• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Backcountry Ski Resorts Southeast?

oneyoungpatriot

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Posts
2
Location
Atlanta
Hi!
I was wondering if there are any ski resorts or areas that will let you ski maybe in between runs or out of bounds? Anywhere backcountry or glades. Just somewhere not too far from the southeast. I'm not sure what resorts would let you, but I am really trying to get into backcountry skiing and unfortunately I live in Georgia!
Thank you!
Joseph
 

jmeb

Enjoys skiing.
Skier
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
4,489
Location
Colorado
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess (as a backcountry skier and patroller) -- that if glades aren't open in the SE its for a darn good reason, namely lack of snow coverage. Though runs may look covered, snow snakes (i.e. hidden debris) underneath are liable to be a very likely and very dangerous hazard.
 

crgildart

Gravity Slave
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
16,323
Location
The Bull City
There ls almost NEVER enough snow cover, packed, settled to ski anywhere except manmade base trails in TN, NC, VA. I do step in some tele or snow blades and goof around in the neighborhood whenever we happen to get more than two inches around here though. I'd not even entertain the thought of going in to the unmanicured woods though.

Cataloochee does have some low angle glades that look skiable, i.e. wide open without a lot of brush just beyond the regular terrain there. I think @Carolinacub hit that a couple years ago after a good storm. That's more side country though. You'd be quickly busted trying to poach it without permission.
 

Snowflake2420

I70 is Life
Skier
Joined
Dec 25, 2016
Posts
464
Location
Denver
@oneyoungpatriot An interesting area is Whitegrass in WV. I think it's the closest you can get to backcountry skiing in the southeast as far as I know. There are other areas like Dolly Sods in WV I have heard of being "skied."

SkiSoutheast and DCSki are good options to investigate as well and shed light on old ski areas, but again the question would remain is there enough snow to safely ski and not break your leg? Even the ski areas still operating rely heavily on snowmaking so even if they are open it would need to be a really good snow year for a place with no snow making to be viable for BC skiing. There is also the matter of private land, which many of these places are on.

 
Last edited:

Carolinacub

Yes thats a Cubs hat I'm wearing
Skier
Joined
May 2, 2017
Posts
794
Location
Asheville NC
Cataloochee does have some low angle glades that look skiable, i.e. wide open without a lot of brush just beyond the regular terrain there. I think @Carolinacub hit that a couple years ago after a good storm. That's more side country though. You'd be quickly busted trying to poach it without permission.
Yep Cat has some side country stuff that opens once or twice a year. It's lift accessed only and only happens when they have a great dump. The same is basically true of all the NC resorts. When they have a big dump sometimes you can get a couple yards of the beaten path and hit some freshie but it's really rare.
 

Slim

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Oct 2, 2017
Posts
2,972
Location
Duluth, MN
Didn‘n backcountry magazine do a feature on a bunch of backcountry skiers in the southeast recently? Not sure how far away that is from Atlanta though. More likely, your better off finding a cheap ticket (Or driving just a bit longer) out west.

Found this online:
 
Last edited:

Slim

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Oct 2, 2017
Posts
2,972
Location
Duluth, MN
@oneyoungpatriot ,
If you want to get into backcountry sking, you have to take an avalanche course. In the US, those are run as a 3 day course. You also will want at least a bit of instruction in , navigation, skinning and skiing backcountry snow. Many guides offer combined trips that include both the AVI 1 course work integrated Into a week long course.

Since you don't live within a weekend‘s drive of backcountry ski terrain, I suspect the best option is to do either a week long course, or perhaps several long weekend courses.

Denver is a cheap airport to fly to, and there are many providers offering courses close to that.
Salt Lake City is another good option for short trips, since airport is so close to the mountains.
The other option you might consider is the Alps, since Atlanta has good flights to Europe.
European guiding and instruction options are much more plentiful, and often have some lower cost options.
If your name is correct, and you are indeed young, look at UCPA, a French youth sports organisation, sort of like the YMCA, they offer guided weeks, staying in their hostel style locations in the Alps, for less than $500/week.

There are ton’s of other providers too of course.
 

Mike Thomas

Whiteroom
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
1,194
Dude, you don't need an avy course to ski east coast trees that are lift accessed.
 

crgildart

Gravity Slave
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
16,323
Location
The Bull City
@oneyoungpatriot ,
If you want to get into backcountry sking, you have to take an avalanche course. In the US, those are run as a 3 day course. You also will want at least a bit of instruction in , navigation, skinning and skiing backcountry snow. Many guides offer combined trips that include both the AVI 1 course work integrated Into a week long course.

Since you don't live within a weekend‘s drive of backcountry ski terrain, I suspect the best option is to do either a week long course, or perhaps several long weekend courses.

