You will not find much of interest, maybe to either of you near Asheville. There are two small areas, which will probably be incredibly crowded, with pretty tame terrain. You would need to go up near Boone and Banner Elk to find somewhat better terrain--I don't think "extreme" would ever be an adjective used! Unless skiing on ice is your "extreme"! But we do what we have to do to ski in the southesast!!
http://www.romanticasheville.com/ski.htm

www.OnTheSnow.com www.skinorthcarolina.com www.goskinc.com I'm not a skier but my buddy uses these sites. You'll need to look farther north than ASheville though.

There is no extreme skiing in NC unless you consider an icy (if you are lucky, slushy is more likely), overcrowded hill with a couple of lifts to be extreme. There are no ski in/ski out condos as these ski hills are just day areas. Asheville is a fun little town but it is not somewhere to consider for a ski trip.

The only ski in/out areas I know of are at Beech and Sugar - but it's rare to have enough snow for those rentals to really be ski in/out locations. Those two resorts aren't near Asheville.

Closer to Asheville, Cataloochee and Wolf Laurel would be your best bets, but neither offer the conditions you are looking for. The snow will be more icy than you probably want - unless there happens to be a real snowfall.

The Apps are worn-down Rockies and the temps are moderate. You may want to spend the $$$ for a quick trip out west if you want the things you list in your OP.

Maybe the depo could be moved to Colorado ...? Or UTAH! They always have good snow out there!

It's not like she can chose where the deposition can take place, she has to show up or else......

It seems to me that extreme skiing is not an option and that's fine.

Intermediate will do.

Thanks for the links. We will look at the options.

Any other suggestions are welcomed.

AA, I think you missed the suggestion. If you are looking for the type of skiing you describe, save your $$$ for "a short vacation" and ski somewhere else.

If you will be satisfied with NC skiing, fine.

You can enjoy Asheville without skiing. It's a great destination. Just not one with extreme skiing, ski in and out lodging with restaurants and bars surrounding it.

Starrs, as usual, is correct. AA missed everyone's point. Asheville is a great town but it's not a ski destination. The skiing in NC are local day areas. Living in ATL, I know some families that have gone there for their families' first ski trip because they can drive and it's a lot cheaper than going out west. Local school and church groups go for the same reason. Those ski areas operate on mostly manmade snow, and if it's not cold enough to make snow, they may not even be open.

Asheville has lots of fun bars and restaurants. Search for the Asheville threads to find recent suggestions.

I didn't miss any point... at least I don't think I did

I asked, got few replies and I agreed that what I was thinking originally, wasn't realistic.

I'm still looking for some suggestions. Day ski trips out of Asheville are fine.

We would still want to know about the ski areas close enough to Asheville.

Well, then you have the information you asked for.
Happy researching.
I get daily ski reports from Cat. Sign up for those so you'll know conditions before you go and then choose the one(s) you want to go to.

Then let me suggest you NOT go on a weekend. That way you may get more than 3 trips down the mountain from waiting in a line for 45 minutes.

I've skied at Sugar, Beech, Catalahoochie, and Wolf Laurel and the first two would be your best bet.

Agree, ski mid week instead of weekend.

Ha! Extreme skiing in NC!

I agree with GoT, but they aren't as close to Asheville.

Skiing on NC's ice COULD be called extreme skiing!

I was all ready one time for night skiing - made it 10 feet on the "snow" and turned around and went back to the car. Skiing on powder out West is for wusses. Everyone should learn to ski on ice

Ski Beech (Beech Mountain) and Sugar Mountain (Banner Elk) are about an hour from Asheville. They are the larger resorts in the area. Sugar supposedly has the longest run of any ski resort on the East Coast.

Check www.skinc.com for conditions.

I've skied Sugar many times, and I like it. You just never know what to expect as far as conditions go.

Thank You xrae,

One of the very few that had some pertinent info that I was looking for.

Perhaps extreme skiing is out and as I stated above, I'm fine with that, but it is still possible to rent condos nearby the ski resorts and some have free shuttles running between the chalet/condo and the hill.

That's all I wanted to know.

http://www.sugarmountainlodging.com/

xrae, you can get from Asheville to Sugar or Beech in an hour? What route are you taking?

