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Sugar Mountain
Banner Elk, North Carolina

(Click here for the official web site for Sugar Mountain, or scroll below to read DCSki's complete profile...)

[Resort Overview]  [Summer Activities]  [Statistics]
[Trail Map]  [Map]  [Current Conditions]  [Webcams]
[Related News]  [Upcoming Events]  [Reader Comments]

Resort Overview - reported by M. Scott Smith, DCSki Editor

Photo provided by John Sherwood.
With its 1,200-foot vertical, Sugar Mountain is the largest ski resort south of West Virginia, and one of few resorts breaking a 1,000-foot vertical south of New England. The mountain is located in Banner Elk, North Carolina — a 7-hour drive from D.C., but less than three from Charlotte, Knoxville, and Winston-Salem, and a little over four hours from Atlanta. For DCSki’s growing southern readership, Sugar delivers a big mountain experience close to home.

The mountain offers skiers and boarders trails spread out over 115 acres. The lower mountain features graceful groomers, perfect for lower intermediates. The summit, however, will surprise even seasoned experts with several narrow, expert trails sporting 60-percent pitches. Snowboarders are allowed on all trails and the resort offers a 700-foot tubing run with its own lift. Sugar receives over 60 inches of natural snow annually, which is supplemented with 100 percent snowmaking.

In 2007, Sugar Mountain also added a 10,000 square foot refrigerated, outdoor ice skating rank. In 2008, Sugar Mountain invested $300,000 in snowmaking improvements. In 2010, Sugar Mountain upgraded its Red Lift with a new drive station and new chairs.

There are approximately 1,000 beds located in condos on the mountain and another 10,000 beds located within 15 miles of the resort.

Summer Activities

Sugar Mountain Resort and the nearby Sugar Mountain Village feature golf, mountain biking, river rafting, tennis, and hiking during the warmer months. Nearby attractions include Grandfather Mountain, Blowing Rock, and the Pigsah National Forest.

Each summer, the resort sponsors the Showdown at Sugar Mountain Bike Competition & Festival, one of 23 American Mountain Bike Challenge (AMBC) events held each year throughout the country.

Statistics

Resort Name:
 Sugar Mountain
Vertical Drop:
 1,200 feet
Base Elevation:
 4,100 feet
Peak Elevation:
 5,300 feet
Trails:
 20 (40% beginner, 40% intermediate, 20% advanced)
Skiable Acres:
 115
Longest Run:
 1.5 miles
Lift Capacity:
 8,800 per hour
Lifts:
 8 (1 triple, 4 doubles, 3 surface lifts)
Night Skiing:
 Yes, on 15 slopes (100 acres), or about 90% of the area
Terrain Park:
 Yes
Halfpipe:
 (No halfpipe)
Tubing Park:
 700-foot tubing runs
Address:
 P.O. Box 369
Banner Elk, NC 28604
Phone Number:
 (828) 898-4521
Latitude:
 36.131913
Longitude:
 -81.855354
Web Site:
 http://www.skisugar.com/

Estimated Distances from Major Cities

Baltimore, MD8 hours 466 miles
Washington, DC7 hours, 20 minutes 431 miles
Arlington, VA7 hours, 20 minutes 429 miles
Richmond, VA5 hours, 50 minutes 333 miles
Pittsburgh, PA7 hours, 20 minutes 439 miles
Harrisburg, PA8 hours, 10 minutes 486 miles
Philadelphia, PA9 hours, 45 minutes 568 miles
Charleston, WV4 hours, 25 minutes 255 miles
Raleigh, NC3 hours, 50 minutes 210 miles
Charlotte, NC2 hours, 20 minutes 111 miles

 

Trail Map

To view a full-size trail map for Sugar Mountain, click on the following thumbnail image. The trail map will open in a new window. Please note that DCSki's trail maps can be out of date; always pick up a copy of the latest trail map at each resort.

Map

Current Conditions

A snow condition report for Sugar Mountain is shown below. Because condition reports may not be updated regularly, be sure to check the date and timestamp on the report. Before making a trip, we recommend contacting resorts directly for the latest conditions.

    Sugar Mountain, NC
    As of 16:28:00 on 2011-03-23
    Report data is over 2 days old -- please check back later.

To view additional ski condition reports for areas throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and across the world, visit the DCSki Conditions page.

Webcams

Sugar Mountain has an official webcam page here.

