How to Plan a Ski Trip to Beech Mountain

"After Hurricane Helene the town’s marketing and tourism director, Armando Garcia, reported that “Immediately after the storm, there wasn’t much structural damage, but we did have tree and road damage,” and that “Both roads in and out of the mountain were washed out … We were isolated. No one could leave, and communication was down.” The resort reopened about a month later and is the area’s primary tourism draw, bringing in thousands of visitors annually. It offers 17 trails across 95 skiable acres, an average of 64 inches of annual snowfall plus snowmaking, nine lifts (including a tow rope and four quads), and a peak elevation of 5,506 feet — making it the highest ski resort on the East Coast. Danny Wilcox, owner of Premier Mountain Guides, describes the base area as a “ski village atmosphere, similar to large resorts out West.” Season typically runs from late November/early December through mid-March, with Wilcox noting that “January and February offer the best snow conditions” and that arriving before the holidays gets you “the best rates and the least amount of crowds.” Ticketing includes four-hour, multi-day, night-slope (start at $39), and 12-hour weekend flex options (up to $100); season passes and the NCSAA Gold Card are accepted. Rentals include ski and snowboard adult packages starting at $42 (helmets an extra $15) and a clothing rental program for coats and pants. The resort’s Ski & Ride School offers private and group lessons (first-come, first-served) and youth programming: Traxx Ski and Snowboard Learn to Ride for ages 6–12 and Snow Kamp for ages 2–5, where kids spend the day doing a “variety of art, games, and outdoor activities “. For terrain, staff recommend specific runs: “Carolina Caribbean is the best for the beginner skier or snowboarder, with the unique tunnel conveyor belt that takes you to the top of the beginner hill,” Wilcox says; for intermediates, “It has a high-speed, four-person lift, which makes it great for intermediate riders to see the whole mountain without having to go to a steep terrain” (Lower Shawneehaw); and for advanced riders he points to Upper and Lower White Lightning, runs he says “can challenge any rider at any level.”" - Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brands and online publications—with a particular focus on travel, fashion, and lifestyle. She’s also the founder of the travel site justpacked.com.  Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines