Oliver T.
Yelp
Our family visited on MLK day on Jan 21, 2019. This was the first time our family went skiing, though I've been a few times before.
I was a bit worried how busy the place would be. The webcam on Sunday Jan 20 showed the place was packed. We even heard it stopped selling lift tickets by noontime. On MLK day, it was not really that crowded. Wait times at the ski lift was just a few minutes.
We went with a group and I'd highly recommend going as a group. In addition to getting the group discount, you also get to use the group building where you can store all your stuff for free. Otherwise, you'll have to use the lockers for a small fee. You can bring food into the group building. I didn't see anywhere else you could eat if you brought your own food.
We arrived at 9 AM (left Atlanta at 6 AM) and got our equipment (boots, helmet, skis). It takes awhile to get fitted and get your equipment. Plan at least an hour, especially if you have a lot of people in your group. They don't rent goggles or gloves, but there's a store where you can buy them at reasonable prices.
There is no cell phone coverage here. But there is free wifi at the lodge. So, was able to do wifi calling/texting on my phone.
For group lessons, didn't realize 5 year olds cannot join. Small children must have private lessons, which run $100/hr. So, I decided to just teach my son myself. In front of the main lodge, there is an area for absolute beginners to practice (Wolf Creek Hollow). It's a small hill with a moving sidewalk to get to the top of the hill. However, it's a bit dangerous getting there since it's also the bottom of the lifts for the advanced skiers. So, there's a lot of people skiing fast to get in line. There's another area called Beginner's luck, but they said adults couldn't be in that area.
By the afternoon, the family learned enough to be able to ski down the Easy Way trail. They were blowing artificial snow during the entire day. As a beginner skier, I found it difficult to ski in artificial snow. It's more like skiing on ice granules.
I can see how some people can view this place negatively. It is a small ski resort. But, this is the South, so can't expect any good skiing places around here. It's a bit chaotic with people leaving skis everywhere, so you need to make sure you remember where you put your equipment when you go inside the building. If you arrive in the afternoon to ski, make sure you arrive well before 1:30 to get all your gear. The restaurant food is a bit expensive, but not outrageous. Food quality is average. Seating is crowded with little room to maneuver. Skiing here can get pricey and I don't think it's really worth it if you have to rent stuff and only do a half-day, which is just 3 hours. There are some reviews about complaints of the staff. However, we found them generally to be helpful.
Overall, coming with a group on MLK day and doing an entire day was worth it for us. It's only a 3 hour drive from Atlanta and our family had a fun time for our first time skiing.