Related News

The past five articles related to Sugar Mountain are shown below.

    Mid-Atlantic Ski Season Gains Momentum (December 27, 2012)
    A shot of cold air and some natural snow has helped launch the 2012-2013 winter season in a big way. Find out the status of Mid-Atlantic ski areas.

    The Weekly Altitude (November 25, 2012)
    The Weekly Altitude provides a look at what’s happening in the Mid-Atlantic ski and snowboard scene. In this weeks issue: Ready, Set, Fire the Snowguns!; Kickstarter Project aims to develop Adventure Case for iPhone; North Carolina Ski Areas Association Offers “Gold Cards.”

    Breaking News: Sugar Mountain Plans to Open on Halloween (October 29, 2012)
    North Carolina’s Sugar Mountain Resort plans to capture its earliest opening date, opening the Upper and Lower Flying Mile slopes for skiing and snowboarding on Halloween.

    What’s New for 2012: Sugar Mountain Resort (October 27, 2012)
    North Carolina’s Sugar Mountain Resort is hoping that its 5,300-foot elevation will bring plenty of natural snow this winter. But to hedge its bets, the resort has invested a quarter million dollars in snowmaking improvements.

    Snow and Cold Push Opening Dates within Reach (December 7, 2011)
    Mother Nature has been keeping the cold to herself so far this winter, but the arrival of snow on Wednesday has many local resorts pushing to open for the season in the next week or two.
    (1 reader comment)

To view more articles related to Sugar Mountain, click here.

Upcoming Events

The next event scheduled to be held at Sugar Mountain is listed below.

    Sugar Brew (August 3, 2013)

    (Sugar Mountain, North Carolina)

To view more upcoming events at Sugar Mountain, click here. Remember, events are subject to change at any time, and DCSki's list of events may not be comprehensive. Please contact Sugar Mountain directly to verify event details before making a trip.

Related Bargains

The following bargains are related to Sugar Mountain.

    (No matching bargains found.)

To view more bargains, click here. Remember, bargains may include exclusions or expirations not noted here. Contact the company offering the bargain to verify details.

Reader Comments

The views and opinions expressed in DCSki Article Comments are strictly those of the comment authors and have not been reviewed or approved by DCSki. If you believe a comment is inaccurate or inappropriate, please contact DCSki's Editor.

Comments on Sugar Mountain - posted by Dana
February 2, 2010 at 11:37 am
I have been going to Sugar Mountain Resort for years, however I will not be going again. I was overcharged for by their Ski School for a group lesson (done as moral support for a friend who had never skied before) and have experienced the WORST customer service trying to resolve the issue. They refuse to refund the overcharge and have been quite rude in the process. I did exactly as instructed to get the situation resolved, yet they will not refund my money.

I had planned to make 3 more trips this year (and make several trips each ski season) to this resort, but this is enough to make me change plans. I'll happily take my money and my friends (and their money) to a competitor resort. I'd recommend that everyone DOUBLE CHECK THEIR RECEIPTS at this resort. I was not the only one that day that was overcharged. A man was overchared for his daughter's lesson and when he realized it and tried to get a refund, they refused him. He tore up his ticket and threw it at the sales girl (not the best reaction, but he was furious at their lack of concern). I should've taken the hint after seeing this display...I actually felt bad for the sales girl who turned right around and over-charged me. I hope this is not a common practice for them - bad business!
 
Comments on Sugar Mountain - posted by Russell
November 6, 2010 at 12:59 am
I hate to say it but I am ashamed of Sugar's Customer Service. I too have found the service to be poor and unfriendly. I was raised skiing at all the NC resorts. I am also an NC Mountain boy from Morganton, NC just down the road from Sugar. Sugars needs to take some pointers from App. and Beech. My all time favorite was Hawk's Nest (Seven Devils)....now they made you feel like family. I have always found Sugar to be rude. I say this as an industry professional, if you want to see great customer service come to Liberty Mtn in PA. Wake up Sugar, skiing is a dying sport. To survive we have to have excellent customer service and attract minorities. Oh and I am a minority; I have skied at the resort since the early 1970s, so I really know this place well. Never felt welcomed. Hats off to all the other NC resorts from Catalochee to App. always felt a warm welcome. Sugar wake up, this is 2010 if you like I will come and provide you a customer service training seminar, you really need it.

Russell
Pro Ski Instructor
 

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