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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Beech Mountain Resort has been named host for the 2011 USA Cycling Mountain Bike Gravity National Championships, Sept. 22-25 2011. The popular North Carolina High Country resort has also been awarded the 2012 championship, and is the first resort in the South to host the event. “Beech Mountain Resort realizes the increased popularity in cycling, and the demand for a facility with lift access,” says Ryan Costin, general manager of Beech Mountain Resort, “We are pleased to host Gravity Nationals, while also producing a facility for all Mountain Bike Enthusiast.”The resort will begin construction of the facility in preparation for the championships, which will bring mountain bikers from around the country to the area.

Brevard native Christopher Herndon, 2007 Dual Slalom National Champion, and a Southeast leader in course design, will oversee construction. “We feel confident that Christopher Herndon will design a unique facility ensuring that Beech Mountain Resort will produce an innovative product,” says Costin. Beech Mountain Resort will offer a world-class venue for competitors in a spectator-friendly atmosphere, filled with plenty of family-friendly activities.

Beech Mountain Resort is excited to share this event with the Western North Carolina community, and will soon provide local cyclists with a mountain bike destination in their backyard.

“There is a lot of untapped terrain on Beech Mountain, ultimately providing a unique facility for Gravity Nationals,” said Shaw Brown of Boone Bike and Touring. “We are thrilled Beech is producing a legitimate Mountain Bike facility in the southeast.”

Michael Thomas, a Boone resident and 2008 and 2009 collegiate downhill champion, said: “This will be the first time that the National Championships have ever been held in the South, and it’s a big step forward in the progression of downhill racing here. We have great mountains to ride in, but actual downhill specific trails to ride on have been very limited until now.”

For more info, visit http://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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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.

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/

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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Get the feeling you’re not in Carolina anymore when the old Land of Oz theme park springs to life this fall for the annual Autumn at Oz celebration.

The 17th edition of Autumn at Oz takes place Oct. 2-3 atop Beech Mountain in the High Country of North Carolina.

Over the years, visitors from near and far have made pilgrimages to see the wizard and take a leisurely stroll with their favorite characters along the park’s iconic yellow brick road.

Autumn at Oz begins with a hayride or shuttle from the Town of Beech Mountain up to the enchanted forest. Once there, attendees are treated to live music, a tour of Dorothy’s House, a mini Oz museum, dance troupes, souvenir vendors and face painting. A highlight for many is the panoramic view from the Judy Garland Memorial Overlook Gazebo, from which they follow, follow, follow the 44,000 yellow bricks that wind around the mountaintop.

Along the way, there are visits with the Tin Man, Dorothy, Cowardly Lion, Scarecrow, Professor Marvel, Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, Glinda the Good Witch and the Wizard. The Wicked Witch of the West is also on hand with her Winkie guards and flying monkeys.

“We encourage fans of all ages to come dressed as their favorite Oz character and enjoy a nostalgic stroll through this unique place in time,” says event coordinator Cindy Keller.

The top of Beech Mountain, at 5,506 feet, is an ideal place to venture over the rainbow. Its rock outcroppings and gnarly, windswept trees inspired the creation of the Land of Oz theme park, which operated from 1970-1980.

“The elevation and elements have provided us an environment unlike any other,” Keller says. “We have huge boulders, ancient trees and giant ferns. It really is an enchanted forest.”

Autumn at Oz has three sessions daily. The sessions are at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Tickets are $16.50 in advance and $20 at the event, if not sold out. Advance tickets are available online, and total ticket sales will be limited this year for the first time ever.

Children age 2 and under are admitted free, and the property is not wheelchair accessible or accommodating to large strollers.

Discount tickets are available to nearby Grandfather Mountain, and folks are encouraged to stay on Beech Mountain and make a weekend of it.

For info or tickets, call (800) 468-5506, or visit: http://www.autumnatoz.com.

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Fans of the Porsche 928 can witness the nation’s largest gathering of this powerful sports car on Saturday, June 5, atop Beech Mountain.
 
The 13th annual Sharks in the Mountains rally, hosted by 928 Specialists of Spruce Pine, will attract a fleet of more than 100 cars. These unique Porsches are called “sharks” because their front profile resembles that of a shark.
 
David and Jeannie Roberts, owners of 928 Specialists, invite sports car fans to visit Beech Mountain for this special event, beginning with a 10 a.m. “park in” of all participants. This takes place in the central business district of Beech Mountain in front of Town Hall.
 
“We have an ideal setting right here at the top of the mountain. Car owners can use our parking area and visitors can come through and see these cars,” said Beech Mountain town manager Randy Feierabend. “It’s also an opportunity to get people up here in June so they can see how beautiful our mountain is in summer.”
 
The front engine V8 Porsche 928 is a lesser known model in the Porsche stable. There were only 60,000 made over a 17-year period and there aren’t many left.
 
“To see that many 928s at one time is rare,” said David Roberts. “This is one of only two such annual events of this size in the United States, and ours is the biggest and oldest. If you’re a car person and like classic cars, it’s quite a sight to see.”
 
Roberts said folks are welcome to stroll along the isles of cars and chat with owners.
 
