Olympians to visit Sugar Mountain

1994 Olympic Gold and 1992 Olympic Silver medalist Diann Roffe and two-time (1992 & 1994) Olympian Krista Schmidinger will both be special guest coaches during Sugar’s 15th annual Adult Pre-Season Ski Clinic scheduled for Dec. 12-14.

Considered one of the most accomplished skiers in American ski racing history, Roffe competed in three Olympics (’88, ’92, ’94) sharing silver in the giant slalom in Albertville, France in 1992 and winning gold in Super G in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994. Recognized as a big event performer, Roffe was the first U.S. racer to medal in the Junior World Championships. She shocked the world a year later by winning the world championship giant slalom in Bormio, Italy. With two Olympic medals and eight world cup podiums (two wins), Roffe continues to share her wealth of experiences with ski racers across the country.

Schmidinger, accomplished in her own right, competed in both the 1992 and 1994 Olympics. She captured three consecutive silver medals in the Junior World Championships in ’86, ‘87 and ’88 and was the U.S. National Super G and Pan American champion in 1990. Schmidinger continues to participate in many programs at Sugar Mountain throughout the winter season.

Both athletes will work directly with camp participants on and off the hill each day.

“Their high level and impressive accomplishments bring a great deal of experience and knowledge to Sugar’s 15th annual preseason ski clinic,” a Sugar Mountain Resort spokesperson said.

In addition to Roffe’s and Schmidinger’s participation, Sugar’s Preseason Ski Clinic includes a three-day lift ticket, coaching fees, tuning clinic, video analysis and dinner Saturday evening. Daily participation is also welcome.

For more information and/or access to a downloadable application, visit http://www.skisugar.com/specials/#15 on the Web or call 1-800-SUGARMT.

SugarFest kicks off Dec. 13

SugarFest kick starts the winter season with a weekend of pure winter fun.

Sponsored by the Sugar Mountain Tourism Development Authority (TDA) and hosted by Sugar Mountain Resort, SugarFest will be held December 13-14.

The two-day festival is packed with a long list of winter activities and coincides with Sugar’s 18th annual Adult Preseason Ski Clinic.

Both Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., 2009 ski and snowboard equipment from Salomon, Volkl, Nordica, Burton, Head, Never Summer, K2, Atomic, Dynastar, Rossignol, Ride, Line and Nidecker will be available for demo. Sugar’s ice skating rink, located next to the Dave Nixon Pro Shop adjacent to parking lot D will be open, and with Mother Nature’s cooperation, tubing will also be open.

“Ready, get set, go!” is what participants will hear if they enter the snowball eating contest at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Contestants will have two minutes to eat as many tasty snowball look-a-likes as their stomachs can stomach. A thunderous fireworks display at the base of Sugar Mountain Resort will follow Saturday evening at 5:45 p.m. Area band Boss Hawg will perform from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m.

The Edge of the World/Burton Rail Jam Expression Session will take place at noon on Sunday, as talented snowboarders pull off some of the most spectacular tricks. Later in the day, attendees can marvel as blocks of ice become ornate winter works of art.

Special lodging rates for the weekend are offered by Sugar Ski & Country Club, Sugar Mountain Resort Accommodations & Realty, Resort Real Estate & Rentals and Sugar Mountain Lodging.

For more information, contact Sugar Mountain Resort at 1-800-SUGAR MT. For a complete list of events and times, log onto www.seesugar.com/tourism/sugarfest/.

Sugar prepares for 2009-10 season

Coming off one of the most successful seasons last year with a record 140 skier days and record skier visits, Sugar Mountain Resort continues to look forward to making winter as sweet as sugar.

As always, slope conditions continue to be a top priority at Sugar Mountain Resort. The long-term plan to replace and upgrade all snowmaking pipes continued this past summer. Three-hundred thousand dollars has been spent on Sugar’s snowmaking infrastructure. Specifically, on the Tom Terrific or eastern side of the mountain, three-thousand feet of snowmaking pipes were replaced and upgraded from the ¾’s unloading station of the Yellow (Summit No. 1) and Gray lifts (Summit No. 2) to the top of the mountain. The base of the Sugar Slalom slope was widened and additional snowmaking machines have been purchased for the upcoming winter season.

The yellow lift, named since 1969 after its color was changed to a more indigenous gray. As a result, the yellow lift has been renamed to Summit No. 1, while the gray lift is now known as Summit No. 2. Six-hundred new ski packages and 100 new snowboard packages have been added to Sugar’s rental fleet.

Sugar’s event schedule continues to be packed with a plethora of activities for a diverse group of patrons. A few of the highlights include special guest coaches, 1994 Olympic Gold and 1992 Olympic Silver medalist Diann Roffe and two-time (1992 & 1994) Olympian Krista Schmidinger for Sugar’s 15th annual Adult Pre-Season Ski Clinic scheduled for Dec. 12-14. On Jan. 10, 2009 Sugar Mountain Resort will once again host a National Winter Trails Day, a nationwide event offering children and adults the opportunity to try snowshoeing for free and an Easter Egg contest scheduled for March 22, to name a few of Sugar’s long list of activities offered throughout the winter season.

Sugar Mountain Resort’s 10,000 square foot refrigerated outdoor ice-skating rink isn’t new this year, but it continues along with tubing and snowshoeing to compliment the long-standing ski and snowboard activities available at Sugar Mountain Resort. The ice-skating rink is scheduled to open in early November.

For additional information, call Sugar Mountain Resort at (828) 898-4521, ext. 262 or visit www.skisugar.com/press.