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Snow Tubing & Ice Skating
Snow TUBING
Hawksnest Tubing Park
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Besides the traditional methods of skiing or snowboarding to venture down a hill, there is also “tubing.” Just like sledding on a neighborhood hill, tubing in the High Country takes sledding to a whole new level. Hawksnest Tubing Park is the largest park on the East Coast featuring 21 tubing lanes up to 1,000 feet long. Sugar Mountain Resort also has a tubing park with 700 foot long tubing lanes. And Beech Mountain has a 700 foot long run. All are covered by snow makers and are regularly groomed for the smoothest ride. Tubes are provided and a “magic carpet” takes you back to the top for more runs. Great fun for everyone and really easy to do. Tubing sessions last just under two hours.
Sugar Mountain Resort
Ice SKATING
Sugar Mountain Resort
Appalachian Ski Mtn and Sugar Mountain Resort have refrigerated outdoor skating arenas that are also fully lighted for skating under the stars. Beech Mountain is rebuilding their ice rink this year. Skating sessions last from one and a half to two hours and include skate rentals if needed. Individuals, families and groups are welcome, from beginners to experts. Call ahead for special pricing for groups and birthday parties. Ice skating is an excellent winter activity for everyone in your group or family to enjoy together.
TAKEa drive
NORTH CAROLINA’S DESIGNATED SCENIC ROADWAYS
As you make your way to the High Country this winter, don’t stop driving. Across our state the NCDOT has designated 50 Scenic Byways for their allure, culture and mystery. The High Country has three of these Scenic Byways, and they give you the opportunity to really cover some ground. Along these byways, you’ll find park attractions, small mountain towns and historic landmarks. Try to make frequent stops and wander off the beaten path to really catch a glimpse of what is truly Appalachian beauty. See for miles into the forest. Watch the flow of roadside streams and rivers. These roads set the stage for welcoming one of the most breathtaking times of year: winter.
HIGHWAY 194 FROM VILAS TO ELK PARK
Length: 17 miles Watauga & Avery Counties
Begin drive where Hwys. 421 and 194 converge in Vilas. Follow Hwy. 194 into Valle Crucis and out of the valley. You will come to a triple S curve, in front of the Sweet Retreat B&B. Continue through Matney. Eventually, you’ll arrive in Banner Elk, home of Lees-McRae College. Then, continue your drive along the winding road to Elk Park - site of the 60 foot Elk Park Waterfall.
HIGHWAYS 194 & 88: FROM BOONE TO LAUREL SPRINGS
Length: 18 miles Watauga & Ashe Counties
It starts in Boone at the New Market Shopping Ctn. You’ll first pass the Meat Camp community. Turn left on Meat Camp Road and travel 5.5 miles to visit Elk Knob State Park. Then, hop back on 194 for Todd. The byway route temporarily ends at the intersection with Hwy. 221. Head north to Jefferson and Mt. Jefferson to pick up the byway at the intersection of Hwys. 16 and 88. Follow Hwy. 88 to Laurel Springs.
HIGHWAY 221 FROM BLOWING ROCK TO LINVILLE
Length: 18 miles Watauga & Avery Counties
Take Hwy 221 south from Blowing Rock, after the Parkway turnoff, you’ll pass a quaint park. Later, you’ll pass under a huge rock that hangs over the road. Look up for a view of the Linn Cove Viaduct on the face of Grandfather Mountain. Finally, after seeing another Parkway entrance, you’ll arrive at Grandfather Mountain. The byway ends in Linville at the intersection of Hwys. 221 and 105.
WOOLLY WORM FORECASTS A COLD START TO WINTER
Banner Elk’s famous Woolly Worm Festival returned to an in-person celebration after a virtual year last year, and big crowds showed up to enjoy the two-day event on October 16-17. The 44th year of the event was even featured in two live spots on The Weather Channel on Sunday.
This year’s winning woolly worm was named Let’s Go Brandon and if the prediction holds true, there will be plenty of cold weather and snow to begin the winter months. The 13 color segments on a woolly worm are used to predict the weather for the 13 weeks of winter. Black means belowaverage temperatures and snow, dark brown means belowaverage temperatures, light brown: means above-average temperatures and flick is a mixture of black and brown, which means below-average temperatures with frost or light snow.
The first four weeks of winter will feature below average temperatures and snow thanks to three black segments and one flick segment on the worm’s body. Warmer than average weather returns for the final two weeks of January with two light brown segments before February brings three weeks of below average temperatures (dark brown segments) and one week of above average temperatures (light brown segment) to close out the month. March is predicted to have two weeks of above average temperatures (light brown) with the final week of winter having below average temperatures with light snow possible.
Last year’s worm predicted a similar winter outlook with cold weather and snow for the first month of the year.
WINTER FORECAST
RAY’S WEATHER PREDICTS COLD START AND FINISH TO WINTER
Ray Russell at Ray’s Weather Center released his annual Fearless Winter Forecast and if it holds true, winter will begin and end with cold weather and snowfall in the forecast.
Both this winter and last winter will be La Nina years with last year being stronger than this year according to Russell.
“La Nina years mean a little less snow than average so we put the forecast less than the long-term average but more than the last 10-year average,” he said.
Russell is predicting 70 inches of snow for the highest elevations of Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain. In Boone, the forecast is predicting around 30 inches of snow and 35 inches of snow in Banner Elk. He is also predicting about 20 inches of snow for West Jefferson and 18 inches for Sparta.
Looking at the forecast, Russell expects that once late November and early December rolls around, it will be a quick start to the winter season with cold temperatures and possibly some snowfall mixed in as well.
“We also think we will have a chilly finish. March is trending to be a little colder than average,” Russell added.
Last year, the higher elevations of Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain did not get as much snowfall as predicted (Between 25-30 inches less than expected), however, areas like Boone, Banner Elk and West Jefferson were roughly three inches below the predicted total.
The 2021-22 Fearless Winter Forecast can be found at www.RaysWeather.com
2021-22 Woolly Worm Prediction
13 Segments = 13 Weeks
Week 1 (Dec. 21 - 27) Below average temperatures with snow Week 2 (Dec. 28 - Jan. 3) Below average temperatures with snow Week 3 (Jan. 4 - 10) Below avg. temperatures with light snow/frost Week 4 (Jan. 11 - 17) Below average temperatures with snow Week 5 (Jan. 18 - 24) Above average temperatures Week 6 (Jan. 25 - 31) Above average temperatures Week 7 (Feb. 1 - 7) Below average temperatures Week 8 (Feb. 8 - 14) Below average temperatures Week 9 (Feb. 15 - 21) Below average temperatures Week 10 (Feb. 22 - 28) Above average temperatures Week 11 (Mar. 1 - 7) Above average temperatures Week 12 (Mar. 8 - 14) Above average temperatures Week 13 (Mar. 15 - 21) Below avg. temperatures with light snow/frost
Ray’s 2021-22 Forecasted Snow Totals
City
Asheville:
Expected Total Snow/Ice
11 inches Banner Elk: 35 inches Beech Mountain: 70 inches Boone: 30 inches Galax: 17 inches Hickory: 4 inches Jefferson/West Jefferson: 20 inches Sparta: 18 inches Spruce Pine: 18 inches Sugar Mountain: 70 inches Wilkesboro/North Wilkesboro: 6 inches Wytheville: 20 inches
