News from Cataloochee Ski Area

More Snow, More Fun, &
Starting This Weekend...More Time to Ski!

submitted by Cataloochee Ski Area
 

'Tis the season and we know you are in the midst of making your holiday plans.  We're hoping a trip to Cataloochee will be at the top of your list this year! 

We are continuing to make snow as temperatures permit and today we were open for day skiing Friday from 9am-4:30pm.  Yesterday night we began skiing under the stars when we kick into our day, twilight and night skiing schedule and offer skiing until 10 each night with the exception of Christmas Eve.

Today we are open on 16 out of 18 trails with three aerial lifts and one conveyor lift operating – Advanced Upper Omigosh, Intermediate Upper Snowbird Trail serviced by the Omigosh Double Chairlift, Intermediate Rock Island Run, Advanced Alley Cat, Upper and Lower Turkey Trot, Wild Cat Glade, Short n' Sweet, Lower Snowbird Trail and Lower Omigosh serviced by the Rock Island Run Quad Chairlift.  Beginners Upper Over Easy, Beginners Over Easy Beginners Easy Way and Beginners Rabbit Hill serviced by the Easy Way Triple Chairlift, Beginner’s Luck Learning Area serviced by the Moving Carpet Conveyor lift and the Wolf Creek Hollow Teaching area on a base of 28-52" and a machine worked surface.
 

Tube World, located four miles from the ski area, across from Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley, opened for the season on Saturday, December 16 at 10am for tubing from 10am until 10pm.  Tubing continues daily through the holidays from 10am until 10pm each day, with the exception of Christmas Eve, when we tube from 10am until 6pm and Christmas Day when we tube from 2pm until 10pm. 

Our rental shop in Maggie Valley NC, Cataloochee Ski & Sports, is open as well.  Be sure to stop there for discounted rentals and any accessories you might need prior to your day on the slopes.

We remind you to be aware of changing ski conditions and use caution.  Natural and manmade obstacles exist and snowmaking and grooming activities are routinely in progress. Please use control and ski or ride only on designated slopes and trails.

Find more information about Cataloochee Ski Area and other NC Ski Slopes on our NC Ski Resorts Guide 

News from the National Park Foundation: 31 Days of Giving Campaign

The National Park Foundation's 31 Days of Giving Campaign is now underway. The Foundation is working to raise $1,000,000 for America's national parks by December 31, 2017. But to reach this goal and continue the work to protect our national parks in the year ahead, your help is needed.

America’s national parks include some of the nation’s most important natural, cultural, and historical treasures. It's up to all of us to safeguard these more than 400 places today, and into the future.

With your special year-end gift now, you'll work side-by-side with the National Park Foundation to continue protecting:

• Natural marvels like Yosemite National Park
• Historic locations like Valley Forge National Historical Park
• Culturally significant sites like George Washington Carver National Monument

We need your support to reach our goal! Your gift to the National Park Foundation will help conserve and care for America's greatest treasures — our national parks.

 Please stand with us by making  

your generous year-end gift now.

Last chance for FREE holiday chocolate

The Chocolate Fetish

36 Haywood Street Asheville, NC 

 

Order holiday chocolates early and get rewarded!

Make your holidays extra sweet with this exclusive order early special. Place an online order before December 6th and use coupon code SHIPDEC15 to receive a FREE bag of Almond Buttercrunch Toffee with your order.

These award winning handmade chocolates make a great gift for everyone on your list and there is no limit to how many times you can use the coupon code. Send a box of truffles to your friend and they'll get a a free bag of Buttercrunch Toffee, send a box to your boss and they'll get a free bag of Buttercrunch Toffee, send a box to yourself and you can enjoy the free Buttercrunch Toffee.

Hurry, this offer ends December 6th at midnight. Why stress about holiday shopping? Support family owned business from the comfort of your couch and savor the rewards.

 Learn more about The Chocolate Fetish HERE

Not sure what to get?

Try  hand packed assortments featuring a variety of chocolates so you don't have to choose. Available in a range of sizes suitable for one person or for a family or office to share.

News from Grandfather Mountain

The Holidays bring Dollar Days, discounts, shopping and more at Grandfather Mountain. With winter on the way, Grandfather Mountain is decking its halls — and hills — for the holidays. Visitors are invited to celebrate the season from a mile high, where they’ll encounter idyllic winter scenery, invigorating outdoor adventure and more at the Linville NC, nature preserve and attraction.

 

Grandfather Mountain offers two simple ways to save on park admission during the holiday season.
As a gesture of support for local tree farmers, anyone who arrives at the mountain with a tree atop their vehicle or a receipt from a local tree farm will receive $2 off each adult admission and $1 off each child admission.

December also marks the return of Dollar Days for local residents. From Dec. 1-31, anyone who lives or works in Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga or Wilkes counties will be admitted to the mountain for only $3 per person, with proof of local employment or residency.

In lieu of cash, Grandfather Mountain also will accept three cans of food from local residents for distribution to local food pantries. Christmas tree discounts may not be combined with Dollar Days discounts.

Grandfather Mountain introduces new cougars. Call it a tail of two cougars. On Wednesday, Nov. 16, Grandfather Mountain introduced its newest Western cougars to the
public. Named Logan and Trinity, the sibling duo is now on display in the park’s environmental wildlife habitats. The Linville NC -based nature preserve and attraction adopted the brother-and-sister cubs in March 2016, after they’d been orphaned in the wilds of Idaho before they could learn to hunt. They were found on an Idaho man’s property that January, emaciated and searching for food. Upon rescuing them, Idaho Fish and Game contacted Grandfather’s habitat staff to see if the mountain could provide the cubs a home.Learn more about these amazing felines...

Elk are coming to Grandfather Mountain. This December, Grandfather Mountain will welcome some new residents to its environmental wildlife habitats. The nonprofit nature preserve and attraction has adopted three male elk — a bachelor herd — to reside in an all-new habitat. After the park’s resident white-tailed deer passed away earlier this year, the habitat underwent significant renovations to accommodate these new residents. The adoptees are calves, each around four months old, and hail from a private elk farm and breeder in central North Carolina. Learn more about the Elk HERE.

Learn more about Grandfather Mountain and other 

NC mountain Parks on our North Carolina Parks Guide