Golf
Village of Sugar Mountain Golf Course, N.C. 184 (tel. 800/SUGAR-MT [784-2768] or 828/898-6464; www.seesugar.com), 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. Greens fees are $13 to $26, not including cart.
Skiing
The Hawksnest Ski Resort, 2058 Skyland Dr., Seven Devils, NC 28604 (tel. 800/822-HAWK [4295] 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 start from $15. The resort also offers a children's camp for $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. Ski instruction is available for $42 to $82.
Sugar Mountain Resort, N.C. 194, a mile from N.C. 105 (PO Box 369), Banner Elk, NC 28604 (tel. 800/SUGAR-MT [784-2768] 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 $18 to $62. Ski rentals range from $8 to $24, depending on the time of day and the type of skis, and professional lessons are also available, at $20 per member of a group or $48 per person hourly. Children ages 5 to 10 can participate in a Sugarbear Ski School from 10am to 3pm daily, including lunch, for $75 per child. The resort also offers snowboarding, with lift tickets costing from $22 to $33.