I like them both but unless I plan an overnight they are too far for me to take as a day trip. I must be going the wrong way

I was talking to an Appalachian mom yesterday and her son is taking snowboarding as a PE. They take the kids up via bus on Wednesday nights for their PE course. She said that's the slowest time on the mountains.

AA, please clarify.

Are you planning to stay at a ski location and your SO travel to Asheville for the deposition, OR

are you planning to stay in Asheville for the deposition and THEN travel to a ski location for overnight stays?

I thought I already did specify...

She has to do the deposition and we decided to make a short vacation out of it. We want to do some skiing so I asked for the best ski areas. Read my first post.

I read your first post, AA.
I think several of us had the same idea - and gave you answers based on that.

Did you notice the references having to do with "close to Asheville"?

So, you want to stay in Asheville AND THEN move to a ski resort?

If so, then everyone on this thread agrees that Sugar and Beech are the best ski options in NC.

That's just not what your OP indicated.

starrs - give it a rest...geesh

My OP was just that, a question. As I stated, we were not familiar with the area, so we were looking for suggestions about extreme skiing, resorts, condos, hotels with ski in/out possibilities. Quickly I found out that "extreme" skiing was not an option, acknowledged that fact and moved on, but I was also told that there are no mountainside properties. That was proven wrong by other posters. Whether we stay in Asheville and/or get a room/condo closer to the ski resorts is not the question here. The question was if it's a possibility?

Some folks have the obnoxious problem of always having to be right, if you know what I mean. Asheville is a wonderful little city, enjoy your stay.

Thank You SAnParis

Yes, I totally agree SAnParis2.

In this case, Gretchen's post (the first post on this thread) was completely correct.

As was padams (the second post).

Yet, xrae's was the only one with the "pertinent info that I was looking for".

A clarification of whether or not he wanted to ski/stay in Asheville or elsewhere would perhaps else other posters provide "pertinent info" he was looking for.

Of course, looking at a map would help too.

never said that it was "the only one"

what I said was,

One of the very few that had some pertinent info that I was looking for.


look up few posts

keep on digging....

"but I was also told that there are no mountainside properties"

Who told you that?

It could be understood in any one way but

There are no ski in/ski out condos as these ski hills are just day areas.

posted by padams,

made me think there was nothing hillside available to rent......

I'm not sure where you're going with this starrs, but perhaps it's time to leave this thread. It's becoming a personal attack, nothing to do with the subject, picky, vicious, and for what?

Thank You for the earlier posts when you actually provided some "pertinent" info, but I think it's time to move on....

Checking out AA's other posts (because I'm still laughing and shaking my head over who would go to Asheville and ski), I find that AA is a Floridian. As a skier living in non-ski country, I wipe the smirk off my face, and say, ok, I get it. Some snow, any snow, even if it's icy and 3 inches thick (and covered by hundreds of day skiers in jeans who can't execute a hockey stop) is better than NO snow. I understand, I really do. I confess, perhaps as a ski snob, that I'd never go to NC to ski but I'd instead save my precious frequent flyer miles (and by AA's name, AA must have some) to go to a real ski resort. Nonetheless, I understand desperation and the desire to ski. Beech and Sugar are your best bets. There are places to stay near there but they are not what I would call ski in/ski out. Given that AA initially asked about apres-ski, bars and restaurants, I still stand by my recommendation that you spend some time in Asheville itself. It's a fun place.

I've said at "ski in/out" condos at Beech and Sugar.

There just have never been enough natural snow to make the ski in/out route skiable.

It's easier for the houseful to load up and go to the base than the schlep everything until you get to the man-made snow.

It's easier for the houseful to load up and go to the base than the schlep everything until you get to the man-made snow

should have been "load up in the cars"..."than to schlep everything"...

There are slopeside condos at Sugar Mountain, I'm not sure of the others.

I would take 19E from Asheville to the Banner Elk area, maybe it would be 90 minutes or so.

starrs

do you have reading apprehension problems or "is you just plain stupid?

just to remind you, here is my OP,

My SO needs to be in Asheville (can't change the venue) for a deposition, so we decided to drive up and make a short vacation out of the deal (get it?).

