This was the back deck of Slopeside on Beech Mountain last month. It's hard to believe but we're supposed to get snow for the next two days on the Mountain. The ski resort is closed while they're getting ready for the summer mountain biking/disc golf/beer drinking season but I bet somebody will take a couple runs this weekend! They make P-tex for a reason!
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
Our Travelocity Roaming Gnome arrived on our doorstep two years ago on Valentine's Day and we were thrilled to adopt him!
This little guy was left on our doorstep on Valentine's Day two years ago. I'm ashamed to admit it but he has spent the intervening time hanging out on a shelf in our den. It's not a bad perch if you can get it, relaxing between a numbered bottle of Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Tequila and a photograph of the one and only Papa Hemingway after a successful day fishing in the Gulf Stream.
However, it has always seemed a bit lonely for a Gnome known for his love of international adventure. During the holidays, he has been visited on occasion by Squeezy — our Elf on a Shelf — but other than that, he's led a far too sheltered life.
That's all about to change. He took his first trip last weekend to Slopeside in the North Carolina mountains for a little spring skiing. As you can tell, he was thrilled to finally stretch his legs. He's currently planning trips to Florida, Charleston, Mexico and Asheville. It's time to get this Gnome on the road.
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
It's going to be 75 degrees in Charlotte tomorrow and I've had the doors off the Jeep all weekend. It's hard to believe this was our house just five weeks ago. I actually wouldn't mind another month of winter and a bit more snow but it's hard to miss it when it's so beautiful outside! As long as it stays cold enough to keep skiing in the North Carolina mountains, I'll take it! It's typically about 30 degrees cooler on Beech Mountain (just 2.5 hours but 4,755 feet in altitude away) than it is in Charlotte so it's still not a heatwave in the High Country. Speaking of which, we have a vacancy at Slopeside for 80s Retro Weekend on Beech Mountain next weekend if you want to play Ms. Pac Man and go skiing in your neon Descente Jumpsuit!
This photograph was captured with a DJI Mavic Pro drone.
This is a throwback photo to three weeks ago in Charlotte. We've had some 70-degree days since then but we're back into cooler temperatures now. Even better, it's been snowing all weekend in the mountains so after a really snowy December, the North Carolina ski resorts are back on track for a long winter.
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
The sunrises and sunsets over Beech Mountain are nearly always amazing. On this cold night, the hills were alive with an orange and purple glow that reflected off the snow.
There are still a few weekends available at Slopeside on Beech Mountain this ski season. Check out Slopeside on Facebook.
This photograph was captured with a DJI Mavic Pro drone.
Watching our cedar tree take on snow was a peaceful start to our day last Saturday.
This photograph was captured with a Sony a6300.
It snowed on Saturday in SouthPark. Local meteorologists predicted 3"-8" of snow Friday overnight. We ended up with freezing rain all night that turned into snow Saturday morning. The snow broke around lunch so I sent up the drone for a few photographs. A fresh snowfall is always so peaceful and I think this photograph captures that.
This photograph was captured with a DJI Mavic Pro drone.
This photo was taken last weekend over Beech Mountain Ski Resort. It's been a great start to the ski season and it's getting better by the day!
The brewery, shops, restaurant, Burton ski school, fire pit and ice rink are on the left and the ski rentals and main lodge are in the middle. Slopeside is the chalet on the right side of the photo.
This photograph was captured with the tremendous DJI Mavic Pro drone.
“I don’t always take selfies but when I do, I’m so far away that you can’t even see me.”
If you look closely, you'll see me on the deck of this chalet, flying my DJI Mavic Pro. We headed up to the mountains for a little New Year's Eve celebration with friends and some fun in the snow last weekend. We were greeted by a snowstorm that lasted on and off for two days. It was perfect!
If you want to head up for yourself, check out Slopeside on Facebook.
This photograph was captured with the unbelievably good DJI Mavic Pro drone.
It's officially ski season! This photograph is a throw-back from a few years ago on Diamond Peak in Lake Tahoe. The season was off to a slow start so we nearly had the entire mountain to ourselves. It was tremendous! If you are a regular visitor to Lake Tahoe and haven't ever ridden Diamond Peak, you've got to check it out. It's a small, locals-only resort. However, what it lacks in fanfare, it lacks in fanfare... and that's exactly what makes it great!
Living on the East Coast and looking for a ski getaway? Check out Slopeside on Beech Mountain!