Ski beech trip

Don't take highway 194 all the way to ski-beech - make sure you take 105 off 421 towards Sugar and then
onto Beech. This is a much easier drive.

Where to wax and get your ski's sharpened - Fred's store right on Beech Mtn Drive - in Beech town.  You can also rent equipment here for a much cheaper rate than at the mountain.  ie. Boots were $5 for a full day. Over at Freds we also got some locally made Jalapeno Jelly - really good.

Where to stay - try the 4-Seasons VCI condos - call them. We stayed at Alpen Inn - too expensive for what they offer. And Top of the Beech in where friends stayed was reasonable but they don't have 1 night stay rooms.

What to eat when at Beech - we drove down into Banner Elk and ate at Banner Elk Lodge/Lodge Cafe - next to Stone Walls. Stone Walls had an interesting menu and was packed but pricy - Lodge Cafe next door had a huge menu but given the large menu and a not so full restaurant it was worrisome so we stuck to the easy to make, can't go wrong things like burgers and chicken sandwiches.

Where to get ski lift tickets - if staying at Alpen inn or Top of the Beech get the lift tickets for full day $12 cheaper than at the mountain.  

Lesson Learned from this trip - don't plan a NC ski trip 2 months ahead - the weather might suck.  Check the weather a week ahead and if it's sunny go for it.  This way you can drive up one morning, ski till 4:30 - rest your body, get up the next day and ski some more.  This weekend Saturday weather was good  - Sunday morning was cloudy and raining so no skiing :(

Another lesson learned: I am getting old - and even thought I thought I was more fit this year than in many years past, I was never this sore after a day of NC skiing. Colorado Yes - NC no-way!