From freshly groomed “corduroy” to sunny, sugary snow, WNC slopes like Sugar Mountain are a national force in the snow sports industry. Photograph by Kimberley Jochl.
Primitive 1960s grooming at Blowing Rock Ski Lodge. Courtesy of Appalachian Ski Mountain.
Skiing gets a 1960s lift at Cataloochee Ranch from Tom Alexander. Courtesy of Cataloochee Ski Area.
1930s early adopters at the Ranch with “golf club” ski poles. Courtesy of Cataloochee Ski Area.
Blowing Rock Ski Lodge was soon standing by the parking lot Austrian Tony Krasovic found when he arrived. Locals were happy to walk up to go down. Courtesy of Appalachian Ski Mountain.
Soon, Krasovic aimed snow guns at the future. Courtesy of Appalachian Ski Mountain.
Sugar Mountain owner “Chessie” MacRae and ski pioneer Dr. Thomas Brigham survey the future ski area in 1967. Photograph by Al Traver.
“Doc” Brigham clearing north-facing slopes. Photograph by Al Traver.
“Ski Beech,” with cute plates on VW Bugs. Courtesy Beech Mountain History Museum.
The slopes, and roads, were all new. Courtesy Beech Mountain History Museum.
The early 1970s brought big-time ski racing and the Snow Carnival of the South to the High Country.
Jean-Claude Killy was part of the spectacle flanked left and right by Jack Lester and Jim Cottrell.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver and husband Sargent noticed the professionalism that French-Swiss Ski College brought to the SoutheasternWinter Special Olympics at Appalachian Ski Mtn., the first regional games in the country.
Appalachian Ski Mountain. Courtesy of Appalachian Ski Mountain.
great grooming at Appalachian. Courtesy of Appalachian Ski Mountain.
Peerless snowmaking at Sugar Mountain. Courtesy of Sugar Mountain.
In fall 2025, a new four-person chairlift going in at Cataloochee. Courtesy of Cataloochie Ski Area.
A snowboarder soars at Beech Mountain Resort. Photograph by Randy Johnson.
At Cataloochee, a professional ski teacher makes perfect turns above a sea of Smokies clouds. Photo by Leslie Restivio/ VisitNC.com
A covered magic carpet lift protects a Sugar Mountain ski instructor and student. Courtesy of Cataloochie Ski Area.
LMC’s Dr. Thomas Brigham Classroom, which opened in 2020 to provide a home for the academic programs and the school’s nationally competitve ski and snowboard teams. Courtesy of Lees-McRae College.
Aaron Maas (center) with two of his students. Maas was named the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association’s Coach of the Year in 2024. Courtesy of Aaron Maas.
Courtesy of Aaron Maas.
The Lees-McRae snowboarding team. Courtesy of Aaron Maas.
Courtesy of Sugar Mountain Ski Resort.
J.J. Collier of Banner Elk was a star in snowboarding’s early years. Courtesy of Randy Johnson.
Like many Southern skiers today, he followed his passion for snow to resorts all over the country and the world. Courtesy of Randy Johnson.
Appalachian Ski Mtn. Photo by Sam Dean / VisitNC.com.
Cataloochee Ski Area. Photo by Steve Yocom / VisitNC.com.
Hatley Pointe. Courtesy of Hatley Pointe Mountain Resort.
Hawksnest. Courtesy of visitnc.com.
Beech Mountain. Photo by Sam Dean / VisitNC.com
The slopes at Sugar Mountain Resort. Courtesy of Sugar Mountain.
Photograph by Leslie Restivio / visitnc.com
