With an elevation of 5,506 feet Beech Mountain in North Carolina has an unusual claim to fame: it sells itself to tourists is the highest incorporated town east of the Rockies.
The town has a full time population of only 350, but the population swells to as high as 10,000 during the winter and 5,000 in the summer. People flock to Beech Mountain in the winter to ski at SkiBeech and in the summer to take advantage of the mild climate and numerous recreational opportunities.
The weather helps as well. Temperatures average up to 15 degrees cooler than surrounding areas.
“Some summers have not gotten above 73 degrees,” says the town’s Web site.
The town began as a private resort development in the mid-1960’s. Grover and Harry Robbins, of Blowing Rock, NC, started the resort along with 35 other investors.
Ski Beech has 15 different ski slopes, an ice skating rink and various shops in the Village. The resort is open from around Thanksgiving until the middle of March each year, dependent on the weather.
The resort offers discounts to large groups of skiers, and specials Monday through Thursday of each week during the ski season.
The Beech Mountain Club also offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities to club members and guests staying at qualified properties in Beech Mountain.
Report by David Wilkening
