Winter Fun Always on Tap at Beech’s Youth Sledding Hill!
The sledding hill is located next to the Chamber of Commerce in the heart of Beech Mountain. It’s operated by Beech Mountain Parks and Recreation Department and 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.
Plastic sleds are required. Folks may bring their own, or sleds are available for rent or purchase at nearby stores on the mountain.
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.
‘We provide real-time updates on sledding conditions,” says the chamber’s John Troxler. “All we have to do is look out the window.”
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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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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Beech Mountain hosts Porsche 928 rally on June 5
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 Storm = Heaven for NC Ski Slopes!
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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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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Revamped Skiing Website Covers the NC High Country
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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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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Beech Hosts Mountain Bike/Mountain Board Event Sept. 5-6
Mountain bikers and mountain boarders can enjoy a holiday weekend of competition this Sept. 5-6 at Beech Mountain Resort.
The resort is hosting a combined mountain bike/mountain board event that encompasses the final leg of the Triple Crown Downhill Bike Competition and the inaugural High Ground Mountain Board Competition. The mountain board contest has a $1,000 cash purse, one of the largest purses for mountain boarders in the Southeast.
In the Triple Crown biking competition, there will be races in separate divisions for professionals, amateurs and beginners, with all riders competing on the same course. The course descends the full elevation of the ski slope at Beech Mountain and includes four sections in the woods, one section that navigates boulders and three opportunities for sprints.
Entry fee for mountain bikers is $55 per person, with helmets mandatory for all racers.
“The Triple Crown series has been successful. We’re averaging about 100 competitors per event and expect to have that many or more for the finale,” said Ryan Costin, director of operations at Beech Mountain Resort. “It’s been a nice re-introduction of mountain biking at Beech Mountain.”
The High Ground Mountain Board Competition showcases the resort’s new board park. The all-wooden park was built by Ground Industries of Greenville, S.C., and Ground Industries is sponsoring this inaugural event in which boarders will showcase their best in a slope style competition and a big air competition. Entry fee is $55 per person.
Spectators can enjoy scenic lift rides, food, craft vendors and music, in addition to watching the thrilling competition. The resort is also offering overnight camping for a small fee.
“We’re excited to be in the forefront of mountain boarding here in the Southeast,” Costin said. “It should be a good time for participants and a great spectator event. Our goal is to have a fully operational mountain board/mountain bike park open weekends next June though October. It will be a lift-access park, which will hopefully be a big draw for mountain boarders and mountain bikers throughout the region.”
For info, visit www.skibeech.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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Mile-High Kite Festival – Labor Day Weekend on Beech Mountain
BEECH MOUNTAIN, N.C. – Looking for something different this Labor Day weekend? Go fly a kite.
The seventh annual Mile High Kite Festival is a free event that takes place Sunday, Sept. 6, in the meadows at the top of Beech Mountain next to the Brick Oven Pizzeria.
The festival allows children of all ages to fly a kite at an altitude one mile above sea level. It is sponsored by the Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with the Richmond Air Force kite club from Virginia and the Winds Across Carolina Club and Okra Society from Charlotte.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no charge for admission and free kites are given to the first 200 children under 12. There will also be a vendor selling a variety of kites, and folks are welcome to bring their own.
Contests will be held for biggest, smallest and best-decorated kites. All participants receive an official certificate from Beech Mountain mayor Rick Owen that proclaims: “I flew a kite a mile high at Beech Mountain.”
Two members of the Richmond Air Force – Terry Murray and Will Smoot – serve as announcers for the festival, sharing their knowledge of kiting while playing kite-themed music throughout the day.
“The neatest thing about the event is when people drive up the mountain and walk into the field,” says Calder Smoot, the event organizer. “There is just this blast of color with all these kites flying everywhere.”
The field is divided into two areas: one for exhibitions/demonstrations from the kite clubs and one for the general public. Other activities include: children’s races while pulling bol kites, face painting, and a variety of craft vendors.
Festivities for the Mile High Kite Festival weekend actually begin Saturday, Sept. 5, with a special clinic for kite makers from 2-4 p.m. Folks are encouraged to bring their homemade kites, and members of the kite clubs will be on-hand to discuss the intricacies of building kites.
There will also be an all-ages street dance from 7-9 p.m. Saturday in front of town hall.
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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