Denver is a cheap airport to fly to, and there are many providers offering courses close to that.
Salt Lake City is another good option for short trips, since airport is so close to the mountains.
The other option you might consider is the Alps, since Atlanta has good flights to Europe.
European guiding and instruction options are much more plentiful, and often have some lower cost options.
If your name is correct, and you are indeed young, look at UCPA, a French youth sports organisation, sort of like the YMCA, they offer guided weeks, staying in their hostel style locations in the Alps, for less than $500/week.

There are ton’s of other providers too of course.

Dude, you don't need an avy course to ski east coast trees that are lift accessed.

^^^THIS. There's almost nothing down this way over 30* and absolutely nothing over 35* that's near any southeastern resort.
 

Slim

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Oct 2, 2017
Posts
2,972
Location
Duluth, MN
Ok, I understand what you are saying @Mike Thomas and @crgildart: that the terrain and snowpack, especially side country, in the south east are not at (significant) avalanche Same is true here in MN.

However, you also mention that the chance of skiing ungroomed, let alone true backountry, is extremely low. Combine that with the fact that @oneyoungpatriot doesnt even live near any of those areas, I still say taking a week and driving to the Rockies, or flying to the Rockies, west coast, or the alps, is a better use of his time, than driving many Hours to the south east mountains, only to arrive to unskiable conditions.

So then, if you are going to one of those other destinations, you need Avy education, plus that gives you the chance to get teaching in other parts of backcountry skiing as well.

Now, part of this might also relate to confusion about what @oneyoungpatriot actually wants, so perhaps you can clear that up a bit?
Here are the 3 categories of ungroomed terrain:
  1. Backcountry: terrain far away from from roads and ski lifts.
  2. sidecountry: (uncontrolled/patrolled) terrain right next to resorts, but outside of the boundary, often doable without skinning.
  3. inbounds ungroomed terrain (controlled and patrolled)
As far as skills required:
  1. Skinning skills, Avy skills (almost always;), backcountry travel and navigation skills, first aid skills and off-Piste ski skills.
  2. Avy skills (almost always ;) ) , backcountry travel and navigation skills, first aid skills and off-Piste ski skills.
  3. off-Piste ski skills.
 

crgildart

Gravity Slave
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
16,323
Location
The Bull City
Ok, I understand what you are saying @Mike Thomas and @crgildart: that the terrain and snowpack, especially side country, in the south east are not at (significant) avalanche Same is true here in MN.

However, you also mention that the chance of skiing ungroomed, let alone true backountry, is extremely low. Combine that with the fact that @oneyoungpatriot doesnt even live near any of those areas, I still say taking a week and driving to the Rockies, or flying to the Rockies, west coast, or the alps, is a better use of his time, than driving many Hours to the south east mountains, only to arrive to unskiable conditions.

So then, if you are going to one of those other destinations, you need Avy education, plus that gives you the chance to get teaching in other parts of backcountry skiing as well.

A) I'm too old to teach/learn new tricks
B) I'm too out of shape to go anywhere that requires significant physical effort to get to.
C) When I was younger I'd only go to legit BC terrain with someone way more experienced.
D) Even skiing inbounds nowadays if it's steep and there are any alerts at all about any terrain anywhere else in the area I'll be beeping for sure in bounds. And yes, I know to change it to search if there is an event and people are searching for victims.

But thanks, and ya, if you're going to go OB bring a buddy who knows more than you do until you have the proper training to be the more experienced buddy..
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,612
Location
Maine
"Backcountry Ski Resorts" - thread title - is kind of an oxymoron. If you read the OP's post, s/he is just trying to find somewhere to get off the groomed, is all. We don't have to go all in with the PC backcountry speeches for that. Use a little reading between the lines.
 

Slim

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Oct 2, 2017
Posts
2,972
Location
Duluth, MN
@Tony S I agree that the opening post was a bit confusing, that why I’m asking Joseph to clarify what exactly he is looking for. He says he wants to start an activity. You take it to mean one thing, I take it to mean something else, the only one who knows is @oneyoungpatriot himself.

In order to avoid future misunderstandings, I offered a structured set of definitions, so that we could all on the same page when he clarifies what he wants.

I don’t see what’s politically correct about that?
 
Last edited:

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Posts
12,612
Location
Maine
@Tony S I agree that the opening post was a bit confusing, that why I’m asking Joseph to clarify what exactly he is looking for. He says he wants to start an activity. You take it to mean one thing, I take it to mean something else, the only one who knows is @oneyoungpatriot himself.

In order to avoid future misunderstandings, I offered a structured set of definition, so that we could all on the same page. I don’t see what’s politically correct about that?

Cool.
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top