Mars Hill, North Carolina — A new era has officially begun at Hatley Pointe.
On December 21st, Hatley Pointe Mountain Resort opened its lifts for the 2024-25 season. Formerly known as Wolf Ridge, this North Carolina ski resort has undergone quite a transformation.
Back in 2022, Wolf Ridge was in rough shape. Over the years, the amount of open terrain and operational lifts dropped drastically. It opened later than usual and was one of the first ski resorts in North America to close for the 2022-23 season. Customers complained about the lack of effort to make snow and the aging infrastructure.
In March 2023, the Hatley family announced their purchase of the ski resort. From there, it became known as Hatley Pointe, and work began on creating a boutique ski resort.
The new owner’s initial impression was that things were in working order. This was not the case, so they had to start their tenure with a huge renovation of the lodge and significant upgrades to the trails, lifts, and snowmaking infrastructure.
The lodge, determined to be inhabitable when the Hatleys bought it, has undergone a significant renovation. They kept the wood ceiling and various components but had to do quite a bit to restore the structural integrity of the building.
A key focal point for Hatley Pointe is the dining experience. Smoke & Timber is their new sit-down restaurant that features American classics in a cozy and rustic setting. It’s open Wednesday through Saturday from 5 pm to 10 pm, along with Sundays for brunch.
Steeps sells coffee and juices for those wanting a quick service option. For lunch, Terrace Bistro & Lounge features hearty yet healthy options. Located outside the lodge, Peaks & Pies makes hand-tossed Neapolitan-style pizzas.
In terms of the skiing and riding experience, many upgrades have been made. The quad chairlift to the summit will operate this season. A double chairlift, which services the Ridge Runner trail, and the quad chairlift, which services the Breakaway piste, will return in the future. New trails have been added across the mountain, including Lower Viewfinder, Hatley Highway, and Simply Savage. Other trails have returned to the map after years of inactivity, including Flame Out and Southern Express. The existing trails across the mountain have been regraded, providing for a better skiing and riding experience. A terrain park has been added on the Way Out trail, which will be serviced by a new rope tow. Further terrain expansions are also being considered on the backside, with the Hatleys owning lots of land around the existing ski resort.
Significant snowmaking upgrades were also made. Five thousand five hundred feet of steel pipe has been added, which replaced over sixty-year-old degrading pipe. The pumphouse was also reconstructed, and brand-new pumps were installed. Hatley Pointe has bought 57 brand-new Demaclenko snow guns, which have been placed across the mountain.
Hatley Pointe plans to become a summer destination as well. Hatley Pointe has partnered with Elevated Trail Design to build an extensive mountain biking network. Other parts of their ten-year plan include disc golf, hiking trails, an equestrian center, archery facilities, agricultural farming, and outdoor spaces for events.
Ultimately, the future was looking bleak for Wolf Ridge in 2022. Today, the future of Hatley Pointe is very bright.
Image Credits: Hatley Pointe Mountain Resort, Skimap.org
