Mainely Skiing Weekly Email (November 10, 2023)

Welcome to the Mainely Skiing Fall Email! This email will be sent straight to your inbox whenever we release new emails. In this email, we will highlight all the summer activities in or around the Rangeley Area!

Photo: Maine Drone Imaging

Pleasant Mountain Job Fair:

Pleasant Mountain is hosting a job fair on Saturday, November 11, from 12 to 3pm in Blizard’s Pub. All hiring managers will be on-site, ready to answer your questions. Check it out by clicking the link below.

pleasantmountain.com

Upcoming Events:

Make sure to add these events to your calendar to keep yourself up to date with the local happenings. Of course, you can always visit our events page, which is constantly getting updated so you can know about the event before anyone else! Click here

Event Name:Start Date:End Date:Occurrence:
Job Fair @ Pleasant MountainNovember 11November 11One Day
Auburn Ski Association’s 58th Annual Ski SwapNovember 12November 12One Day
Sugarloaf Opening DayNovember 17November 17One Day
Live Auction @ Big Moose MountainNovember 18November 18One Day
Yarmouth Ski Club Ski SwapNovember 18November 18One Day
Bridal Show & Tasting @ SugarloafNovember 19November 19One Day
Thanksgiving Dinner @ Sunday RiverNovember 23November 23One Day
Saddleback Pub OpensNovember 24November 24One Day
Live Auction at Black Mountain of MaineDecember 2December 2One Day
Demo Day @ Sunday RiverDecember 9December 9One Day
Sunday River Santa SundayDecember 10December 10One Day
Sugarloaf Tree Lighting FestivalDecember 16December 16One Day
Winterfest Weekend @ Sunday RiverDecember 16December 17Two Days
Christmas Vacation WeekDecember 25December 29Five Days
Indie Demo Day @ Sunday RiverJanuary 6January 6One Day
2nd Annual Vertical Challenge @ SaddlebackJanuary 7January 7One Day
Rangeley Fat Bike Loppet @ RLTCJanuary 28Januaray 28One Day
IFSA Junior Freeride @ SaddlebackJanuary 28January 28One Day
Fire on the Mountain @ SugarloafFebruary 2February 4Three Days
February Fest @ SaddlebackFebruary 23February 23One Day

Black Mountain Guide:

Check out one of the newest pages on the website, Black Mountain Guide. With all the relevant information needed for a great day at Black Mountain, it’s worth the time to check it out!

mainelyskiing.com

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Auburn Ski Association’s Annual Ski Swap:

Auburn Ski Association’s 58th Annual Ski Swap is happening this Sunday from 9-2pm at Lost Valley. Come out to support the local teams and various other programs Auburn Ski Association supports, including the Merrick Learn to Ski/Ride! For more information, click the link below.

auburnskiassociation.com

Opening Days:

That first chair is always one of the most exciting moments in the early season. It’s time to start waxing those skis, dusting off gear and making sure your pass is ready. mainelyskiing.com/season-passes 😉 you’ll thank me later. Below is a table of the opening days as we know right now.

Mountain NameOpening Date
Saddleback MountainDecember 2
SugarloafNovember 17
Sunday RiverNovember 16
Pleasant MountainDecember 16
Black Mountain of MaineDecember 26
Big RockNot Announced
Camden Snow BowlDecember 26
Mt. AbramNot Announced
Big Moose MountainDecember 26
Lost ValleyDecember 18
Hermon MountainDecember 30
Titcomb MountainNot Announced

Big Projects For Big Moose:

Big Moose Mountain in Greenville, formally named Big Squaw, needs your help. The mountain has been hard at work reclaiming the upper mountain trails by bringing them back to skiable terrain. This is only made possible due to the support on GoFundMe. The mountain has raised about 30% of their goal of $60,000. If you’ve skied here before the upper mountain closed in 2004, you know it was a special experience. You can help bring this back by donating to the mountain’s GoFundMe. Click the link below to see the money raised and donate. Click here: link

The Friends of the Mountain, the non-profit group that owns Big Moose, is under an agreement to bring a Mombardier 13 Passenger Snow Cat from Colorado to Maine. Currently, they are offering partnership and pre-buy options for your trip to the summit. You can purchase below.

skibigsquaw.com

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Mainely Skiing Gear Guide:

It’s been a long time in the making, but I’m extremely excited to share our gear guide page with you. Complete with beginner, intermediate, and expert pages filled with the appropriate gear for each level. Check it out by clicking the link below.

mainelysking.com/gear-guide

Saddleback $49 Lift Tickets:

Buy Now And Save!

This week, Saddleback announced $49 lift tickets available for the full season. Act fast, as there are only so many tickets being sold at that price before going to the next pricing tier. Click the link to purchase now.

saddlebackmaine.com

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Sugarloaf $41 Lift Tickets:

Buy Now And Save!

