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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North Carolina Ski Areas Association (NCSAA), Banner Elk, NC Purchase your North Carolina Ski Areas Association Gold Card and ski or ride at any of the six North Carolina ski areas this winter season.

Gold Card holders may ski or ride at any North Carolina Ski Resort during any session regardless of holiday or weekend rates. Only 100 Gold Cards are available at a cost of $795 each winter season. They sell quickly.

North Carolina ski areas include Cataloochee Ski Area, Sapphire Valley Ski Area, Beech Mountain Resort, Appalachian Ski Mtn., Wolf Ridge Ski Resort, and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort.

For more information or to purchase a gold card, please go online www.goskinc.com/goldcard. Or call 828-898-4521 Monday through Friday from 8am 4pm.

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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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/

 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.

Visit: 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 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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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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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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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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