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As winter gets into full gear, people from all around the south
are tuning up their skis and pulling out their snowboards in
anticipation of a weekend ritual of winter fun on the slopes of
North Carolina. This year promises to be a good one, as
temperatures remain consistently cold, and Mother Nature is
being generous with the real stuff!
Some of the highest peaks in the Blue ridge Mountains are
located in the northwest corner of North Carolina, standing
guard over the quaint little resort town of Banner Elk in Avery
county. Just east of the continental divide is Grandfather
Mountain, the highest peak in the Blue Ridge, and to the north
west of Banner Elk looms Beech Mountain, which boasts of being
the highest ski area in eastern North America. Sure Mount
Mitchell is higher, but it's in the Black Mountains, a sub range
of the Blue Ridge, and there's no skiing there.
Although the elevation is high, and our slopes are vast and
challenging, skiing in North Carolina does have its ups and
downs. This is still the south, and annual snowfall comes
nowhere near to that of New England, where lake effect snows
keep the ski slopes blanketed pretty much all through the
winter. Our best scenario for natural snow is when moisture from
an Atlantic storm system collides with the polar jet stream
dipping far into the south east Appalachians - a phenomenon that
happens far too seldom to run a profitable ski resort throughout
the season.
Undaunted by Mother Nature, the fine folks of this northwestern
chunk of North Carolina saw these huge mountain slopes and their
lack of natural snow, and decided to do something about it!
Sugar Mountain, Beech Mountain, and even Hawksnest ski resort in
Seven Devils became early pioneers in snowmaking technologies.
Today, man made snow supplements ski resorts even in regions of
the heaviest natural snowfalls. In North Carolina, the roar of
the snow guns can be heard throughout the valley any time the
temperature dips around freezing. Thanks to modern day snow
making capabilities, our North Carolina ski resorts are able to
remain open pretty much all through the winter - as long as it
freezes of course!
The best conditions for skiers and snowboarders exist when there
is a healthy combination of natural snow and the man made stuff.
When this happens, skiing and snowboarding on our vast mountain
trails is an experience that rivals any of the east coast ski
resorts. For the times when Mother Nature isn't so cooperative,
there are some conditions that arise that every south eastern
skier and snowboarder should be aware of.
As the season progresses, daytime temperatures rise above
freezing and the sun shines stronger on the slopes. In these
conditions snow (man made or not) will have a tendency to melt,
providing for a wet, slushy skiing experience - in itself
something to get used to. Symptoms of this condition include a
sudden slowing down and an inability to make a successful cut,
or turn. A well waxed ski may allow you to glide more easily
through these "slush puddles", but as far as turning goes, it's
best not to even try.
Conversely, as nighttime temperatures fall below freezing, and
the snow blowing starts, the snow that turned to slush during
the day turns to ice a night. Ice patches can be highly
dangerous, causing one to speed up uncontrollably, feeling kind
of like your feet slipping out from under you on a frozen pond.
A well tuned pair of skis with sharp edges digging into the ice
is your best bet for slowing down. Patches of ice can sometimes
be hidden under a cover of fresh blown snow, which can really be
an unexpected surprise. Any large patches of ice are usually
well marked, and snow cats can help break up the ice, grooming
the surface to make for a safer, more enjoyable skiing
experience. Repetitive days and nights of these conditions can
cause large patches of ice, and will eventually lead to the
closing of trails (and the entire slope) as the season
progresses.
To be sure, these conditions exist at all ski resorts, and are a
natural progression of the season. It just seems to be more
exaggerated in the south! Rest assured that the North Carolina
Ski Patrol vigilantly checks all trails, marking bare spots and
patches of ice, and will not hesitate to close trails where
hazardous conditions persist. State of the art snow grooming
equipment and the ability to generate a fresh cover of snow
gives the North Carolina ski resorts just the edge they need to
provide for a more uniform surface condition, allowing for a
fun, longer and safer ski season.
About the author:
Michael Talbert, a former resident of Banner Elk, has spent many
of days and nights on the slopes of North Carolina, and is
living to tell about it! Visit his website, Banners Elk Outdoor
Living
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