There is snow on the ground and the slopes open Friday evening at Sugar Mountain Ski Resort.
It’s an early start this year, and Channel 9’s Dave Faherty says this is welcome news for High Country businesses desperately in need of recovery from Hurricane Helene.
Sugar Mountain said they have had so much cold weather the last two nights that they have been able to cover a large portion of the mountainside. Just about every snowmaking machine at the resort is on, allowing the resort to open Friday morning in Avery County.
The owners here say the early opening will not only help them, but also businesses away from the slopes still recovering from Helene.
“Lots of restaurants, hotels, gas stations and supermarkets. The entire support system that keeps Avery County alive,” said Kimberley Yochl of Sugar Mountain Ski Resort.
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A few miles away in Banner Elk, Les Broussard says Helene closed his restaurant, the Banner Elk Tavern, during the busiest time of year. He had to temporarily lay off more than 100 employees as Banner Elk lost water and damaged roads.
That’s all resolved now and he can recruit again.
“We call snow rain this time of year,” Broussard told Faherty. “It helps us with the transition from the fall, which we lost in October because of Helene, but we are back to normal, back online. It looks great.”
North Carolina’s ski industry pumps $240 million into the western North Carolina economy each year.
Visitors to Sugar Mountain enjoy winter and are happy to be here.
“Not just for optimism and to give people things to do, but it also brings people into all the other businesses. It really is the lifeblood of winter,” said Andrew Hart, who visited the resort.
About six inches of snow has fallen in the area, enough for some people to even build a snowman.
You can view conditions at ski resorts in North Carolina by clicking this link.
(VIDEO: Cold weather means NC ski resorts can finally open for the season)
