Read skier and snowboarder-submitted reviews on Sugar Mountain Resort that rank the ski resort and mountain town on a scale of one to five stars for attributes such as terrain, nightlife and family friendliness. See how Sugar Mountain Resort stacks up in the reviews, on and off the slopes, from skiing and family activities to the après scene. Read up on pros, cons and other comments in reviews left by fellow skiers and riders. Don't forget to submit your own Sugar Mountain Resort review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your skiing and resort experience.
Reviews for Sugar Mountain Resort
Total (2.5)
A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
We went to Sugar Mountain over February break and enjoyed it. The ski resort does a good job of not letting the trails get too icy (which says a lot in the South). The trails are fun and are particularly good for new skiers. The lifts are fast and spacious and the lines are extremely short.
One thing I want to make sure to write is how great the people are who work there. My daughter (somehow) cracked her ski on the way down the mountain. We had rented the skis off-mountain, but the people at Sugar Mountain let her use another pair for the remainder of our time that day WITHOUT CHARGING. It was so generous of them! In addition, when my daughter dropped her glove on the lift, another person found it and returned it to her who worked there. Great people help make the experience great.
Jennifer
I really wish I had read the reviews before booking a ski in/out at Sugar Mountain. We overlooked the Easy Street lift. The line was incredibly long, yet we watched singles go up by themselves. There is nobody managing people getting on the lift that fits four people so no wonder it gets so backed up. It was so ridiculous that I ended up not even buying a lift ticket for myself.
That's not even the worst of the trip. Sugar Mountain is so terribly inefficient at everything. You cannot book anything in advance. We arrived on a Friday evening so we walked down to the ski school building to register our kids for ski school for the next day. They were already sold out. My husband got in line around 2:30 the next day for ski school registration to open up at 4:00 and they came out and cut the line prior to my husband letting everyone know that anyone past that point would not get in. They do have group and private lessons but you also can't pre-book that so you have to show up on the mountain at 7am to be given a time for your lesson.
So the next day we decided to get tickets to tube. There was no parking and I even drove all the way down the mountain looking at full lots and decided to just go park back up at the condo and walk down the mountain with two small kids. Again, you cannot pre-book so you have to stand in a long line and you can only buy tickets for the next session, but they cannot sell tickets until one hour prior to the session. WHAT?! The guy at the register said he cannot even see future sessions on his computer. How outdated is this system? We got in line at 11:00, thinking we could get tickets for the 12:00 session. Nope, sold out. So we continue to stand in line until tickets for the 2:00 session go on sale at 1:00. Got close to the front and then it sold out. At this point, we already dedicated three hours to standing in line so I stood in line for tickets for the 4:00 session to go on sale at 3:00. The cashier hand tallies everyone who orders so he knows when they are sold out. I stood in line for FIVE HOURS for tubing. That is your whole day wasted. I felt bad for the employee because I know it's not his fault their system is so inefficient but he had so many people coming up and asking if he could just tell them whether they'd get in for the next session or not or if they could just order tickets for a future session. Luckily we were staying on the mountain and I had my mom with me to take the kids back to the condo, but many people did not have that convenience and ended up leaving after waiting for hours. If only they would let you order for a future session, you could at least take your kids somewhere or do something in the meantime and then return when it's your time to tube. Not to mention, there is a snack bar and restroom next door but the restroom only has TWO stalls so after waiting five hours in the tubing line, I waited 25 minutes to use the bathroom prior to our tubing session. There was also only two tables to sit at inside. It would be nice to have a heated, indoor area where people can sit if they are taking turns waiting in the ridiculous line.
My dad and my husband went out on the slopes during the Twilight hours. In addition to being packed (never go on a weekend), they made snow the entire time. When it blows in your face and freezes on your goggles, it's a safety issue...not to mention not being able to see. I don't know why they were making snow all day long after it had just snowed. It never stopped.
Overall, we were not impressed with the inefficiency of Sugar Mountain. We also stayed there to see if we would like the area and potentially buy an investment property but we've already crossed it off the list.
Kim
This place is ridiculous with the lines to get tickets to do anything! They need to get with the times and make ticket purchasing available online. Got in line at 11:00 to purchase tubing tickets for the 12:00 session. They sold out, so thought I would purchase tickets for the 2:00 session. Well, they don't sell them until 1:00. So I stayed in line and at 1:40 was told the 2:00 session was sold out. My daughter stayed so I could bring her kids home to warm up because they don't even have a large enough indoor facility to house people that are doing nothing but WAITING!! So by the time she gets tickets after 3:00, we will have spent half the day waiting in line to tube for 1 hour 45 minutes. My son-in-law and husband said the lines for lift tickets were no better.
Ayo?!
Well i mean... if you're okay with getting jumped on by crazed snowboarders on ridiculously widthless runs, or you are said crazed snowboarder, go for it!
Travis Powers
good enough for North Carolina skiing
Jon Snow
The run the mountain like a carnival. You have to stand in like to get tickets for skiing, lessons, even tubing. The system is an embarrassment to someone with a brain. The snow and trails
are poor and the lines are very long, filled with majority inexperienced skiiers. Unless you want to torture yourself - avoid Sugar Mountain.
paul snoddy
Had a great time on a weekend night over The holiday between Christmas and New Year’s. Timed it just right with it being super cold several days where they made lots of snow and then it warmed up right when I got up there and night skied and it was 30° and wasn’t crowded at all perfect place for me to practice my tricks take my time and, dial my gear in, and have some fun four hrs. I’m so glad I night skied, when I was arriving @ 5pm there must’ve been a 2 mile line out of that place with people walking down the road etc. were they parked their car a mile away.
Edyta Solecka
Good slopes for beginners,however, overcrowded with private lessons, schools and other people so becomes extremely stressful when you ski with small kids. Lines everywhere. XMAS TIME is crazy. If you want to book a private lesson you need to be in the line at 6.30 am and may still not get it. Impossible to get a spot for a full day ski school for kids. Crazy lines everywhere, ticketing selling system is from middle ages. 20 min line to get on the lift. They charge crazy money for passes and have a feeling they are not improving and investing in this place at all. Big shame. We will try to go back when there is fewer people. It was OK but super stressful skiing with 2 small kids.
Don Keel
First trip with no expectations. Very crowded and not well organized. Tried tubing when ski hill was overcrowded. Really goofy system of having to stand in line for hours for tix. I really wanted to like it because it is in a pretty area, but I won't be going back. I just think their are some better values out there.
John Heizer
2 hour line to get slope passes. Had snow making machines on all day which blinded you even with goggles. Hope in the night session would be better, but power was out for an hour and a half. Which happens. But all sales are final so too bad. Finally got sick of it and left four people with slope passes rentals and food around $450. Money could have been spent better on another mountain
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