Blue Ridge Skiing

"It's like farming snow"
Ski Resort Operator

The sport of skiing has become important as the economy of the Blue Ridge moves from an agricultural base to one increasingly dependent upon tourism. Skiing in the region began as early as the 1930s when students at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk began skiing on Beech Mountain using wooden skis made at school. In the 1960s skiing came of age in the Blue Ridge as a number of ski resorts opened, including Beech Mountain, Appalachian Ski Mountain, Hound Ears, Sugar Mountain, Wolf Laurel and Ski Hawksnest.

These resorts were primarily designed as real estate developments with skiing offered as an inducement to purchase property. With the depressed economy of the early 1970s, however, most resorts experienced financial difficulties. Today, skiing is the top priority rather than land sales at most Blue Ridge resorts, and Southern skiing is more popular than ever.

The capability to make snow was necessary for skiing to be financially possible in this area. Snow is artificially produced by mixing air and water under pressure. This is accomplished by pumping water and air separately uphill to hydrants along the slope. Hoses are attached to the snow guns, where the air and water are mixed together. The air breaks the water into tiny droplets as it is forced through a small opening by the pressure of the gun. The air expands as it is released into the atmosphere, thus causing the water droplets to cool and freeze into snow.

Larchmont Quad  |  Blue Ridge Blizzard  |  Larchmont Single
Modern Snow Gun  |  Snow Gun  |  Snow Cat