“Porsche 928 owners are some of the most down to earth folks you’ll find,” he said. “They love to talk to about their cars and are happy to expose others to the Porsche 928.”
 
After spending the day in the town of Beech Mountain, the group departs in grand style with a 5 p.m. parade that follows the route of the former Beech Mountain Hill Climb race and continues down the mountain to Banner Elk.
 
“It will be a parade of more than 100 beautiful sports cars driving through town,” said Feierabend. “Even if you’re not a fan of the Porsche 928, it will still be cool to watch.”
 
For more info, visit www.BeechMtn.com or 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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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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Tourists interested in the North Carolina High Country have a dynamic new resource for visitor info thanks to a redesign and upgrade of High Country Host’s website, www.MountainsofNC.com.

The new site contains information on lodging, attractions, festivals, shopping, restaurants, heritage events and outdoors activities. There is also a blog, calendar of events, a section for specials & deals, High Country maps and a downloadable vacation planner.

“This new site pulls together all the key information visitors need to plan a trip to the High Country,” says Millie Barbee, executive director of High Country Host. “And, it is user-friendly. There are multiple ways to navigate the site to quickly find what you’re looking for.”

This new site was created by Big Boom Design of Asheville, using a Joomla platform. It incorporates the latest in website technology, including advanced search engine optimization.

“Our desire was to build a site that’s easy to navigate and brings as much information above the fold and to the surface as possible,” said Boomer Sassmann of Big Boom Design. “It’s a well organized second-generation website that also incorporates social media aspects such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.”

The look and feel of the website will change quarterly to match the four distinct seasons that draw visitors to the High Country.

“If this were a traditionally built  website, we wouldn’t be able to do that,” Sassmann says, “but because of this Joomla content management system, it is easy to change the look without altering the content.”

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

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The popular Oz run returns, while a second terrain park debuts this winter at Ski Beech at Beech Mountain Resort.

The Oz slope, named for its proximity to the old Land of Oz theme park, was closed last season to upgrade the chairlift. New, padded quad chairs have taken the place of outdated double chairs, while Ski Beech officials also installed airless electrical snowmaking hookups along the run so the slope can be blown in within 24 hours.

“The reopening of the Oz run is great news for skiers,” says Ryan Costin, the resort’s director of operations. “It has nice intermediate terrain and opens up another side of the mountain. This will help disperse skiers during peak times.”

Ski Beech’s second terrain park will be unveiled this winter. The opening of the park was delayed a year because of lift problems. However, the lift is now fully functional and provides access to a multi-featured park with rails, boxes and jumps for intermediate to advanced freestyle riders. The park will have full-time staff to maintain the features and ensure safety.

Also new this year is a private locker room for season pass holders to store their skis and equipment, while snowmaking upgrades continued during the offseason.

“In the South, snowmaking is something you have to improve every year,” Costin says. “We’ve upgraded our product and want people to come see the quality of skiing we now offer.”

Ski Beech is scheduled to kick off its 2009-2010 season on Saturday, Nov. 21, weather permitting. Season passes are currently available for a discounted price of $350 through Nov. 1. The regular price of $550 goes into effect Nov. 2.

For resort information, call (800) 438-2093 or visit 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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The High Country Host now has its own YouTube Channel!

To see more High Country Videos, please visit: youtube.com/nchighcountry

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

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There’s no place like Beech Mountain the first weekend of October as the old Land of Oz theme park comes to life for the Autumn at Oz celebration.

This year’s 16th annual celebration takes place Oct. 3-4 and coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz movie, released in 1939.

Over the years, Autumn at Oz has grown from a small reunion of former employees to a celebration that draws folks from near and far for a nostalgic stroll along the yellow brick road that was the centerpiece of the popular theme park during the 1970s.

“Each year, we probably see a thousand little Dorothys,” says event coordinator Cindy Keller. “They come in every assorted size, shape and color. It’s pretty much guaranteed to put a smile on your face.”

However, children aren’t the only ones who flock to Beech Mountain’s 5,506-foot peak for the Oz festivities.

“There are so many parents and grandparents who come back. Parents like the morals of the story and the lessons of having a heart, a brain and some courage,” Keller says. “It’s timeless. It is the American fairy tale.”

Autumn at Oz begins with a hayride or shuttle ride from the Town of Beech Mountain up to the enchanted forest. Once there, attendees are treated to live music, a tour of Dorothy’s House, a mini Oz museum, magic shows and face painting. The highlight for many is the panoramic view from the Judy Garland Memorial Overlook Gazebo and a leisurely stroll along the yellow brick road, which consists of 44,000 yellow bricks.

A host of characters are on hand, including: Dorothy, Toto, Professor Marvel, Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, Glinda the Good Witch, Munchkins, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. The Wicked Witch of the West makes a visit with her Winkie guards and flying monkeys.

Vendors provide plenty of food, treats, souvenirs and Oz memorabilia, while scenic chairlift rides are available, weather permitting.

Autumn at Oz hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Tickets are $15 per person and include discount coupons for nearby Grandfather Mountain and lodging specials on the mountain.

For information, call (800) 468-5506 or visit www.beechmtn.com.

For lodging and other travel information, contact North Carolina High Country Host at 800-438-7500 or visit: www.mountainsofnc.com.

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