Update: On Wednesday, November 23, 2011, Snowshoe announced that the slopes will be closed on Thanksgiving due to recent rain. Sugar Mountain is also in a holding pattern. As always, before making an early season trip, contact the resort you plan to visit directly to verify operating conditions.

If you’d like some skiing to go with your turkey on Thanksgiving day, you may be in luck.

North Carolina’s Sugar Mountain Resort opened briefly earlier this month, offering skiing and boarding on the Upper and Lower Flying mile slopes between November 12-14, 2011. Subsequent warm weather caused Sugar to temporarily close, but the snowguns have been firing and Sugar Mountain reopened for the season on Friday, November 18. Sugar Mountain plans to be open for Thanksgiving with both skiing and snowboarding and ice skating.

Further north, West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort will be opening for the 2011-2012 winter season on Thanksgiving day. The resort will open on Thursday, November 24 at 9 am, and remain open for the holiday weekend through Sunday, November 27. Snowshoe will then close midweek, with plans to re-open on Friday, December 2.

Opening terrain should include one top to bottom run in the main basin area, serviced by the Ballhooter high-speed lift. The teaching area, serviced by a magic carpet, will also be open, along with the Skidder slope with terrain features and Skidder lift. Snowshoe will be selling $20 lift tickets between November 24-27.

Because early season conditions can be variable and dependent on snowmaking opportunities, be sure to check with either resort prior to making a visit to verify operating conditions, hours, rates, and open trails.