How a visit to the resorts in the North Carolina High Country helped a former skier start carving turns again
It felt good to be back. I was standing in the snow at the base of Appalachian Ski Mountain, an independent resort outside Boone, N.C. It was an early Friday morning in January 2024, and the lifts were about to open. I felt excited and nervous. Five years earlier, I’d put away my skis for what I thought would be a single offseason. Now, I was finally returning to a favorite sport.
Of course, eight months later, Hurricane Helene would rip through this region, causing devastating destruction. The storm couldn’t have come at a worse time. For mountain economies dependent on tourism, the disruption of fall-colors season would be a major economic loss. As efforts shifted from relief to recovery and rebuilding, one goal would be to salvage the winter tourist season. This would raise questions for snow sports enthusiasts about when and how to continue visiting (see sidebar). Of course, I didn’t know any of this yet.
When I stepped onto the slopes for the first time in years, I was mostly focused on not embarrassing myself. Before pushing off, I inventoried my gear. Buckled my boots, and switched from walk to ski mode. Pulled my powder cuffs into place. Opened the vents on my shell jacket. Snapped my goggles to my helmet.
Most kitted-out skiers head straight to the mountaintop. Not me. Instead, I kicked and glided over to the bunny hill. Then I slid onto the magic carpet lift with way too much speed. My skis gripped the rubber ramp and stopped. My torso swung forward, and I enjoyed a full-body stretch of legs, glutes, lumbar, and outstretched arms.
“You’ll get the hang of it,” joked the lifty.
“Let’s hope so,” I laughed, as I slowly inched uphill.
Refocusing on Skiing
After stepping off the ramp, I sashayed down a mellow slope practicing my edging. This wasn’t my first time returning to skiing after a multiyear break. As a teenager, I learned to ski in dense Tahoe snow using borrowed and rented equipment. When I later became an outdoor guide in Northern California, I switched to telemark skiing with program gear. After moving to St. Louis, I saved up for an alpine touring kit, which combines downhill and backcountry ascent features. I practiced skills and conditioned my legs on the local hill before chasing powder across the Mountain West.
Thus followed seven seasons of awesome winter adventuring with friends and during solo road trips. Alternating between the Mountain Collective Pass and the Rocky Mountain Super Pass, I visited dozens of classic resorts. Along the way, there were plenty of side-country forays and backcountry explorations. I couldn’t imagine ever stopping again. So when my wife and I moved from the Midwest to the Southeast, I continued my Western trips for several seasons. But the distances were farther, the costs were rising, and the conditions were increasingly hit or miss. Due to a foot injury and a family health crisis, a short break stretched to an unexpected five-year hiatus.
Eventually, I realized that my “out-west-or-nothing” attitude was holding me back. If I wanted to return to this sport, and keep returning each season, I needed to refocus on skiing closer to home. Western North Carolina has half a dozen resorts, some not far from Asheville and some near Boone. My nonskiing wife would relax in the mornings, and we’d do other activities in the afternoon.
After a few rusty turns, my tune-up on App Ski’s bunny hill felt surprisingly good. So, I zipped through an empty lift line for the ride up top. The goal was to preserve my legs by stopping after roughly 20 morning laps. With a reputation for being fairly uncrowded, this small family-focused resort and its affordable weekday price was an ideal choice. There are four chair lifts, about 10 trails, and 365 feet of vertical drop from the 4,000-foot summit.
In quick succession, I made first tracks on several groomers. Hard Core and Thin Slice were my favorites. Fun steep chutes that were signed as black diamonds but would be blues at bigger resorts. Like most old school ski hills, classic rock—and ONLY classic rock—blared from lodge speakers. Kids lined up for classes and families geared up. I rode the quad lift while chatting with friendly visitors from places like Charlotte and Florida. Within 25 minutes, I’d skied every major run, so I rotated through my favorites while the morning temps stayed cool.
Exploring Boone
Back in our room at Rhode’s Motor Lodge in Boone, my wife and I switched up afternoon plans. The weather had warmed to an unseasonable 60 degrees, so we nixed snow tubing or ice skating. Instead, we set out to explore the town. First, we checked out the nicely landscaped App State campus. The real gem was walking the Boone Greenway, with several miles of paved paths along Winkler Creek and headwater forks of the New River.
Before dinner, we stopped by Appalachian Mountain Brewery, a fun place packed with locals and college kids. I tried the flavorful Hop Rain Drop, a modern citrusy IPA. My wife went with a hard sweet tea. We were standing on the covered patio with a raucous group when the rain hit.
Like most regional ski resorts, those in western North Carolina rely upon snow-making machines, which require freezing temperatures. No matter where you ski, rising temps and rain are a big concern for visiting skiers, which can turn the slopes from a tidy mat of snow to patchy slush. Hopefully, the rain would be limited and overnight mountain lows would drop enough to preserve conditions.
That night we had a great dinner at the popular restaurant Mint Indian, my vegetarian wife’s favorite cuisine. With a big day planned tomorrow, we returned early to Rhode’s Motor Lodge. Passing through the bright lobby, we discovered the bar and restaurant were filled with a friendly crowd.
