Beech Mountain vs. Sugar Mountain: Comparing NC's ski resorts
Winter is officially here.
Several of North Carolina’s ski resorts have already opened for the winter season, including the Beech Mountain Ski Resort and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort.
In recent years, WRAL Senior Multiplatform Producer Mark Bergin has visited the Sugar Mountain Ski Resort and the Beech Mountain Ski Resort. He shared his observations and comparisons of the two ski resorts.
Bergin also spoke with WRAL Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner, an avid skier, about her experiences.
Experience level skiing
I am not a novice skier, but I would not consider myself an Olympian either. While I’ve skied in Keystone, Colorado; Breckenridge, Colorado; and Sugar Mountain before my trips, December 2022 marked my first time skiing in five years.
The No. 1 advice I’d give to any first-time skier is to get a lesson, even though costs can add up with travel, rental equipment, gear, getting a lift pass, lodging, etc. Paying for a lesson is worth it. Signing up for a group lesson instead of a private lesson can help lower the cost.
Learning the proper skiing technique is vital. Lessons are typically an hour or so. You’ll learn the basics, like how to do a pizza with your skis, how to do “French fries” and how to keep your shins near the front tongue of your ski boots.
A beginner can try a green slope once they become comfortable staying on their feet and successfully turning from side to side.
What ski signs mean
- Green: Beginner
- Blue: Intermediate
- Black: Expert
- Double Black: Expert only
- Orange: Terrain park
Slopes
Sugar Mountain
For first-time skiers, Sugar Mountain has a true bunny hill in the Magic Carpet Area to learn the basics. This is also the area where group lessons are taught.
Once skiers become comfortable on their feet doing a bunny hill, Sugar Mountain’s Easy Street green run is the perfect lift for a first-timer. It is also away from the Summit Express lift, which will take more experienced skiers and snowboarders to the top of Sugar Mountain.
The mountain has a 4,432-foot elevation. The resort first opened in December 1969.
“Sugar [Mountain] funnels down,” Gardner said. “Sugar is like one big long slope … and it has little branches that come off of it.”
Sugar Mountain’s Northridge slope connects with blue slopes Switchback and Upper Flying Mile. It’s the longest run at Sugar Mountain and longer than any at Beech Mountain.
“You’ve got that long slope, but that means everybody at the resort is getting on that one lift at the bottom, and those lines can be long,” Gardner said. “Now, they do have a high-speed chair there, which helps, but those lines can be long.”
When it’s crowded, the lines to go up the lift can take 15 to 30 minutes. Weekends tend to be more crowded than weekdays. Also, lines tend to be less crowded when the slopes first open and during night skiing.
However, other parts of the mountain are slowly opening this season. The blue/black run Gunther’s Way opened Dec. 20.
New this year: The blue slope Oma’s Meadow installed a high-speed, four-passenger chairlift. It replaces the two-passenger, fixed-grip chairlift.
Oma’s Meadow opened on Dec. 11.
Sugar Mountain has six lifts along with the Magic Carpet for the bunny hill and the Handle Tow at the Terrain Park. The Magic Carpet and Handle Tow take skiers and snowboarders up their respective hills. It’s like a moving walkway at an airport.
Click or tap here to view the Sugar Mountain trail map.
Beech Mountain
Generally speaking, Beech Mountain’s slopes are narrower and steeper than Sugar Mountain. Beech Mountain Resort first opened in 1967.
“The difference in Beech is the runs are shorter, but they have … more runs spread out across the face of the mountain, so the lines aren’t as long, so you can pick and choose a little bit better,” Gardner said.
Beech Mountain has eight lifts and two carpet conveyors.
New in 2023 is Beech Mountain is now using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system instead of having a worker manually scan lift passes. It helps prevent the ski lifts from getting too backed up.
Here's how the RFID system works: A glass-like panel on the left side of the lift gate is the reader. Keep your RFID card in a left side pocket below your shoulder and above your knee. If you have a pocket on your left jacket sleeve or a left chest pocket, that works well.
Gardner said she is fond of the West Bowl blue slope, which goes down the backside of Beech Mountain. West Bowl was not open when I visited.
“I love the backside when it’s open. I know it’s not open that often,” Gardner said. “That backside, you’re just kind of out in the middle of nowhere … kind of skiing through the woods, so I think that’s fun too.”
In early January 2023, Beech Mountain opened the black diamond runs Upper White Lightning and Upper Southern Star.
The blue slope Shawneehaw is less steep than the blue run Upper Robbin’s Run.
Beech Mountain’s Play Yard accommodates new skiers learning the basics. The top of the green slope Freestyle area is a little steeper than Sugar Mountain’s Easy Street run.
For more advanced skiers and snowboarders, Beech Mountain’s Terrain Park offers more than 50 different features to practice tricks.
Click or tap here to view the Beech Mountain trail map.
Lift-pass tickets
Beech Mountain’s slope tickets are generally cheaper than Sugar Mountain’s, but it depends on which specific session time a skier selects. Weekday prices are less expensive than weekend and holiday rates. Weekend prices range from $64 to $96, but it depends on the session.
Gardner offered a solid tip to avoid crowds.
