Maggie Valley, NC -- Sandy's arrival is a crisis for the northeast.
But it's a blessing to the western end of North Carolina.
News 2's Liz Crawford traveled to the Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley, where Sandy has been real good for business.
The Cataloochee Ski Area is one of two ski areas open in the state of North Carolina. Hurricane Sandy dumped enough snow here to open their doors early.
Burlin Allen, a traveler from Tennessee said, "Good for the economy, good for their business. Hopefully it won't warm up and melt away."
People from all over the United States came to see the super storm producer an October miracle on a mountain.
Tammy Brown, Cataloochee Spokesperson said, "Of course, we're very cognizant of the devastation it's caused in other areas, but we've seen the benefit here and we feel very blessed that it happened here in our area."
In the Maggie Valley area, people don't expect skiing conditions until around Thanksgiving. And this week's opening marks only the second time in their history that they've opened before November.
Brown said, "It's a wonderful boost for us because you know it creates a lot of excitement in the area. It creates a lot of enthusiasm for our customers excited for skiing."
As long as the weather allows it, the Cataloochee Ski Area will stay open until April.
WFMY News 2