The lodge scene impressed us so much, we ended up sticking around the hotel our final night—after morning skiing and a stop to check out the neighboring town of Blowing Rock. That evening, we had drinks at the patio fire pit. When the rain returned, we moved to an upstairs lounge where we hung out with fellow guests. For dinner, we sat at the bar for dinner. My wife had a cider, while I tried an excellent pilsner from Booneshine Brewing Co.
Beech Mountain Ski Resort
Early Saturday morning, we drove winding mountain roads through the high country above Boone. On the way, we passed Sugar Mountain Resort, the largest and most popular skiing area in North Carolina, with 20 runs, nine lifts, and 1,200 feet of vertical. I’d saved this one for last, provided my legs and conditions permitted.
After ascending an impressive series of switchbacks, we parked at the bottom of Beech Mountain Ski Resort. With 17 trails, eight lifts, and 830 feet of vertical, this one’s stats are second in WNC. My wife was debating a beginner ski lesson, but that day she wanted to sip hot drinks and watch the scene.
Crowds were forming, so I took the main lift straight to 5,506 feet. Then I worked my way through the four top-to-bottom trails. The blues had better snow. The steeper blacks named Southern Star and White Lightning had better terrain, but the coverage was patchier, and the snow piled into moguls within an hour. As a warm fog rolled in, and raindrops fell, I realized conditions wouldn’t last until tomorrow. I abandoned my laps limit and decided to burn out my legs before the snow slushed out.
Beech had a fun vibe, with a wide range of folks on the mountain—skiers, snowboarders, college kids, young adults, and families. Whoever managed the loudspeaker playlist had made a startling discovery: ski resorts can play musical genres other than classic rock.
As conditions deteriorated, slow-moving beginners were harmlessly crashing. One fall triggered another fall and so on. Soon collapsed people were sliding down the slopes like human rafts. Kids’ gloves were everywhere. Ski poles jutted from the ground at odd angles. The lucky ones riding the lift above the chaos began to cheer with each crash. This distracted people coming down the slopes, causing further comical crashes.
The mayhem reminded me that noon was an acceptable time to visit the mountaintop Skybar. The tasty beer on tap comes from the resort’s own Beech Mountain Brewing Co. Drinking an IPA on the outside deck in whiteout conditions was a perfect way to end my day. Or so I thought. Skiing down through blinding fog was even more memorable. I slalomed around exposed rocks, falling novices, and out-of-control pre-teens snowplowing for the exits. After a long break, I was hooked again. A welcome return to skiing in western North Carolina.
All Photos: Scenes from the author’s high country skiing adventure by Mike Bezemek
After Helene: Salvaging the WNC Winter Season
“The days after the storm, it was pretty harrowing,” said Emily Neeley, a Boone resident and director of marketing for Watauga County Tourism Development.
Around 17 inches of rainfall were recorded in Boone during the three-day period when Hurricane Helene swept through. Floodwaters of several feet inundated downtown. Homes were destroyed, residents displaced, businesses closed, and income was lost. Fortunately, the town and surrounding parts of the High Country were mostly spared the worst destruction, which occurred farther west, including western Watauga County, and especially in Buncombe County.
“Moving into recovery and relief efforts [around Boone], it was incredible to see this community come together,” recalled Neeley.
Rhode’s Motor Lodge, which is perched on a hill above Blowing Rock Rd., was fortunately spared from the floodwaters nearby. The lodge provided rooms to displaced staff, residents, and first responders. The onsite restaurant shifted to making emergency meals for the crisis response organization World Central Kitchen. As efforts shifted to clean-up and the reopening of local businesses and App State, the lodge welcomed construction workers and returning visitors.
“Tourism plays a crucial role in our economy,” said Sharin Moran, general manager at Rhode’s Motor Lodge. “By visiting, you support local businesses and help the area recover.”
Neeley and Moran both suggested visitors should return with patience and flexible mindsets. While main highways and roads through town are open, construction delays may occur. Rural roads in harder hit areas should be avoided. Restaurants, attractions, parks, and greenways have mostly reopened. However, businesses are having occasional staffing issues as residents deal with housing issues and storm-related challenges. While power has been restored, occasional internet outages may occur as the system is repaired.
“You can be a safe, empathetic, and kind visitor to the areas affected, while still enjoying a normal and fun vacation,” suggested Talia Freeman, director of marketing at Beech Mountain Resort.
In the High Country above Boone, the ski resorts were particularly fortunate. Due to their high-elevation locations, the resorts escaped the worst flooding with minimal damage compared to their downstream neighbors, and for whom they’ve been holding fundraisers to help.
The NC Ski Areas Association estimates the skiing industry contributes $244 million to the WNC economy. Everyone around Boone who was contacted for this article expressed hope in salvaging the winter season. If ever there was a time and a place to feel good about going skiing, it’s here and now.
“Please don’t be afraid to visit,” added Neeley. “We need you to come.”
For current road and town information visit exploreboone.com.
