SUGAR MOUNTAIN, N.C. — Sugar Mountain opened Tuesday for the ski season, giving tourists an early chance to carve the North Carolina mountains.
For the last 36 hours, snowmaking has been ongoing at Sugar Mountain, with snow already being measured in feet instead of inches.
Some tourists got word about the opening and made their plans.
“The kids don’t have school today so yesterday we were watching really closely and around 3 p.m. the kids got home from school, we just made the decision to do it. It’s a six-hour drive, we got here at like 3 a.m.,” said Tasha Nelson, a visitor from Huntsville, Alabama.
The temperatures overnight fell into the middle-teens, allowing the ski resorts to run much of their snowmaking equipment.
The early opening is a boon for the local economy, benefiting restaurants and hotels that typically see a decline after the end of leaf season.
Brenda Pritchard has worked here for years, and she’s excited about the early opening.
“Everybody has a really hard time this year. I’m getting ready to have a new grandbaby and buy all new clothes for it, so everybody is tickled to be back, and we’re glad to be back,” Pritchard said.
Gauge Martin and his stepson visited from the Charlotte area, and they were thankful for the early opening.
“Never seen it so early here. Great time, conditions are great, and everybody is coming out and having a good time,” Martin said.
The earliest opening ever at Sugar Mountain was on Halloween back in 2012.
Nearby Beech Mountain Ski Resort is set to open on November 22, weather permitting.
(VIDEO: Snow flurries fall in the Carolinas)
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