Resort photo

Sugar Mountain
Banner Elk, North Carolina
Vertical drop:1,200 feet
Base elevation:4,100 feet
Peak elevation:5,300 feet
Skiable acres:125
Longest run:1.5 miles
Trails:22

With its 1,200-foot vertical, Sugar Mountain is the largest ski resort south of West Virginia, and one of few resorts breaking a 1,000-foot vertical south of New England. The mountain is located near Banner Elk, North Carolina - a 7-hour drive from D.C., but less than three from Charlotte, Knoxville, and Winston-Salem, and a little over four hours from Atlanta.

The mountain offers skiers and boarders trails spread out over 125 acres. The lower mountain features graceful groomers, perfect for lower intermediates. The summit, however, will surprise even seasoned experts with several narrow, expert trails sporting 60-percent pitches. Sugar receives over 60 inches of natural snow annually, which is supplemented with 100 percent snowmaking. Snow tubing, ice skating, and snowshoeing are also offered in the winter.

There are approximately 1,000 beds located in condos on the mountain and another 10,000 beds located within 15 miles of the resort.

Photo provided by Sugar Mountain Resort.


Key Statistics

Resort Name: Sugar Mountain
Vertical Drop: 1,200 feet
Base Altitude: 4,100 feet
Peak Altitude: 5,300 feet
Trails: 22 Trails:
  • 34% beginner
  • 52% intermediate
  • 14% expert
Skiable Acres: 125
Longest Run: 1.5 miles
Lifts: 9 (1 high speed six-pack chairlift; 1 high speed quad; 1 fixed grip quad; 3 doubles; 1 handle tow; 2 magic carpets)
Night Skiing: Yes, on 15 slopes.
Terrain Park: Serviced by a handle tow lift.
Tubing Park: Multiple runs serviced by a Magic Carpet conveyer lift.
Address: 1009 Sugar Mountain Drive
Sugar Mountain, NC 28604
Phone: (800) 784-2768
Social Media: Instagram link
Webcams: View resort webcams
Web Site: http://www.skisugar.com/
Directions: Via Google Maps

Trail Map

Trail Map

Getting to Sugar Mountain

Show directions via Google Maps...


Weather near Sugar Mountain

2:55 am on December 3 / Watauga County Hospital Heliport
 Drizzle
55° F
Drizzle
Humidity:100% Visibility:2.50
Wind Speed:0 mph Sunrise:7:21 a.m.
Barometer:29.85 in Sunset:5:13 p.m.
Dewpoint:55 °F
Much too warm for snowmaking right now. No snowmaking
Overnight
rainy
Low: 51°
Showers Likely and Patchy Fog
Showers likely. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 51. Southwest wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday
rainy
High: 52°
Chance of Showers and Patchy Fog
A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly before noon. Patchy fog before noon. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a temperature rising to near 52 by 10am, then falling to around 44 during the remainder of the day. Breezy, with a west wind 14 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday Night
windy
Low: 33°
Mostly Cloudy and Windy then Patchy Fog and Breezy
Patchy fog between midnight and 1am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Windy, with a west northwest wind 16 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 39 mph.
Monday
partlysunny
High: 44°
Partly Sunny then Slight Chance of Showers and Windy
A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 44. Windy, with a west wind 11 to 16 mph increasing to 23 to 28 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 41 mph.

Weather supplied by the National Weather Service. Errors or reporting delays may be possible.


News about Sugar Mountain

A Wave of Mid-Atlantic Ski Resorts to Open in Coming Days
Article thumbnail November 29, 2023 - The recent stretch of cold temperatures has enabled robust snowmaking across the Mid-Atlantic region, and as a result, a handful of ski resorts across Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia plan to open in the coming days. In North Carolina, two ski areas have already opened for the season. In this story, we provide a look at official opening day plans shared by resorts as of November 29, 2023.
Mid-Atlantic Ski Season Begins
Article thumbnail November 27, 2022 - Below average temperatures in November have enabled a variety of ski areas across the entire Mid-Atlantic region to open for the season, giving skiers one extra thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
From a Drizzly December to a Snowy New Year
Article thumbnail January 7, 2022 - The second half of December wasn’t ideal for Mid-Atlantic ski areas: cold temperatures from early in the season yielded to unseasonably (and, to skiers, unreasonably) mild days. As the calendar advanced from December to January, that’s all changed. DCSki provides a roundup of the latest conditions at local ski resorts.
More Mid-Atlantic Ski Resorts on Tap to Open December 4
Article thumbnail December 1, 2021 - The Mid-Atlantic ski season is already underway, and additional ski areas are scheduled to come on-line the weekend of December 4-5. DCSki presents a complete roundup of open — and soon-to-open — ski areas in this December 1, 2021 update. Above, Pennsylvania’s Seven Springs Resort has been laying down snow in preparation for a December 4 opening.
Snowmaking Begins as Mid-Atlantic Resorts Eye Opening Dates
Article thumbnail November 24, 2021 - Favorable snowmaking temperatures have enabled many Mid-Atlantic ski areas to begin snowmaking operations in preparation for their season openings. Sugar Mountain, Cataloochee, and Snowshoe are among the first ski areas to open for the 2021-2022 winter season. Above, early-morning snowmaking is shown at Pennsylvania’s Seven Springs Resort on November 23, 2021.
7 Ski Areas in 7 Days: A Road Trip through the Southeast
Article thumbnail February 15, 2021 - Woody Bousquet had planned to spend this winter skiing north of the Mason-Dixon Line. COVID-19 changed his plans, and he found himself planning a week-long trip south, hitting 7 classic southeastern ski areas in 7 days. He chronicled his road trip in this Firsthand Report.
What’s New for 2019: Sugar Mountain to Install New High-Speed Quad
Article thumbnail April 2, 2019 - Fifty years ago, the two passenger, fixed-grip Easy Street chairlift was installed at Sugar Mountain. This summer, the North Carolina ski resort will retire the old lift and replace it with a brand new, state-of-the-art quad detachable.
The Season So Far
Article thumbnail January 3, 2019 - The 2018-2019 winter season is off to a rocky start, with above-average temperatures throughout much of December. DCSki provides a roundup of current conditions and struggles across the Mid-Atlantic.
Rain Tries to Crash Party, but More Resorts Slated to Open
Article thumbnail December 20, 2018 - Early-season cold temperatures enabled many Mid-Atlantic resorts to fire up the snowguns, but the cold gave way to some bouts of milder temps and heavy rain, which has delayed the start of the season for some resorts. Although pre-Christmas rain is still adding to the challenge, several additional resorts plan to open in the coming days.
Canaan Valley Resort Recognized by Liftopia’s Best in Snow Awards
Article thumbnail December 28, 2017 - On December 20, 2017, Liftopia announced its Second Annual Best in Snow Awards, and Mid-Atlantic ski area Canaan Valley Resort received top billing in two categories.

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