Warm temperatures hitting North Carolina ski business

BEECH MOUNTAIN, NC — The weather has been warmer lately, but the North Carolina ski industry isn't celebrating.

Restaurants say business was off over the holiday weekend which typically attracts thousands of skiers to the High Country.

At Beech Mountain ski resort Monday, you could see where skiers had to be careful not to get too close to the edge of the runs or risk ending up in grass instead of snow.

"It’s a little warm.  It's a little slushy, so it doesn’t make for the best skiing, but we’re having a great time," said mom Megan Passion who was out for the day.

Just a short distance away the town’s sledding slope was a muddy mess after rain and warmer weather in the mountains during the last week.

"We’re lucky there is snow after the warmer weather they’ve had, and we’re lucky it’s not raining today.  So, we’re just enjoying it with what snow is left," said Passion.

Just about every year, the ski resorts have to be prepared for a stretch of warm weather.  During cold weather, they’ll build up a huge base of man-made snow and then hope it is enough until another cold snap arrives.

At Appalachian Ski Mountain, there was between three and five feet of snow on the mountainside, but temperatures may stay above freezing for the next week.

"We’ll continue to make snow into March and have fresh conditions," explained owner Brad Moretz. "We stay open through the fourth weekend of March nine out of ten years."

During the winter months, Appalachian Ski Mountain is Watauga county’s largest private employer - hiring 400 people.  But even far from the slopes, the impact can be felt by area hotels and restaurants.

"The lower the temperatures, the bigger the smiles.  The higher the temperatures the more disappointed people get," explained John Accardi with Brick Oven Pizza.

Cox Media Group