As published in The Florida Villager
So this is it, no more articles on skiing. Go ahead, breath a sigh of relief but there is a reason to my madness. Skiing out West is awesome if you have the time but when a long weekend presents itself, you might not have the time or the money to go out West for a snow fix. That is where the resorts of North Carolina come in. The last one and my personal favorite is Appalachian Ski Mountain. Maybe it’s the quaintness, the energy of the place or my mood that day but something struck me as I strapped on my skis.
Appalachian Ski Mountain is family owned and operated and there is a sense of intimacy that I felt. The roaring fire in the lodge’s dining room, the ‘no wait’ lift lines and the smiling faces in the ski and gift shops made me feel less of a number and more of a guest.
There is so much to do there for every level of skier and non-skier. For the newbies on the slopes there is the French-Swiss Ski College that offers group and private lessons, so not only will you look good in that snow bunny suit but also you will look like a pro skiing in it. There are 3 terrain parks for the extreme sports junkie and the ice skating rink was named one of America’s 10 best outdoor rinks for families by Trekaroo.com. Two features that I think are invaluable are the late night skiing and their flex ticket, so your ticket starts when you do.
I walked into the lodge and plopped by the fire and couldn’t believe how tired I was but then I realized, with virtually no lift lines, I had swooshed down those slopes a ton of times. Grabbed some tea and I jumped in the car to the short ride over to Hawksnest Resort.
Ok people, here’s an alert for y’all. Don’t go to Hawksnest if you have left your little child within at home; this is a fun, fun place. It is the largest snow-tubing park on the East coast with 100% snowmaking capabilities and lighting to extend your “play time”.
And can I tell you, I had the time of my life. I grabbed my tube and proceeded to try out all 30 lanes. With the wind whipping and the sun shining on my cheeks, I screamed and laughed all the way down. At the bottom, I’d grab my tube and run to stand in line wedged between two 6 year olds. As they say, all good things must come to an end and as I placed my red tube in the pile I heard a little boy crying and begging for one more run. I smiled at him, “I feel your pain” I said, and headed over to the zip line.
According to the resort they have the longest zip line in the nation. There are 20 zip lines total with 4 mega zips and speeds up to 50 mph. I got hooked up and I was off through the trees with the glistening snow below. There is a peace that one feels up high, alone, the chill of the winter air and the rustle of wildlife in the trees. I wish I could have paused and just sat there but before I knew it, my time was up.
I felt like that little boy begging for “just one more time” but as much as I pouted, darkness was covering the sky and I had to go. All was not lost due to a beer tasting over at Appalachian Mountain Brewery and then dinner at Casa Rustica, where I promptly realized I had worked up quite an appetite.
So folks, in closing, which slopes will I run into you on? You’re right, why limit yourself? There are enough long weekends to do all three.