Lauren Lyerly curated this story from the Skis & Skiing archive from App State’s Special Collections Research Center. The archived collections are available to browse in person during the SCRC’s hours of operation.
There are six ski resorts in North Carolina, three of which are in Watauga and Avery counties. Since the establishment of ski resorts in Western North Carolina, the skiing industry has proven to have both a cultural and economic impact in the area.
A 1970 Watauga Democrat article described how Blowing Rock Ski Lodge, now Appalachian Ski Mountain, has “turned the holiday highlands of the Southern Appalachians into a year-round vacation mecca.”
According to the article, significant efforts were put into ensuring skiing in North Carolina was a safe and fun experience. This was done through the investments of snow tractors, illumination of ski slopes at night and making ski classes available to students at App State for college credit.
In 1979, the Johnson City Press-Chronicle published an article saying skiing played a major role in student’s decision to attend App State. The article analyzed data compiled by the American Council on Education and University of California, Los Angeles, in which 24.1% of students said an important reason students chose to attend App State was because of special education programs. According to the article, these special programs included skiing.
Today, App State still offers ski class at Appalachian Ski Mountain for course credit at a discounted price.
In 1977, the Watauga Democrat published an article about how the ski industry produced $18.6 million for the economy during the 1976-77 season. The article estimated that in the 1976-77 season, individuals spent an average of $55 per day skiing.
According to the article, there were numerous reasons that caused skiing in North Carolina to become a big business, one being because ski resorts in the area “are at the forefront of snow-making capability.”
An article published in the Asheville Citizen Times in 1976 advocated for skiing in the area in the wake of unpredictable winter weather, stating that “Skiing brings an added and appropriate dimension to the Carolina Mountains.”
According to the article, skiing in Western North Carolina is also “worth saving” because it “pumps millions of dollars” into the economy.
Today, skiers in North Carolina can still frequent ski resorts such as Appalachian Ski Mountain, Sugar Mountain Ski Resort and Beech Mountain Resort.