This week, Sugarloaf announced $41 early season lift tickets. You need to purchase now as the prices go up after a set number of people purchase. For more information and to purchase your ticket, click the link below!

sugarloaf.com

Sugarloaf Marathon Registration Open:

The Sugarloaf Marathon and 15K registration is now open. Thankfully, you have time to prepare for the race, as the deadline to sign up is April 15. For more information on the races, click the link below.

sugarloaf.com

Photo: Maine Drone Imaging

Resort Status Page:

Our Resort Status page is now live. Complete with the various ski areas we cover, you’ll have all the important information relevant to us skiers. Check out the page below.

mainelyskiing.com

Sugarloaf Bridal Show & Tasting:

If you’re looking to get married at Sugarloaf, you need to go to their Bridal Show & Tasting. The event occurs on Sunday, November 19, from 1-4pm in the King Pine Room. There will be many different vendors and flavorful dishes being served. For all the details, head over to the website below.

sugarloaf.com/weddings

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Thanksgiving Dinner At Sunday River:

Join Sunday River around the table for a lovely Thanksgiving meal. The folks from Camp will be cooking a tasteful turkey with all the sides you could imagine. Happening from 1-8pm, you can’t miss this!

sundayriver.com

Season Pass Sales:

Season passes have been on sale throughout the summer but to take advantage of the savings, you better purchase now! Check out the table to see all season passes:

Mountain NameAdult PriceNext Deadline
Saddleback Maine$94912/31
Sugarloaf (New England Gold)$1,61911/30
Sunday River (New England Gold)$1,61911/30
Pleasant Mountain$95911/30
Black Mountain of Maine$47511/30
Big Rock$50011/27
Camden Snow Bowl$550N / A
Mt. Abram$599N / A
Lost Valley$645N / A
Hermon Mountain$530N / A
Titcomb Mountain$265N / A
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Sunday River Early Season Update:

It might only be fall but the folks from Sunday River are already in the winter mindset. This week, the mountain announced a new early-season operating guide. The plan is to start the season off with top-to-bottom skiing and riding off their Jordan 8 lift. They hope to have “multiple trail choices” serviced from the Jordan 8. For more information and to stay in the know, click the link below.

sundayriver.com

Sugarloaf Making Progress:

The newest major lift progress at Sugarloaf since the SuperQuad all the way back in 1994, the new Bucksaw Express will take skiers and riders to the top of West Mountain by the on-mountain Bullwinkles Grill. The lift will stretch 6,574 feet long and feature a 1,433-foot vertical rise. It will also be the future home to over 200 new homes including 52 single-family house lots.

The expansion will shorten the existing West Mountain Double Chair to the mid-station to relieve congestion at the top unload area. Set to debut in late December – early January with 12 trails:

Difficulty Trail NameDifficulty Trail Name
 HatchetBucksaw
Feller-BuncherCutter
ChipperWhistle Punk
Upper Beaver TailLower Beaver Tail
Knot BumperYarder
TwitcherWest Mountain Crosscut

Sugarloaf posted a video to Facebook showcasing the project and Sugarloaf’s continued investment to their mountain. They’re adding 246 high-efficiency HKD snow guns and over 88,000′ of new snowmaking pipe. Check out the full video below along with the 2030 plan.

facebook.com/sugarloaf

sugarloaf.com

The Barker 6 Mix:

Sunday River is making quick work on their newest project, a new, high-speed, detachable 6 person lift – Barker 6. This new lift is manufactured by the world’s leading lift manufacturer, Doppelmayr, and is set to be completed by the 2023-24 ski season. This lift will be pretty much identical to the Jordan 8 by featuring heated, ergonomic seats, individual head & foot rests, weather-proof Sunday River Red bubble covers, automatically lowering and locking restraining bar, 13 towers with 63 chairs, and a ride time of just under 5 minutes. This new lift will be a game changer for the Barker area and for Sunday River as a whole.

As well as the Barker 6, Sunday River is installing their second triple chair on Merrill Hill. The new triple chair will provide more opportunities for ski-in, ski-out homes on Merrill Hill. This lift is the second Doppelmayr lift getting installed at the River. While this lift wasn’t in the public eye as much as Barker 6 until this week, the two lifts should be complete when the snow flies. Check out the progress from a photo Sunday River posted this week over on Merrill Hill. See more by clicking the links below.

sundayriver.com

Facebook Video

Photo: Merrill Hill II Construction
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Saddleback Webcams:

Have you visited the Saddleback Webcams? With three cameras scattered across the mountain, you’re guaranteed to get the best sunset. You could go back in time if you missed the best part. Click the link below to see last night’s sunset!

saddlebackmaine.com

Last Chair:

This week, more places in Maine saw some fresh snow. It’s an exciting time as Sugarloaf is planning to send the first chair up the mountain next Friday.

Weather:

While will you look at that – clear snowmaking temps throughout the weekend. With the jet stream sending cold weather our way, I think this will be a good chunk of time for snowmaking.

Day:Friday:Saturday: Sunday:
High:38 31 33
Low:25 22 19
Based out of Rangeley

Wake up, snowmakers!

– Keegan

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