Slopes open at Cataloochee
Snowmaking at Cataloochee Ski Area began on Thursday, Oct. 31. Cataloochee photo
Cataloochee Ski Area became the first ski resort on the East Coast — and one of 11 nationwide — to open for the 2019-2020 season with the first tracks made as of 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3.
The ski area began making snow at 10:57 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, putting down a base of 2 to 8 inches on three slopes from mid-station down, with some bare spots present. Sunday featured daytime skiing, with the slopes closing once more Nov. 4-8 in advance of a planned reopening Saturday, Nov. 9. Tube World in Maggie Valley remains closed.
The Nov. 3 opening is on the early side for Cataloochee, whose season typically begins in the first or second week of November, with a record early opening of Oct. 31 set in 2012. The last couple years have seen later opening dates, with the first runs made on Nov. 11 in 2018 and on Nov. 20 in 2017.
Continued investments in snowmaking technology allow the ski area to get the most out of the winter, with an average season length of 125 days. Hours and rates are posted at www.cataloochee.com.