We would like to do some skiing but neither one of us had ever skied in the area. I love extreme skiing, SO is more into intermediate skiing .(provided FYI only)

What nearby resort should we be looking at? If possible (get it?), a ski in/out condo/lodge and few good restaurants/bars nearby for some apres-ski

Author: AAFrequentFlyer
Date: 01/29/2009, 10:48 am

... I'm not sure where you're going with this starrs, but perhaps it's time to leave this thread. It's becoming a personal attack, nothing to do with the subject, picky, vicious, and for what? ...


Author: AAFrequentFlyer
Date: 01/29/2009, 11:03 am
starrs

do you have reading apprehension problems or "is you just plain stupid?

I believe this is a travel forum and if one is unfamiliar with a city/region one can ask, or is that a problem with you?

I believe a violent case of SMP may be taking place here SMP = Selective Memory Process....lol They get so caught up in their own ranting they forget what the post was even about.

I think the confusion here stems from the fact that folks familiar with western NC consider the Asheville area and the Boone/Blowing Rock/Sugar/Beech areas to be completely separate locations. It would be hard to imagine how one could stay in one and enjoy the other.

If skiing is the main desire, choose the later, and if good restaurants/bars in a central location is the main desire, choose the former. Enjoy.

S/he must have run out of meds....

No, no reading "apprehension" here, at all.

I don't find my post asking for clarification a "personal attack", "picky" or "vicious".

Just wondering...

Most of us answered the question thinking you were asking for ski options while you were in Asheville.

You liked xrae's option and that made me wonder if you planned to stay in Asheville for the deposition AND THEN move to a ski resort.

If your answer is the latter, then Beech or Sugar are definitely the best options. But, if you are driving back and forth from Asheville, that's too far for me after a day (or night) of skiing.

TY Brian

for providing more pertinent info.....

That's the kind of info we need. We're not familiar with the area at all, just trying to do some research. We have to be there at the end of FEB and decided to take few extra days, hoping to ski. It's not like we have a choice. My SO HAS to be there.

The last time I looked, this was Fodor's Travel Forum and people ask questions about cities/regions all the time, so why should this be different?

But a "village idiot" comes along and clouds the entire thread.....

Thanks again Brian....

I'm getting a clearer picture of the area.

Ummm....AA, care to go back and read this thread for
1) information shared regarding slopes close to Asheville and those further away and
2) "personal attacks"?

Seems like a lot of personal attacks coming from you...

Seems like posters trying to figure out what you are asking for in order to help you plan a trip...

I reside in CLT & we regularly go to both the Asheville &/or Boone area for long weekends. They are (probably) I'm sure somebody will mapquest it or something, about 100 miles apart.

starrs,

just go away....

it will be the best option for all involved, seriously!

Is that your Personal Attack #4, AA?

AA - do you know any of those type of people who always seem to have to have the last word...know anybody like that ??

I find it hard to believe that Sugar Mountain has the longest run on the East Coast. I would imagine Snowshoe, Wintergreen, or Killington would have multiple slopes that are longer than all of Sugar's put together.

I agree with Brian that those of us familiar with NC skiing find it hard to imagine staying in Asheville and skiing. Cataloochie would be the closest at a little over an hour away.

Both Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain are 2+ hours away consisting of difficult two lane roads.

AA, if you've skied out west, you will be very disappointed in NC skiing. I think that is what starrs in trying to convey.

I GOT that. I acknowledged that fact way back in one of my later posts.

We don't have a choice. SO has to be in Asheville. We decided to make a short vacation out of it and want to do some skiing. If it's bunny hills, it's fine. I said that already, if it's limited snow, it's fine, I said that already.

All I asked for is "if it's possible?" to ski and rent a mountainside condo or are there resorts, etc... since we don't know the area, we needed some information. We don't care if we have to drive 2 hours, after all it's a short vacation. As long as we can stay nearby and do some skiing, we will be happy.

What's so hard to understand a simple question?

Did you try www.VRBO.com? I imagine unless it is a holiday weekend you could find a two night rental.

