Did you have a question? I'm not a skier and haven't been to Gatlinburg in years, but I know that they make snow from watching the news. I think they also have sleds of some sort that can be used.
Years ago, Gatlinburg was dead in the winter, but that has changed in the last couple of decades. Under normal conditions, they have quite a few visitors in January. Depending on your dates, the Winterfest lights may still be up.
Know that Tennesseans don't deal well with snow, so roads can be treacherous if it snows in the lower elevations. It usually doesn't last long. January is our only truly yucky month weather-wise, but that's coming from the standpoint of living here and trying to get to work every day. The last couple of years, we've only had 2 or 3 significant snows in the valley, but the mountains get more. You won't think it's cold here coming from Michigan. Four years ago we had daffodils in January.
With any luck the pandemic will be over by then. Right now, cases are increasing dramatically, partly due to all of the tourists rolling in from driving locations.
Sheila