Southern Snow

The New Guide to Winter Sports from Maryland to the Southern Appalachians

By Randy Johnson

464 pp., 6 x 9, 104 halftones, 20 maps, index

  • Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4696-5420-1
    Published: November 2019
  • E-book PDF ISBN: 979-8-8908-6914-2
    Published: September 2019
  • E-book EPUB ISBN: 978-1-4696-5421-8
    Published: September 2019

Southern Gateways Guides

Buy this Book

To purchase online via an independent bookstore, visit Bookshop.org

Awards & distinctions

2019 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist (Adventure, Sports, & Recreation)

Honorable Mention, 2021 Skade Award, International Ski History Association

This guide provides everything you need to know to discover the South’s best-kept secrets of winter recreation: snow-covered mountains, remote yet accessible trails, high-quality downhill and cross-country skiing, sparkling resorts and peaceful cabins, and of course, southern hospitality. Randy Johnson is a knowledgeable guide who shares his years of experience enjoying the winter wonders from the mountains of western Maryland down the Appalachian corridor all the way to northern Alabama.

Features include

- All-in-one guide to the ski areas, winter trails, and mountaineering opportunities in the six-state southern snowbelt

- Tips on lodging, dining, nightlife, outfitters, lessons, childcare, activities for the nonskier, and more

- Well-illustrated with photos and user-friendly maps for hikes and backcountry ski areas

- Entertaining and informative background on the surprising history of the southern ski industry

- Practical advice for finding up-to-the-minute information on weather and resort conditions

Whether you’re just visiting, new to the region, or a lifelong resident, this is the only book you need to make the most of southern snow.

About the Author

Randy Johnson is an accomplished travel writer, editor, and author of numerous books, including Grandfather Mountain: The History and Guide to an Appalachian Icon.
For more information about Randy Johnson, visit the Author Page.

Reviews

“If this book’s title seems a contradiction in terms, thank the author for dispelling the notion that our neck of the woods doesn’t offer significant winter sporting. In fact, you just need to know where and when to look for snow-laden adventures in the South.”--WNC

“Southern Snow immerses the reader in a general understanding and appeal of winter in the southern Appalachians. In this comprehensive and interesting read, Randy Johnson shares his love of the Southern highlands.”--Seniors Skiing

"Southern Snow is a comprehensive overview of a lifestyle that shouldn't seem to exist in the South: A southern ski industry? Really? For curious readers, Randy Johnson is only too happy to fill them in. Though it is first and foremost about where to play in the snow, it is also a wonderful history of the birth and growth of an industry."--Joe Miller, author of Adventure Carolinas: Your Go-To Guide for Multi-Sport Outdoor Recreation

"This guide is for anyone interested in winter sports in the South; even practiced skiers will find new information here to enhance their experience."--Carolyn Sakowski, author of Touring the Western North Carolina Backroads

"This is a fantastic book about winter recreation in a region not commonly associated with snow. Johnson's extensive knowledge of the Southern Appalachians will give readers excellent information about how to enjoy the region's colder, snowy months."--Baker Perry, Appalachian State University