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Cataloochee Ski Area
Category: Hotels & Travel Ski Resorts Ski Resorts [Edit]
1080 Ski Lodge RdMaggie Valley, NC 28751
(828) 926-0285
13 reviews for Cataloochee Ski Area
13 reviews in English
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Review from Ling S.
Gainesville, FL
Still an awesome place to go for a short ski trip!!
This is the first time I went during January. Definitely a lot colder than the Spring months, but not unbearable. They changed the format of the beginners/intermediate lessons. It used to be just 10 people max for a lesson. Now it's kind of based on 4 stations. You can have people at station 1 learning the basics of putting on a board. The people at station 4 can be learning how to fully stop with a snow board with both feet strapped in. The only problem with these lessons was there were TOO MANY people!!! 15-20 people in one beginner lesson is just completely overwhelming. The instructors cannot really watch over everyone or give personal advice. Then there are people just popping in and out of the lessons, so the instructor has to re-explain what is going on. I wish the lessons were how they used to be!
Instead of buying food at the Ski Area, we brought our own microwavable food. They have a microwave by the bar. You just have to ask the bar tender for permission to use it! Definitely saves some money. Free water! And they give out lots of free sauces for your food, even big things of marinara sauce!
My friend unfortunately had an accident on the slopes. Luckily, the Cataloochee Ski Patrol are the nicest people ever!! They rescued her down from the mountain and were super kind/caring. They learn your name and really make you feel like you're almost being attended to by your own family. They were more than willing to help move my friend to a comfy spot in the ski lounge, while the rest of us finished our boarding for the day. They also made sure to give her enough ice for the road trip home.
We stayed at the Ramada Limited based off the Drive, Slide, and Stay package. Great hotel! Nothing fancy, but it does have an awesome view! Ask for the Creekside rooms!! Wake up early for breakfast if you want any bagels! They also have a nice indoor hot tub, which is perfect after a long day up on the slopes. The staff is super friendly. I guess it's not too busy, so they do remember faces. The complimentary soaps/shampoos they have smell sooo good! It's a sugared citrus smell! Everyone on the trip kept asking the house keeping staff for more.Listed in: Travel Destinations
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/12/2011
For a Floridan, a college kid on a budget, and a beginner at snowboarding/skiing, the Cataloochee… Read more »
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Review from Bettina T.
Orlando, FL
Cataloochee is the place to be for beginners/intermediate snowboarders and skiers. It has a great learning environment and the instructors are extremely patient and helpful. They have a few slopes and 2 ski lift areas. They have great packages and deals for everyone and they really are awesome steals for anyone on a budget. Great for groups to enjoy and experience something like never before. I had an amazing time here. I started off snowboarding for the first day and beginning of the second day but soon found out that I was much better at skiing. The package I chose was called the Drive, Dive, and Stay at the Ramada which has many amenities that i'll let you check out for yourself and see which package best fits your needs. Their website is http://www.cataloochee...
I'm definitely coming back next year and staying a lot longer! -
Review from Rob F.
12/12/2011
I have been to Cataloochee 4 times over the past year and had a blast each time. The slopes and atmosphere aren't comparable to some other ski resorts, but for it's location, Cataloochee gets a 5 out of 5. With only about a three hour drive from Atlanta, they have great rates- especially for groups of 15 or more. We just got back from a trip where it was $30 a person for a day's lift ticket and equipment rental. As a whole, I would say the black diamonds are more like hard blues and the blues are more like hard greens, but it's perfect for a group of beginners such as mine. Patty, the group sales director, is very helpful and accommodating. We arrive at 10:00 on Saturday and she had us geared up and on the slopes by 10:15.
Here's a video of my group at the slopes:
http://www.youtube.com... -
Review from Janet B.
Props to Cataloochee for making it possible to ski/snowboard in 40-something-degree weather! It was so crowded over the opening weekend (10 cans for annual canned drive = free lift ticket!), but I still had plenty of chances to try the 3 lifts that were running and make a fool of myself on the snowboard.
They have black diamond runs... but it was evident that not all diamonds are the same. The black/blue/etc labels are "relative", according to their website. Blacks at Cataloochee are comparable to blues out in the West.
But hey, Cataloochee is convenient. It does the job for skiers/snowboarders in the Southeast. Rental and returns are very easy. $30 for snowboard and cheaper for skis. They said if snowboarding didn't work out for me I could bring it back and switch to skis (my comfort zone).
The lodge is easy to access and move around in. They have lockers for 75 cents-- bring quarters! There are hot water and microwave at the bar if you want to munch on cup ramen and microwave burritos in the lodge area overlooking the slopes.
It was a pleasant way to kick off the ski/snowboard season. I can see myself returning for a day trip. -
Review from Taylor Marie S.
Orlando, FL
1/29/2012
My friends and I just recently made the drive to Cataloochee and we were quiet impressed. This is the closest ski resort to Florida so this is why we chose it. We arrived at about 11 o'clock to be shocked and turned away at the entrance because the mountain was at capacity. We were told the entry was allowed at 4:00 again and we were guaranteed a spot. We made the best of the day as there is a Indian reservation with a big Harah's casino hotel. After a few hours on the slot machines we made our way back enjoyed some local BBQ and finally were allowed on the mountain. The lift tickets were ~$50 plus about $15 for ski rental. The mountain featured artificial snow with a two Green slopes, 1 Blue, 2 Black diamonds and 1 double black diamond. The slopes a were a bit slippery but overall were not too bad for the price. The lines on the lifts were maybe 30 seconds which gave us about 20 runs down the mountain within a 5 hr period. Overall it was a great day on the mountain after a rough start to the day. Hope it helps!
