Youth Sledding Hill Open Daily atop Beech Mountain
![Sledding Hill 002[1]](http://highcountryhost.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Sledding-Hill-0021-300x200.jpg "Sledding Hill 002[1]")
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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N.C. High Country Host Launches Upgraded Website
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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Ski Beech Restores Oz Run & Debuts Second Terrain Park
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.
High Country Host on YouTube!
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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Autumn at Oz on Beech Mountain – October 3rd & 4th, 2009!
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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