Get Out This Winter

Don’t put your winter coats and mittens away just yet as there’s still time to enjoy the fading vestiges of winter fun on the Plateau.

As March edges toward spring and warmer weather, take time to say goodbye to winter by enjoying all the family-friendly activities that abound during the first weekend in March.

Look no further than the KelseyHutchinson Founders Park in downtown Highlands for ice skating fun, scheduled to be open through March 5, weather and temperatures permitting. Bring your sense of adventure, rent a pair of skates and glide across the ice, experiencing a sense of freedom and grace only to be found on the ice. End your adventure by warming up at the lower-level fireplace with your family and friends and enjoying a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Take the time to linger a bit and enjoy the moment knowing that a faster-paced season is rapidly approaching.

The rink will be open Thursday, March 2, from 3:30 until 8:00 P.M.; Friday,

March 3, from 3:30 until 10:00 P.M; Saturday, March 4, from 1:00 until 10:00 P.M.; and, Sunday, March 5, from 1:00 until 5:00 P.M. For more information, visit highlandsnc.org

Skiers, snowboarders, and snow tubers will want to visit Ski Sapphire Valley, the area’s premier winter resort which features a 1,600-foot main slope, a learning slope, and the popular Frozen Falls Tube Park. They will be open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday but please call before going at (828) 743-7663 or visit skisapphirevalley.com to confirm that the weather conditions, which can be fickle at this time of year, allow them to operate.

Another hub of winter fun is the Highlands Outpost in Scaly Mountain. Besides the ever-popular snow tubing that always draws a crowd, they now boast The Scaly Mountain Screamer. This gravitational alpine coaster takes you along a scenic and exhilarating route through picturesque mountain scenery. Guests, one or two to a cart, coast down the winding descent using a set of handbrakes to regulate their own cart speed, up to a maximum speed of 27 MPH for thrill seekers among us. They also have an ice-skating rink and a snowy play area for the little tykes in your group. All that winter activity is sure to work up an appetite so step into the onsite Blue Hound Barbecue for some rib-sticking ‘cue and sides. For more information and to obtain tickets and reservations visit highlandsoutpost.com or call (828) 526-3737.

Follow Frosty the Snowman’s lead and enjoy one last weekend of winter fun before the snow disappears until next season.

by Mary Jane McCall