Best place to ski in North Carolina for beginners?

I've read about beech and sugar and all those but i don't know which is best for beginners! Just looking for a weekend trip (driving from GA) to get a lesson and learn how before i pay the money to go out west. Also if you have any recommendations of ski resorts there that'd be great too. About how much does it cost to do all of this (lift tickets, gear, lodging??) Thanks!

Public Comments

1. One of the first mountains I learned to ski on was Sugar Mountain. In my opinion, it has some of the best beginner slopes around. The whole lower half of the mountain is either green or "light" blue. And if you conquer those...the top of the mountain has some great runs as well. Lift tickets are reasonable, between $20 and $30. As far as renting ski/snowboard equipment, right at the base of the mountain in Banner Elk, there is a ski shop called Alpine Ski Center. Rates are low and people are very nice. You can get skis, binding, and boots for around $16. As far as skiing out west, the first place that comes to my mind is Copper Mountain. I took a trip out there last December and that was one of my favorite places. There are tons of runs with a lot of beginner to intermediate slopes. Others that come to mind are Buttermilk (Aspen/Snowmass), Breckenridge, and Beaver Creek and probably some of the easier places to ski. Hope this helps a little! ps-These are all opinion based.