http://www.hawksnest-resort.com/:

>>.... We stand by the allegations made in our federal lawsuit against the Seven Devils police and the Town of Seven Devils. We have alleged that two years ago the Seven Devils police began a campaign to vigorously patrol the only road into the ski area. This change in policy has destroyed Hawksnest's customer base.

Ticket sales on our popular Nighthawk session have plummeted. We used to average over 1,000 tickets per Nighthawk night. Last seasons that average had drop to 482 tickets for the Nighthawk night. By President's weekend, last season, our daytime parking lots were 1/2 full while Sugar Mountain was turning customers away.

Last ski season we estimate the loss of tickets sales to be over 18,000 tickets. This loss of ticket revenue has been a financial disaster for Hawksnest....<<

Seems farfetched to me.

Anaother link: http://www.skinorthcarolina.com/hawksnestarticle.htm

It seems that charges of drunk driving and countercharges of harassment are flying back and forth. The truth may be in the middle.

By the way, I see I am now a member, and not just a junior member anymore. May I carry around a lightsaber now?

I'm not sure where this started but here's my take on it. The first place I ever skied was Hawksnest when I was a freshman at Appalachian State back in '87. I also had my first ski job there where drunkeness was popular (since that time I always try to checkout liftops to see what condition their in).

Hawksnest is down because it has 3 trails and has done absolutely nothing in 14 years to improve the place except redesign the bar area. If not for great weather last year, they probably would not have had a parking lot half full.

When I was in college, we always skied Hawksnest because it was cheaper than the bigger Sugar and Beech. Since that time, Sugar and Beech have lowered their prices for students while Hawksnest raised theirs. Not a smart move.

However, the Nest does have one of my favorite east coast slopes: Sock em Dog. It's rated a diamond and I have seen it be all moguls to being all groomed, making it the most interesting trail I've ever skied.

Leave it to the prohibitionist to screw things up. Try Whistler..People up here are far less uptight about having fun. Drunks have no business driving.

An update:
http://www.skinorthcarolina.com/hawksnestarticle.htm

Having lived in Fayetteville NC, as well as other places in the South, I can understand -- and I find it believable, that the town uses its police department as an instrument of repression and control. After all, and whether we like it or not, it is a fact. And it has been an intrinsic part of the history of the South. And it still goes on.

I can also understand and I find it believable that many town/county/state leaders in the area are related and that they may use the law for their particular agenda. But that could happen in any small community whether in NC, Washington State, California or Vermont.

And there's absolutely no reason for anyone to drive drunk. People who drink and drive do not belong on the road, period. A drunk driver is a potential assassin. Personally, I'm in favor of the Japanese approach to drinking and driving: First time you lose your license for a year. Second time, you may lose your license for life following an extended period in prison. That's why there are so many taxis in Japan.

The answer lies in providing a drive-free environment for skiers or resort goers. In this department, I take off my hat to the resorts such as Wintergreen, Snowshoe, Seven Springs, Blue Knob, Canaan, Timberline, etc., that have made possible for one to arrive, turn off the ignition, and forget about the car until it is time to go home. In particular, the Snowshoe concept, patterned after Intrawest's very successful model at Stratton, Whistler, Tremblant, etc., provides for a European-style pedestrian village where automobiles are not even allowed. My ultimate experience is Zermatt, Switzerland, where cars don't exist within 10 miles of the resort. There are no drunk drivers in Zermatt....

Lou