Industry News
Sugar Mountain Ski Resort in Avery County, North Carolina will open tomorrow, November 11, for the 2025-26 winter season, not an unusually early opening for the ambitious Southern ski area. Other early openings occurred November 11, 2018, and November 9, 2019. And as recently as 2012, Sugar Mountain Resort dropped the ropes on Halloween.
Frigid temperatures skated in Sunday evening, November 9, bringing with it three inches of natural snow and launching Sugar Mountain Resort’s massive snowmaking-system. Snowmaking persists around the clock while temperatures plummeted to the low teens. Monday evening, November 10, Mother Nature is expected to dip temperatures to the single digits and drop another six inches of snow, ensuring a beautiful start to the winter.
8-24 inches of man-made & natural powder and frozen granular snow is expected to cover five of Sugar’s 20 trails. Rideable slopes will include Northridge, Switchback, Upper and Lower Flying Mile, and the Magic Carpet area. The high-speed, six-passenger Summit Express chairlift, which transports skiers and riders to the mountain’s 5,300-foot peak will be open. For beginners, the Magic Carpet conveyor lift will operate.
The full-day session of skiing and riding runs from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.The half-day shift begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. The twilight and night offerings will be available in the coming weeks.
The snowsports school, the equipment & clothing rental shop, the sports & gift shop, and the group sales department are all fully operational. Childcarewill be available on Wednesday. Sugar’s 10,000 square foot outdoor ice skating rink is expected to open in time for the Thanksgiving holiday while the tubing park opening is planned for early December.
Local businesses, lodgings, restaurants, and many other amenities and attractions in the North Carolina High Country are also open and eager to welcome visitors for the 2025-26 season.