I don't understand why you are being so ugly to me as I've given you advice.

Good luck with this.

Actually you DIDn't say all that and we didn't want you to be disappointed in the terrain. SO go north to SugarMountain and go skiing.

Gretchen,

please read all my posts on this thread....

Just check ski conditions before you go. This seems to have been a good season for snow making, and it appears most of the resorts have a good base and a lot of slopes open. Hopefully it won't warm up too much by the end of February and destroy the conditions.

Now that I have my facts straight, Sugar Mtn. has the longest ski run in N.C. at 1½ miles if all the trails are open. I don't keep track of ski stats so my apologies if I misspoke. Google shows Asheville to Banner Elk at 75 miles and 90 minutes drive. Beech Mountain (Ski Beech) is a few miles further.

When we're in that area, we stay at Blue Ridge Village, which is a condo resort "around the corner" from Sugar Mountain. If you can't find anything slopeside available, you'd probably be able to get something at BRV. There's also a HUGE condo on top of the mountain called Sugartop, and they may do nightly rentals.

Cataloochie is west of Asheville and closer. I have only driven up to the resort but haven't skied there so I have no idea what to tell you about it or accommodations there. Beech Mountain may have more accommodations than Sugar, but I have no idea about ones right on the slopes.

I don't know why everyone is so grumpy today!

Thank You xrae.....

GoTravel

I didn't mean to snap at you, but the "village idiot" got to me and your last post "kinda" defended it, so I lost it. I would like to apologize. Nothing to do with you.

Thanks for the info.

Another "village idiot" reference.
Interesting...

if it walks like one, if it talks like one, then it is what it is...

AA, you've slung insults all day. Maybe one day you'll go back and read what folks have posted in an attempt to help you with your trip to NC.

Good luck with your trip.

"AA, you've slung insults all day. Maybe one day you'll go back and read what folks have posted in an attempt to help you with your trip to NC..."

Fat chance. Insults are far easier. Talks about the village idiot!

MvK

Now I'm very "comprehensive" (sic) about posting anything further lest AA go extreme again, but do NOT stay at that ugly condo monstrosity on top of Sugar Mountain. We have done it and it is just very complicated to get in and out of.
There is a website for rentals--highcountry.com I believe.

xrae, both Sugar and Beech are a 2+ hour drive from Asheville because most of the drive and are windy two lane roads. 90 miles and 75 miles are long hard drives.

I've skied all of the above while staying at my inlaws in Asheville and the easiest would be Cataloochie.

AA, no offense but you seem to be ignoring the people giving you accurate advice and takeing xrae's advice that seems to come from google (sorry xrae but you've been dead wrong on a couple of key points).

Personally, I'd jump on I-26 and take it to I-81 and drive a couple of extra hours and drive to Wintergreen.

The difference is night and day.

Or even the one just over the NC line in WVa--can't remember the name but our kids like it. Just off I77--3 hours from Charlotte to the minute.

Snowshoe

Over the NC line in W.Va?

There's Winterplace, that's just off I-77 pretty near the Virginia line. I've skied there before, it seems to be a pretty big resort but the runs didn't seem as long to me as those at Sugar.

GoT, I live in Tennessee and drive to Asheville and drive to Banner Elk A LOT, though not often from one to the other. I'd be surprised if it took us two hours to make the drive, but we are very familiar with the roads. It would take less than two hours to drive from Asheville to Johnson City and then take 19E to Banner Elk, and that mileage is further than either of the other two ways I Google mapped it (via I40 or US 19E/Burnsville). So whatever.

xrae, Johnson City is a lot closer to Banner Elk and Asheville than Asheville is to Banner Elk.

The drive from Asheville to Banner Elk is mostly two lane roads.

By Google Maps, Beech and Sugar Mountain are about 90 miles from Asheville.

Johnson City is 60 miles to Asheville and Johnson City is 45 miles to Banner Elk.

Snowshoe looks to be about the same distance as Wintergreen and it would be the absolute best skiing within a mornings drive for you. Both Snowshoe and Wintergreen have ski in/ski out lodging.

I used to night ski at Wintergreen about five nights a week when I was in college. Great place but Snowshoe is superior.