Golf
The Hawksnest Golf & Ski Resort, 2058 Skyland Dr., off N.C. 105 in Seven Devils (tel. 800/822-4295 or 828/963-6561; www.hawksnest-resort.com), is a scenic 18-hole, par-72, 6,200-yard championship course at the cool elevation of 4,200 feet. It's a true mountain course with good putting surfaces. From mid-March to November, the course is open daily from 7am to 7pm. Including the use of a cart, greens fees are $39 Monday to Friday before 2pm, or $29 after 2pm. On Saturday and Sunday, greens fees are $44 before 2pm, $34 after 2pm. Clubs can be rented for $15 for 18 holes. Reserved tee times are recommended.
Village of Sugar Mountain Golf Course, N.C. 184 (tel. 800/SUGAR-MT or 828/898-6464), outside Banner Elk, is an 18-hole, par-64 course at the foot of the Sugar Mountain Ski Resort. This executive course offers variety and a par-5 hole designed by Arnold Palmer. It charges $10 to $22 for greens fees, which does not include cart.
Skiing
The Hawksnest Golf & Ski Resort, 1800 Skyland Dr., Seven Devils, NC 28604 (tel. 800/822-HAWK or 828/963-6561; www.hawksnest-resort.com), is northeast of Banner Elk and 10 miles south off N.C. 105. It offers 12 slopes -- 1 expert, 3 advanced, 5 intermediate, and 3 beginner -- with a peak elevation of 4,819 feet and a 669-foot vertical drop. Lift tickets cost $15 to $58, depending on the time of season and the length of time for which you plan to ski. Ski rentals range from $15. The resort also offers a children's camp, costing $75 for a full day. During the December-to-March season, the resort is open Sunday to Thursday from 9am to 10pm, on Friday from 9am to 2am, and on Saturday from 9am to midnight. Group ski instruction is available for $15.
Sugar Mountain Resort, N.C. 194, a mile from N.C. 105 (P.O. Box 369), Banner Elk, NC 28604 (tel. 800/SUGAR-MT or 828/898-4521; www.skisugar.com), has 20 slopes -- 20% expert, 40% intermediate, and 40% beginner -- with an elevation of 5,300 feet and a vertical drop of 1,200 feet. The resort is open from mid-November to mid-March. Lifts operate daily from 9am to 4:30pm and 6 to 10pm, with tickets ranging from $15 to $58. Ski rentals range from $10 to $18, depending on the time of day and the type of skis, and professional lessons are also available, at $15 per member of a group or $35 to $80 per person hourly. Children 5 to 10 can participate in a Sugarbear Ski School from 10am to 3pm daily, including lunch, for $95 per individual, $75 for groups. The resort also offers snowboarding, with lift tickets costing from $19 to $29.
