said. “A lot of time was spent this summer painting buildings and on general facility upkeep to give the resort a fresher look. The Beech Tree lounge was painted for the first time in 25 years. We are focusing on the details. We not only work here, most of us live here so we have a vested interest.”
Costin said skiers are excited about another season on the Oz trail, re-opened last year on the mountain’s back side. “I never realized how popular it was until we re-opened it,” he said.
For Beech Mountain skiing info, call (800) 438-2093, or visit: www.skibeech.com. For general info about Beech Mountain, call (800) 468-5506.
For more info on The High Country of North Carolina, call (800) 438-7500, or visit www.MountainsofNC.com.
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