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Maine Sunday Telegram 

Maine Guide to Winter 2005 -2006

 

 

 

“Maine's ski resorts boast new trails..."

How ‘bout that Mother Nature? She sure dumped sweet confection on our Maine slopes last winter. Then she wreaked hurricane havoc on our Southern states this summer and fall. Record snows on Mount Washington in October might indicate that she will flex her meteorological muscle with more deep snow this winter. While I can’t tell you what the capricious weather goddess has up her sleeves for this ski season, I can tell you what Maine resorts are up to in preparation for the 2005-06 winter.

What’s new at Sunday River this season? The River brings on line four brand new Bombardiers to enhance their grooming legacy, two of which are winch cats to smooth the steeps of White Heat, Shockwave, Vortex and the like. Visitors will see improvements to both major hotels (The Grand Summit is no longer salmon) and touch ups to all the base lodges, part of the mission to bring the resort amenities up to par with the lifts and snowmaking. A new Shipyard Brew Haus opens in the White Cap Lodge with a pub menu and après entertainment.

Thanksgiving weekend is a good time to head to Sunday River, their snowmaking prowess usually means you will find the most early season terrain available and they will be hosting Demo Days, so you can try the newest ski and snowboard swag before you make your holiday wish list.

Sugarloaf plans to open Friday, Nov. 18 and will discount tickets to $21 Saturday and Sunday for anyone donating 3 cans of food for Tin Mountain Round Up. The Loaf’s superpipe is bigger and should be better as a new 18-foot Zuagg halfpipe designer has been added to the grooming equipment.

Sugarloaf is also going big on the ski racing stage, hosting the country’s best for the U.S. Alpine Championships March 25-29, 2006. America’s top alpine racers, fresh from their Olympic medal haul (we hope) will be at Sugarloaf for the season finale.

“The entire Sugarloaf community is ecstatic to welcome the nation’s top skiers including Sugarloaf’s own Bode Miller and Kirsten Clark to close out what is likely be one of the most exciting seasons the U.S. Ski Team has ever had,” said Sugarloaf’s President John Diller. Sugarloaf hosted the Championships in 1996 and ’97 and a World Cup in 1971.

Racers will ski Downhill and Super G on the Loaf’s fabled Narrow Gauge trail, nearly two miles at speeds of 85 miles per hour with several pro-jumps along the way, with the finish staged in front of the Sugarloaf base lodge. Spectators are welcome and encouraged at this prime weeklong Sugarloaf event.

Shawnee Peak, already the biggest night ski facility in New England, adds more lights to their beginner Evergreen and Easy Turns. The Peak is now almost 60% lit up, with 19 night trails. With a continued focus on bringing new skiers and riders into the sport, Shawnee will literally roll out the magic carpet this season. A new surface carpet lift has been added to the Beginner Area, which is very easy to step on and off for newbies. This new 175-foot Li’l Pine lift accesses more beginner terrain and replaces the mitten-ripping rope tow.

As a special incentive, Shawnee Peak is giving a limited number of free learn to ski or snowboard lessons on Dec. 23 and 24, call 647-8444 to register. Participants will get an hour and 45-minute lesson with rental equipment plus a $10 off coupon to come back for another lesson.

Shawnee plans to open Dec. 10 for the 68th season. Dec. 17 is scheduled opening day for both Mt. Abram and Saddleback.

Saddleback enters the winter with four new trails, on the heels of last year’s new lift and lodge. Mrs. Dudley is a beginner glade serviced by the new quad, Red Devil is a blue cruiser located skiers’ left of Blue Devil, and two expert runs will debut on either side of the upper mountain Kennebago T-Bar – the Governor and Dark Wizard, a black diamond glade. The Rangeley double will have increased capacity as 30 chairs have been added to the cable.

According to Saddleback’s owner Bill Berry, the Rangeley-based ski area has tremendous potential for terrain to the east of Warden’s Way, into Horn Bowl, and to the west of the Hudson’s Highway trail. The slopeside hotel plans have been tabled at this time, but Berry is eager to install a T-Bar (he has spares on hand) to access some of this prime backcountry terrain in coming seasons.

Mount Abram will debut a new Sobe Carve Park this season, this automated free-of-charge racecourse is located on the West Side’s Ego Mania trail. Skiers and riders of all ages and abilities can charge through the whiskers gates for an accurate time. Abram will continue to offer the more competitive NASTAR race series on Saturdays and Sundays. Owner Josh Burns says he wants to be an affordable family ski area with ticket prices about $20 less than some areas. Mount Abram is currently the only area in Maine that allows children age 6 and under to ski free.

Lost Valley plans to open Dec. 16. Skiers will find two new alpine trails, a glade and a terrain park access trail. The race area has been expanded to host collegiate competitions, and lights have been improved there and on the Otter Slide Terrain Park. Lost Valley’s lodge has a fresh look, and the retail shop has been revamped. On the Nordic side, trails have been added to encompass 17-kilometers, a huge increase from the former 3.6.

Camden Snow Bowl enters its 70th season with a scheduled opening of Dec. 17. Improvements on Ragged Mountain include a new 200’ handle tow at the base, which will offer a less-intimidating alternative for budding skiers and boarders versus riding the chair. Tree-skiers that loved Camden’s glade trail last season will find it is double in size this winter. Also a new one-mile cross-country trail will open, which runs alongside the ski area providing some challenging terrain.

Titcomb’s scheduled 66th opening is Dec. 17, with all the established children’s programs plus a new glade trail near the beginner area. Improvements have been made to the terrain park to make it more accessible for beginners and more experienced users, according to Titcomb manager, Karleen Andrews. Andrews reports stronger season pass sales this fall than last year.

Black Mountain hopes to open Dec. 26. Since debuting the summit with a new triple last January, skiers and riders at Black are experiencing a variety of top to bottom terrain and enjoying the grand base lodge. Jeff Knight, mountain manager at Black, is looking forward to opening the new Allagash trail from the top on skiers’ left this season.

Big Squaw on Moosehead Lake heads into a second season with a non-operational summit lift. The double to Squaw’s upper mountain terrain has not been repaired (or replaced) since the malfunction in March of 2004, which means skiers and riders are relegated to the beginner/intermediate triple chair. The good news, lift tickets for the limited terrain will remain at $19, Big Squaw plans weekend only operation for the coming season, opening weather permitting some time after Thanksgiving.

With on-mountain improvements sprinkled throughout the state (and plenty of the usual behind the scenes pre-season preparations), skiers and riders can be hopeful for another deep and delightful winter on Maine’s slopes.