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Review from David P.
San Diego, CA
10/6/2011
Typical of most SE ski hills, but I think the runs here aren't as fun as the hills around Boone. The lifts are super slow and there's really only one run. There is a small terrain park which is ok, but nothing super exciting. Parking here can be a pain, especially if it's crowded and it just seems to always take a lot longer to get there than you thought it would.
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Review from Jessica H.
Coconut Creek, FL
11/29/2010
For beginners like us, this slope was great. There weren't a lot of beginner runs and we got stuck on a blue slope and almost passed out from the sheer terror! We went after Christmas so it was the most crowded and most expensive.
We did the ski school which was a bit long to be useful. Probably could have figured out the basics alone.
The bottom of the slope was crowded with people so stopping is scary if your options are b- slam into some children or b- wipe out spectacularly.
I would prefer to go back to a resort with more variety in order to work my way up to blues. -
Review from Jen K.
Atlanta, GA
3/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Cataloochee is a great place to start skiing or for practice for us Southerners. It is a nice easy drive from Atlanta, although you may want to consider W. Virginia over NC for better skiing based on your location. I would highly recommend you only go on the colder days of the year (otherwise it gets pretty icey/slushy), go as early in the day as possible, and to avoid weekends and holidays if possible. We went the Friday before President's Day weekend, and it was busy, but no where near as bad as on Saturday. The skis and boards are of surprisingly good quality, and the ski patrol and instructors were great. A nice affordable option when you can't make it out west or up north. If you don't have Colorado-level expectations, you'll have a blast.
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Review from Heidi S.
8/8/2009
Thoughts on a summer day...
I think that Cataloochee is great for beginners (I've taken a few first timers there for what were positive experiences). They have two designated bunny slopes, and then, well, the whole place is a big bunny slope which makes advancement easy and satisfying for those who have not been on a real mountain. In addition to the wieldy terrain, they offer gender based deals for free lessons certain days of the week.
I have found the conditions to be excellent (for NC) every time! Best artificial snow I have ever ridden on, hands down -- well maintained, soft, not icy and not as terribly slow on the warm days (aplenty) as most fake snow.
The snowboard park is not as well maintained as the main trails, it is small and is poorly located for gaining speed enough to do anything fancy.
The lodge is decent and kept fairly clean. The bar is not so bad if the hill is too boring for ya. Forget that they have food; bring your own healthy energizing snacks.
If I am not mistaken, Cataloochee owners were proponents of the Save Our Slopes campaign efforts to limit mountain top destruction. Please correct me if I am wrong. -
Review from David D.
Asheville, NC
11/29/2011
I have skied at Cataloochee for many years, and it seems to have really improved over the last few years. Their relatively new snow-making machines seems to really have helped make conditions better. I don't ski on the weekends, so the crowds are always manageable during the week, and lift lines are rarely backed up. As long as one doesn't over expect, they should be content - because it is North Carolina after all. You're always going to have some ice, but the staff does a good job making the conditions as good as possible. I always find the staff friendly and helpful. The only complaint I have about Cataloochee is the food. It's horrible. It's on par with high school food, which if that's what people like, I guess there is no need to change. But since people need to eat healthy, they could use a big haul over. You can't expect the skiing to be as good as out west, but there is no reason why the food shouldn't be.
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Review from Miriam P.
Boca Raton, FL
1/1/2010
Take is for what it is.
OK, so maybe I lucked out, but we had a great day of snowboarding. I am used to West coast ski conditions and was basically expecting to ski on gravel. I was more tha pleasently surprised. Between the natural snow fall and their snow making there was a fair amount packed powder on the ground.
The lift lines were managed well and we never waited more than a couple minutes. Sk patrol was everywhere and all the staff we encountered was friendly.
My kid's went to the Cat Explorer and Cat Trackers programs. They had a blast and they were all skiing and snow boarding by the end of the day.
I would also like to note Eric from the adult ski school. He did a great job in teaching my 18 year old the snow boarding basics. -
Review from Jordan S.
Satellite Beach, FL
1/13/2008 8 photos
Very disappointing. I did not try the ski area; just the "Tube World" along the highway. As a South Florida native; I have never seen snow. Well, not REAL snow, just a few flurries now that I live in SC. So, I was excited to actually play in snow, and slide down a snow covered mountain. This is no mountain. This is a small hill. $25 for a 105 minute tubing session is not a good deal. The thrill of the ride is equivalent to coasting on a bicycle at 15 mph for 200-300 feet. This looks more like a roadside tourist trap than an attraction.
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Review from Ginny N.
Decatur, GA
4/22/2007
Realistically, you aren't going to have ideal skiing conditions in Western North Carolina.. The slopes in Maggie Valley are icy more often than not... but regardless, its always fun to go play in the snow.
