Cloudmont Ski and Golf Resort - Mentone, AL

Adventure Journal - Entry Date: February 2013
Long long ago, in the years BC (before children), Rebecca and I traveled out west to ski annually. We enjoyed skiing at Squaw Valley, Heavenly (Lake Tahoe), Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Loveland, Crested Butte (CO), and Taos (NM). So, when we first saw the roadside sign for Alabama's Cloudmont Ski and Golf Resort on an afternoon drive along Lookout Mountain many years ago, we laughed. Skiing in Alabama? Really? We were ski snobs.

Fast forward 15 years. Now we have kids, four to be exact. The cost of an annual ski trip out west is not within this family's budget. We have taken a couple of trips to Cataloochee Ski Area near Maggie Valley, North Carolina where the kids have had lessons and learned the basics. Unfortunately, a southeastern ski trip like that can be pretty painful to the family pocketbook too.

So, one day we were eating at the Wildflower Cafe' in Mentone Alabama, and we started talking with a family that has just left Cloudmont Ski and Golf Resort. They were laughing and talking about how great of a time they had, and they were skiers. It sparked our interest, and so we had to check it out first-hand.

One of our favorite campgrounds is located at Desoto State Park, just a few minutes from Cloudmont Ski and Golf, so we booked a long weekend around President's day. It had been unseasonably warm weather, but several nights of cold leading-up to the weekend meant they were making snow (they need 18 hours of temps 28 degrees or less to open). We were waiting at the ticket window when they opened that Monday morning.

We rented equipment for the kids and paid for all-day lift tickets. The lift is a tow rope, but that's actually pretty good for beginners because they can exit the lift at any elevation of the slope. As I mentioned, the kids have had a couple of lessons, but their ski-time was limited. Fortunately (for us), there were very few people on the slope that day, so the kids were able to ski all day long with no waiting at the lift. By the end of the day, they were all pretty good. John Micah was even skiing backwards.

Now understand, Cloudmont is no Rocky Mountain ski resort. There is a mere 150' drop on their two parallel running slopes. It is what it is, but it is a load of fun and a great experience for the kids (and grown-ups too). It's also very affordable (compared to other ski destinations). Kids under 12 can rent equipment and ski all day for less than $40. Check their website for prices because they vary based on weekdays, weekend, and holidays.

We've decided to make Cloudmont a regular stop in the winter, and maybe even other seasons. They have a very affordable golf course and there is even horseback riding available. Nearby Desoto State Park and a virtually limitless selection of other area attractions makes this an awesome destination. We give it six thumbs-up.

For more details including reviews of the destination's facilities and amenities, plus tons of pictures, visit the Cloudmont PB&J Adventures page.

Cataloochee Ski Area - Maggie Valley, NC

Adventure Journal - Entry Date: December 2011

The Richardson Tribe has been to Maggie Valley several times over the past few years, but never in the winter when Cataloochee Ski Area was open. This Christmas, Santa brought the children gift certificates for ski school at Cataloochee, so we felt compelled to check it out. When visiting Maggie Valley in the past, we have always stayed at Stonebridge RV, so we booked their best creek-side site for the week leading up to the new year.

When we arrived at Stonebridge RV park (now owned by NASCAR), we were extremely disappointed in the seemingly poor condition of the park. It turns out, it pretty much shuts down for the winter. No laundry, no game room, inner roads blocked, and on this particular holiday week, the office was closed and no one was around. We couldn't even get horseshoes for the awesome looking horseshoe pits. There was a tarp on the office's roof, and there was a busted water pipe at one of the sites where the water ran all week. Rebecca spoke to the manager on the phone once, but he told her "Lady, I'm on vacation this week." He never returned my call. So, here we are, six of us for six days, with tons winter clothes and no laundry room. Fortunately, Rebecca had over-packed, so we managed. In all fairness, campgrounds winterizing and shutting-down for the season is pretty common. However, prior to our visit, we were receiving daily emails advertising how wonderful the place is in the winter. We'll have to reconsider where to stay on our next trip to Maggie Valley.
 

On our first full day in Maggie Valley, we thought we'd survey the situation at Cataloochee to determine when and where we needed to be the next morning to enroll the kids in ski school. Unfortunately, we were turned away a the base of the mountain because the ski area was filled to capacity. We were told to get there very early the next morning, and that's just what we did.
 

The kids' ski day was on the Friday before New Years Eve. Cataloochee Ski Area was packed with folks on holiday, but that didn't hinder the fun. Even with the crowd of people, everything went off without a hitch. We had all the kids in some exceptional rental boots and skis in no time. Although Santa brought some silly ski hats, we put helmets on the kids. The helmets were to protect the kids from other klutzy skiers more than falls. There were a lot of beginners out there.
 

After registering the kids for ski school, we left them in the care of the competent ski instructors (as we lurked in the shadows). They spent the entire day spoiling the kids with snack breaks and pizza for lunch. By mid-day, our four kids were all working with a single instructor that gave them lots of personal attention. By mid afternoon, the entire Richardson Tribe papooses were loading-up on the lift and skiing down the big hill. They seemed like naturals rarely falling at all. We expected them to be exhausted and sore after so much ski time, but we practically had to drag them away (especially Lainey - see group picture as we were leaving).

For lunch and occasional warm-up breaks, Rebecca and I visited the lodge. This two-story structure is very much utilitarian with a cafeteria-like food service area, a bar, and lots of tables and seating. The place was packed though, and finding a seat was a challenge. In general, the ski area is quite different from some of the ski resorts Rebecca and I have visited out west. It's a ski area, not a resort. We have to keep reminding ourselves not to compare. After all, flying west, renting a van, and finding affordable housing with four kids in Colorado would probably require a second mortgage. Yup, Cataloochee will do, and do quite nicely thank you.
 

For a complete write-up and dozens of pictures click here.

 

Lake Allatoona - A Favorite Destination of North Georgia Natives

When the weather is hot in Dixie, Lake Allatoona is always a cool relief. On this hot trip, we stayed at McKinney Campground, one of our all-time favorite places to camp. Unfortunately, we decided to stay here at the last minute, so we got one of our last choices for a campsite. However, there really is no bad campsite at McKinney, so it was ok. No, we weren't directly on the water, but we had a very private pull-through site with wonderful view just walking distance from the beach and brand new playground.
While at Lake Allatoona on this visit, we had some great company. Some very good friends came and spent the day with us at the beach swimming, and on the boat tubing. All day long we alternated between the campsite (eating), the beach, and the boat. What FUN!

McKinney Campground has built a brand new playground near the beach. It's not as grand as the kids had hoped, but very entertaining just the same. (we'd been promised a new playground on our last visit)

 We always like to visit the marina at Allatoona Landing while at Lake Allatoona. They are our source for fuel and Slush Puppies (frozen drinks). However, thee are numerous marinas located all over the lake. On this visit, we made our obligatory stop at the marina for snacks and gas.

As usual, we saw deer and other wildlife on this trip to Lake Allatoona. McKinney is very unique in that aspect. Especially deer. Lots of deer.

Another unique aspect of Lake Allatoona is the abundance of rockhounding opportunities. Minerals abound -- quartz of varying colors, fossils, chert, and much more, maybe even gold! On this trip, we traveled up river to Kellogg Creek to check out Payne Campground. Kellogg creek is a known gold bearing tributary, and I figured Payne campground would be a great home-base for doing a little panning. Ideally, panning would be best in the Autumn and Winter months when the water levels are low. Unfortunately, Payne campground is closed in the Winter. Further investigation is required.


For more Lake Allatoona information and lots of pictures, click here.