Jeff's Corner - Cataloochee, North Carolina

Cataloochee is ski area in the Southern Appalachians of North Carolina. This range includes the highest peaks in the eastern US. Despite the high elevations -- over 6000 feet -- this area receives little snow, about 40 inches a winter on average, and what snow that does fall rarely lasts. Skiing in this region is totally dependent on artificial snow, and areas here boast some of the most advanced snowmaking technology in the world -- Cataloochee even says they can make snow (if they had to and conditions were optimal) at 42 degrees F.

Cataloochee is one of the oldest ski areas in the South. It originally operated on an adjacent slope but was moved to its present location in the 1970s.

The ski area claims a 740 foot vertical drop but in reality is apparently about 680 feet.

Skiing here is accessed by one quad, one triple and one double chairs, and two moving carpet conveyor lifts.

The triple serves one wide open beginner slope which has a small terrain park. The quad runs two-thirds of the way up the mountain and serves two intermediate slopes. The double runs to the summit and serves an expert slope. It also has a midway unloading station which serves a narrow beginner
slope which also serves as a catch all for the runs served by the quad. There is a second terrain park at midmountain.

New this year is the reopening of two trails which had been cut years ago but were narrow and snow was not made on them. They are switchbacks.

In all, Cataloochee lists some 12 trails, though in reality skiers would notice half of those as being distinct. There are also two natural snow slopes which are open very rarely.

Skiing at Cataloochee and in the South is unique. The area makes tons of snow, but since very little natural snow falls it's not uncommon to be skiing on a 10-foot high pile of snow which drops off sharply to the bare forest floor. Many skiers come from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina and
often have never seen snow before. Weekends and holidays can be a mad crush of all manner of humanity and all level of skiing skills. At times I literally have to weave my way down the slope between fallen and out of commission skiers and skiers walking down the slope, skis in hand, having
given up. On top of that, since this is the South and people generally do not know how to drive in the snow, the area commonly closes when more than a few inches falls.

That being said, Cataloochee has one of the best reputations of ski areas in the South, largely because they make a lot of snow and make it well and because they open as soon as they can -- lately the second week in November -- and stay open until the snow runs out -- last year that was April 1.

The area has a shop, rentals, guaranteed ski lesson program, cafe and bar. Maggie Valley, 3 miles away, has all services. It is located about 30 miles west of Asheville, NC and borders Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is close to the 469-mile scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

Jeff Schmerker
Waynesville, NC

Cataloochee ski area in March