Antlers born anew
By Joe Yarkovich
Spring is upon us and with the days beginning to lengthen, signs of the season can be seen within the elk of Cataloochee as well.
Snow time like the present
By Michael Beadle
Cataloochee Ski Area, North Carolina’s oldest ski slope, can now boast the longest running ski season in the state as well — open earliest and closed latest.
Elk population on the rise
The elk herd in Cataloochee Valley added at least eight babies to its ranks this summer, giving the herd a needed population boost.
Since the elk herd was released in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park five years ago, black bears have become adept at scooping up the infant elk in the early weeks after their birth. The number of elk calves who survived each year were just enough to replace adult elk who died, keeping the herd’s numbers around a constant 50.
Ladies first: Cataloochee Ranch hosts skiing and snowboarding classes tailored to women
By Michael Beadle
Once again Cataloochee Ski Area will be hosting a series of once-a-week skiing and snowboarding classes this season designed exclusively for women. It’s called Women on Wednesdays, or WOW, and it targets women of all ages and abilities who are interested in learning to ski or snowboard or who want to improve their skills on the slopes.
Park considers more elk
The North Carolina Wildlife Commission is still weighing whether to allow the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to bring more elk into the Cataloochee Valley area of the park.