“A weekday is definitely the time to go skiing in North Carolina, just because it gets so crowded [on the weekends],” Gardner said.
While both resorts offer ski and equipment rentals at reasonable rates, it’s worth checking nearby stores to see if they are cheaper.
Night skiing
Both resorts offer night skiing, which is a sublime experience once a skier is comfortable. Plus, there are usually fewer skiers at night compared to the daytime.
However, skiing and snowboarding at Sugar Mountain closes from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. to allow crews to groom the slopes.
Beech Mountain’s hours of operations
- Sunday-Thursday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sugar Mountain’s hours of operations
- Day Session: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Half-Day Session: 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Twilight Session: 12:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (closed 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.)
- Night Session: 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Things to do at the resorts other than skiing
Beech Mountain
The 5506’ Skybar at Beech Mountain
The view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the top of Beech Mountain’s 5506' Skybar is breathtaking. Pictures don’t do the incredible view justice.
The 5506’ Skybar is also an excellent place to grab a drink and warm up inside the glass roundhouse.
During winter, 5506′ is only accessible to skiers and snowboarders who have a valid lift ticket.
The 5506′ Skybar pays tribute to the elevation that gives Beech Mountain the title of the highest ski area in eastern America.
The full-service bar offers mixed drinks, wine and a selection of Beech Mountain Brewing Co. beers on tap.
Important to note: The bathrooms have moved right next to the top of the West Bowl. They used to be on the deck outside the Skybar.
Beech Mountain Brewing Co.
Beech Mountain Brewing Co. is accessible for all visitors, meaning people do not have to participate in resort activities to visit.
The two-level facility provided a fun atmosphere to watch the epic 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France. The brewery has fireplaces to warm up and to let ice melt off your gear.
Beech Mountain Brewing Co. has 10 year-round drafts along with seasonal selections. The establishment also has salads, appetizers, sandwiches and burgers.
Other amenities
There are two restaurants, a full sports shop, a full rental facility, tubing and wireless internet connection.
Beech Mountain also offers fire pits with Adirondack chairs for groups to warm up and take a break from the slopes.
Sugar Mountain
Sugar Mountain has a cafeteria with food, snacks and drinks to relax while taking a break from the slopes.
Tubing, ice skating and snowshoe guided tours are also offered.
Tubing is open with sessions at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Ice skating is open with sessions at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Snowshoe tours are offered every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
What’s near the resorts?
Town of Banner Elk
It depends where specifically you’re staying, but Sugar Mountain is generally closer in proximity to the town of Banner Elk.
The town – which sits between the Sugar Mountain Resort to the south and Beech Mountain Resort to the north – is like what you’d see in a Hallmark movie.
Banner Elk has tasty restaurants and shops. I’d recommend the Banner Elk Cafe and Bayou Smokehouse and Grill.
Other favorites include Stonewalls Restaurant and Sorrento’s Italian Bistro.
You can get to Banner Elk from Beech Mountain, but you have to drive down the mountain to get to the town, which takes 10-15 minutes.
There is also a Food Lion to pick up groceries near Sugar Mountain.
Beech Mountain Parkway
For someone staying in Beech Mountain who doesn’t want to drive all the way to Banner Elk, Beech Mountain Parkway is a village with several local restaurant and shops.
It includes Fred’s General Mercantile for groceries, the famous Brick Oven Pizzeria, Bullwinkels Pizzaria, Fred’s Backside Deli, Holy Smokes BBQ and Mi Jalisco Mexican Grill among others.
Beech Mountain Parkway closes for one day each December so the town of Beech Mountain can hold its annual Christmas Parade.
Other ski resorts nearby
Appalachian Ski Mtn.
Gardner said she took her family to Appalachian Ski Mtn. for years when her kids were younger to help them learn to ski.
“For years and years and years, we were at Appalachian [Ski Mtn.] because my kids were little, and I feel like that is by far the best place to go if you’re a beginner,” Gardner said. “If it’s your first, second [or] third day on skis, Appalachian all the way. It’s just super beginner friendly.”
Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia
The Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia is about a six-hour drive from Raleigh. Snowshoe is renowned for being among the best ski resorts in the eastern U.S.
“It’s the best [resort] you can drive to,” Gardner said.
Gardner said Snowshoe typically has better skiing conditions than North Carolina’s resorts because it is further north. However, Snowshoe has a base elevation of 3,348 feet and a top elevation of 4,848 feet, which makes it shorter than Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain.
“Just like the mountains of North Carolina, you have to watch that weather very carefully,” Gardner said. “It’s a balancing act between getting a reservation so that you know you’ll have a place to stay and waiting as long as you can to be sure that the conditions are going to be good.
The Snowshoe village also has several shops and restaurants.
“We go to Snowshoe fairly regularly, and now that the kids are teenagers, they’re better and faster than I am,” Gardner said.
Other resorts
Other North Carolina resorts include Sapphire Valley and Cataloochee Ski Area, the oldest ski area in the state. Also, the Wintergreen Resort is in Nellysford, Virginia.
Last, the Hatley Pointe Mountain Resort, formerly the Wolf Ridge Ski Resort, is still working to open.
