MAIN Sports Ski Resorts North Carolina Ski Resorts & Snow Reports

While North Carolina draws tourists by the millions to fall foliage tours around the Smokys, the Tar Heel State also packs 'em in during the winter at top ski resorts located in the Blue Ridge Mountains for a full November-April season of skiing and snowboarding fun.

The largest of North Carolina's ski meccas, and arguably the most popular, is the Sugar Mountain ski area.

A two-hour drive from either Ashville or Charlotte gets winter sports enthusiasts out on the slopes.

With a total of 20 runs on 115 acres of skiable terrain, Sugar Mountain features a beginner area, snowboarding terrain, snowshoeing and tubing parks, along with a 10,000 square foot outdoor ice skating rink. For a quick weekend getaway, vacation packages include lodging, lift tickets, equipment rental and even lessons for the entire family.

For more skiing superlatives, try Ski Beech Mountain Resort which boasts the highest resort on the East Coast offering 15 slopes, terrain parks, snow tubing, ice skating, and good eats at four restaurants and cool shopping at the Alpine Village.

More about NC skiing and snowboarding around the Web:

Ski Southeast - Central clearinghouse for current openings, snow reports & weather information, photos, videos, complete directory of hotels & accommodations, skiing tips, FAQ, and community message boards for the entire Southeast including North Carolina, Tennessee, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia

North Carolina Ski Areas Association - Directory of resorts with a useful table calculating miles and driving directions, details on the NCSAA Gold Card enabling entry to every resort statewide.

North Carolina Ski Resorts - Excellent guide to every resort in NC with snow & weather reports, surface conditions, mountain stats including trails and lifts, plus star-rated visitor reviews, photos.